Interview with DANIELLE JENSEN

Let’s start with an introduction: Who is Danielle Jensen?

Danielle is an unrepentant daydreamer, which is a highly undesirable attribute for most professions. Life might have gone quite poorly for her if she hadn’t discovered her knack for translating dreams into novels. 

Your debut novel, Stolen Songbird, is due to be published by Strange Chemistry in April 2014. How would you introduce the novel to a new reader? Is it part of a series?

Stolen Songbird is Book 1 in The Malediction Trilogy.  This is the blurb that will be on the back of the book:

For five centuries, a witch's curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the mountain. When Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she realises that the trolls are relying on her to break the curse.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind: escape. But the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time...

But the more time she spends with the trolls, the more she understands their plight. There is a rebellion brewing. And she just might be the one the trolls were looking for...

What inspired you to write the novel? And where do you draw your inspiration from in general?

Stolen Songbird was inspired by a dream I had about a city buried by rubble. Inspiration comes from everywhere: people I meet, things I see, movies I watch, books I read, etc., and it all sits in my brain waiting to bubble up as parts of plot.

How were you introduced to reading and genre fiction?

My dad got sick of reading kid’s books to me when I was little, so he started reading me fantasy novels when I was in grade 1, mostly Tolkien and Eddings. I’m from a family of readers – it is what we do. 

How do you enjoy being a writer and working within the publishing industry?

It can be tough, but I love it. The people in this business are amazing.

What's it like, being a (soon-to-be-)published author? Is it what you expected? Do you have any specific working, writing, researching practices?

It’s exciting, but very stressful. I didn’t expect for there to be so much work required of me that had nothing to do with writing another book. I write or do book related work every day, but I’ve learned to recognize when I’m getting an attack of the crazies and need a break.

When did you realize you wanted to be an author, and what was your first foray into writing? Do you still look back on it fondly?

I made my first attempts at writing a novel when I was in my mid-twenties, and I look back on my efforts with amusement. I realized I wanted to be an author in 2009, and that was when I decided I was going to throw every ounce of determination I had into getting published. Took a few years, but here I am. 

What’s your opinion of the genre today, and where do you see your work fitting into it?

It feels like epic/alternate world fantasy is in a stronger place than it was five years ago, which is obviously good for me. 

What other projects are you working on, and what do you have currently in the pipeline?

I’m currently working on Book 2 of The Malediction Trilogy, and after that’s done, I’ll immediately start working on Book 3. I do have other fantasy projects waiting for the day I have some spare time on my hands.

What are you reading at the moment (fiction, non-fiction)?

Other than the news, I don’t read much non-fiction. As far as fiction goes, I’m currently reading Defy by Sara B. Larson.

What’s something readers might be surprised to learn about you?

That I can’t sing or play a musical instrument.

What are you most looking forward to in the next twelve months?

I’m most looking forward to seeing the cover for the sequel, which I’m guessing will be around November.

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Be sure to check out Danielle Jensen’s website, Twitter and Facebook for more information on her books and writing. Stolen Songbird is due to be published on April 3rd 2014.