The Crossroads Tour: Day 8 Jackie Morse Kessler

Thanks for meeting us at The Crossroads! Today we're featuring YA paranormal author, Jackie Morse Kessler.

1. What projects are you working on / have published?

Right now, I’m working on LOSS, the third book in the Riders’ Quartet. HUNGER is the first; RAGE, which is coming out in April 2011, is the second. I have a number of urban fantasy/PNR books and short stories under my “Jackie Kessler” name.

2. Best writing advice you've heard?

From author Martha O’Connor: “Write like no one’s watching.” If you write with blinders on, you’re doomed. Don’t self-censor; write the story that wants to be written, not the one you think will be allowed to be published.

3. What inspires you?

Reading phenomenal books – especially from my favorite authors. Neil Gaiman is my god of writing, hands down.

4. Did you write stories as a teen? If yes what has/hasn’t changed?

I did, but only fanfic about various comic book superheroes along with the occasional creative writing assignment for school. I didn’t start writing short stories seriously until after college. For one thing, my writing has gotten much better. Significantly better. I speak with authority; I found an early draft of my first-ever novel (thankfully, unpublished). Wow, was that BAD. Seriously bad. Painfully bad. The-plot-not-starting-until-page-212 sort of bad.

5. Describe your office/workspace/writer’s cave.

That would be my home office. Let’s see…on the far right, I have my Morpheus/Arabian Nights statuette, my Hunter Rose/Grendel statuette, my Cylon, and my Kurt-Cobain-As-Death paperweight. I have my main computer laptop off to the right, my main monitor in the middle, my day-job laptop tucked off to the left (it’s the weekend right now, so that computer is off). I have a desk lamp next to my monitor, my iPad charging, my pile of papers and books and whatnot, my framed pictures of my Loving Husband and my Precious Little Tax Deductions, my cups filled with pens, a toy koala bear and a knitted Good Luck Plot Bunny, my headphones…and a cup of coffee. And more often than not, a cranky Officekitty on my lap.