The Secret of Isobel Key by Jen McConnel Reissue and Guestpost!

In December 2013 Jen McConnel will be reissuing The Burning of Isobel Key under the new title of The Secret of Isobel Key. I reviewed the book in December 2012 and enjoyed it thoroughly. You can read my review here. ISOBEL has been acquired by Bloomsbury’s new imprint, Spark, as one of seven titles for the launch list. I just love the new cover!!!

What Influences Me? Guest post by Jen McConnel
Lots of things contribute to my love of writing and my pursuit of a wordy career.  I’ve always been a book addict, and I loved playing pretend when I was growing up.  But one of the biggest influences on me as a writer is my mom.  
She taught me how to “touch-type”, (a skill which still makes my students stare, and which got me out of most of 8th grade typing class), and she helped me make my first book with cardboard, contact paper, and a needle and thread.  She was also a freelance author while I was growing up, and I watched her interview various people and craft lovely human interest stories about our community.
Probably the most dramatic influence my mom had on me came when I was in high school.  Together with her friend and writing partner, Mom set out to write and self-publish a specialized collection of creative non-fiction; a book of local history, geared for upper elementary readers.  It was a niche market, but many schools and libraries expressed interest in the project, and so they went at it.  
I had the unique experience of watching my mom conduct research from primary sources, culling snippets of intriguing history that she would later stitch together in stories, poems, and articles.  I watched as she and her writing partner sent drafts back and forth, blending their voices and creating a quilted whole that could stand on its own, and I watched them make publishing decisions, from commissioning cover art to hiring a printer to deciding on a print run.  She even took me with her to signings, and I loved watching her smile and interact with readers and booksellers.  
It was amazing, and I wish I had paid more attention to the entire process!  Still, even though I didn’t absorb everything, that experience clearly left a mark, and I constantly turn to my mom in my own writing career.
Who or what influences you?

About Jen 
Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches college writing composition and yoga. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.  Her debut NA novel, THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY, is coming December 2013 from Bloomsbury Spark . Visit http://www.jenmcconnel.com  to learn more.

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THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY

Lou is in the middle of a quarter-life crisis. Fresh out of college, she’s unemployed and unsure of herself. But when she gets the chance to escape to Scotland with her best friend, it could be the answer to her quest for self-discovery. The trip is not at all what she expected, especially when her tour guide turns out to be the dreamy historian Brian, and together they embark on a hunt for information about Isobel Key, a woman accused of witchcraft in the seventeenth century.

They set out to learn the truth of the condemned witch, but Lou isn’t prepared for the knowledge that awaits her. She must face her own demons if she has any hope of righting the wrongs of the past.

Flashing between seventeenth century Scotland and a contemporary romance, THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY is a mystery that will please readers of all ages.
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