Hi, Jessica! Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, background, and what you enjoy doing in your spare time.
Thank you so much for taking the time, I am super honored to be on your blog. Currently, I am a stay at home daughter who is working towards a college degree. I am the oldest girl, and the middle child of a wonderful Christian family in the midwest. In my spare time writing, art, sewing and language study fill my time.
Tell us a little about what you write and specifically your new release.
Sufficient Grace:
Four years have passed since tragedy broke Grace’s family apart, tarnished the family name, and sent her into hiding at finishing school. Now with a new last name and a few years between her and the accident; Grace wonders if she will be able to escape the heavy shadow of the past that smothers her with guilt and a desire to escape life.
Grace carefully guards her heart from others to prevent them from discovering her past. However, when Mitch, a deputy, comes into her life, he seems bent on destroying Grace’s armor. Can Grace really trust someone with the secrets that haunt her, or will they destroy her once again?
Why do you write?
At age 12 I was seeking for a life purpose. I knew I wanted to grow up to be a wife and mother someday, but I wanted something to do until husband and children came into the picture, and something that I could hopefully do while taking care of husband, children, and house...none of which exist still, which is just fine. A week or so later the pastor preached about David and Paul being ready writers for God.
I felt God asking me. “Will you be my ready writer?”
Without thinking about how much I hated writing etc. I said YES!
And I’ve been writing ever since! It’s become my relaxing hobby. It’s a gift from God, because I certainly would have never chosen it.
Where do the your ideas come from?
They come from many places. People, pictures, music, concepts, even dreams. They combine all in a lovely mixture of inspiration. I usually write medieval type fiction, however I wanted to sample a different genre, and western was the one that appealed to me. Sufficient Grace, was an idea that I really wanted to write but it wasn’t fitting with anything, in my typical genre. After meeting someone who just seemed perfect for a western character but having no story to put him into, I thought I would have to let the idea go. However, waking up from a nap on day, the idea struck and fell fully into place with the opening scene of Sufficient Grace.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
It really depends. The fastest I’ve ever written a book was three weeks, the longest nearly two years.
For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?
Big books, give me a hardback, also children’s books. For general reading and traveling, I love a good paperback. Traveling with the complete works Jane Austen in hardcover was a big mistake.
What book/s are you reading at present?
By my bed are:
Fly Away Home by Rachel Heffington,
Fierce Beauty by Meeder
Lafayette H.G. Unger
Fierce Beauty by Meeder
Lafayette H.G. Unger
Tell us about the cover and how it came about.
I am super thrilled with the cover that Louie Roybal created for this book! This is our third collaboration, and I am so grateful to be working with him again. It’s a long funny story, however I knew his wife when we were both in highschool, we met at speech competition. We lost track of each other, then cleaning one day I came across her maiden last name on sheet of paper and looked her up! Sure enough, there she was! We became friends on facebook, she posted pictures of her husband's art work, at that time I was helping a friend find an illustrator. Then it struck me, why don’t I enlist his help, too? I love cover designing, however when it comes to making my own book covers, I struggle with perfection. It’s so nice to let Louie take the wheel and create a piece of beautiful art that speaks perfectly for my book.
What is your favorite book and why?
That is really hard to say. There are so many delightful books, but besides the One, I try to read everyday. On the top of my list are a bunch of unpublished books. A major problem when you have so many author friends. However,
Only A Novel by Amy Dashwood (sweet and funny)
Ransomed by Elizabeth Ender (powerful)
The Viking Series by Lois Walfrid Johnson. (deep and adventurous)
What is your favourite quote?
Cur Non - The Lafayette Family Motto. (which means why not)
Or William Borden’s No retreats, No reserves, No regrets.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Keep trying, keep writing. Never, never, never give up.
The writing world can be harsh, but there is always a niche for you to flourish, you just need to find the right marketing soil.
How can readers discover more about you and you work?
You can follow me at
Website: www.jessicagreyson.com
Blog: www.jessicagreyson.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorjessicagreyson/
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/Safirewriter
Thank you for being with us today, Jessica! I wish you success and look forward to getting my hands on a copy of Sufficient Grace!
To help celebrate, I'm offering this handmade framed Bible verse, inspired by Jessica's new release. Sign up for your chance to win! (Only US entries only, please!)
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