When did you first start writing?

One of my friends was doing Camp NaNoWriMo in June 2012, and she practically forced me to do it with her. I’d never written anything creative, but I buckled up for the ride. Since this was before Camp Nano had flexible word counts, and I’m a highly competitive person, I wrote 50k words that month. While that first novel was (is) TERRIBLE, and I never want to see it ever again, it was the first thing I’d ever written for fun, and I realized that I wanted to keep doing this.

What was your first book about?

Oh goodness. That first book was about a princess who didn’t know she was a princess, and the cousin who wanted to kill her to take over the throne. It was just as bad as it sounds. But to give you the full picture, you have to know this: it was told in 4 POVs (point-of-views), journal style, where each character wrote about the entire day. So I had every single day written down from the POV of four different characters – my main character, her best friend, the love interest, and the antagonist. It was so, so, so bad. *cringes*

When did you first “have” to write?

I think the moment when I first realized I “had” to write was the day one of my characters began yelling at me because I wasn’t getting to her story fast enough. I miss the days when they were quiet and did what they were told. LOL

What authors inspired you to write?

There are five authors that tween Brett read and reread over and over again. Jessica Day George, Shannon Hale, Gail Carson Levine, Tamora Pierce, and Patricia C. Wrede. They’re in alphabetical order there, because I was picturing my childhood library’s shelves as I wrote them down. I think I borrowed and read those books more than any other person at that library. They – along with Tolkien and C.S. Lewis – are the reasons that I write fantasy.

Do you listen to music while you write?

Yup. With seven brothers and sisters running around, I need something to drown them out so I can focus. So I’ve always got my earbuds in, and they’re playing whatever I’m currently obsessed with. I need words in the music I’m listening to, and I need to know it well enough that I can sing along without having to think about it. Usually it’s country music or something like that – but never a musical. I get too caught up in singing if it’s a musical.

What’s something you can’t live without in a book?

A Happily Ever After! Give me allllll the HEAs, and a swoony live interest, and I wouldn’t be upset if there was lots of kissing, too. 😉

Sweet or Salty?

Sweet. Preferably something to do with mint or chocolate.

Coffee or Tea?

Both, as long as it’s sweet.

E-book or Physical Copy?

E-book if I’m traveling, physical copy at home.

Hardcover or Paperback?

For Fantasy, hardcover. For Contemporary, paperback. (Yes, I know that’s weird.)

Favorite Genre?

YA Fantasy or Contemporary Romance. It depends on what kind of mood I’m in.

Favorite Author?

Ha. Hahahaha. There’s no way I can answer this one.

Favorite Series?

Same. I don’t like answers where I have to pick one. There’s too many good ones!

For more, check out these interviews with me:

Brett Michael Orr’s Blog: Interview: Brett Jonas
Julia Byers’s Blog: NaNo Day 19: Interview with Brett Jonas
Francesca Zappia’s Blog: Ch1Con Blog Tour: Interview with Staff Member Brett Jonas!
Kira Brighton’s Blog: Ch1Con Blog Tour 2016: Interview with Christina Li and Brett Jonas