Jenn Sterling is a YA author. When she was fired from her last job she began writing her first book “In Dreams”. She recently released her third book entitled “The Perfect Game”. You can purchase TPG here! Check out our interview with Jenn below. We discuss the REAL Jack Carter, baseball, Jenn’s love for the Salvatore brothers, and her dislike for cats!
In your acknowledgements you mention Jack Carter is a real person. How much of the character is actually based on truth?
“Jack’s personality is based A LOT on “my” Jack. While the baseball portion of things combines other guys I’ve dated, the core of his cockiness, ego, sleeping around and walls up personality is based on this one particular guy.”
Besides Jack being real. What were your other inspirations for TPG? Are any of the other characters based off real people?
“Cassie is pretty much me. Of course there are things that are exaggerated and things I wouldn’t do in real life, but for the most part- this book is based on my personal college experience (a lot of truth mixed with A LOT of fiction). Melissa is the name of my best friend and roommate in college- although in real life, she swears way less and is ridiculously sweet.”
You wrote from both Cassie and Jack’s perspectives which was easier for you?
“You would think that Cassie would be the easiest, right? But I don’t know what it is with me, but writing from a guy’s perspective always seems to flow easier. Maybe it’s because I can make the guy do and say things I want him to- even if it’s not what he would ever do in real life. I can make him a better person.”
Are you a happy ending kind of girl, or do you prefer more realistic situations in books?
“I prefer realistic situations and feelings in my books, but the end HAS to be happy. I don’t enjoy torturing people. I don’t like how it feels to read a book that ends horribly and leaves me feeling horrible. I want to be happy at the end of a book, so I want to give that to my readers as well.”
One of my favorite scenes in the book is Cassie and Jack’s first date with the quarters. What was your favorite scene to develop and write?
“The quarters!!!!! 🙂 How can you not love that? Oooh, that’s a tough question. I think that the end might be my favorite- coming up with all the creative ways to try to win her back- taking into account her 4 rules… and the “open the door” part. Yeah. Definitely that. :)”
In TPG you mention FNL, and a few movies. What is your favorite TV show and what is the last movie you saw?
“I just saw Cloud Atlas!!!! Crazy, weird, amazing, interesting, movie. lol Favorite TV show is the Vampire Diaries, hands down! Although I’m sort of hating this season. Lol”
Are you team Stefan or Damon?
“HAHAH you aren’t gonna like it- but team STEFAN! Because he was introduced first- he’s BETTER for her and I’m a sucker for loyalty. Damon’s hot and dangerous, but in the end he’d probably get her killed. LOL”
You mentioned that the mugging scene actually happened to you. Did any other scenes actually happen to you? Is it easier for you to write a scene based on fact instead of imagination?
“The beat up scene really happened- minus the mugging because I didn’t have a camera at the time. He beat the crap out of me just for shits & giggles apparently. A lot of the scenes actually happened. The quarters- while they didn’t happen on our first date, they happened in the classroom. “Jack” pulled a ton of them out of his bag and tossed them on top of my desk in class. A lot of the baseball stuff. It’s easy to write the stuff you lived through.”
What has the fan reaction to TPG been like for you?
“It’s been incredible! This is my third book and since I haven’t experienced ANYTHING like this with the other two- I don’t know how to explain how truly incredible it is! I’m just so thankful that people are enjoying something I’ve written and that we can connect on Facebook and email to chat about it!”
Were the models on the cover exactly how you imagined Jack and Cassie to look?
“YES! I fell in love with them because they’re both hot. lol I love how dark the guy’s hair is- and when I grow up, I wanna look like the girl on the cover. Lol”
Who is your favorite baseball player?
“RUSSELL MARTIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3”
You mentioned wanting to write a second book in the TPG series. Are you leaning more towards a sequel or a companion novel?
“I always intended this story to stand alone, but the fan reaction has been SO strong toward these characters and this story, that I’d love to write another one for them if I can. But it has to be GOOD. I refuse to write for the wrong reasons. With that being said, I’m trying my hardest to hammer out a sequel that’s worthy of your time.”
Kitten is the nickname Jack uses frequently was that a nickname given to you? If not, how did you choose it?
“Oh hell no. I hate cats! ha! The real jack always called me by my last name (he still does). It just came out while I was writing it. It was so irritating and annoying, which was perfect… so it stuck.”
What is the first book you ever read, and what is the most recent book you read?
“Holy crap, really? Do people remember the first they ever read? I have no idea. Honestly. I just finished reading The Sea of Tranquility last night. It was incredible.”
What made you originally want to become an author?
“I got fired. HA I didn’t even realize that I wanted to REALLY write until I got fired. It’s funny what calls to you, or in my case, DEMANDS AND PULLS AT YOU UNTIL YOU GIVE IN. After my last day at work, I bought a laptop and started writing In Dreams that week. I haven’t stopped writing since.”
What are you currently working on?
“Juggling the follow up to In Dreams and the hopeful follow up to The Perfect Game.”