#WriterWednesday Interview with Jenna Greene

I’d like to welcome Jenna Greene to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Favorite thing that you always make time for: I always make time to read and write. I’ll sacrifice housework to make sure I can be creative.

The thing you’ll always do just about anything to avoid: The above-mentioned housework. The weather too nice? I can’t be inside doing chores. The weather is yucky? That’s the best time to curl up with a book.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: A cup of tea, preferably very hot.

Things that distract you from writing: Anything happening in the house. Usually, this means my children are trying to tell me something. They tend to ignore me unless I have something I need to do.

The thing you like most about being a writer: Being creative. Creating worlds. Going on a journey with my characters and discovering the story with them.

The thing you like least about being a writer: Editing. Yes, it is necessary. Yes, it’s important. Yes, it’s not as fun as a first draft.

Things you will run to the store for in the middle of the night: The sequel to a good book. Or the last in a trilogy.

Things you never put on your shopping list: This may surprise you, but cleaning supplies!

The thing that you will most remember about your writing life: The feeling of completing a book, having it published, and being able to hold it in your hands as an actual, physical book.

Something in your writing life that you wish you could do over:

Something you’re really good at: I’m a pretty good coach. I coach dragonboat paddling and racing and I’ve been told I explain things well. Plus, when the team gets really tired, I motivate them with very corny jokes.

Something you never learned how to do: Knit. I think it’d be good for me if I knew how. I tried learning to crochet once, but the lessons went very badly. I can kind of sew, so that’s something, right? I can’t make a fancy pillow, but I can repair stuffed animals, which is a skill that has come in handy over the years.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: Fairy princess.

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: Teach, which means talking in front of people all day long. I used to be a very shy child.

Things to say to an author: I’m proud of you!

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I thought about writing a book once. It looks easy.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: I rappelled once. It was terrifying. If I could have escaped from doing it, I would have. But I had to be brave for the children I was with.

Something you chickened out from doing: Scary rides at the fair that don’t have proper seat belts.

The funniest thing to happen to you: I’m fairly clumsy, so most days there are at least 5-6 funny or embarrassing things that happen to me. I walk into a lot of door frames. I am forced to pee in very unfortunate places. I’ve worn two different shoes to work multiple times.

The most embarrassing thing to happen to you: I think trying to get into someone else’s car (that looked like mine) is pretty bad. It’s happened a few times, but only once where the person was sitting in their vehicle and yelled at me.

The best job you ever had: Writing and teaching: The two best gigs in the world.

The worst job you ever had: Retail.

The one thing you cook/bake that is better than a restaurant dish: Um… nothing. I’m the world’s worst cook. My eight year old is now better at making spaghetti than I am … and everything else.

The one thing you cooked/baked that turned out to be an epic disaster: Any casserole I’ve tried. Most lasagna’s I make. I can burn microwave popcorn, so that’s not good. I’ve messed up soup. Sometimes I can re-heat things in the microwave.

About Jenna:

Jenna Greene is a teacher, writer, clumsy dancer, dragonboat coach and paddler, and semi-professional napper. She loves every part of her life and starts each day with a cup of tea.

Let’s Be Social:

Jenna Greene – Author


#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Jenna Greene

I’d like to welcome author Jenna Greene to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: Tea, mugs for my tea, books to read while drinking tea

Things you need to throw out: All the half-finished craft projects of my child and the hoarding materials of my husband.

Things you need for your writing sessions: A cup of tea (surprise!) a comfy chair or couch, my laptop, and inspiration.

Things that hamper your writing: Being hungry.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Writing. (Imagining events, places, conflicts, settings).

Easiest thing about being a writer: Writing. (Communicating events, places, conflicts, settings).

Words that describe you: Quirky, creative, chatty, curious, loyal

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Loud, quirky, emotional, abrasive, sloppy

Favorite music or song: Anything Broadway! Yay Newsies, Hairspray, Billy Elliot!

Music that drives you crazy: Country music and rap.

Favorite beverage: Tea!

Something that gives you a sour face: Coffee (the smell… ugh!)

Something you’re really good at: Being creative, whether that be through writing, inventing games, drama, or dance.

Something you’re really bad at: Dancing without falling over or crashing into things – but I do it anyway because I LOVE it.

Things you’d walk a mile for: My child. If she needed me, I’d RUN 10,000 miles.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Spiders. (Is there one around?!)

Things you always put in your books: A character discovering something about themselves – learning to do something they couldn’t do before, or discovering a strength they didn’t know they had.

Things you never put in your books: Excessive smut. I’d giggle too much while writing it.

Favorite things to do: Paddle a dragonboat, kayak, or canoe.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Killing a spider.

The funniest thing to happen to you: Okay, there’s too many to list. I’ve accidentally got into someone else’s car, peed on my own foot, got my hair caught in a door jamb, ate a bee, went to work with two different shoes…

The most embarrassing thing to happen to you: See above.

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: Wrote, directed, and choreographed plays and Christmas concerts.

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: Anything with junior high students involved.

About Jenna:

Jenna Greene is a YA/ Children’s author from Alberta, Canada. When she isn’t writing or teaching, she enjoys dancing, dragonboating, and napping.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: www.jennagreene.ca

Twitter/X: @jgreenewrites