Q & A with Judi Fennell

Judi Fennell recently took some time out of her busy day to do a small
interview with me! Thanks Judi!! My review is here: In Over Her Head by Judi Fennell Judi is the author of the In Over Her Head that releases in June.

Thanks so much for having me!

1. Where is home for you?

I live outside of Philadelphia.

2. How did you get started in writing?

I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I got Honorable Mention in a 2nd grade Caldecott Award book and kept going from there. I still have my journal from 4th grade where I wrote about Mr. Magickal and a zebra-striped, sewer-dwelling alligator.

3. What challenges did you face while writing In Over Her Head?

When I first wrote it, there were no challenges. This story flowed and was the easiest one I've ever written. However, once it finalled but didn't win the Gather.com First Chapters Contest and talked with the final judges about why it didn't sell, I had a major revision to make if I wanted to sell it. Originally, the Mer man Reel had a tail. He started off the original story with a tail and that was a huge problem for Erica. And a huge problem for editors too apparently. So I had to figure out some way to give him legs instead. That was a 180 for me, but I'm very happy with the outcome. I thought the story worked the first way, but it sold the second way, and I can honestly say I love it as much if not more.

4. Tell us some of your favorite authors and why?

I'm always finding new authors and, of course, I gravitate to authors who write what I like to read, which is, coincidentally, what I write. As anyone who's been on my website knows, Jill Barnett wrote my favorite book ever, Bewitching. But I do read across genres, so if I started listing, it'd go on forever.

5. What does your workspace look like?

Clean. I can't work in clutter- much to my kids' dismay. LOL. I am very organized and like to be able to find things easily. I have a big comfy sofa in my office and the rocker/glider I bought when I had my first child, so I can switch where I sit depending on whether or not I'm writing a first draft or editing. The regular office wall hangings - a copy of my first writing check, awards, pictures of family, and a sign a friend gave me that I absolutely love: "One shoe can change your life. - Cinderella" That makes me smile every time I read it and kind of sums up my philosophy.

6. What are you working on next?

I'm doing edits on the rest of the Mer series and am working on the next proposal. I have two ideas and we'll see which one we go with next.

7. You have a wonderful imagination. Was there anything particular that inspired this book?

Most definitely. A previous story, Beauty and The Best, which was in the American Title contest and the original Gather.com First Chapters contest (obviously) a take-off on Beauty and The Beast. It's part of a series that includes Cinda Bella, and Fairest of Them All. In keeping with the "fairy tales with a twist" theme, I decided to write a twist on The Little Mermaid. The most obvious way to twist that story was to make him the Mer. Then I saw the movie, Failure to Launch, and Matthew McConaughey's character was my hero. Combine the two and that's how I came up with Reel.

8. You obviously did alot of research on ocean life. Did you get to do any diving yourself in your research?

I do so much research on the ocean that my family laughed at me. See, I'm terrified of the ocean and I freely admit it. All thanks to having seen JAWS at an impressionable age. I've gone down the Jersey shore my whole life for vacations, I've been to Hawaii, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, etc., and every time I go in the water I have a running dialogue with myself that I'm sure has people thinking I'm nuts. I know it's an irrational fear. I know there's no great white lying in wait for me in five feet of water who's going to attack me; that's why it's irrational. But that movie really did me in. I used to love swimming in the ocean before I saw it. I remember those days, but no matter how much I tell myself it's irrational, no matter how many people are father out that me and on both sides of me, I'm still not comfortable. As for scub diving? No. I've been snorkeling many times. and that's about as deep as you'll get me in open water. That being said, I absolutely love SeaWorld's Discovery Cove and have swum with the dolphins there a couple of times. We actually chose to go to SeaWorld last time we were in Orlando instead of Disney World. So I guess I do love the ocean, just not the nasty parts. :)

9. What music did you listen to while you wrote? Any that inspired you as the story took shape?

I can't write with music I can sing to, otherwise I can't immerse myself in the story deep enough to have it flow (are you catching all these play-on= words? That was what happened as I wrote the story: puns and double entendres and plays-on-words just started popping up all over the place.) The music I write to is mainly to block out extraneaus sound and be more white noise than lyrical. I do have an ocean sounds soundtrack that I play, and a lot of classical. I would love to be able to say that I have a soundtrack, but it's whatever classical I have loaded on my laptop and iPod.

Thanks so much Judi!!

One lucky commenter will win a copy of In Over Her Head. I'll take entries through May 29th and announce the winner on May 30th. USA Only - sorry Internationals.