Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer DeVries.
Hi Jennifer, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I always knew I wanted to be a novelist. But it took me a really long time to work up the courage to do it. After twenty-plus years of hemming and hawing, the catalyst was a request for my development plan at work. I couldn’t make myself write one, because I knew that climbing the corporate ladder was not what I wanted to do with my life.
I knew what I really wanted to be when I grew up, and I realized the only thing stopping me was…me. So I took a short story class at the Loft Literary Center in October 2018 to dust off the cobwebs. In December 2020, at the age of 44, I published my first novel (under the pen name Brenda Lyne)! I’ve released two more novels and a short story collection since then. My next novel is coming in September of this year!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve definitely had challenges along the way. I worked with a small publisher out of Nashville to publish my first book, and that ended up being a total disaster. The book’s quality was terrible, there were always problems with shipping, the publisher himself was a nightmare to work with, and I never received royalties for book sales.
After that awful experience, I decided to make a go of self-publishing. I re-published my first novel, and have published all subsequent books, under my own imprint, Brenda Lyne Books. I enjoy having complete control over how my books are produced, distributed, and sold — and even though it is a ton of work, it’s completely worth it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Stephen King is my hero and is a very strong influence on my writing. Not the super-gory horror stuff (although I do love to read that; “It” is my favorite of his books), but more the psychological and paranormal explorations of life and death (“Bag of Bones” is my other favorite of his novels). I also appreciate a good crime thriller/police procedural along the line of John Sandford, P.J. Tracy, and Kathy Reichs. I write the kinds of books I like to read, and my stories span many genres: mystery, thriller, horror, paranormal, suspense. You get a little of it all in my novels.
Being an independent author, it is up to me to get my books in front of readers. One of the ways I do that is by selling at craft fairs and vendor events all over the state. It gives me the chance to meet prospective readers, tell them about myself and my books, and allow them to put a friendly face to a name (or in this case, a book). I’m very proud of the work I’ve put in and my steadily-growing reader base. When someone approaches me to tell me they’ve read one of my books and loved it — well, there’s no better feeling than that!
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
My two biggest takeaways from the COVID-19 pandemic are: 1. Cherish every moment you have with your loved ones, and 2. Everyone is struggling. Just be kind.
Pricing:
- Charlie’s Mirror (2020): $16.99
- Sister Lost (2021): $18.99
- The Thirteenth Cabin (2022): $18.99
- Bourbon & Burlap (2023): $9.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://brendalyne.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/akabrendalyne
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/akabrendalyne
