Author Interview | Alyson Jensen

Hello dear reader, and welcome back to my blog! I am so excited to share with you today my very first author interview!

I interviewed Alyson Jensen, an author who has greatly impacted me and my writing. She was the first author I ever met, not to mention an author who inspired me to take this journey into writing! I am so honored that she accepted my offer to do an interview on the blog, and I can’t wait for y’all to read it!

Emma: Hi Ms. Alyson! I am thrilled that I have the opportunity to interview you on the blog.

Alyson: Hi, Emma! I'm grateful to be here.

E: Could you give us an introduction to who you are as an author?

A: Sure! I am a redeemed daughter of God Most High through the grace of Jesus Christ! I'm a daughter of two amazing parents, sister to ten fantastic siblings, and a homeschool graduate. I'm also the self-published authoress of The Pure Line Series, Christian teen fiction novels filled with faith in Jesus, epic battles, and a touch of humor. My hope is to empower readers to See the spiritual battle, Fight the real enemy, and Conquer through Jesus Christ. The series currently has two titles - Chained and Trapped. More books are on the way, Lord willing!

E: When did you begin writing stories?

A: I began writing stories as a young girl, mostly in notebooks. I enjoyed telling stories, playing imaginative games, and reading books. When one of my cousins began to write stories and read them to me, I was inspired to write out some of the ones in my head. My parents fanned the flames by providing good, Christian materials in my homeschool education. I finished my first real book (a copycat of Victoria Kasten's Mighty Stallion series, but based on my horse toys) when I was fourteen. With the confidence that I could finish a book, I began writing The Pure Line Series at age fifteen.

E: When did you decide that you wanted to take writing seriously and make it your career?

A: By the time I was sixteen, I was serious about writing and finishing The Pure Line Series for my siblings (who were reading or listening while I read as I wrote each book). After my homeschool graduation, my family and I started looking into editing and publishing my books. After a two-year journey, we accomplished the feat in March of 2021 and Chained was published! Since then, I've continued to persevere in the efforts.

E: I know that I’ve read so many good stories that have really inspired me in my writing life, yours included! Are there any books or authors that have impacted you as a writer?

A: Yes! The Bible has had the largest impact on my writing, from the beginning of Chained to present day. My characters' relationships with God, plot twists, and the premise of each book are all influenced by what I read in Scripture. More importantly, I am shaped while I read Scripture and the Bible reads me (Hebrews 4:12). Who we are has a lot to do with what we write. God continues to give wisdom and inspiration from those wonderful words of life!

Also, Hunter Brown and the Secret of the Shadow (by the Miller Brothers) was the first book that made me think about the spiritual battle which rages around us in a very realistic, physical way. I also loved the way they created relationships. The connections between various characters were diverse, intriguing, and fun. The written example in The Miller Brothers’ book encouraged my style a lot.

Another amazing book that impacted me was Betty Gaard's Jericho Ride. One of the things I love about Jericho Ride is how genuinely faith in Jesus Christ is written into the lives of the characters. They know, believe, and live out everything they talk about. It’s as natural to them as breathing or sleeping. When I finished Jericho Ride, I decided that I wanted to write a book like Betty Gaard – one where the Gospel and faith thrive!

E: A lot of writers debate between traditional publishing or self-publishing, especially young writers. What was your publishing process like for The Pure Line Series? What did you like about it?

A: We chose self-publishing, since it's a lower cost and none of the Christian publishers we researched were interested in Christian teen fiction manuscripts. I believed God wanted me to publish the books, so my family and I took the initiative to edit, format, and publish it ourselves. The first time around, it was a huge learning curve! It took us two years from start to finish to put everything together and launch my first book, website, and social media page - yet, God faithfully saw us through all the challenges.

My family read through and suggested edits twice, which I corrected in the novel. Then, I learned how to format a fiction book and applied the process. My brother put his video-editing skills to work and created my book trailer. My older sister designed my book cover, and another sister helped to refine the script for the trailer and synopsis. My Dad built my website and my Mom began my Facebook author page. We worked very hard to get everything uploaded to the self-publishing company and then ordered the first copies!

For the second book, we hired a professional editor to help with the editing part of the process, but everything else stayed the same. It was still a chunk of work, but went much more smoothly since we had learned so much the last time.

I liked learning new skills, especially ones that were useful to continue publishing. I liked doing it together with my family and having their support and prayers. I liked being able to see the book from its first words to final publication - it's very exciting!

E: Was there anything you would do differently if you had the chance to do it over again?

A: I would be more humble. I would purpose to ask more questions and receive more advice. I would be swifter to request more help from my family rather than letting myself get overwhelmed by the work so frequently.

Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions, say you don't know something, or ask for help. We don't walk alone for a reason. I'm getting better at applying these things as my writing journey continues!

E: What are some of your favorite writing resources that you’ve used? Any websites, podcasts, books, or worksheets that you’ve found helpful?

A: Two writing resources that have been so helpful are the One Year Adventure Novel by Daniel Schwabauer and Writing Fiction in High School by Sharon Watson. Both are laden with practical tips, strategies, and structures to write good books!

I love T.R.Q.T.'s blog on Christian writing, because it offers a biblical perspective on writing not simply tips for the process.

Also, reading a plethora of Kingdom-Seeking books, like the ones I review at the Kingdom Seekers Circle, has helped to grow me in writing - in voice, style, and especially how to include God in story.

E: Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of writing?

A: Absolutely! Reading and studying the Bible is one of my favorite things to do. Spending time with my Savior - whether praying, singing, reading the Word, or talking about Him to my siblings - is always wonderful!

I love hanging out with my family and helping them. Our family has a farm and my favorite part is helping raise the sheep. My siblings and I also enjoy playing boards games, and singing and playing instruments together. I love singing to God!

Other fun and consistent activities include cooking tacos, washing dishes, helping out in our family's ministry to support missionaries, connecting with my friends, playing imaginary games with siblings, going to church, and caring for my Cavalier Spaniel, Ava.

E: And lastly, what is one piece of advice that you would give to an aspiring young writer?

A: Time away from the desk is just as important as time at the desk. The world gives us ideals and goals - how many words to write in a day, or how soon to have a novel finished after we've begun, and so much more. But, God designed us to do life with Him and with others. Our writing is spurred by our identity, and who we are is founded in the relationships we develop with God, family, and friends. So, take time to build faith, joy, and memories. It shapes our writing in very valuable ways, besides keeping us focused on what matters more than writing.

And there you have it! Interviewing Ms. Alyson was so much fun, and I love all of her answers! I hope this interview was helpful to you! Let me know in the comments what your favorite piece of advice was!

You can learn more about Alyson and her books by heading to her website, connecting with her on Facebook, and exploring her YouTube channel.

See you among the shelves,

Emma G. McKee

Photos courtesy of Alyson Jensen

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