Interview with Jessica M Tuckerman

Published 2013-12-14.
What do you read for pleasure?
I actually read a lot of Young Adult and Middle Grade pieces. When I was an English major in college it was very hard to find the time to read for pleasure. I find that a lot Young Adult stories are wonderful and that I can fly through them within a day--which is often all the time I have.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I use a Kindle Touch, but I am looking into Kindle Paper White. I find it starts to get dark out while I'm reading and I don't want to get up off the couch any more.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
Word of mouth works best for me. I also constantly have news on both my websites scribbleflare.com and jessicatuckerman.com so that I am constantly making an effort. Even if it's just a blog about how you're working on it-the word is helpful.
Describe your desk
I don't use a desk. I lie on the floor or my bed. Sometimes I sit on the couch and use the coffee table. I mean I have a desk. I just don't use my desk. The chairs not comfy and...there's stuff on it...
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Gloucester Township, NJ. My town is fairly small and you can drive through it in less than 5 minutes. It didn't really influence my writing until I left and I realized how much I missed the familiarity. My personal essay "Home" (available in my collection Lorem Ipsum and on sale on Kindle, Nook, and other devices) describes it in more detail. I left and my general area underwent a lot of construction.
What's the story behind your latest book?
I am currently writing a Young Adult piece. It is called Golden. It's about Carolyn Hart, a young competitive Archer who is in her first regional and national competitions. Somethings come up. Some hearts get broken. You'll have to read it to find out how she deals with it all.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
Money. Obviously. No, I wanted my work to get out there and to develop my own fan base. Publishers can take months before they even get to your manuscript, then they read it, take their jolly good old time deciding on it, and I don't want that. I feel like the indie author path is the way to go to stretch my fan base.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Oh... none? Is that an ok answer? I mean it's grueling. All that time and effort for something that may not come to fruition--or even get finished? But it's wonderful too, right? I mean-only I can possibly finish that story. It's my story. I created the world, the characters, the houses, everything. So in the event that it falls off the face of the earth-that's on me.
What do your fans mean to you?
Well, everything. Like I said about marketing-word of mouth really helps. Fans are great because if they like your work they help spread your work. Even if it's just a poem they enjoyed--it still opens the door for someone else and helps that fan base grow. Plus, it's amazing to know that someone likes your work you know? I mean, sometimes I finish a piece and re-read it later and just go "What was I thinking?"
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Books by This Author

Lorem Ipsum
Price: $5.00 USD. Words: 10,090. Language: English. Published: December 14, 2013 . Categories: Essay » Author profile
A collection of short non-fiction pieces by Jessica M. Tuckerman. Lorem Ipsum includes "Home," "Exalted," and "Discretion," three pieces about being away from home, a few lessons on social networking, and what it takes to fall in love. Lorem Ipsum is Tuckerman's first published collection.