Seven minutes with Jennifer: Interview of Caitlin Hensley

Welcome to Seven minutes with Jennifer! This is my new section where I interview Paranormal, Paranormal Romance and Sci-Fi Authors. So if you love novels from those genres, you might want to spend a minute or two with me and my guests. You never know if you find your next read from here…

Let’s welcome Caitlin Hensley, my first guest, to my virtual couch.

Caitlin, please, tell us a something about yourself?

I’m 19, and I live in rural Oklahoma with my family and a slightly nutty Chihuahua. When I’m not writing, I’m usually dancing, reading, or catching up on reruns of my favorite TV shows. I just finished writing my tenth novel.

Wow! Ten novels! That’s amazing.When and why did you begin writing?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember—since I first learned to hold a pen, actually. There’s just something so amazing and stress-relieving about writing. I can forget about the real world and focus on a fantasy world of my own making.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I don’t think there’s a set time that I decided I was officially a writer. But it was only a couple of years ago that I thought about publishing my books so that other people could read them and meet all my characters.

Where do you get ideas for your stories?

I usually think of a cool character, and then slowly develop a plot to go with that character. And I can get ideas from just about anywhere; once, I got an idea for a book from a set of earrings I saw at the mall.

That’s cool! So there is probably no danger for your well of ideas to dry up. Since you’ve written so many novels have you ever had a writer’s block and if yes, how did you make it go away?

Oh, writer’s block. It can be a nasty affliction, can’t it? Some things that can help cure you of this awful disease are forcing yourself to write every day, even if you only write 100 words; taking time off from writing; talking to a friend who’s also a writer; and writing in a new place, with totally different surroundings. Sometimes it takes a while for my writer’s block to go away, but it always does.

I agree. There is no better cure for the block than writing! So what was the hardest part of writing your books?

The writing isn’t really that hard for me. When I have writer’s block, it can get tricky, but not too bad. For me, the most difficult part of the writing process is the editing that comes afterward. It can be challenging to read the same 90,000 words over and over again, feeling so critical of your own work.

Indie or traditional publishing?

I used to want to be traditionally published, but then I started researching indie publishing, and decided that was the way I wanted to go. I love being able to control all aspects of my books.

What is the force behind your writing?

A love of writing. I just love pounding out stories on the keys of my laptop.

Do you have any weird writing habits?

Not any that I would really call weird, no. But I’m a huge fan of sprints, which is when at least two writers set a certain number of minutes and race against each other, seeing how much they can each get written in, say, twenty minutes. I’m a total sprint addict.

That sounds fun! I must try that sometimes. As a cartoon addict I’m curious to know what is your favorite cartoon character?

I love the Flash from Justice League; I’ve loved him since I was a kid. More recently, I’ve become a huge fan of Flynn Rider from Tangled.

Oh, I love Flynn! He’s one of my favorites, too…What about your favorite author(s)? Book(s)?Movie(s)? TV-series?

Okay, let’s see. There’s no way I can possibly list all of my favorite authors, books, movies, and TV series, so I’ll only list most of them. 😉

Favorite books: The Hunger Games, The Curse Workers, The Host, The Mindjack Trilogy, The Station, The Darkest Powers Series, Vampire Academy, What’s Left Of Me, and just about every book by Meg Cabot.

Favorite movies: War of the Worlds, Unstoppable, Serenity, Man on a Ledge, Titanic, Fright Night, Source Code.

Favorite TV series: The Walking Dead, Psych, Being Human (UK), Firefly, Castle.

Wow! That was a long list and there were some I have never heard of but will definitely check out. So you’ve already given us a glimpse of some of your favorite things but between your writing, dancing and watching reruns is there anything else you’re doing in your spare time?

Lately, I don’t seem to have much spare time. But when I’m not writing, I’m either reading or at work. I just started a new job, so I don’t get as much writing done as I used to. But that’s okay!

Any current projects you’d like to share?

Camp NaNo is this month, and I’m working on a YA paranormal novel about a boy who gets possessed by a ghost, and he and the ghost can communicate with each other telepathically. I saw a picture on the Internet, which is what sparked this idea.

Sounds interesting. And Camp Nano…all my respect to you! And of course the best of luck! We’ve almost finished so now is the time to tell us something unique about yourself you’d like the readers to know…maybe a secret…

I like clogging, which is a type of dancing, almost like tap dancing. I’m part of a group that performs at various festivals and fairs throughout Oklahoma.

Cool! So we might spot you from some dance festival then! If you could meet one ‘celebrity’ author who would it be?

I think I would like to meet either Meg Cabot or Richelle Mead. They’re two of my favorite authors, and though they write books that are very different, they both seem like fantastic people.

If you’ll get to meet Richelle Mead, please, take me with you! She’s fabulous! Do you have any words of wisdom for the other writers?

Don’t give up! And always trust your dreams.

Favorite quote?

“Time to leave now, get out of this room, go somewhere, anywhere; sharpen this feeling of happiness and freedom, stretch your limbs, fill your eyes, be awake, wider awake, vividly awake in every sense and every pore. ” ~Stefan Zweig

Where can people find out more about you and your books:

Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Amazon

Do you want to tell us something about your latest book before you go? Maybe give us a short synopsis?

My latest book is Paranormal Legacy, the first book in The Inhuman Chronicles. Here’s a short blurb:

After moving to a rural Pennsylvania town, cynical teen Haily Long soon discovers that the next-door neighbors are paranormal creatures of darkness. Despite this little quirk, the Knight family seems friendly enough, especially handsome Nathan. Nathan is well-mannered and polite, your typical boy next door…except for the fact that he turns into something else once a month. In a matter of days, Haily is drawn deep into a shadowed world of danger and deceit, and learns startling truths about her own past. When sinister strangers come sniffing around town for Nathan, and Haily gets pulled into the resulting chaos, she must discover how to unlock her true heritage if she wants to survive.

Thank you, Caitlin, for visiting my blog! Your book sounds so interesting that I’m going to buy it right away…Cheers!

Advertisement