Interview with Janice Spina

Author of Jeffrey the Crabby Crayfish

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

First of all please let me thank you for this opportunity to be interviewed for your website. I appreciate your support in helping me get my book out there.

I grew up in Lawrence and Methuen, MA and now live in Londonderry, NH with my husband, John, who is my illustrator and cover creator.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

I worked in Methuen Public Schools for many years and retired from there. When I met my husband we decided to move to New Hampshire with no sales tax or income tax. A good place to be when you retire. We love the country and seeing all kinds of animals – deer, fox, turkeys in our backyard.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I had been writing since the age of nine in the form of poetry and greeting cards. Some of my books I wrote when I was in my 20’s and beyond. I never found enough time to get serious about my writing until I retired. That’s when I was able to concentrate more and published my first book in 2013. Now I have 25 books and counting.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

My books are eclectic in that I write for all ages and in all genres. I want to reach a wide audience. I have 12 young children’s books, 9 middle-grade/PT/YA books, (2 series – one for boys and one for girls), and 3 novels and a short story collection for 18+.

My young children’s books are written in rhyme with life lessons, MG books also carry life lessons and current themes such as anti-bullying. The 18+ books are thrillers, suspense, mysteries, romance, paranormal and multi-genre short stories. There is something for all tastes.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

I feel that since my books are written for different age groups the topics I write about for each grade and age level will be attractive to those readers. Parents have read my books for children and MG and have passed them on to their children and grandchildren after some wonderful reviews. It’s nice to see that parents approve of my books.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

I’ve learned that I need others’ eyes to read my books for any mistakes. There is always something that can be missed. I have a few beta readers that are invaluable to me and I appreciate their hard work. As a copy editor for other authors I find mistakes that the authors didn’t see on their own work.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Be more patient and don’t give yourself too many extraordinary expectations.

I have a tendency to push myself beyond what is realistically possible with goals to publish books and read and review other authors’ books each year. Many times I have made my goals and other times I didn’t but I think these goals were a way to keep me working as hard as I can at my craft.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

Hopefully as many as possible! Having so many different genres of books I hope to do just that.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

The publishing process can be frustrating when downloading my material to Amazon. There always seems to be a glitch when Amazon continually changes something in the process. I find that I have to call them for assistance. They usually help me through the problems.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

My biggest strengths are that I never run out of things to write about. I don’t write outlines and just place my fingers on the keys of my laptop and the words flow. I can leave my work for any amount of time and then pick it up again without a hitch. The characters take over the story for me. Many times I don’t know how the story is going to end and at times I need to rein in the characters when they go too far one way or another. All I need is a title and I go from there. It’s an exhilarating feeling to be along for the ride.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

My biggest weakness is marketing. I don’t enjoy it but I know it must be done. I use my blog and website and social media to get my books out there. It’s a tough job to do and must be done continuously.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I am in the process of writing Book 4 of my Abby & Holly Series which is a MG/PT/YA series for both girls and boys. It’s a paranormal mystery with ghosts, haunted house and some surprises. The series has won three book awards. I plan to write two more books in 2020. My other MG/PT/YA series, Davey & Derek Junior Detectives, has six books in the series and has won eight book awards.

I have already written six books in a young children’s dragon series that my husband is going to illustrate. He is currently working on Book 1. We hope to publish it next year followed by the others over the next two years.

I have also written book 1 of a YA fantasy series that will have several books and will be published in 2021 and beyond.

Ideas are flowing for more books to follow my novels, Hunting Mariah and Mariah’s Revenge to continue the series in these mystery/thriller/suspense/crime books. There is always another story running around in my head.

The book you spoke to me about, Jerry the Crabby Crayfish, was based upon a real crayfish we had in a fish tank in our home. He was quite a character and could be crabby at times but always entertaining. It was my way to keep him in my memory by dedicating a book to him. This is one of our most popular books!

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I am a self-published author and proud of it. It is a daunting task to do it all yourself but it gives me a feeling of accomplishment. I am thankful that my husband supports me and helps me with each book by doing the illustrations and creating wonderful covers.