Interview with author Jennifer Osborn

Today I am speaking with Jennifer Osborn, author of The Veiled, The Sentinel's Insurgency, and The Kidnapped Circus.
CJ: Thank you for joining me, Jennifer. Tell me a little about yourself.
JO: I live in the Cincinnati area. I'm originally from Corbin, a small town in Southeast Kentucky. I write New Adult and Young Adult Sci-Fi and paranormal romance.
CJ: What got you into writing?
JO: My upbringing was pretty brutal to say the least. I found reading, writing, and telling stories were a great means of escape for me. In high school, I created my own "sequels" to my favorite books. I would design my own covers and then pass them around to my friends. In those stories, I would always create a version of myself to play along side of my favorite characters.
CJ: You wrote a novella, The Veiled. Recently, you have published an expanded version of this book. What made you decide to do this?
JO: When I initially released The Veiled last year, I felt I had left out stuff that needed to be said. I made the hard decision to re-release The Veiled and added new material. Add into that, I also had the cover redesigned by Phatpuppyart, who got the character of Serena perfectly. I am incredibly proud of the re-release.
CJ: What is your writing routine? Is it daily? Do you have a set amount of time to write each day?
JO: Working full time forces me to find writing times where I can. My lunch times at work are fully devoted to writing everyday, so that one is set. In the evening, I sit down and try to get in at least one hour of writing. I'm not always successful, but I strive to do that.
CJ: Are you a plotter or pantser? How do you keep your characters straight?
JO: I am about 90% pantser and 10% plotter. I know initially going into a story where it needs to go. I let the characters tell me how they'd like to get there. My stories are primarily paranormal romance or Sci-Fi. As a result, I get to create my own worlds. To keep it all straight, I use Scrivener. What a godsend that program has been to me. I don't use Scrivener to write my story, but all my research and notes go there.
CJ: You write primarily YA and NA, are your books romance, science fiction, fantasy, or a mix?
JO: They are a mix. I love a good romance, but my stories tend to have that as a parallel story line along with the main plot.
CJ: What is your most favorite character from one of your books and why?
JO: By far, I have two. Skylar Bennett from my Elemental series (not released yet) and Henry Parrish from the Shilund Saga. Both are characters that struggle with where they fit in the world around them. They struggle with the sense of self and I think that is how the majority of us feel. We don't have everything figured out, but we strive to do what we can to make life better. Both of those characters are flawed, but strive to do the right thing.
CJ: I know you have indie published some of your books. Does that give you more satisfaction as an author than traditional publishing?
JO: Being an indie author, gives you more control, but traditional publishing is easier. I'm not sure which is more satisfying.
CJ: Any advice for those authors who want to indie publish? Did you hire a cover artist, formatter, and editor?
JO: If you want to indie publish, my advice it to make sure you really want it. Indie publishing is not for the faint of heart. Typically, your are the one editing, creating covers, and marketing. It's very hard and can be discouraging at times. The best part, however, is the control. It's your story from start to finish and there are no deadlines to meet except the ones you set.  That being said, traditional publishing has its advantages as well. You are not the one editing your own stuff. Other people do the marketing and cover design. The downside is the publisher holds the publishing rights for the term of your contract and then you have to get them back. As you can see, there are pros and cons for both. I have hired a cover designer for all my books and had The Veiled - Expanded Edition, professionally edited.
CJ: What are your top five favorite books and why?
JO: The Host, by: Stephenie Meyer. Stephenie found her voice in the sci-fi story. With Twilight, it was more about the love story, whereas in The Host, it asked a lot of deeper questions about who we are as people and at what point does personal freedom end and a greater good begin. It was a wonderful look at what it means to love your fellow man. The Scorpio Races, by: Maggie Stiefvater. This book deserved all the awards it received, of which there were many. It is an achingly seductive story of the fabled water horses from Gaelic lore. Maggie writes from a place of true story telling and doesn't succumb to writing a happily ever after. Her stories ache. She and Cassandra Clare are two authors I most admire and want to meet. As a side note, this book has just been optioned into a movie and I can only hope that they take one of the best stories ever written and do it justice. The Infernal Devices Series, by: Cassandra Clare. Cassie seemed to take her time in telling this story, and not in a bad way. She methodically draws you into a world with its defined rules and it's beautiful. Her writing is very clean. I love the love triangle that is the backdrop for an epic battle between good and evil. She is one of the best writers of our time in the Young Adult genre. The Shiver Trilogy, by: Maggie Stiefvater. This series was my first introduction to Maggie. It was a different twist on the werewolf lore and she does  a fantastic job. Again, her books ACHE in a wonderful way. She is truly a good storyteller. The Outsiders, by: S. E. Hinton. When I first read this book, I was fourteen-years-old. The book and story felt like my comrade in arms. The characters Susan put in the book were flawed teens trying to navigate life on their own, exactly the place I was. Ponyboy had an older brother as a parent and I eventually ended up in the same situation myself. This was the first book that I related to that gave my frustrations a voice. After that book, I read everything there was to read from her.
CJ: Where can readers purchase your books and in what formats?
JO: The Veiled - Expanded Edition (NA) e-book and print. Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Smashwords. The Kidnapped Circus (YA) e-book. Free read on Swoonreads.com, but set to be released next year in print. The Sentinel's Insurgency (NA) e-book. Barnes and Noble and Amazon. (Links will be provided below).
CJ: Where can readers find you on the web?
JO: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferOsborn
        http://www.jenniferosborn.org
CJ: Is there anything else you want to tell people about yourself or your books?
JO: Only that I hope you like my stories.
CJ: Thank you for taking the time to do this interview.


Author, Jennifer Osborn

 Here are the links to purchase books by Jennifer Osborn.
The Veiled (paperback) at Barnes and Noble.  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-veiled-expa.../1120584858
The Veiled (e-book) at Barnes and Noble.  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-veiled-expa.../1120674817
The Veiled (e-book) on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Veiled-Expanded-Shilund.../.../ref=sr_1_2...
The Veiled (paperback) on Amazon. http://www/amazon.com/Veiled-Expanded-Shilund-Saga-Book/dp/0692309918/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416167823&sr=8-1&keywords=The+veiled+jennifer+Osborn
The Veiled on Kobo.  http://www.kobobooks.com/.../eb.../the-veiled-expanded-edition
The Veiled on Smashwords.  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/489606

The Kidnapped Circus on Swoonreads. http://www/swoonreads/com/m/the-kidnapped-circus

The Sentinel's Insurgency on Amazon.  http://www.amazon.com/Sentinels-Insurgency-Jennifer-Osborn-ebbok/dp/BooIQY8M7U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416168005&sr=8-1&keywords=The+sentinel%27s+insurgency
The Sentinel's Insurgency on Barnes and Noble. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sentinels-insurgency-jennifer-osborn/1118847668?ean=2940149362677