Interview with Brenda Jackson
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Brenda Jackson is the guest of the blog today!! I’m so thrilled to have her be a part of this interview series!!
What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t wearing your author hat?
Working with my Scholarship Foundation.
What is the most recent book to make you cry?
I try to stay away from books that make me cry, which is why I prefer reading books with happy endings. But the one book I remember reading that just be just bawling was Bridges of Madison County.
What would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? Why?
Cupid. Because I would want everyone to fall truly in love at least once during their lifetime.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
I don’t think a woman truly knows how a man thinks, although I would like to think that we do.
How do you select the names of your characters?
Names of family members; children of friends and family and I’ve even used Baby Book of Names. I have a tendency when introduced to couples with children to ask what are the names of their children. Then after they give me an odd look, I explain why I want to know.
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
Yes, at some times but not often.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Usually 6 to 8 weeks, depending on how well I know the characters that I am writing about.
What does Black History Month Mean to you?
It’s a month to share with others the accomplishments of Black Americans they may not be aware of. In 2017 I did a month long presentation on my FB page and it was sad how many on my non-Black friends didn’t know of those accomplishments. Many of them were inventions that changed a lot of people’s lives. If I had my way, that information would be a part of all schools’ curriculum so there would not be a need to set aside one month a year. Since it’s not shared year round, I appreciate February being Black History Month.
What are you currently reading?
I took a break from writing over the Holidays and decided to indulge myself by reading books I downloaded during the year but didn’t get a chance to read. Today I am reading A Passionate Kiss by Sharon Cooper.
If you could go back and give your younger self advice, what would it be?
To treat every day as the precious recollection you would want it to be…because one day it will be a special memory.
Do you have any tips or hacks that help you stay organized in life, writing or social media?
Don’t sweat the small stuff and make every day count.
Do you relate more to one of your characters than the others?
Yes, because my husband and I began our relationship as teens, I can relate more to those stories that I write where the hero and heroine had a past…usually one that started while they were in high school. I love writing those types of stories because I can connect to them so well. That’s why some of my favorite stories are Christy and Alex (Unfinished Business) from the Madaris Family; and Dare and Shelley (A Little Dare) and Bane and Crystal (Bane) from the Westmoreland Series.
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