Kelly Ann Jacobson
Kelly Ann Jacobson is a prolific author and editor specializing in queer fiction and unique twists on genre fiction. In addition to Tink and Wendy, her recent books include the linked story collection An Inventory of Abandoned Things: Stories, winner of the Split/Lip Chapbook Contest, Miranda (Storylandia!), and Cairo in White (Musa Publishing). Her short fiction, poetry, and nonfiction has been appeared in more than fifty publications. Kelly earned her PhD in fiction from Florida State University and teaches as the Visiting Assistant Professor of English at the University of West Alabama and as an instructor of speculative fiction for Southern New Hampshire University's online MFA in creative writing. She lives in Livingston, Alabama.
Twitter: @KAnnJacobson
Instagram: @Kelly Ann Jacobson
Is your go to comfort food sweet or savory? Is it something you make yourself? Does food inspire your writing?
SWEET. I love all things sugary, but especially anything chocolate. Unfortunately, I am horrible at baking—I am a bit like Tinker Bell in this way, with a very Don’t tell me exactly how many teaspoons of baking powder I need to put in my cookies attitude—but I love when other people give me their treats!!!
What do you worry about?
I have two young children, so I worry about them a lot! I also worry that I’m forgetting something very important (because I usually am—I’m very sleep deprived!).
What brings you great joy?
SHOPPING. And you should never go shopping with me, because my love of the hours-long process of finding the best deals is very, very, VERY contagious.
What’s the difference (at least for you!) between being a writer and an author? How do you shift gears between the two?
I think that being a writer involves doing the activity of writing—that’s it. Being an author, on the other hand, means that 1) you’ve published a book-length work (or something sold independently) and 2) you now need to do the promotional work that is the rest of the job. I love talking to people, so I truly do enjoy appearing at events, but some of the virtual stuff like social media posting is really hard for me still. I think a lot of writers get to the end of their first book and think, Yes! I’m done! But actually, the work has just started!
Is there another profession you would like to try?
I always knew I wanted to be a writer, but I’ve also considered nurse and counselor as other daytime jobs besides teaching. As I said, I like to talk to people and help people through hard things, and I think those jobs would be good opportunities to use those skills. I’m horrible at science though—I broke so much lab equipment in middle school and high school—so I’m not sure I could have completed the coursework!
