Check out this author spotlight for Cami Murdock Jensen!
You can find all her links furthest down the page, and don’t forget to check out her books!
1. Hi! Welcome to my humble blog of all things bookish! I would like for us to start by getting to know you. Give us a short bio, please!
Cami Murdock Jensen grew up in Spanish Fork, Utah, fostering two passions: science and the fine arts. As a senior in high school, she won the Sterling Scholar in science and cloned DNA to compete on the state level. One year later, she wrote the score for her first children’s musical, “Robin Hood: Tales of Ye Merry Wood”, which she later published. She has since dedicated years to teaching, writing, composing, and directing, as well as studying the genetic defect that runs in her family. Cami has six amazing children who have battled leagues of demons and a husband who is a much better hero than any prince.
2. To get to know you just a little bit better, I’d like to ask you some this or that questions. Answer 5 of these and explain why you chose this or that, or maybe an entirely different alternative!
Winter, spring, summer or autumn? Spring. It’s warm, but there aren’t any bugs yet. Plus, the blossoms are gorgeous!
Cat or dog? Hmm. I think I’m more about the personality of the animal. I do gravitate toward cats, though. As is evidenced by my books’ sciftans, Grimmal and Lumi.
Tea or coffee? I’m a water girl. Water with lemon. I sing a bit, so I’ll do a ginger tea with honey and lemon when I’m sounding scratchy.
Morning or evening? I like evenings, but ironically, my best working hours are in the morning;
Library or museums? Ooo. Tough one. Both. Love books, but I love art and science, too.
Hunter or gatherer? Gatherer, but I stop short of hording.
Witches or wizards? Wizards! Male, female, and magical creature wizards!
Ninjas or pirates? Ninjas. I admit it. My kids got me hooked on anime.
Mountains or beaches? Mountains. Utah mountains are glorious. Besides, I’m scared of sharks.
Plotter or pantser? Pantser – I love creating as I go. I rough out my stories on walks with my daughter or while I’m doing housework. But IÂ really like letting the story take me along with it.
Pen and paper or computer/phone? Computer. My handwriting gets sloppy after a few minutes.
Standalone or series? They both have pros and cons. Standalone satisfies my love for a fast read, but series give ample time for seriously deep character development.
Book or ebook? Personally, I love hardback books. But most of our sales are ebooks. Old fashioned meets new-fangled.
Hero or anti-hero? Hero all the way. I hate tragedies. I appreciate an anti-hero, but it just isn’t my style.Â
3. When you look for books to read, what trope or type of story will always catch your attention?
YA fantasy is a given, but I also like mysteries. Fantasy with a mystery will catch and hold me to the bitter end. I have to know how it ends. I often guess the outcome, but I’m thrilled when I don’t.
4. What do you write? Tell us about your current projects and the latest happenings!
YA Fantasy Adventures that are clean, fast-paced and have themes and values for today’s teens. Currently, I’m finishing the 5th book in my first Arch Mage series and looking to start a new series this year.
5. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it!
Arch Mage Agnes Ann Cavanaugh, the only wizard to be born on our planet since magic was banned thousands of years ago, travels to the mystical planet of Fourth Earth. There, she works with her friend, the siren king, Rein, to unite the warring tribes of Fourth Earth and accomplish the fourth task foreseen in her prophecy. The task proves harder than she thought. With desperate shortages of magic and territory, the local tribes are more interested in their own survival than her prophecy. But if she can’t unite the tribes, it will open the gate for the true threat. A murderous, overpowered genie bent on enslaving the universe. Fourth Earth: A YA Fantasy Adventure to the planet of Mythical Creatures – book 4 in the Arch Mage Series.
6. What real-life inspiration do you draw from, and what are your primary fictional sources of inspiration (books, authors, films, music, etc.)? Name a few!
Mostly my kids, kids I teach, and kids I know. I frequently write books to address problems they are struggling with. In addition, everything I see may find a moment in my character’s lives. Like the big tree with pink blossoms that grows on my mom’s house. Or the dream I had about a supernatural forest that uses emotion to lure in its prey.
7. What is your writing routine? If you have one, give us the run-down!
I like to crawl out of bed, let my dogs out, grab a quick breakfast and type in my bathrobe until my brain won’t think anymore. Then I start my day around noon or one.
8. If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice as you started out on the path to becoming an author, what would it be?
Go to a writer’s conference. Learn what works, what sells, and how to avoid intellectually pompous wordiness. Then, just do it! Have fun putting your creative ideas into a complete story.
9. Last but not least: where can we find you? Drop those links!
https://www.facebook.com/CamiMurdockJensen
https://www.instagram.com/camimurdockjensen/
https://twitter.com/CamiMJensen
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19234046.Cami_Murdock_Jensen
https://www.amazon.com/Cami-Murdock-Jensen/e/B07SHJLWJ7
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cami-murdock-jensen
