Author Spotlight // Jessica Knauss
When did you first realize that you wanted to write?
I don’t remember a time when I hadn’t identified “writer” as my occupation. Before I learned to read, I would draw a pencil across the page in jagged lines, trying to capture a thought or observation. I took a long detour as a student and I’ve been employed as a librarian and a Spanish teacher, but those were always in addition to writing.
What do you write?
I now write in two veins. The most recent one will result in what I hope is a thrilling series of historical novels based on medieval Spanish epics. I’m hard at work on The Seven Noble Knights of Lara, and if no other roadblocks stop me, it should be ready to submit to publishers in September 2012. The other vein is the result of long years of tapping into an untamed muse, usually categorized as “magical realism.” A beta reader said my work goes along almost normally and then throws you for a loop, which amused me no end! All of my published work so far is from this vein. It includes: 1. A novella, Tree/House, about a woman who is only able to start putting her life together after she’s had extensive advice from a vibrant vagrant and slept in trees while there’s snow on the ground. 2. The short story collection, Threads Woven, with women’s fiction ranging from an unusual friendship, to a bizarre revenge fantasy, to two sentences about house slippers. 3. Sail to Italy and Sail From Italy are probably the most accessible. They’re short, humorous adventure stories in the tradition of The Princess Bride.
How has your work evolved over time?
I’ve always included unusual details in my writing, the result of looking at the world through a twisted lens. During the formative period of my late teens and early twenties, my writing was highly imitative of what I was reading at the time, most notably Hemingway, The Princess Bride, and the magical realists. Over time (thank goodness!) it’s become less derivative and much more my own. I found a way to bypass the styles I was reading and get my own style on the page.
What is your wish for your readers as they read your work?
I hope that they enjoy the story, and that they’ll welcome being treated as intelligent, thoughtful readers. I never underestimate my readers, knowing that they’ll rise to any occasion that stimulates them.
What inspires you?
I’m hugely inspired by old stories that have stood the test of time. Otherwise, I seem to grab onto a random piece of information and process it subconsciously for a while so that it comes out as a story idea just as I’m waking up. I’d be lost without a bedside notebook! That’s the main process I call my muse.
What are your goals for your career in the future?
I hope to complete and publish The Seven Noble Knights of Lara and to get a lot of exposure for it so that there will be readers waiting for the next book about medieval Spain. I hope to achieve a stable income so I can dedicate myself to writing and let that crazy muse loose.
You’re on a desert island, and you’ve got three books to read for the rest of your life. What are they?
The Princess Bride by William Goldman (not to forget S. Morgenstern), El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes, and either the biggest encyclopedia ever printed or a hugely comprehensive guide to world literature with a complete edition of the works of Alfonso X el Sabio… Or my monthly subscription to National Geographic… How long do I have to decide?
What’s the one book you never want to see again?
The only reading assignment I ever remember hating with a passion was Lord of the Flies, not only because it had disgusting events, but also because it was so cynical. I much prefer fiction to have a foundation of optimism, even if it’s a tragedy, so Lord of the Flies is the book that comes to mind when you ask that. Most other books have some redeeming value, and if I had to read Lord of the Flies again, I would look for the good qualities it must have.
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Find Jessica Knauss on Facebook and at her blog, and be sure to check out some of her work online. Her publishing company, Acedrex Publishing, can also be found online and on Facebook.
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