Interview with Jenny Carlisle: Meet the Author Monday

Interview with Jenny Carlisle: Meet the Author Monday

Welcome to Meet the Author Monday and today’s interview with Jenny Carlisle. Jenny is a Christian fiction author with a contemporary trilogy and one novella collection available with another releasing in 2026. Stick around after the interview for more information on how to connect with Jenny and where to find her books.

Interview with Jenny Carlisle

Jenny, thank you for being here today. Let’s kick off this interview by learning a little more about you. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I have always enjoyed books. First, being read to by my daddy on our front porch swing,
then reading by myself before I entered kindergarten, and soon creating my own stories. If you had asked five-year-old Jenny Sue what she wanted to do when she grew up, she would have said “Write Books.” English and writing were my best subjects all through school, but my path to publication was delayed by a more important goal, helping my husband raise our three children. I learned the craft by participating in conferences and contests. Finally, Scrivenings Press published my first work of fiction, Hope Takes the Reins in 2022. I wasn’t quite the Grandma Moses of Christian Fiction, but at age 64 years old, I wasn’t far behind.

You write fiction, but what is the last nonfiction book (Bible not included) that you’ve
read?

“When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor and Yourself”
by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. This taught me a valuable lesson that defined my role
as a journey partner for Women Equipped, a Christian Women’s Job Corp. For the past
two years, this local organization has defined my role for reflecting God’s glory to benefit
others. I can’t wait to get started again after the first of the year.

Sounds like that book was a big inspiration for you.  Can you tell us one fiction book that has impacted your life and why it’s done so?

Christy by Catherine Marshall surprised me. I was so pleased when I read this book in
my twenties to discover a fictional story that featured every facet of the heroine’s life,
physical, emotional and spiritual. From that point forward I knew that my writing could
bring out a complete picture of a Christian girl’s journey through life and love.

I love the way your reading impacted your writing. While it was a different book, I had a similar experience. It’s wonderful when God works like that. What was your favorite book you read last year and why?

My favorite this year was another surprise. A Hundred Magical Reasons by Laura DeNooyer was longer than my typical reads, but I didn’t notice. A dual time novel, the two stories were so interconnected that they meshed easily into one. Like many others of my generation, I have a fascination for all things Oz. Learning about the true story of L. Frank Baum and his family intrigued me. What surprised me most was how this story affected my own writing. I realized that I could draw from both happy and difficult times in my childhood to make my stories more realistic, more personal. Like Ms. Marshall did with Christy, using all aspects of my own experience will reach my readers on a deeper level.

Small world. I loved that story too. We’ve talked about books that have inspired you in your writing. But I’d like to know why do you write the stories you write?

Writing fiction is like constantly straddling the line between genius and insanity. More
than voices live inside my head. There are fully developed characters, with stories
clamoring to be told. I write out of self-preservation. In the process, I have discovered
that I feel a burden relate to young people on the cusp of adult-hood. Navigating the
transition between childhood and independence is never easy. I hope that my stories
demonstrate turning the battle over to God is the only way to claim victory. My stories
always include two or three generations. Ironically, most of my readers have children and
grandchildren. Maybe remembering previous struggles helps them in their current stage
of life. Trusting in Jesus is always the best plan.

What can readers expect when they pick up one of your books?

I love writing about love. All of my stories feature awakening romance. I try to build
more into the story, showing the character’s journey from all aspects. This creates
subplots and supporting characters that add excitement, and often humor to the story. As
the plot develops, the minor characters often threaten to take over. So far, I have been
able to control them, and I am grateful that their adventures often inspire another book.

What are the most fun, most feared, and most tedious parts of being an author?

I am sure every author’s answer to this would be slightly different. For me, the creating,
the actual writing, is definitely the most fun. I love allowing the story to pour onto the page,
taking me in unexpected directions at times.

The most feared part is marketing. The word implies a massive effort, and seems
impossible. I am gradually learning though, that every time I talk about my books, every time I promote another author’s work, every time I relate to a reader either in person or through social media, I am actually marketing. My learning curve on this topic is steep, but I am not as fearful as I once was.

Editing wins the title of most tedious. Reading through a manuscript again and again after
I type THE END is a chore that threatens to steal the fun. The rewarding part of this is noticing that my editors understand where I am headed with my story. Their suggestions make my work stronger. As my favorite editor ( and two-time Scrivenings Press editor of the year ) Amy Anguish says: “We are taking your story from good to great.” Tedious, but well worth it!

You’ve reserved a table for three at a cute little coffee shop. You take one spot. Which authors, dead or alive, fill the remaining two spots?

This is super easy. Definitely my co-authors for the novella collection, A Gift for All Time. Ellen Erdel Withers and Tonya B. Ashley live nearby. In fact, we used our common telephone area code to name our collaboration “501 Fictioneers”. We write in three different genres, but these friends buy in to my stories immediately, and brainstorming is our favorite activity. We had so much fun with this Christmas story that we decided to join again. This time, we added a new Fictioneer from a different area code, Delores Topliff. Watch for Romancing the Elements to be released by Scrivenings Press for Valentines’ Day 2026!

Jenny, I want to thank you for joining me today. It’s been great getting to know you better and learn about your inspiration and writing process. Readers, thank you for joining me for this interview with Jenny Carlisle. If you’d like to connect with Jenny, check out her bio and social media links below.

More About Jenny Carlisle

Jenny Carlisle retired from a career in state government to pursue her dream of writing fiction.

She was a long-time columnist with Ouachita Life magazine. She published two non-fiction books before Scrivenings Press picked up her first fiction project, Hope Takes the Reins in 2022. Two more contemporary romance novels Faith Moves Mountains and Love Never fails complete the Crossroads series.  A Christmas novella collection called A Gift for All Time,  written  with co-authors Tonya Ashley and Ellen Withers includes Jenny’s story, Rejoicing with Joy. This contemporary tale caps the saga of a handmade nativity scene that brings the spirit of the Christ Child to many different families.

She is a past president of American Christian Fiction Writers-Arkansas Chapter.  Because of her fascination with old buildings and old towns, there is undoubtedly a book about the past in her future.

She and her husband, James live in Benton, Arkansas, where they worship with the Church of Christ. Three married children have blessed them with eight busy grands. Recently, she took on the role of journey partner for Women Equipped, a Christian Women’s Job Corp.

Jenny’s Books

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