Author Interview: Denise Jaden

Today on my blog I am super excited to be able to highlight the wonderful author Denise Jaden! I recently read Denise Jaden's debut novel Losing Faith and I absolutely loved it.

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When Brie’s sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie’s world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral further and further off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but. As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don’t line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night….a secret that puts her own life in danger.

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Describe Losing Faith in 5 words

Sisters, grief, mystery, unlikely friends

 

What influenced you to write Losing Faith?

When I was sixteen, I lost a close friend of mine. Even though I didn’t learn any serious secrets about my friend after she was gone, as Brie did in Losing Faith, I was amazed (and regretful) over how much I hadn’t known and noticed while she was alive.

 

Which of the characters in Losing Faith is your favorite and why?

I love Brie, and being in her head was amazingly fun and interesting, but I think if I had to pick a favorite, I’d say Tessa Lockbaum. Tessa wasn’t in my original outline. She appeared during the writing and tried to take over ever scene she was in. I love her because she’s so gutsy and honest.

 

What made you decide to write a YA novel as compared to one for adults or middle grade?

The first novel I ever attempted writing was officially aimed at the adult market, but when critique partners read it, they all said it had a YA vibe. I didn’t believe them at first, but looking back at this manuscript now, I can see it. I think I’ve always been meant to write YA. My inner-teen is very strong!

 

Have you always wanted to be a writer? What made you get interested in writing?

No, I’m one of the few authors I know that has not wanted this their whole life. I only fell in love with reading and writing about seven years ago. I read a book by Jane Hamilton (A Map of the World) and I stopped to re-read sentences over and over again. I couldn’t get over how well the words were put together to evoke the exact right mood. I wanted to do that!

 

Who are some of your favorite literary characters?

I love Katniss from Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games. I also really love a lot of best friends and love interests in books. I love Wes from Sarah Dessen’s The Truth About Forever and Dean from Sarra Manning’s Guitar Girl.

 

Oh no! Your house is burning down and you only have time to save 5 books. What 5 would you save?

Oh, this is a mean question! (and makes me want to move my entire library to a fireproof box somewhere!) Well, I’ll try…The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, and Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson. I’m not nearly done with the books I’d want to save, but I’ll hold myself back and leave it at that.

 

A genie magically appears and gives you three wishes. What do you wish for?

Well, since it’s magic, I’d ask for an extra uninterrupted three hours per day first! An unlimited credit card that I don’t need to repay would be next. And my final wish…for three more wishes, of course!

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Thanks for the awesome interview Denise!

If you would like to know more about Denise Jaden's debut novel Losing Faith you can read my review here or watch the book trailer below.

Julia :)