Quantcast
Channel: New Hampshire Writers' Project - Made in NH
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 15

Made in NH– Authors: Janis Hennessey

0
0

Made in NH– Authors: Janis Hennessey

By Amy Ray

This is the last in a series of interviews of authors who represented NHWP at the Made in New Hampshire Expo booth.

Janis Hennessey writes children’s books for ages two through eight. In her A Max & Colby Adventure series, two very different dogs have adventures in the backyard and prove that friendship and napping are essential elements of life.

Janis will signing books at the Animal Rescue League of NH Pet Fair, 3M Road Race & Dog Walkathon on Saturday, September 19th at Derryfield Park, Manchester, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Amy Ray: What inspired you to become a writer? 

Janis Hennessey: At age ten I enjoyed writing plays for my friends and me to perform for our neighborhood friends. I continued my love of writing throughout school. As a French teacher, I encouraged creative writing in another language. Now recently retired, I have enjoyed writing books for children. I have come full circle.

AR: What is the most challenging aspect of writing for you? 

JH:  There is a challenge in presenting concepts of friendship, danger, being lost, making new friends to ages two through eight. I have to figure out how to do this in very simple words that engage the very young listener and the new reader. I want each story to encourage conversations between the child and adult. I hope the child can relate to the characters and learn something about life they can actually use. I have to teach but not preach.

AR: There are many typewriter fans here at the Writers’ Project. How do you write: computer, typewriter, longhand, dictation…?

JH: Post-its®! Lots of Post-its®! That is how a story always begins. Anytime I have an idea about a character, plot detail, physical detail, title, etcetera, I jot it down on a Post-it®. After a while I have a sheet of paper full of random ideas. Then I put the Post-it® ideas in categories and create a computer file. Slowly but surely the categories grow into a story. Then I organize an outline, edit details, and start filling out the actual story. From that point, the story is all written on computer.

AR: Plotter or Pantser? (Do you plot ahead of time or fly by the seat of your pants?) 

JH:  I plot and allow the story to ferment in the parking lot of my mind for a good long time. I like to picture the story to see if it will really work. Once all my notes are in order, I feel this is the story I want to write, and the story is ready to burst forth, I sit at the computer and write and write.

AR: What was your path to publication: agent with traditional publisher, small press, indie publishing or self-publishing? 

JH:  First, I took an online course about traditional publishing followed by a course about e-publishing. The traditional path did not look hopeful because of all the recent e-competition. Even the small press seemed like it would take years to find the “right one.” Also, I didn’t want to give up my right to decide what was in my book and what happened to it. I did not want to pay the indie prices to publish. So, there was only one choice left: self-publishing. I took another online course about how to do that and ventured forth. I have never regretted it. Did you know that Beatrice Potter was self-published? No traditional publisher liked her Peter Rabbit.

AR: How long did it take you to get from your initial inspiration to the finished product?

JHAt least a year. Because I write children’s books for ages two through eight, after I write a story and have teachers and children’s librarians give me feedback, I work with the illustrator.  Then I have the teachers and librarians review the story again. Finally, I review each word and thought. All this takes time.

AR: How do you market your books? 

JH:  I am just at the beginning of marketing the books and would like to know more what others have done. I hope that NHWP will do something with this topic.

AR: Do you have any advice for other writers?

JH:  Peter Pan offered the best advice. “The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to fly.” = Believe in yourself and your ability to write and you will fly!

AR: Are you working on a new writing project?

JH:  Yes. I have just started a new children’s series: The “Why Did” series using photographs instead of illustrations. Why did Emma make Teddy Bear Bread? and Why did Marcus go to the Restaurant? The stories follows a real child. The Why Did answer is never what the reader expects.

Amy Ray’s book, Dangerous Denialis a Silver Falchion nominee in the category of Best First Novel: Thriller/Mystery. Ray has a short story in the anthology, Love Free or Die, and will have another story featured in Murder in a New England Newsroom when it is published next winter. She lives on the seacoast and is a longtime member of NHWP.


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 15

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images