Book Readers: Mum's Writings

Author Anne-Marie Jennings presents a gripping story of one woman’s journey of hope and healing after the sudden loss of her husband

INUVIK, Northwest Territories – Author Anne-Marie Jennings has released her debut novel, “Not Alone on the Voyage,” a compelling fiction based in the Canadian Arctic.

The book follows a woman named Sandy who thought she knew everything about her husband Jack, until he died suddenly. Destroyed by grief, she sifts through his belongings and discovers a journal he kept before they met about his time in the small Arctic Circle town of Holman.

In search of answers, Sandy reads Jack’s journal and visits the town. She meets people who not only help her learn more about her husband, but also help her find a strength within she never knew she had. Along her journey, she also meets a man named Charlie who knows a secret her husband had been hiding that will change her life forever.

“Writing is my passion,” said Jennings. “I wrote this book because the characters spoke to me. It’s a labor of love, a story that wanted to be told, and one which wouldn’t leave me alone until I had it down on paper.”

“Not Alone on the Voyage” switches between passages in Jack’s journal and Sandy’s own journey. It focuses on how people deal with loss and can find the strength and courage to move forward. To learn more about the author and the book please visit www.AnneMarieJennings.com.

“Not Alone on the Voyage”

By Anne-Marie Jennings

ISBN: 978-1-4917-9952-9 (SC), 978-1-4917-9954-3 (HC), 978-1-4917-9953-6 (EC)

Available at AnneMarieJennings.com and Amazon

About the author

Anne-Marie Jennings has been writing all her life. Whether it’s for newspapers, government departments, or her own enjoyment, writing is her one true passion. “Not Alone on the Voyage” is Jennings’ first novel, but not her last, as she plans to write additional fiction stories in the future. Born in England and raised in Ottawa, Canada, she currently calls the Arctic her home.

Interview

Welcome to my blog Anne-Marie. Please tell me and my readers about you new book and work?

Q:	*Tell us about your latest work—title, genre, etc.* — *and why you wrote it?*
A:	Not Alone on the Voyage is a work of fiction – the first one I have ever seen through the process to published product. It came to me out of the blue, really – I was struck by an idea that simply would not let me go until I wrote the story.
Q:	*What draws you to your genre(s)? Why is this type of story compelling to you?*
A:	I love the power of the imagination, how each person who writes something brings the story to life. I am also interested in the study of people, in complex characters that sometimes stick with you long after the book has been read.
Q:	*What is your writing process like? Do you map the whole thing out or do you just let it unfold?*
A:	I’m one of those people who let the story unfold. When the idea strikes me, I let it sit with me, to germinate and develop. At a certain point, the story is ready to start coming out and needing to be told.
Q:	*What kind of research was involved?*
A:	There was no real research involved in this work. It’s all about the characters.
Q:	*How much of YOU makes it into your characters?*
A:	There’s not a lot of me in the main character, but I certainly used my experiences and observations to infuse the story of the characters in this book.
Q:	*How do you balance the need to have time to write with the needs of family, society, etc.?*
A:	I can only write when the spirit strikes me. There are times when I am all about the writing, but that comes and goes. I’m quite a loner, but that is sometimes what allows me to observe and notice things that eventually become stories.
Q:	*Have there been any authors in particular, that inspired your writing?*
A:	No one I really stole from, but I am a big fan of authors like Margaret Atwood, Ann Marie McDonald, and a lot of Canadian fiction writers.
Q:	*Is there a story you want to tell behind or about your work(s)?*
A:	The story is what drives me to write. It is the story and the characters within it that push me to write, that have something they want me to share.
Q:	*What other projects are you currently working on or about to start?*
A:	I’m not working on anything at the present time, but I have more than a few bits and pieces of writing kicking around my apartment waiting to go further
Q:	*Could you share some of your marketing strategies? Which ones are the most effective in your opinion?*
A:	One of the main ones I have relied on is word of mouth. I feel that it is the people who feel so compelled to share and tell others about my book is sometimes your most valuable asset. I’m not one who writes for fame or fortune; it’s about the craft of writing.
Q:	*What would be the top five, (or 3 or 1 or however many) things you would tell aspiring authors?*
A:	Keep writing. Enjoy the process. Don’t resent those who might “make it big overnight”. You have to enjoy the process, because that is the most important part of the journey