Please Welcome Author Jennifer Allis Provost

Today it is my pleasure to welcome author Jennifer Allis Provost to The Cover Contessa!

Jennifer's book, Copper Girl (Cooper Legacy #1) is due to be released in June of 2013 through Spencer Hill Press' imprint Spence City. I am going to be one of the lucky ducks to get an ARC of this beauty!

Front cover:

Full jacket:

Blurb from Goodreads:

Sara had always been careful.
She never spoke of magic, never associated with those suspected of handling magic, never thought of magic, and never, ever, let anyone see her mark. After all, the last thing she wanted was to end up missing, like her father and brother.
Then, a silver elf pushed his way into Sara's dream, and her life became anything but ordinary.

Jennifer Allis Provost is a native New Englander who lives in a sprawling colonial along with her beautiful and precocious twins, a dog, two birds, three cats, and a wonderful husband who never forgets to buy ice cream. As a child, she read anything and everything she could get her hands on, including a set of encyclopedias, but fantasy was always her favorite. She spends her days drinking vast amounts of coffee, arguing with her computer, and avoiding any and all domestic behavior. 

So lucky me, I get to have Jennifer here for an interview, which, by the way, I am VERY excited about. So without anymore of my blabbering, let's hear what she had to say in answer to my questions:

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or did you want to be something else? 
Hmm. Well, when I was very young, I wanted to be a nun; I thought I could read and garden all day, so you can see why it seemed like the ideal occupation. By the time I was in high school I wanted to be a comic book artist. I always wrote, but I never believed that I could be a writer until 2008, and finishing up my BS in Business/Marketing. And no, I’ve never drawn a single comic. Yet ;)

How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?
Because I’m insane, I write super fast. Before I had the Wonder Twins (now 2 ½) I could finish an 80k first draft in a month. Now, it’s about three months for the first draft, and another month or two before it’s ready to be seen by my editor.

How do you come up with themes for your stories?
I got the idea for my first novel, Rise of the Deva’shi, from a music box. For my latest novel, Copper Girl, I drew inspiration from the oppressively hot New England summers, the oppressively cold air conditioning in my office, and a really weird looking tree in the parking lot.

Do you have a schedule of when you write? 
Yep – before the kids wake up, and after they go to bed.

How are you able to balance other aspects of your life with your writing?
Um, not well. But I’m working on that.

What elements do you think make a great story line? 
Conflict, satisfying resolutions, and a healthy shot of romance.

What was the hardest thing about writing a book?
Accepting that sometimes bad things happen to good characters. You love them, and you don’t want to hurt them, but sometimes you have to for the sake of the story. After all, 300 pages of flowers and puppies would be pretty boring.

How many books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite? 
The Chronicles of Parthalan is a series of five, but only two have been published. (That’s a story for a whole ‘nother post) The Copper Legacy is a four book series, and the first, Copper Girl, comes out in June 2013 from Spence City.  There is also a spinoff duology in the works.
As cheesy as this may sound, my favorite book is my first, Rise of the Deva’shi. I began it when I was very young, then I put it away for over ten years. When I picked it up again, it was like the characters were long lost friends. 

Do you have a favorite character?
Max, who is the main character Sara’s older brother in the Copper Legacy. He’s always trying to do the right thing, and manages to screw up pretty much everything he touches. 

Where do you write?  
Mostly at home, but sometimes I head over to my editor’s house for a workday. She is a wellspring of great ideas, and an awesome cook!

When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you took? 
I self-published my first book, Rise of the Deva’shi, and quickly learned that, without a publisher behind you, you’re gonna do a hundred times more work for a tenth of the results. Of course, if you end up with a publisher that does nothing more than run your manuscript through spellcheck, you might as well self-publish and keep all the profits.
My first exposure to Spencer Hill Press – the parent company of Spence City – was for the anthology, UnCONventional. I was decidedly impressed by their editing, cover design…the whole process was professional, and they made sure to involve me in every step of the process. When they launched the urban fantasy imprint, Spence City, I knew I had to be a part of it. Not only am I one of their authors, I’m also the Marketing Coordinator.

Have you gotten feedback from family about your book(s)? What do they think?
My mother seems to like them.

What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing?
Does drinking my weight in coffee count as a hobby?
I have 2 year old twins, so I engage in lots of kid-themed activities. We like the park, gardening, Thomas the Train, and The Wiggles.

What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing? 
Get out there and network. Go to conferences, conventions, book signings. Meet people who work in publishing, make connections, and pick their brains. Read voraciously, write constantly, and never forget the value of a second set of eyes.

What is your favorite book? favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write? 
My all-time favorite book is the Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley, but I was inspired to write by the Elfquest series by Wendy and Richard Pini.

Do you have any go to people when writing a book that help you with your story lines as well as editing, beta reading and such? 
My editor, Vikki Ciaffone, is made of awesome. (It says so on her label) I also have a select group of people I bounce ideas off of, ranging from coworkers to my friendly neighborhood barista.

Are you working on anything now? 
I’m finishing up the Copper Legacy, and beginning on the spinoff duology. I’m also working on a novel about a Scottish man who’s been imprisoned in a tree for the past few centuries – a foolish American springs him, and hilarity ensues.
Thanks for letting me stop by, Brooke!

Jennifer, thanks so much for being here with me today! It was great getting your side of writing and being an author! I am really looking forward to reading your book and posting my review!