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Introducing Jenzy Montague and learn about her children’s books.


Interview With An Author – Jenzy Montague

 

Jennifer Noahs Book

 

Tell us about where are you from?

Everywhere, LOL I was born in Missouri. I call Colorado my spiritual home. I loved it there and would move back in an instant. I’ve lived in California, Montclair, New Jersey, and now Virginia. I love mountains and college towns. Virginia gives me both. Even though I live an hour from Charlottesville, Virginia, I consider that home too. I’m a history nut so much history to glean from this area!

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Tag team with my daughter and hubby in homeschooling my three precious grandbabies! If not a nose in a textbook, I’m sewing and working with my crafts. I love to get outside and dig in the soil with my gardening. My youngest grandchild loves mother earthing with me.

When did you start writing stories?

I wrote stories when I was a child. I got serious as an adult but put it on hold so I could enjoy my biggest achievement, mothering my daughter. I would always jot down notes about stories that were in my head for years. I was a single mom. I had to be the breadwinner. I worked in a corporate world until I met my hubby.

Since the pandemic, I found myself having time to re-visit my thoughts of getting serious in my writing. It was my daughter Nikki that kept me on track making it happen.

It also was the pandemic that made me realize I needed to write a children’s story about Covid-19 from a child’s point of view. Watching the concerned looks on my grandbabies’ faces, I just had to do something. Noah just popped in my head. Even his name conveys our surviving the pandemic. It is the new norm. Perhaps even a new beginning. With all the stories that were already in my head, it took a pandemic to shake me loose.

What or who inspired you to write stories?

Children. Even when I was one myself, I was compassionate about little people’s feelings, their thought patterns. I wanted to be heard and it would come out on paper.

What is your favourite genre to write and why?

Children’s literature at present. However, I have some notes that I plan to dabble in someday.

What is your favourite genre to read?

If I do not have my nose in a children’s book reading to my littles, I am reading the school curriculum for lesson planning. However, during my downtime, I love historical, paranormal, and fantasy stories.

Who is your favorite Author and why?

Nicole Strycharz. She is a multi-genre writer and I just get lost in her books!

There are other amazing authors I love too. There is Daisy St. James and Lisa K Miller. They both write paranormal romance. Reading these talented women’s works is like a vacation away from the real world for me!

What was the first story you ever wrote?

LOL As a child there was Humpless, the Humpless Camel. I dare say I was very little. In reality, it was Cynthia’s Thankful Halloween.

What happened to it? Did you save it or trash it, and why?

My amazing illustrator, Mara Reitsma, has joined forces with me to publish Cynthia’s Thankful Halloween. Mara turns my world of characters into the exact picture I have in my head. It is like we are of one mind.

My little character Cynthia has been a part of me for years. All I did was tell Mara, and she got me. Then there is you, Claire. You have the talent to frame it to perfection. I am happy to say Cynthia will be a reality hopefully in time for 2021 Halloween. As for Humpless, well, he is still in the file. LOL.

Are there any sub-genres that you would consider pairing together?

Not sure just yet. Possibilities way back in my mind at this time.

Do you have more fun writing the scenes, or creating the characters?

Creating the characters because for me they create the scenes.

You’re an Indie Author, so tell us, why go Indie? Why choose to self publish?

Why not? There is a world of amazingly talented authors out there but cannot reach the goal or luxury of being published. Hats off to the authors who have been traditionally published. After all, they are and have been our inspiration. I choose to support my pen and paper with the Indie world because the drive is for our work to get out there and be read. Without both traditional published and self-published, we would not have such a world of choices to choose from. Makes the reading world so rich!

Tell us how you work. From pen and paper, to your fingers dancing across the keys, do you find yourself cozy and warm with a cup of tea and a blazing fire? Or do you hide in your dungeon, slaving away on your latest masterpiece; the words of wisdom flowing from your fingers as the story is born? Tell us how you write?

LOL, I am usually working side by side with my daughter, Nicole. Our desks are next to each other, with a bookshelf in the middle. Both computers are ticking away with yes, a cup of tea or, most likely, coffee in the early morning. If it is further on in the day, most likely there are children running back and forth screaming at each other or calling Mom, Grandma…Not sure to this day how we do it, but we do. Chaos keeps you on your toes or, for us, our minds working our fingers on the keyboard.

Social Media Links

Noah’s Book Link: http://mybook.to/iamasuperherobyjenzym

Website: https://gaiasgirl101.wixsite.com/jenzy-myworldbooks

FB Page: https://m.facebook.com/MyWorldBooksbyJenzy/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/JenzyMontague/e/B095J8CZ53/

 

Author Bio 

Jenzy, a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature, has lived in many parts of the United States throughout her life but settled in Virginia with her family.

She homeschooled her daughter and aided many moms with their journey in homeschooling. She assisted with and tutored children of special needs in phonics, reading, and math.

Now, grandma to three precocious grandbabies. She joins her daughter in homeschooling them.

Jenzy’s been telling stories from childhood to grandmotherhood.

She prefers being in a cubby with pen and paper, capturing the thoughts of children. She shares that hearth of imagination with her daughter, who is also a writer. The only other place to be, she says, is enjoying her brood of three in their little classroom where she teaches!

EXCERPT FROM NOAH

I Am a Superhero A Kid’s Thoughts on Covid-19:
Available Now

Now, Mommy is my schoolteacher and school is at home. We have to stay home ‘cause there’s a sickness that hurts people. I keep forgetting the name of the sickness, so Mommy has to remind me it’s called Covid-19. I don’t like that name, so I just forget it! We have so many rules now.

We have to social distance from people. We have to stay six feet apart. That’s like as long as my dad lying down on the floor. The sickness can jump that far! Everyone wears masks. I don’t like not seeing faces, only eyes. Are they smiling or are they sad? I sing happy birthday every time I wash my hands, and it takes forever!

NEW RELEASE

Cynthia’s Thankful Halloween:
Releasing Soon

A windy start for October, just perfect for Halloween, thought Cynthia. She was the new member of the haunted house on the hill, at the edge of town. Even in the ghost world, a little ghost needs a family, and this house came with one. It wasn’t easy being a ten-year-old little ghost who just moved in and getting a new family too.

Just a few weeks ‘till Halloween. She must practice being scary. The moon would be full this year on Halloween, and her name meant moon. She had to be the best fright ever!

Franky the Finicky Flamingo

Franky the Finicky Flamingo is the first full colour children’s book  which was published with the assistance of Plaisted Publishing House. Wanda Luthman – the Author has been amazing to work with and we all appreciate her support.

If you have children – especially those who are picky eaters then you MUST get this book and meet Franky the Finicky Flamingo.

Frank is an adorable flamingo who seems to have lost his way with food, becoming fussy about what he eats.  He goes on a journey to find out what he is missing.

Award Winning Author, Wanda Luthman wrote this short story, while Mara Reitsma produced the illustrations. They have both done a fantastic job of this story book with great words and vivid colours. You can get your copy HERE

Below are some of the amazing reviews the book has received since it was published.

Jean Martin

December 4, 2017

Oh, this is beyond cute!! I love the amazing illustrations.!! What a treat this will be to read to children or grandchildren. The wording is in rhyme which is very rhythmic. This is what kids need to begin to read. It’s not so much about the words, (although those are important too!!), but more about the rhythm incorporated into the book. Kids learn easier if a simple rhyme is read rather than just words and “Franky The Finicky Flamingo” has just the right style and rhythm of wording.
That, and the beautiful, bright and simple illustrations make this a children’s book that little ones will want to have read to them over and over, ‘til they too can “read” it for themselves.
Ms. Luthman has shown an outstanding understanding of what makes young children tick. I believe this has all the makings of a classic children’s book on a par with “The Pokey Little Puppy.”
I highly recommend this book to anyone with little ones!!!
 
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Angela Hayes
 

December 3, 2017

Franky the Finicky Flamingo is a charming illustrated children’s story. I got this book to read to my Grandson, as he really loves Storytime. He was really drawn to the colourful, attention grabbing illustrations that accompany this fabulous story. We were both entertained by the cute, clever, and somewhat educational story. We have read it about a dozen times now, and he insists we read it every time he comes to visit. I will definitely be purchasing more of Ms. Luthman’s books for our Storytime.

Thank you, Ms. Luthman!

 
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Bobbi Jo Wagner

December 5, 2017

Franky The Finicky Flamingo by Wanda Luthman is a fun, colorful children’s story. This is a story about a flamingo who is learning what he can eat and not eat. What happens when his color begins to fade? Will he learn to eat the right food for him? This book has such colorful pictures that it made the children want to turn the page. They laughed and felt bad for the flamingo when he got hungry and his color was fading. The story was easy to follow for them and it has become one of their favorites to read everyday. I highly recommend reading this book to your children, I know they will enjoy it as much as ours did.
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Heather Bass
December 7, 2017
This book is a charming children’s story. My son and I read it together and he absolutely loved it. He was laughing at some of the pages. My son’s favorite part about this book was the pictures. He said they looked like paintings. I love the colors of the pictures. The colors are very vibrant and they draw you in the story. This book was very cute, clever, and it also has some education thrown into it as well. My son is a picky eater and he was like wow he tried other things maybe I can too. He now wants to read this story again tomorrow. My son and I will be reading more books from this talented author.