FEATURED ARTIST FRIDAY: J.L. Mbewe

Good morning and welcome to another edition of Featured Artist Friday! Joining us today on the blog is Jennette Mbewe - who writes under the name of J.L. Mbewe - author of Secrets Kept, as well as The Tales of Nalu, which are short stories set in the world of Nalu.

With a curse, she will build an army.With the dagger, she will undo the last sacrifice.But first the sorceress must find the secret keeper.

Torn from her homeland and thrust into a betrothal against her wishes, Ayianna learns her family has a deadly secret that now has her on the run. She joins forces with Kael, an embittered half-elf, and Saeed, an elderly High Guardian, to seek answers to her father’s death, the destruction of Dagmar, and the plains people’s bizarre behavior.

Ayianna discovers there is more at stake here than just her mother’s disappearance and her familial duty to her betrothed. The sorceress has cursed the plains people, and it is a race against time to release them before the sorceress resurrects an ancient evil.

 Welcome to the blog, Jennette. Let's just dive right in, shall we? When and why did you start writing?

I started writing a book seriously in 2003. Leading up to that, I was at a loss of what to do with my life. I thought I’d go to college to be a school teacher, because education breaks the cycle of poverty and such, and I wanted to be a world changer. Yeah. I realized real quick I was not suited for the awesome responsibility and demands of a teacher. (I highly respect those who are!) In the midst of it all, I came across the parable of the servants entrusted with their master’s talents, and the question the master posed to the servants upon his return was thus: What did you do with what I gave you? I felt like God was asking me the same. What are you doing with what I gave you? And I was like…um…what did you give me? What talent, gift, skill have you given me? I had been so busy looking at everyone else and their talents that I overlooked what God had given me. Writing. It wasn’t like I had heard an audible voice or had seen a burning bush. The word “writing” just popped into my head. So, without a clue of the writing industry and all its rules and what not, I sat down and wrote my first story. And then I learned everything the hard way. Ha! 

What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?

Read, read, read! Books you like, books you don’t. Read books/blogs/magazines on how to write and the writing industry. My favorite book is Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson and Peter Economy, but there are so many good ones out there. I’ve enjoyed Jeff Gerke’s The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction, James Scott Bell’s The Art of War for Fiction Writers, and Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne & King. Read a variety so you can sift through all the opinions to get a better balance and figure out which ones work best for you. I have found blogs great to connect with authors, agents, and others within the industry. I love Kristen Lamb’s blog, Warrior Writers. With all the changes happening with the advancement of technology and all, it is important to know about the industry as well as how to write good so that you can make informed decisions about the direction you want to go.  And write, write, write. Apply what you’ve learned; the practice will help you discover your voice, what you bring to the story. And then you can balance out the rules for yourself. As Elisabeth Swann from Pirates of the Caribbean says, “Hang the code, hang the rules. They’re more like guidelines anyways.” And if this is something you really want to do, then keep pressing on. Keep learning. Keep reading and writing. And find others who can encourage you and help you grow in your journey.

What is the most important thing you have learned about yourself through writing? 

One of things I’ve learned, is that to write authentic characters, I have to be vulnerable. It means, as authors, we must strip away all the veils, tear down the walls, peel away the layers we use to protect us from the world, and then we can pour our heart into our writing. At one point in my journey, I realized I could not create dynamic characters in my book because I was unable to fully accept and understand my feelings. I could've been the classic case of the "stuffer". Probably still am, but I’m making strides! When we strip down, we are vulnerable, we are real, and this is where growth happens.  What's funny is this applies to writing, to relationships, to becoming a healthier person all around. Crazy, huh? Who knew writing a book would help us improve mentally and emotionally? Of course…that might not be others’ experience.

Describe your ideal place to write.

You know, I used to think I needed an ideal place to write. Oh, to be surrounded with the serenity of trees and the star-studded skies absent of city lights. And the ocean (or the lake, I’m not picking) lapping at the shoreline outside my window and a hint of mountains on the horizon. But, thanks to having kids, I’ve learned it’s more about just sitting down and doing it, no matter where or what. But still…the desire lingers. Ha!

Where did you get the idea for your book?

Way back before I knew anything about writing, plot and character arcs, and the nature of publishing, I set out to create a sort of Pilgrim’s Progress meets Lord of the Rings allegory about walking out the faith and overcoming the lies that keep us in bondage, but I wanted it to not be as obvious as Pilgrim’s Progress. And the initial story was lost in obscurity. The characters were little more than chess pieces to serve the story, and that was not what I wanted. So I scrapped the idea and rewrote it, focusing on the characters who now have their own ideas, back stories, and ambitions. Elements of the allegory remain, but the story breathes more of the characters’ choices and consequences.

What do you do when you're NOT writing? (hobbies, things you do for fun, your day-job, etc?)

Usually, I am chasing after my six year old son and my soon-to-be four year old daughter, trying to keep up with housekeeping and cooking and all that entails with being a mom and a wife. I’m also the game director for our church’s Awana program and the children’s program coordinator for our moms group. I am trying to work a day into my weekly schedule to pursue art, which I find relaxing and refreshing. I love to draw and paint, and I’m currently exploring digital art through painting with a mouse and photo manipulation. And I LOVE playing board games with friends. I have focused so long and hard on writing that I’ve forgotten to live, so I am slowly trying to bring a better balance to my life.

Are you working on anything new, and would you be willing to tell us about it?

I am currently working on the edits for book two in my Hidden Dagger Trilogy, and then it is on to the rewrites of book three. I’m also collecting ideas, working on world building, and such for my next project that I will dive into after I finish this series. 

Cool, now let's throw in a few question just for fun!

Favorite season? Why?

I LOVE the fall. The cooler temps, the trees changing colors, the first snowfall, and with it the promise of holiday fun and family time drawing near. All things I miss living in Texas.

You and me, both. I'm a Chicagoan-transplanted in NC, so I definitely understand this!

How about storms: awesome or terrifying?

I LOVE storms, the rain, the wind, the clouds! It just connects with something deep inside. A reflection of the storm within, my soul turned inside out. I’m not sure how to explain it. But I think awesome and terrifying can be the same meaning in a way. Many a storm that is awe inspiring can also be terrifying.

Yay, me too!

Well, thank you so much for joining us today, Jennette! Your book is definitely on my list of "must get and read!" I am very much looking forward to it!

If you would like to read more about J.L. Mbewe and her journey as a writer, you can visit her on her blog HERE.