Author Interview with YA Fantasy writer Jenna Morland

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

Revived Jenna Morland

 

 

 

“A fast-paced, mystical adventure mixed with heartbreak and hope that will keep you turning the page well into the night.”

Brenda Drake, New York Times bestselling author

 

 

 

Swayzi is dying, there isn’t a specialist anywhere who can tell her why. Deemed a “medical anomaly” and given only two months to live, she is destined to live out the rest of her short life in the small town of Rowan, Alaska. That all changes when Swayzi bumps into Daylan, a handsome stranger only she can see. Around this new mysterious arrival, Swayzi feels healthier than she has in years, an improvement not lost on Tyler, her best friend and the boy next door. With Tyler and Daylan both vying for her heart, Swayzi struggles between what is familiar and the magnificent unknown world Daylan represents. But what Swayzi doesn’t know is that with her growing strength comes a new destiny, one that could force her to leave those she loves behind.

 

 

 

 

Interview image Jenna Morland

 

 

 

 

 

*Who were your main influences in the genre?
Influences… definitely JK Rowling. She’s a huge reason why my imagination thrived at a young age. Stephanie Meyer for sure, she showed me that there is a place for romance in fantasy. John Green, he’s given me many tears and I love that. When a book can affect you to the point of crying—like your life will never be the same again. That’s what I strive for.
*What made you want to be a writer?
I never considered myself a writer. As a kid, I never had a diary, and I dreaded English class. Not once did I dream I would one day write a book. Until I did. It was winter. The nights were long, and I was fighting a hint of postpartum depression. Really, all I wanted to do was cry… a lot. Instead, every night, once the kids were in bed, I wrote. As women, we are taught to always give, and never told to take time for ourselves. So, I stopped thinking what kind of mother I should be and started thinking of what kind of person I wanted to be. By taking the time and letting my creativity loose, I not only healed myself, I discovered a part of myself I never even knew I was missing. When the time came to make a decision on pursuing publication, I doubted my ability. I never studied writing. How could I be a writer? “By writing,” the answer came. And in the end that’s how simple it was. In writing Revived, I didn’t work from any preconceived notions of what novel should be. I simply wrote a book I wanted to read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Write Jenna Morland

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Is Revived your first book?

Yes, Revived is my first novel.
*Why do you write YA Fantasy?
I love YA. There’s a certain innocence to it that attracts me. Falling in love for the first time, discovering who you are, the start of the rest. I enjoy writing fantasy because I love the freedom. There are no rules. No one can say, “that’s not right”, or, “it’s supposed to be like this”.

 

 

*How do feel about writing your first book?

I feel… satisfied. In the beginning this book was just something to keep me busy. It turned into so much more than that. I fell in love with writing and creating this world and these amazing characters. Now, I can’t imagine my life without it. It was 2 years ago this month that I began writing Revived. There has been a lot of sacrifice, rejection, and hard work to get to this point but I wouldn’t change a thing. I just finished my second round of editing which means I’m so close to seeing it in print and no other word describes how I feel better than satisfied.

 

 

 

 

 

*How do you personally benefit from writing?

Writing is a distraction, an outlet to channel my imagination and creativity. Writing has seen me at my worst, and at my best. There’s no judgement or expectation and I thrive when I’m in that safe place. Some days I question my sanity, I created these characters from scratch and now I speak about them as if they’re real. Nothing like a little crazy to keep things interesting! But mostly, I write because I love it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joy Jenna Morland

 

 

 

 

 

*Have you ever cried while writing?

Yes I have. I’m a very emotional person so there are many different reasons I’ve cried while writing. A song from my writing playlist that fits perfectly with a scene can make me tear up. Out of frustration—this happens more than I like to admit. I’m so attached to these characters that killing one of them is absolutely gut wrenching and cry-worthy for sure.

 

 

 

 

teardrop Jenna Morland

 

 

 

 

*What is the Imagination to you?

The imagination to me is the ability to step outside of yourself, to challenge the rules society has demanded we follow and embrace our creative side. The imagination allows us to be free. It gives us the ability to dream.

 

 

 

The imagination allows us to be free. It gives us the ability to dream. –Jenna Morland

 

 

 

 

*Tell us about who Swayzi is.

Swayzi is someone you’ll root for, she’s relatable, loveable, and so unaware of how amazing she is. When you first meet her, she’s in an impossible situation. She has been given 2 months to live and a huge part of her wants to give up. You start with her at her absolute lowest and follow her on a journey of discovering her self-worth. She finds love, experiences betrayal and heartbreak, but the most important and defining part of the book, well—you’ll have to read it to find out!

 

 

 

*What does she want the most?

Swayzi loves her family more than anything and would do anything to protect them. I would say their safety is her first priority. Beyond that, what she wants most is to shed all the insecurities, and doubt, and embrace her fate on her terms.

 

 

 

courage Jenna Morland

 

 

 

 

*Who are Daylan and Tyler?

Tyler is and always will be my favourite character to write. He is without a doubt the heart of this story. A quote from the book describes him best: “Tyler was glaringly human. He would hold my hand during the scary parts of a horror movie, not for me, but for him. He felt pain, I could see it written all over his face when I was sick. He was constantly digging himself a hole, never saying the right thing at the right time. He was simply imperfect, flawed even, but that’s what made him—him.”

Daylan is quite the opposite of Tyler. He is eloquent and knows exactly who he is and what he wants. He is the epitome of tall, dark and handsome and of course, very mysterious. Daylan has answers to questions Swayzi didn’t even know she had. Tyler may be the heart of this story, but Daylan drives it.

 

 

 

*When is the publication date for Revived?

Publication date is not official yet but it will be August or September. There’s a ton happening behind the scenes right now, cover design, release date, and some exciting extras that will be announced very soon. Keep an eye on my social media!

 

 

 

 

Thanks Jenna!!

 

 

 

Jenna Morland image works

 

 

 

 

Jenna Morland is the author of Revived published by Oftomes Publishing, set to release in 2018. Jenna is a Canadian born author, song writer, and mother of two that lives under the Northern Lights. Slytherin to the core, Jenna’s ambition to write her debut novel happened somewhere between training for a triathlon and putting her kids to bed. But it was her determination to follow through that landed her a publishing deal. Growing up, her wild imagination thrived off of reading and her most desired hobby was to let a book completely consume her. Unlike most writers, Jenna never wrote in a diary. She dreaded English class and she never dreamt that one day she would write a novel. Until she did.

 

 

 

Jenna Morland
Website: www.jennamorland.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jennamorland
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jennamorland