Meet Jennifer Reynolds

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Reynolds.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jennifer. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m a bit long-winded, so I’m not sure I can be brief, but I’ll try. I’ve always been a writer. As far back as I can remember, I’ve loved to read and make up stories. My family has done everything they could to encourage me to write. My high school literary arts teacher did the same, but it wasn’t until I lost my father in a horrific car accident when I was seventeen that I threw myself intowriting poetry and short stories, and I thought maybe I could do something with it. I wrote so much during that time, though, that once I graduated, I was tired of writing, and I was tired of school.

As time passed, life got in the way. I started working. I met my future husband. I’d write a little on occasion but nothing substantial. Eventually, I started college with the intentions of teaching English. It wasn’t until I was working on my masters and was taking a voice noir and creative non-fiction class that I remember just how much I loved writing. I quickly switched majors. Almost a year after graduating, I released my first novel, Alone.

While working on my masters, I worked for two small presses and learned a good deal about the publishing business, so when I decided to release Alone, I chose to self-publish. I wish I knew all the marketing secrets, but other than that, I don’t regret my decision. I love the control I have over release dates, cover designs, etc. I’ve also met many amazing people along the way. Not everyone in the community is friendly, but most are, and they’re willing to give advice on what they’ve learned.

My writing career hasn’t been easy, and not because I can’t seem to stay up-to-date on all the marketing trends, but about three years or so in, my father-in-law was diagnosed with dementia, so I had to a step back to care for him. I don’t regret it. I learned a lot about myself and life and death while caring for him, and I wouldn’t have trusted anyone else with his care, but it did set my momentum back a bit.

I’m not giving up though. I’ve released a novel and two short shorties since he passed, and I’m trying to get myself back into the world.

Has it been a smooth road?
As I mentioned earlier, having to care for my father-in-law for three years was a huge setback. I tried to continue to release novels or novellas, but I didn’t have time to do much promoting, and with the way, he became dependant on me, I had to stop attending live events altogether.

Another struggle has been money. I didn’t start with a great deal of capital and with as low as I have to price eBooks, I’ve barely made enough money to cover editors, cover artists, and promotions, and it seems that the more money I make, the more I spend. Luckily, my husband makes enough money to take care of our basic needs while I grow my business.

We’d love to hear more about what you do. 
I’m an author. I mostly write paranormal romance and post-apocalyptic fiction. My Supernatural series is my most popular works. Each book is standalone, though they are set in the same supernatural world, and focus on a particular couple. One of the biggest things that make my series, and most of my books, to be honest, stand out is that the female lead is plus-size. Now, in my post-apocalyptic novels, she may not always be so, as I would think it would be hard to stay plus-size in a world devoid of food and full of fighting.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jennifer-reynolds-thzu.squarespace.com/
• Email: jennifer.powell.reynolds@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjenniferreynolds/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferReynolds
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferLRAutho
• Other: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jennifer-reynolds-3a12b2b1-e208-4464-853e-fc0f1ba99f32?list=author_books

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