Q & A with Jennifer Gibson

Title: Destiny (Book #3)

Author: Jennifer Gibson

Published: July 16th 2013 by Black Opal Books

Page Count: 297

Book Description: Jessie’s journey began in Sway and Compass. As we continue to follow her in Destiny, she stumbles across a revelation that could change everything and finds herself standing on the precipice of life.

Jessie is determined not to let her hearing loss hold her back. She aims her sights even higher as she ventures in a new direction. With a Black Belt on the horizon, and so close to achieving it, she is unaware of the danger closing in on her.

Will she be strong enough to hold on or will she succumb to the darkness that surrounds her?

Q & A with Jennifer Gibson

Q. Tell us a little bit about your main character, Jessie.

A: Jessie represents a younger version of me growing up with a severe hearing loss. The experiences that she goes through are from various stages throughout my life, from a very young child up to today. We follow her journey throughout the trilogy series as she tries to make sense of her life and fit in a society that seems very unforgiving. 

Ironically, her name was not originally Jessie, it was Jenna. When I was writing the first novel, Sway, I began to wonder if Jenna was the right name, it didn't seem to fit her personality at the time. Until one day when I was out shopping and heard the song "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield. I was a teenager in the 80's and remembered that song vividly. Later on, in another store I heard that same song again which was a sign that I should use Jessie. It was a perfect fit.

Q: Why did you feel the need to tell Jessie's story? What do you hope your readers will take away from reading your books? 

A: I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do. The last thing I wanted to do was write a book similar to Harry Potter or Twilight, instead I wanted to produce a very unique story that was close to my heart. My goal was to provide an interesting point of view for young adults that may be going through the same experiences as Jessie. It just made sense to focus on real events that would help the readers feel what it was like to experience being bullied or rejected by their peers. Even though it was a heart wrenching and emotionally demanding task, I knew that I had to provide an truly in depth experience about what it was like to be hard of hearing so that others may learn from it. While it was a deeply personal journey, I wanted to give the readers a chance to walk a mile or two in my shoes. I wanted to open their eyes to a new experience and perhaps gain a bit of wisdom and compassion towards people with disabilities.

Q: Do you think it is harder to write a story based on real-life events or a purely fictional story? Why or why not? 

A: I found it easier to write a story based on my life since it provided a superb connection to the intense emotions that I experienced going through a difficult situation. I was able to tap into those feelings and thoughts that had occurred at the time of event. It was incredibly inspiring to be able to grab onto that deep sense of sorrow from a very traumatic time and bring it to life.

Q: What is the best advice you have been given?
A: "Follow your dreams and trust your heart. If it feels right, go for it." My mother gave me that advice and it still remains true to this day. She gave me the courage to step outside of my comfort zone and take the risk of writing a book based on my life. That very first novel turned into a TOP 50 bestseller within months of being released. It was then that I realized it was worth taking a chance like that.

Q: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

A: I knew that I wanted to be an artist, I did a lot of sketching and painting growing up. I also loved photography and writing poems from a very young age. Today, it's no surprise that I'm still doing all of those things that I enjoyed as a kid. I had been told by several of my teachers that I should seriously consider writing full time. It wasn't until after I graduated from college in Illustration, that I decided to head in a different direction. 

Q: What do you keep yourself busy with when you're not writing?
A: When I'm not writing, I'm often doing photography and illustration for clients as well as producing book covers for other authors. They certainly keep me busy which is great, I love the creative aspect of it since it's so much fun!

Q: Hard/paperbacks or eBooks?
A:  I still enjoy reading books the old fashioned way, holding a paperback in my hands. If I can afford it or if I can't wait for the paperback to come out, I will occasionally buy a hardcover especially if it's one of my favourite authors. All three of my books are available as a paperback and eBook.

Q: What book are you reading now?
A: I usually enjoy reading the archeological adventures by Elizabeth Peters, gruesome medical mysteries by Kathy Reichs and the insane magical capers from The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. I'm a big sci-fi geek and just finished reading Stargate SG-1: The Drift by Diana Dru Botsford. Iʼm hoping to grab one of Daniel Kallaʼs medical thrillers soon.

About the Author:  Jennifer is an award winning photographer, freelance Illustrator, graphic designer and published author. Her photography & graphic design has been featured extensively in many media formats including CHEX TV, National Geographic, SNAP magazine and Watershed Magazine as well as various local tourism/promotional materials. Jennifer's current line of work features professionally designed book covers for authors from around the world. Jennifer was selected as one of 12 winners for the prestigious 2010 Oticon Focus on People Award and the only Canadian to have won in this national competition (North America). She was nominated as an outstanding individual with a hearing loss and for the portrayal of a hearing impaired teen in her young adult novel entitled Sway.

Her debut novel Sway has been nominated as a Finalist in the 2012 InD'tale Magazine RONE Awards. Sway topped the charts as TOP-50 bestselling novel at www.kobobooks.com and Compass recently hit the TOP-20 bestselling list for young adults at www.allromanceebooks.com!

Social Media Links:
Jennifer's Website: http://www.jennifergibson.ca/jennifers-bookstore.php

Official Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferGibson

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/JenniferGibson/e/B00CAWK4TS/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_nu_X7.ArbA48F9A4

Twitter: @charmedchickJG


Purchase Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DYAPLDO

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/destiny-jennifer-gibson/1116046839?ean=9781626940444

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/336082

KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/destiny-51

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-destiny-1241445-140.html

Black Opal Books: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/shop-our-store/the-catalog/destiny