Q&A with Lousie Jensen #1 best selling author of The Sister, The Gift and now The Surrogate @fab_fiction @bookouture

Louise Jensen

No. 1 Best Selling Author of Psychological Thrillers! Two Girls and a Book Obsession had the amazing opportunity to get to know this author and get a sneak peak at what she’s working on! She became an instant best seller in UK, US and Canada on her first 2 books, The Sister and The Gift! Her books have been published in over 16 countries. She’s has the 6th biggest selling book on Amazon! She also specializes in writing about mindfulness, chronic pain and mental health. She has just released her 3rd book The Surrogate which we have reviewed on our blog and absolutely loved!

1.What is something most people don’t know about you?

I started writing as a hobby, to improve my mental health after suffering from depression after becoming disabled. The Sister was always intended to be a short story. No-one was more surprised than me when it became a complete 90k word novel.

2.How did it feel to have your first book, The Sister, go to #1 in multiple charts? And then your second book, The Gift, right after?

It was a real mixture of emotions when The Sister shot to No. 1 in 2016. I was elated, but also I’d recently lost one of the people in my family I was close to, so there was, and still is, sadness they aren’t here ti see what I’ve achieved. To have a second No. 1 in 2017 was so unexpected and so wonderful. The pressure is on for 2018!

3. Who was your biggest supporter on your journey to becoming a published author? Who was your biggest critic?

I couldn’t have done it without the support of my husband. Although nobody knew I was writing a book initially ( not even me!) when it got to the stage I thought I had something solid that was perhaps publishable I sat down with my husband and we discussed the possibility of me working part time for 6 months and seeing if I could get a manuscript ready to submit and find an agent and a publisher. It was tough financially but without that space I might not have had the time and energy to focus on it properly had I still been working full time

My biggest critic is me! I’m such a perfectionist and I drive myself very hard.

4. The Gift is about the concept of cellular memory. I find the subject fascinating and have a little knowledge of it. What made you choose this to write about? And how much research did you do before hand?

I’d been utterly fascinated by the concept that cells can retain memories and if organs, particularly hearts, are transplanted those memories can be carried over from the donor to the recipient. I wanted to write about it but I wanted to wait until I knew I could sensitively handle the subject. I did months and months of research.

5. What is something everyone loves that you just don’t get?

Game of Thrones. I’ve never seen it and it doesn’t appeal to me.

6. How do you balance your family and making time for writing? And what about reading?

I am only just finding my feet really as a new writer and my family have been sorely neglected during my first year of publishing. I’m finding the balance now – I’m even taking some weekends off. I read every evening before bed. I adore women’s commercial fiction.

7. What is the first book you remember loving when you were young? Most recent book loves?

Little Women is my absolute favorite book. At the moment I’m reading Wonder with my son and it’s hugely moving and so well written. We are frantically trying to finish it before the movie comes out.

8. Do you have any hidden meanings or experiences hidden within your books?

I think Jenna from The Gift is based on my own experiences with a dramatic change of health, trying to find out where I fit into the world, trying to adapt to a new enforced lifestyle where you’ll never be completely healthy again.

9. If you could be a part of any other book world, which would you choose? why?

I love the crime writing community and am very happy writing psychological thrillers but I adore commercial fiction and will play around with an idea I’ve had for a story one day.

10. What did you edit out of your new book The Surrogate?

With a title called The Surrogate it could have been a very predictable read so I knew I wanted to throw in a lot of twists and take the story in a completely different direction to what the majority of readers thought it would be. I went a little overboard on twists and my editor did ask me to take several out! It’s a very complex story and I’ve had so many emails regarding the huge twist at the end I’m very glad I kept that one in!

Three

You can buy her books online or in stores. click below for a link to that book on Amazon:

The Sister

The Gift

The Surrogate

A huge thank you once again to Louise Jensen for taking the time to let us get to know you through this Q&A and we can’t wait for your next book!!

2 comments

FabricatingFiction says:

November 27, 2017 at 8:58 am

Thanks so much for inviting me onto your blog!

LikeLiked by 2 people

- bitbookishgirl says:
  
  November 27, 2017 at 11:14 am
  
  Thank you for agreeing to do it. You have quickly become one of our favorite authors and we were beyond excited for this
  
  LikeLike