Meet Jennifer Meinking | Professional Storyteller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Meinking and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve had an entrepreneurial bent since I was a young woman. It was modeled for me by several women in my family and became something I wanted when I began having children. Running my own business meant setting my own hours and being available to my littles when they needed me the most. So I’ve done quite a few different businesses, but my latest venture into the publishing world took me a bit by surprise.

I had wanted to write and publish something since I was a teenager but didn’t believe I was skilled enough to pull it off. So I devoured other people’s books instead and developed the skills needed over time. In the fall of 2018, I was inspired by Marvel’s rendition of the Norse god of mischief to write what was supposed to be a short fanfiction of Loki meeting a human woman and fathering his half-human child mentioned in the comics (Tess Black). What happened instead is that my inner author came roaring out of the cage I had put her in and she just would not go back inside. I published my first novel in April 2019 and my second in November 2019. My third, a prequel series that sets the stage for the continuing story, was released in March 2022. I now have a multi-series literary universe living in my mind, slowly unfolding onto paper and screens for others to enjoy. And the journey has been quite exciting thus far!

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I do not write to simply entertain. I write with the philosophy that there is a lesson that can strengthen hands and hearts in literally anything, especially stories. We thrive on the stories of others as humans, in every single culture known to the world. Therefore, I write life, including the messy parts. And my goal as a writer is not to answer the hard questions for anyone but to ask them to inspire the very same questions that move us through life to love and growth. This means that my material can bring forth even negative emotions for people that might be working through childhood trauma or emotions they may not yet understand. And if my material can uplift and encourage, perhaps even resulting in a person striving to become a better version of themselves, that’s one of the highest compliments anyone could give my work, in my opinion. I want to inspire deep thought and emotion with my work, because life is not easy. And we could all use a little bolstering.

I worked through many challenges to get where I am today and am not yet where I want to be. Overcoming these challenges took determination and grit, along with some good, old-fashioned stick-to-it-iveness. Perserverance in adversity and in the face of the naysayers is something I was raised to pursue. So I have not allowed fear of risk to stop me from reaching higher. I have learned that fear will hold you back every time if you let it, especially fear of how people might respond to your art. But I have also learned that their responses have more to do with something in them then something in the art itself. And where there is even negative feedback, there is room to grow. People are different and like different things. Just because something is not one person’s cup of tea does not mean it isn’t someone else’s brand of vodka.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, in Washington State. There are so many places to visit and do here: dinner cruise, gorgeous hikes in the mountains or even rainforest type areas, sailing, kayaking, fishing, boating, swimming, surfing, musical theater, dancing, phenomenal cuisine. If I were to treat a best friend to an amazing week, I would first find out what types of activities they like, then choose from the incredible smorgasbord of life experiences available here.

We could start with a simple day hike at Seminary Hill in Centralia followed by ice cream at local hotspot Nea’s. On another day, we could travel down to Seattle for a boat tour and a play or concert, depending on what’s showing. If I wanted to show them my favorite spots in Olympia, we would go to the Oyster House and then walk along the boardwalk where they dock all the boats, then window shop at all the little businesses along the main drag. After that, perhaps we could even dance in the sprinkler jets and watch the lights come on at Capitol Hill as the night deepens. It’s truly a gorgeous view.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My oldest daughter, Ariana Meinking, encouraged me to keep writing and delved into many plot hashing sessions with me as I developed my storylines, characters,and universes. She also helps me with author appearances at Comic Cons and Rennaissance Fairs. And though there are many others who have given me incredible support and inspiration, my daughter has truly been my right-hand woman.

Website: JenniferMeinking.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/jennifermeinking

Twitter: Twitter.com/jenmeinking

Facebook: Facebook.com/authorjennifermeinking

Youtube: YouTube.com/jennifermeinking

Other: Pinterest.com/jennifermeinkingauthor