Author Interview "Jennie E. Nicassio"
Since early childhood Jennie E. Nicassio dreamed of creating characters like Rocky that readers would fall in love with. The author is a strong believer in the power of positive thinking. "Everything is possible if you just believe." Although the author was diagnosed with the debilitating Sjogren's syndrome that limits her ability to write for long hours she continued to strive to bring her characters to life on paper.
She's also the author of the From the Sky Vol. 1 and Equinox Vol 2. and soon to be released Vol. 3 Aurora's Curtain that comes out early 2018, Louis Joseph 's OOH Rah and The Haunting Tales of Twila a collection of short stories.
Q&A
Please tell our readers a little about yourself and your writing background.
I started writing in high school during the summer break making up stories about faraway places. I fell in love and got married and had two children. My marriage ended shortly afterward but my desire to write didn’t. I started writing again. In 2004 I wrote Rocky, The Rockefeller Christmas Tree. In 2009 I began to write my Beyond Moon Dust Trilogy.
Could you tell us a bit about each of your book(s).
Vol. 1 From the Sky is a close encounter that will leave readers spellbound. When high school junior, Samantha Hunter, and her father moved to New Mexico, it is a chance to leave tragedy behind and start over. However, the arrival of a dark-haired stranger changes everything. Lucien introduced Sam to the prospect of enjoying life again, and to the hidden world of aliens. However, crazier than that, Lucien does not feel entirely like a stranger. Redemption and romance follow Sam in her new life as she works to understand the alien-human romance she is developing--a romance that feels beyond her control. There's something bigger happening around her, and to her, too, and this is just the beginning....
From the Sky was intended to be on the big screen, so it reads like a movie script packed with action like a superhero movie—From the Sky has all the hallmarks of a Hollywood blockbuster—ready to light up the sky like a fleet of UFOs at least a movie producer think it does. Hint, hint.
Equinox Vol. 2 leaves off where From the Sky ended. It’s a must read because I got the idea from an experience I had when I was 17. I saw a bright light in my bedroom and the light was an image of a man with pale skin and light bluish gray eyes. I cannot explain what it was, but, I believe it was supernatural. I also had a close encounter outside my home when I first moved to the town I live in. My son had a similar encounter. These unexplained experiences led me to become a MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) Field investigator.
Readers can learn more about my experience in a Mufon article just follow the link below.
What inspired you to write your book(s)?
My experiences as a teenager and MUFON lead me to write the Beyond Moondust Trilogy.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing your book(s)?
The most challenging aspect of writing the trilogy is I am dyslexic, and I have Sjogren’s syndrome which almost made me quit writing all together. But I wasn’t going to give up on my dream. I found out I had dyslexic when an editor caught it. I would write whole sentences backwards! Having an editor is a must for me!
Sjogren's is a crippling disease. One of the main symptoms is severe dry eyes and I am not talking about dry itchy eyes. I am talking about seeing halos around lights, double vision, somedays I can’t even open them without strain. And the fatigue is constant when in a flare-up. I was devastated when I was diagnosed with the disease. I used to be able to write all night long to the wee hours. Not anymore. I thought I would never write again. Since there is no cure I came to terms with it and moved on. I learned how to pace myself and not beat myself up anymore.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing your book?
I can’t stress this enough for any aspiring authors edit, edit, edit and then hire an editor before you publish. And never send a query letter out to an agent or publisher without first editing your manuscript.
Do you have any unique or quirky writing habits?
Before I write, I must outline, and then meditate on what I want my story to tell. I become my main character in a way. Sort of like when an actor becomes their character they are portraying. I eat what she or he eats and drinks. I listen to the same music while I write. I do become them, heart and soul.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
From the Sky originally was titled Equinox. I got the title and idea of Beyond Moondust Trilogy from my first edition Moondust that was published by Pulse Publishing. I came up with the title From the Sky because that was the title of the cover art.
Is there a message you want your readers to take away from your book?
The message I want people to take away from my trilogy is we are not alone in the universe. What makes us so unique there are not others out there in the universe. And I believe we never were alone. I want children to take away from Rocky is— never give up! And if you believe in yourself anything is possible. And if that dream does not work out there is another one just around the corner. If you can see it in your minds eyes it can happen!
Do you have any advice for the yet-to-be-published writers reading this?
The best advice I can give aspiring writers is treat their manuscript like their it’s their child, In a sense it is. You created it. When I wrote my first manuscript I was desperate and naïve. So much so, I even I sent my first draft via the internet to a con man who had a “Writing factory”. My characters names, places, high school, and the premise was taken and picked apart from my novel and was published and made into a movie. I emailed everyone I could think of to get help. I had lawyers come to my house and compare the books. My book was unpublished although copy righted I had no money to fight them. I almost stopped writing when this happened. Under the advice of counsel, I changed the title, town, and school and the characters and a few other details. What was even more upsetting— the movie was made ten minutes from my home. All I can say is never send your manuscript out to anyone unless they are a reputable agent or publisher and make sure its copyrighted. I learned the hard way. And trust me, even after 7 years it still makes me want to cry.
What are you working on now?
I am working on getting the Vol 3 Aurora’s Curtain published. My memoirs and screenplays. I also started painting when my eyes aren’t so bad.
What is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, etc.) and link(s)?
The preferred method to get in touch with me is through my webpage or the publisher’s webpage and Facebook.