(A view of the Cincinnati skyline from Devou Park).

If you have questions you don't see listed here, feel free to ask!  I won't guarantee your question will be posted, but I will respond.  You can email your questions to AsktheAuthor@jenniferhwebster.com.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What made you decide to write a novel?

The truth is, I couldn't not write Through a Glass Darkly.  I've been writing fiction since I was 9 years old, and had always considered writing a hobby or a creative outlet - not a career.  In the back of my mind, there was always the notion of maybe one day getting published, but it was not something I seriously pursued until recently.  I had several pieces I was already working on, but when the idea for Through a Glass Darkly came to me, I had to put everything else aside and just work on it.  It was as if Lily Wright was urgently whispering her story in my ear - and she wasn't going to leave me alone until I wrote it!  The whole novel, from conception to completion, was written in about two months, during May and June of 2008.

What was the inspiration for Through a Glass Darkly?

It's kind of a funny story.  I had been watching a TV series called "Moonlight" on CBS during the spring of 2008.  I had just learned that it was canceled after only the first season, and I was griping to my brother about that fact.  In a moment of self-pity, I said, "Well, I guess I'll just have to entertain myself now."  And honestly, in that very moment, the spark of an idea for the novel came to me.  So, I got busy writing.

So, you decided to write a book about vampires?

Not exactly.  I wanted to write a story that revolved around the themes of sacrificial love, forgiveness, and redemption.  Vampire legends have always offered plenty of mystery and excitement to draw from, but for me, the story is about who the characters are, not what they are.  And anyway, like I said before, I was basically just writing what Lily told me!  So, it was like, "Vampires?  Okay, whatever you say, I'm just writing this thing."

You said you were working on other projects as well as a continuation of Lily's story.  Can you tell us about those?

Sure!  Ashes for Beauty picks up three weeks after the events in TAGD.  There will be at least one more novel in that series.  As for my other projects, I have a crime novel on hold as well as a space-based science fiction novel that could turn into a series itself.  But where all these things will lead, who knows?!  Right now, I am focusing mainly on finishing the dissertation for my doctorate, so I am taking my creative writing, literally, one page at a time, whenever I can get to it.

The cover art for Ashes for Beauty is gorgeous!  Who is Rebekah Bentley (the artist) and how do you know her?

I'll answer the second question first.  I am very blessed to have known Rebekah from the time she was born.  That's because she is my first cousin!  In fact, my mom and Rebekah's mom are identical twins.  As for who she is, I'll let you read about that in Rebekah's own words:

I’ve always loved making things for people. I’ve made birthday cards for family members, illustrated funny anecdotes for friends, created Christmas cards for coworkers—anything that I thought might spark a smile. Somewhere along the way I realized that everything I made was for someone else, with them in mind; the process was thought out, directed towards a specific end. So I decided to start the creative process from my own emotion and follow it down whatever crooked path it led, layering in more logical, scientific thought later, illustrating the right-brain/left-brain clash I so often feel. The resulting pieces explore a range of visceral moods juxtaposed with analytical thoughts and ideas; they are at times fun and silly and at others dark, even grotesque, but they all reflect the chords of sentiment and sense that so often run simultaneously within my brain. 

I attempt to paint in the small space where chaos and control intersect, where beauty and ugliness overlap. I’m fascinated by the similarities of organic structures; how the roots and branches of trees split and fork like veins and arteries, how feathers and leaves are so similar, how solid structures can have the movement of liquids. This idea is translated through a two-step process. The first is free, exploratory painting with watercolors. Starting simply with a mood or seed of an idea, I apply colors using a variety of tools, as well as salt and oil, to manipulate the pigment around the page. Being instinctive and emotional, the painting itself doesn’t take long. The second (and far more protracted) step is one of discovery and restriction. I approach the painting without preconception, as though someone else might have painted it; what do I see within it? What shapes leapt from my subconscious while painting from a particular mood or idea? Using pen and ink, charcoal, chalk, marker and pencil, I push and pull until these images begin to define themselves, imposing a certain degree of order on the chaos of colors. With each piece I generally have corresponding poems, songs, words, phrases and stories (whether my own or those of other artists) inextricably linked to it. In some cases I’ve found it appropriate to incorporate this source text into the piece itself. In others, I’m sharing only the coalesced results of the scattered mediums and ideas that have stewed inside my head, sometimes for years.

As a performer of improvised comedy, I try not to take anything too seriously. This is not to say that there is nothing important or substantive or worthy of reverence, only that I believe even the heaviest of things are more accessible when accompanied by a modicum of humor.  This is especially true of my artwork.  When I look at my pieces I see them as the product of a pushing-thirty, Virginia-to-New York transplant capable of deep feeling and broad understanding, and yet who still doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. And the idea that I’ll ever figure it out couldn’t be funnier to me.  

Rebekah Bentley lives, works, improvises, makes art and hangs out in New York City.

Also, check out some of the "scouting" photos I took (while visiting Rebekah) of the Bow Bridge-area of Central Park which is featured in AFB:

I'm a writer, too, and I want to get published.  Any advice?

Honestly, I'm still new to this whole game, myself, so I don't claim to be any sort of expert.  But here is what I've learned:  First, have a finished, polished piece before you start querying potential agents or publishers.  Second, do your research.  There is no sense wasting your time (or theirs) by sending your adult-themed romance novel to a publisher who specializes in children's books, for example.  A good place to start is WritersMarket.com (that is where I learned about my publisher, Black Rose Writing).  Third, know how to write a good query letter.  It is all about marketing yourself and your work.  Spend time making your letter professional and polished, and make sure it will stand out among the hundreds or thousands of other letters the agent or publisher will receive.  Fourth, follow submission guidelines to the letter!  I cannot stress this enough.  You don't want your best-seller tossed to the garbage just because you didn't follow the rules!  Fifth, learn how to accept both rejection and criticism.  Remember, most published authors have had their work rejected over and over.  Don't give up, but also be willing to really analyze your work and take constructive criticism.  Maybe your work isn't getting accepted for reasons beyond your control - or maybe it just isn't yet up to snuff.  And what is the best way to become a better writer?  Write, write, read a lot, and write some more!

You said that being a good writer, in part, means reading a lot.  What do you like to read?

I truly believe that being an avid reader can help make you a better writer.  My mom read to my brother and me from a very early age, and reading was probably my favorite past time growing up.  (If you're interested, I was especially fond of Trixie Beldon and Nancy Drew mysteries).  I credit much of my success in school to early reading.  (Of course, I also think I received an excellent education in the Richlands public school system, and I am eternally grateful to the many teachers who encouraged my success throughout those early years). 

While in graduate school, I haven't had the opportunity to do as much "light" reading as I would have liked, but scholarly reading (and writing) is also great for helping you learn to convey ideas in a clear and concise manner.  Plus, there are no critics like academics, believe me!  That said, when I do have the chance to read for pleasure, I never fail to enjoy a novel by Charles Dickens, J.R.R. Tolkein, Bernard Cornwell or John Sandford.  They are definitely some of my favorites.  And, yes, I did read (and loved) Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series.