Welcome to JENNIFER STOLZER, an author and illustrator living and
working in St. Louis, MO. She graduated from Webster University with a degree
in digital media and animation and uses this skill set to create bright and
engaging characters. Her illustration company, Jennifer Stolzer Illustration,
has served the St. Louis area and its authors for six years. You can see
samples of her work at www.jenniferstolzer.com or on Facebook under Jennifer
Stolzer Illustration.
THREADCASTER launch party 2-4 p.m., Saturday, March 25, at Main Street Books, St. Charles, MO.
The Writers’ Lens is about
"Bringing fiction into focus." What brings your writing into focus--
the characters, the stories, the love of words? I firmly believe the focus of
any story told, fiction or nonfiction, is the characters. We as humans are
social creatures who learn how to react and respond to our world through social
cues. Being able to communicate the human experience through the eyes of
unique, authentic, living characters gives story and message a pinpoint focus.
What inspired your latest book?
Threadcaster has had a lot of inspirations over the
years, but the initial spark actually started with an image. One day back in
2005, I got the picture in my head of a girl staring at the camera with tears
pouring from her eyes but no expression, as if she was filling up with water
and it was pouring out of her.
This image
was the beginning of the Curses, a group of sick and exiled people undergoing
physical disfigurement. The story of Threadcaster
is about a young magic user on a quest to save the Curses, including her friend
Peter, who is slowly turning to earth.
What do you think readers will like
about your book? I hope they'll enjoy the characters. A big theme is seeing
humanity in everyone no matter what, so I hope that comes through in my
characters and how they relate to their unfortunate circumstances. I hope the
lore is catchy, too. I worked really hard on the magic system to make the rules
clear to the reader and explain how magic relates to the rest of my world.
Would you share a bit about your next
project? Writing-wise,
I'm currently working on a ghost story set in 1900s Kentucky. It's the tale of
a haunted house from the ghosts' point of view through the eyes of a six-year-old
girl who died in 1906. It's more subdued than Threadcaster and set in a
contemporary location, but it's all the relationship drama that love. After
that, I plan to continue my sequel to Threadcaster,
called Brushcaster.
What are your top three reasons for
writing? The
joy of creation, for one. Bringing to life people and worlds that did not exist
before and delivering that experience to viewers in an effective way is
ceaselessly satisfying.
Sharing
experiences with others. I love writing characters and relationships the most,
so making people laugh or cry along with my characters rewards me and fills me
with glee. One of the best parts of publishing Threadcaster is hearing everyone's unique reader experience. Could
they pick a favorite character? What did they think of the twist? Could they
guess what was going to happen next? It's so much fun.
The
challenge of the thing. Writing is more than words in order, it's craft and
polish and a constant quest to improve your story as a product and yourself as
a writer. I've always told stories, but I've never told them as well or
effectively as I do in the present, and my present work will only improve as I
continue to practice.
Writing
is pain and reward. Writers stitch worlds and people together out of scraps of
ideas and create something completely new for readers to explore. It's an
amazing thing.
THREADCASTER: Cat's
best friend Peter is slowly turning to stone. He is an Earth Curse - an
innocent suffering from one of the four elemental ailments afflicting the
people of their dying world. When the pious Brushcasters drive Peter out of
town, Cat embarks on a quest to discover the truth of the Curses and ransom
their absent god back at last. Cat must use the Brushcasters' stolen magic
against them ... armed only with the truth and a simple loop of string.
Buy on Amazon
Signed
author copies are available through Main Street Books in St. Charles
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