How do I get your News, Twitter, FB, Instagram, Pinterest?

Thank you for asking. Here they are: BookBub  Amazon  Facebook  Twitter  Instagram GoodReads  Google Play  Pinterest  News

Where can readers write to you?

Jenna Kernan
5317 Fruitville Road #99
Sarasota, FL 34232

Or ask Jenna a question via email at: Jenna @ Jennakernan (dot) com (no spaces)

FAQ

Where do you get your ideas?
I find inspiration in a variety of places. The idea for A Killer’s Daughter, my first police procedural thriller, came from a comment from a writing workshop when a speaker said this of serial killers, “Once you meet him, you can’t unmeet him.” That got me wondering what would happen if you couldn’t unmeet a serial killer because she’s your mom.

The Ex-wives started with an idea for a woman who is being interviewed by police about her missing husband’s accidental fall from their yacht and being informed that he survived and her thinking, I was sure he was dead when I pushed him off the boat. Now what was I going to do with that opening idea?

For The Nurse, I wanted to write about a very mentally fragile and unstable woman and her loving psychiatrist husband by introducing a private nurse who isn’t sure if her patient is extremely ill or if her husband is making her extremely ill.

And for The Patient’s Daughter, I had the idea of a woman in financial straits who will do anything to keep the house she can’t afford, even take in some worrisome boarders. Of course, that’s when the chills begin. Strangers in your house—yikes! That one was such a blast to write.

Did you always want to be a writer?
I would say that I always wanted to be a storyteller. Writing is a challenge for me. As a child, I was a slow reader and found my mind moving much faster than I could decode the words. It was sometime later that I realized that I often reversed letters when writing. At the time, I just believed I was a terrible speller, but now I wonder if it was more. Because of these issues, I always preferred listening to stories told or read aloud. My mother read to all her children. These stories were a large influence on my need to hear and tell stories. I still listen to my stories read to me by my computer before sending them to my editor. I find I can hear mistakes that I do not see. The telling also helps me hear the flow of the words, check for repeats and other pesky mistakes.

What order should I read the Agent Nadine Finch thrillers?

A Killer’s Daughter #1
The Hunted Girls #2

Do you write any other kind of thrillers?

Yes! I write domestic thrillers and have several available in eBook and audiobook.
The Nurse
The Patient’s Daughter
The Adoption
The Ex-wives

What order should I read your thrillers?

Agent Nadine Finch
The Killer’s Daughter
The Hunted Girls

Roth Family Lies
The Nurse
The Patient’s Daughter

Read these in any order:

The Ex-wives
The Adoption

Any tips for writers?
The best way to learn something is to do it. Joining a writing organization is a great next step. Try one that fits your genre.  I’m a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Novelist, Inc. and Mystery Writers of America.  All are good investments. Another way to learn the craft is to take a writing class or online workshop. Reading the kinds of books that you wish to write is a must, as well.  I also suggest you read outside your genre, reading broadly. Don’t forget to get out from behind your desk and move around some. Exercise feeds the brain and exploring the world helps fill your creative well. Books on writing, critique groups, writers’ conferences, online workshops are all helpful to some extent. But the best way that I’ve found to improve my writing is to read extensively and write consistently. You get better at any skill through practice.

What genre do you write?
I’m currently writing thrillers, Domestic Thrillers, Psychological Suspense, and Police Procedural

What books do you like to read?
I have a Pinterest page where you can see my favs. Jenna Kernan’s Keeper Shelf

What resources do you recommend for aspiring writers?
This is a hard one as there are so many wonderful books, workshops, seminars and writers’ conferences. It is difficult to know where to begin. Look up the works of these writing gurus for a start on story structure: Michael Hague, Robert McKee, the late, Blake Snyder, and Larry Brooks. Here are two of my favorites on the writer’s life: Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird and Ralph Keyes work The Courage to Write and, of course, Stephen King’s On Writing and Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing.

How do I get an agent?
Agents often come in after you have published. Agents like to know that your work is marketable and that you have a sales record. It may be more difficult to get a good agent than it is to get a publishing contract. However, some agents will choose very special projects from unpublished writers. To submit to an agent, you need to read how they wish to be queried and follow their instructions. Attending a writers’ conference to meet an agent is another way to pitch your work. Many writers’ conferences offer author-agent and author-editor appointments. Not all agents are the same. They offer a wide variety of help so do your research to see just what each agent offers so you will find a good fit. A word of caution, a legitimate agent will expect a 15% commission on work contracted with a publisher and will not ask for money up front.

A place to start:
https://querytracker.net/
https://www.agentquery.com/
Writers Marketplace
The Guide to Literary Agents

Is this Agent legitimate?
https://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/
http://pred-ed.com/

How do I get an editor to accept my manuscript?
Pitching to editors is tricky. Your work has to be well-written, engaging and marketable. Even if it is all those things, the editor might just have contracted for a work similar to yours. 

To see what editors are buying, you can sign up for the free Publishers Lunch e-mail newsletter here: https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/

Why can’t I get published authors to read my manuscript?
In a word – liability. The last thing a published author wants is to pick up your manuscript and see that it is in any way like the one on which she is working. This can cause all sorts of difficult situations. The best way to get fair and honest opinions of your work is to join a critique group. Many writing organizations help members organize such groups. You can also find a beta reader or hire an independent editor.

Will you read my book?
Unfortunately, my free time is limited, and I need to devote my work time to my stories and to goofing off.

I have a great idea for a book. Can we write it together?
No. I have far too many ideas of my own to write. Also, I have heard it said that the only ship that will not sail is a partnership. If you have a great idea, you write that book! You can do it!

Will you write a blurb for my book?
Please forward any request to write a blurb for your contracted book to my agent. If I do agree to read your manuscript, I cannot guarantee a positive review.

How can I get an ARC of … ?
Advanced Reading Copies are in high demand. You can get pre-release copies of my stories by joining my review team. Sign up to receive my releases via NetGalley, up to three months early in exchange for a fair and honest review.