I love learning about different authors’ inspiration, routines, favorite genres, favorite authors, years at the craft, and anything else I can drag out of them. You never know what you might learn from them to apply to your own writing.
Today I have one of the lovely Writing Wenches, author Jennifer Senhaji, visiting.
Thank you, Jennifer, for taking the time to stop by and putting up with my questions! So let’s get started.
1. How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing successfully since October, 2013. I say successfully because about ten years ago I started writing a novel I wasn’t able to finish. But back in 2013, the words finally started flowing and I’ve been writing ever since.
2. What inspired you to start writing?
There are several things: My own personal love-at-first-sight story got me thinking about writing and adding “write a novel” to my bucket list. That story is the unfinished novel above, but someday I’ll write it when I can do it justice. My mother also inspired me. She was an avid reader and a great writer. I always wanted her to publish her memoirs. She never did, so part of me writes for her. Dreams. Dreams inspire me and is what got me writing Sweet Dreams, my first published novel.
3. Do you have a writing schedule you stick to?
No. I basically come home from the day job and after dinner I sit at my laptop and work. Writing doesn’t happen every day, but I blog twice a week and between outlining, blogging, marketing, and reading, I get writing in at night sitting at the dinning room table.
4. What is your favorite genre to read? Favorite authors?
This is always one of those questions I can’t answer. I read so many different genres it’s hard to pick a favorite. My top genre is romance, which includes contemporary, paranormal, historical, etc. I also love suspense, scifi, and fantasy. Since there are so many authors I love for so many different reasons, the only one I can name is Jane Austen. I’ve read and reread her books more than anyone else’s.
5. What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?
Chemistry. Suspense. Conflict. I want to be on the edge of my seat when I read a book no matter the genre. Good pacing is key.
6. What inspired you to write Choosing to Dream and your whole Sunset Dreams series?
Choosing had to be told. It’s the continuation of Jake and Jenna’s story because they have a lot of story to tell. I love them. As for the series, the first book, Sweet Dreams, was inspired by a series of reoccurring dreams I’ve had over the years. One day they just came together in my head and I couldn’t jot down the story lines fast enough. I wrote it in a notebook, by hand. My fingers were sore for days.
7. Tell us about Choosing to Dream.
In Choosing to Dream, Jenna and Jake have to deal with the stress and strain of a long distance relationship as well as Jake’s fame. He’s an A-list actor and dating one of the biggest stars is Hollywood has its hurdles. This story was personal to me as I was also involved in a long distance relationship for over two years. I really wanted to write about the anxiety and insecurity that type of relationship can cause. In my situation, after two years of torture, I married my long distance lover and have been happily married for the last fifteen years.
8. Any new projects in the works?
I’m working on more books in this series which we will explore other characters like Cooper, Jasmine, and Amy. Then I have a whole other series to write. There are more projects in the works than I have time to write. One at a time, I guess.
9. Thank you for taking the time to visit! Where can readers find out more about you, your projects, and how to contact you?
Website www.jennifersenhajiauthor.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jsenhaji13
Twitter https://twitter.com/jsenhaji13
Blog: http://jennifersenhaji.blogspot.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jennifersenhaji
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Jsenhaji
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/author/jennifersenhaji
WordPress https://jsenhaji13.wordpress.com/
Thank you so much for answering my questions, Jennifer.
Jennifer Senhaji was born and raised in San Francisco, CA, and is married with two children. If she’s not singing along at the top of her lungs to whatever is playing on the radio, you can find her making music playlists at home on her laptop. She works full time and splits her spare time between family, reading, blogging, and writing. Other than English, Jennifer speaks Spanish, Moroccan, and a little French. She loves to travel, but doesn’t do enough of it and will weave places she has gone or wants to go into her stories. Reading has been a passion for most of her life and she loves to write. She calls herself Your Sweet and Spicy Romance Author because she loves the sweet nuances of new love, but also is a bit of a voyeur and wants to be in the bedroom when the characters finally come together.
Choosing to Dream Blurb:
Jenna Morris and Jacob Walker have finally given in to the flames of passion licking at their heels. But they’re only allowed one, blissful week together before the responsibilities of Jen’s café and Jake’s new film wrench the new lovers from each other’s arms.
Struggling to keep insecurities at bay whilst involved in a long distance relationship with one of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors is tough enough. Dealing with Bethany Phillips, ex-supermodel turned actress and Jake’s new costar is almost unbearable.
They say love can move mountains, but can it bridge the gap that fame, jealously, and thousands of miles between them has caused?
Please check out Jennifer’s new release, Choosing to Dream. It’s a great sweet and spicy read!
Happy reading! ~ Jen