Dragon Soul Press took the opportunity to interview Jennifer Strassel, an author featured in Reign of Fire, Pirate Gold, A Death in the Night, Magick and Mystery, A Winter Promise, and Pirate Legends.
I am Jennifer Strassel, a historical researcher and author from Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, Canada.
I graduated from the University of Winnipeg’s Creative Writing program, and worked as a part-
time librarian before becoming a full-time writer.
My fiction has appeared in six Dragon Soul Press anthologies, and my local history article series
“Window on Our Past” has been featured in the Lac du Bonnet Clipper newspaper and Lac du
Bonnet Living magazines. This series has showcased unique stories of Lac du Bonnet and the
Winnipeg River region for the past four years.
When I’m not writing, I explore Manitoba’s Whiteshell backcountry and photograph nature.
- What prompted you to begin writing?
- My author journey has developed in stages:
I was always a reader. I started writing in high school when I couldn’t find the kinds of books I
wanted to read. I would write anywhere: during class or in the library, in notebooks or on scraps
of paper, creating tales of magic and made-up places. I finished my first novel a couple years
later.
I ended up enjoying the writing process so much that I went to the University of Winnipeg for
Creative Writing. Throughout my time at university, I filled the gaps in my timetable with history
courses, where I discovered a love of historical research. My work with the Lac du Bonnet &
District Historical Society has allowed me to finetune my writing and research skills while
uncovering forgotten people and places from the past.
In the last few years, I rediscovered myself as a fiction author. I write without a specific genre or
even a certain style. All my stories are vastly different from each other, and I’m still learning.
- My author journey has developed in stages:
- How many projects do you have planned over the next few years? Tell us about one.
- I have so many things on the go: writing short stories, doing revisions on a novel, researching
various historical topics and much more. There are probably even some projects that will come
up that I don’t even know about yet…
The project that should be taking most of my focus is a history book on 100 years of aviation in
Lac du Bonnet and the Winnipeg River region. It’s a massive research endeavor that will include
everything from the pilots to the planes and everything in between.
- I have so many things on the go: writing short stories, doing revisions on a novel, researching
- What is your writing process like?
- I always have ideas or partial lines coming to mind. Sometimes I write them down for later, other times I start writing immediately. I always handwrite every draft (except for the final version) which allows me to write wherever I am, whenever inspiration strikes.
If I am writing to a certain theme, I start with my interpretation of it. When I get stuck, research
into the genre and other stories usually sparks something I can work with to get back into the
story.
I’ve found the most important thing is knowing when to quit, to set a story aside for a while
when things aren’t coming together. This also gives me a partially finished story to pick up when I need something to work on, or when deadlines are tight.
- I always have ideas or partial lines coming to mind. Sometimes I write them down for later, other times I start writing immediately. I always handwrite every draft (except for the final version) which allows me to write wherever I am, whenever inspiration strikes.
- Where do you draw inspiration from?
- I get inspiration from anything I’ve ever read, watched on TV or in movies, or experienced in
life. Historical newspaper articles also offer some unique stories. I absorb everything. Memories
or moments will often emerge as I’m drafting, sometimes changing the entire direction of the
story.
- I get inspiration from anything I’ve ever read, watched on TV or in movies, or experienced in
- Who is your favorite author / what is your favorite book?
- I have so many and each one inspired a change in my writing style. Definitely JK Rowling and
JRR Tolkien, their stories were there from the beginning and ignited my passion for writing.
Then there’s Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series, anything by Kate Quinn, and William Kent
Kreuger’s Cork O’Conner series has been a must read.
- I have so many and each one inspired a change in my writing style. Definitely JK Rowling and
- What is one goal you have for your writing future?
- My one goal is to enjoy the work. Writing has always been fun, an escape, so whether I write
short stories for anthologies, get a novel published, or have articles in historical magazines, I
want to soak it all in and enjoy the success I have in the moment.
- My one goal is to enjoy the work. Writing has always been fun, an escape, so whether I write
- What do you hope readers enjoy most from your work?
- I hope readers enjoy the uniqueness of my stories: the glimpses into remote or overlooked places not normally written about in fiction, and the people who live there. For my historical articles, I hope readers can learn something new about Manitoba’s history, and share these stories further so they’re not forgotten. Mostly, I hope they enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
- Where can readers learn more about you?
Dragon Soul Press 