Author Spotlight — July 2020
Featuring: Jenise Cook
Author Spotlight is a new monthly feature at The Friday Fix. The goal is to celebrate the many wonderful writers we have here at the publication. Each “spotlight” piece will include an interview with the author, links to the author’s website/social media handles, links to any published works outside of Medium, and a list of the author’s personal favorite stories on the Medium platform.
These posts will be free to access for everyone, forever. Enjoy!
Author Spotlight — July 2020
I’ve been toying with the idea of creating an author spotlight for around six months now. I’ve thought about what I want to include in it, how it would look, and how it would come about. The easiest decision was selecting the first writer in the spotlight: Jenise Cook.
Jenise has been writing for The Friday Fix for a year at this point, and her kindness, support, and positivity have all been unwavering. Her stories and presence make the publication and community an inviting place.
Thank you, Jenise!
Author Interview with Jenise Cook
Q: Why do you write?
J: I can’t not write. Story ideas flood my mind daily. They cry to be let out onto paper or a blank document on my computer. My mind is like a web browser with multiple tabs open, each tab a new story. When I sit and write, I’m in my happy place.
I also write for my readers. The internet has gifted us with publications that have Comment sections for each story. Readers post their responses to my stories and poems, and their encouragement keeps me writing.
I enjoy writing for The Friday Fix, Justin, because your publication has cultivated a large and rich community of engaged authors and readers. It was the first publication I joined as a new member to Medium in 2019. I enjoy how drafting a fifty-word story makes me think about plot (story arc), the first line, and a compelling ending. I don’t always “nail it” with every story, but when I do the readers let me know and I smile.
Q: What is your earliest memory involving writing?
J: It’s funny, although I’ve been writing since I was a child, I can’t remember a specific memory. I remember my earliest memory as a reader. I was five years old. I held a “Dick and Jane” book in my hands and read a story all by myself. It had a blue cover.
Q: What is your favorite genre to write?
J: I’m experimenting with several genres but my favorite is: crime/mystery/cozy mystery/police procedural/espionage.
Q: What is your favorite genre to read?
J: Almost any genre, but my favorite genre is:
crime/mystery/cozy mystery/police procedural/espionage.
Q: What are you currently reading?
J: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. I’m studying fractured fairy tales to learn this genre.
The Moment of Tenderness by Madelaine L’Engle (posthumous short-story anthology).
Q: Do you have any current writing projects? If so, what are they?
J: Yes, I have many works-in-progress (WIPs) that include my novel WIP, short stories, flash fiction, microfiction, some nonfiction, and haiku/tanka poetry. I hope to self-publish my fifty-word stories and my haiku/tanka pieces in eBook anthologies. And, I hope to finish my novel in early 2021.
Q: Do you have any writing rituals, routines, or quirks?
J: I wake up each morning a couple of hours before my husband. I enjoy the quiet with my laptop, a bowl of cereal, and my cup of coffee. When I want music while I write, my Playlist is eclectic: Native American flute music, J. S. Bach, church hymns, jazz/blues, or techno/electronica, depending on the energy I need for my writing session. Most early mornings, when the weather’s nice, I open a window to let the songbirds serenade me. I also
write very late at night on Thursday nights when I panic and rush to submit a fifty-word story to The Friday Fix.
My writing routines include:
Scrivener and Scapple
I’m a fan of my Scrivener app (MacOS and iOS versions), produced by Literature & Latte(www.literatureandlatte.com). I also outline my WIPs using L & L’s Scapple app.
NaNoWriMo
Every November, I participate in NaNoWriMo (www.nanowrimo.org). Some years I reach my 50,000 word count goal and some years I don’t. I also try and write during Camp NaNoWriMo every April and July.
Scribophile
You and I met on Scribophile! (www.scribophile.com) I log in to my online writing community almost daily where I post my WIPs for critiques, and read other members’ works and give my feedback. I joined in 2017, and my writing craft has improved.
Q: Besides reading and writing, what are some of your other favorite hobbies and interests?
J: My husband, Mark B. Crabbe, is a fine artist (water media) and fine art photographer. We enjoy hopping in our vehicles to drive around on photo safaris to capture new images for him. I love to go on long walks and hiking ventures in Arizona’s ponderosa pine forests where we live. We’re also “foodies”, and enjoy family-owned restaurants and cafes.
Links to Jenise’s Website and Social Media
Jenise can also be found on Twitter @jenisecook.
