Interview with the Authoress Part 2
Welcome back to another week of interviews with Storm Jennings. In honor of celebrating her first book, she has given us an interview. Last week we left with whether she planned on writing another book. We were intrigued to find out she wants to try her hand at a comedic novel.
This will be a drastic change from her traditional writing on love, relationships, and forgiveness. Here’s this week’s session.
Interviewer: Who has inspired you the most in your writings?
SJ: Hmm...hands down I would have to say the late great Dr. Maya Angelou. Like so many of us, I read majority of her poetry as a young girl, not having the full understanding of some of her
metaphors or the sensitivities that she wrote about. When I was older, I began to understand themes and traumas through her work. It was inspiring to me to know her background and how she became a writer. Someday I hope to have my work read and quoted by millions.
Interviewer: Would you consider collaborating with other Authors?
SJ: Of course, I would love to collaborate with some local spoken word artist like Dr. Rebecca Dupas, or renowned artist Sekou Andrews. I would even like to work with some local musicians. I’ve always said my love is an ongoing soundtrack and a movie. I believe music and the spoken word goes hand and hand and they tell beautiful and yet sometimes tragic stories.
Interviewer: How do you come up with your ideas for writing?
SJ: That’s a good question. I’m a storyteller so I get inspired by just about anything. When I get inspired, I sit with the inspiration a bit to see if I’m moved to expound on it further. Some times the inspiration is just in the moment, other times I find the inspiration to write and tell a story more in depth. I’m writing all the time, most things I write never make it to public eyes.
Interviewer: What keeps some of your work from the public?
SJ: She pauses a for minute. Writing is a place of vulnerability and often times I feel the public is not worthy of my vulnerabilities. Writing, whether it’s a song, a joke, or essay, is usually about someone’s experience with a person, place, or thing. As a writer you will need a safe place to share, and every space is not always safe. I commend any writer who releases any piece of artistry. The moment it is released you have opened yourself up to unnecessary ridicule and criticism in the worst way. If you’re not ready for that it can crush your dreams, your spirit. Humanity is not always humane.
Join us again next week to hear the rest of the interview with Storm Jennings. These are our local, authors and writers. It’s a privilege to be able to shine the light on them.
