In The Demon's Head: Special Interview with Jennifer Chow

In The Demons' Head #24: Interview with Jennifer Chow

May 20, 2012

Hello everyone, I hope your all are doing well and welcome to the first interview for “In The Demons' Head” I hope you guys enjoy reading this interview as much as I enjoyed giving it and if you're interested in reaching out to a new audience you can check below for the details on how to get a chance for an interview. Let's get to the first Interview with author Miss Jennifer Chow.

Me- Hello Miss Chow, First I'd like to thank you for taking time out of your busy day to talk with me. First, It's my Understanding you have a blog, what's the name of that blog and what exactly is it centered around?

Jennifer- You're welcome. My blog is under my name, Jennifer Chow. The subtitle is: an Asian-American writer exploring life through Chinese sayings. The web address is:http://www.jenniferjchow.blogspot.com/ it's a blog that takes Chinese expressions (currently Cantonese ones), provides a bit of history about them, and ties the phrases into my daily life. Many of my posts will tie into my writing life, but sometimes I explore other areas of my background as well.

Me- That's definitely a very unique spin on a number of different things, what made you settle on that specific topic?

Jennifer- Well, I've always been interested in collecting sayings (I used to collect a lot of fortune cookie slips; actually I still have a couple taped to my writing journals.) Then in college, I took a course and a required textbook detailed Cantonese expressions. It helped me take a look into my heritage. I found it very fascinating and wanted to pass that on to the general public.

Me- Speaking of your blog, What days do you post on or are they set in stone?

Jennifer- I try to post once a week, usually on Mondays. Sometimes I'll post more often though, and the day isn't set in stone.

Me- Are there other writing type things that you do other then your blog?

Jennifer- I've always been interested in writing, even from an early age. I went through a poetry phrase, but now I'm settling into short stories and long-form fiction. I'm currently working on a novel.

Me- Care to give us an idea of what your novel is about?

Jennifer- The novel that I'm finishing revisions on is about a woman who discovers her mother's closely guarded secret--that she escaped a brutal massacre in Taiwan, which left her widowed and pregnant--and it changes a lifetime of perceptions surrounding her emotionally distant mother and challenges her to confront her troubled relationship with her pre-teen daughter. I'm also working on the first draft of a cozy mystery novel.

Me- What are your plans for the book?

Jennifer- I'm looking for a literary agent. I know there's a lot of discussion among writers about traditional publishing versus self-publishing. I'd like to go the conventional route.

Me- You're talking about Fiction writing, I'm willing to assume as most writers are your an avid reader is that right?

Jennifer- That's correct.

Me- What are some of your favorite authors?

Jennifer- My favorite Asian-American authors are Lisa See, Amy Tan, and Jean Kwok. Beyond that, I like women's fiction writers, such as Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Weiner.

Me- What about them pulls you to them?

Jennifer- Well, for the Asian-American literature, I like learning more about my culture. (Lisa See's work also displays a lot of historical research, which I find fascinating.) Women's fiction pulls me in because I can relate to the characters and relationships. Jodi Picoult does a great job also of addressing social issues, which I admire.

Me- From What you told me it looks like you have a fascination with historical fiction is that a accurate guess?

Jennifer-I do enjoy a lot of historical fiction. For example, I really liked Sara Gruen's "Water for Elephants" and Paula McLain's "The Paris Wife." On the other hand, I like light reads as well. And I actually will read about any genre except for horror.

Me- What are your 5 year goals for your writing career?

Jennifer- I'm hoping to get a literary agent and publish a novel. In the meantime, I'd also like to have some of my short stories in print. Also, I'm interested in continuing to hone my craft, taking courses and attending conferences.

Me- If you could meet one writer, living or dead who would it be and what would you say.

Jennifer- I think it would be Emily Dickinson, because I fell in love with the language through her poems. Plus, I would want to affirm her writing, since she didn't get the recognition she deserved during her lifetime.

Me- Okay, is there anything else you'd like to add in case we didn't get a chance to cover?

Jennifer- I think that's about it. I do have a Facebook Fan page:https://www.facebook.com/JenJChow

Alright everyone, first off I'd like to thank everyone for reading this interview and thanks to Miss Chow for taking the time to give me such a wonderful interview. If you've enjoyed this reading this like I've enjoyed having Miss Chow on for the interview I insist you also do like I did and like her Facebook Page.

If your interested or know someone that would be interested in being interviewed for this piece which I”ll do once a month click here and drop me a line.

Until the next time you want to take a trip through the gates of hell and into the demons' head, I'm Kyle Robinson wishing you a safe trip back to the surface.