Featured Author: Theresa Jacobs – A World Unimagined

Theresa Jacobs

Left Hand Publisher Featured Author: Theresa Jacobs Featured Author: Theresa Jacobs believes in magic, fairies, dragons, and ghosts. She trusts science and thinks that aliens know way too much. Born and raised in Canada, she only began her writing journey two years ago. Through hard work, she has published a horror novel, sci-fi novel, horror novella, horror anthologies, children’s books, and poetry. She is a contributor to 1428elm.com an online horror magazine. While working full-time, she is also currently writing a sports figures biography, so stay tuned.

Featured Author: Theresa Jacobs Interview

LHP: How long have you been writing?

Theresa Jacobs: Officially only 2 years, but truly my entire life, I was too afraid to put myself out into the world. Now that I’m in my forties I was feeling a sense of ennui so great that I was becoming depressed. I always dreamed of writing novels professionally and decided life was too short not to try. Publishing my first novel was life altering. Now I can’t imagine holding the creativity back.
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LHP: What genre do you prefer to write in?

Theresa Jacobs: My favorite genre is horror, and though I love to read hard-core splatter-gore, my own writing tends to lean more towards the mysterious lighter side.
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LHP: What/who inspired you to be a writer?

A World Unimagined, a sci-fi anthology by Left Hand Publishers
A World Unimagined, a sci-fi anthology by Left Hand Publishers

Theresa Jacobs: Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew author), which later in life I learned was not one person, but a pseudonym for multiple authors. However, as a child I was enthralled by the quality of the story-telling and wanted to be able to bring that to life for someone else in the world.

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LHP: Describe your writing process. What comes first–character or plot? Do you “pants” it or outline?

Theresa Jacobs: I am a pantser all the way. For me a story begins with an idea. For example, in my one and only science fiction, Kept, I wondered how humans would cope being trapped underground without anything that makes us human. So I decided to write about humans held captive on an alien planet. This was the hardest write for me, as I had to strip people bare and still write an engaging tale. I loved doing it though.

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LHP: What is your daily/weekly routine as a writer?

Theresa Jacobs: I write everyday after work until 10 pm and when the weather is not pleasant, I write 12 -16 hours on Sat/Sun. In summer I catch up on my reading outside and write only in the evenings. Life is too short to not enjoy the nice days.
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LHP: Are there any software tools, resources, or websites you use often while writing?

Theresa Jacobs: I use Microsoft Word to write and Grammarly to assist with my atrocious spelling and comma usage. I do use google docs for project shares and multi-authoring, however it’s not as user friendly when it comes to formatting. I use canva to make free covers, banners, logo’s, any artwork that I require.
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LHP: What are some of your biggest challenges you feel like you have to overcome in your writing career?

A World Unimagined, a sci-fi anthology by Left Hand Publishers
A World Unimagined, a sci-fi anthology by Left Hand Publishers

Theresa Jacobs: My biggest challenge was – and still is – fear of failure. I am constantly telling myself art is in the eye of the beholder, and writing is art.

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LHP: Do you have a set number of words per day you target? or do you set other goals to meet?

Theresa Jacobs: I don’t set goals or word counts. I have too many stories that I now want to complete so I just go, go, go, until they are complete.

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LHP: Do you prefer short stories or full length novels in your writing?

Theresa Jacobs: I actually enjoy both. They each have their own challenges and benefits. I am always writing a novel, or novella, I let the story dictate it’s own ending, and while I am writing these, I work on shorts for breaks in between. Whether it’s for contests, or submitting to anthologies, such as The Left Handed Publisher’s call, I enjoy the change of pace.

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LHP: How much time is spent on “the business of writing” – queries, seeking an agent or publisher, marketing/sales?

Theresa Jacobs: Oh boy – marketing takes up a huge chunk of time. I’d say I get to write half as much as I’d like, as the other half is marketing.
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LHP: Can you give some us some insight into your story?

Theresa Jacobs: I was lucky enough to have two stories placed in A World Unimagined and these two stories I love equally. Of all the shorts I’ve written, they are my favorites.

“All Because of the Bees,” was created for the most obvious reason – death of the bees means death of earth. I felt it needed a different take than most other dystopian tales and thought people fleeing into space gave me a fun edge.

The second story, “Degree’s of Life,” is a complete 360, when the sun goes super nova and people must take new measures by living in the sewers and water systems.

I just had fun creating these idea’s and little vignettes into survivor’s lives.

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LHP: What advice can you give other writers?

Theresa Jacobs: Keep writing, no matter what, even when people tell you it’s not good, keep going. We can’t learn if we don’t try. Everyone has their own taste and opinion’s and that doesn’t mean they are right. Trust your heart and do what you love.
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A World Unimagined

Theresa Jacobs recently authored “All Because of the Bees” and “Degree’s of Life” for A World Unimagined on sale now.

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