Author Interview – Stephanie Sanders-Jacob

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Stephanie Sanders-Jacob is a horror and weird fiction author from Sandusky, Ohio, and we had the pleasure of having this Author interview – Stephanie Sanders-Jacob for our blog. Check out this fantastic author and follow them for more amazing stories.

Stephanie Sanders-Jacob is a horror and weird fiction author from Sandusky, Ohio. Her short fiction has been featured by Hearth & Coffin, Mixer, Mosaic, and Ether Arts. Her debut novel, Singing All the Way Up, is set to come out in July 2023 from No Bad Books Press. She can be found online at sandersjacob.com.

When did you start writing?

I’ve been writing since I could hold a pencil. I wrote my first “long” piece of fiction in second grade for a school assignment. It was only supposed to be a few paragraphs, but I couldn’t stop until the story was through. It ended up biting me in the end, though. The teacher graded it based on how many errors it had and, because it was so long, there was a lot.

What was it like growing up?

I had a really great childhood. Some might look at my life and linger over the rough spots, but I never wanted for anything. My dad took great care of my sister and me. He encouraged me to read every day and never censored my book choices. I spend a lot of time thinking about being a kid. I took everything good about my life and turned it inside out for my debut novel.

How was your early life?

I have always been very curious, and I spent much of my youth learning and asking questions. I took every literature and writing course I could. I grew up in rural New London, Ohio, and always felt the need to explore bigger towns and cities, so I went to the biggest university I could. At Ohio State, I studied business and creative writing. Taking those writing courses really affirmed every feeling I’d had about my craft: I loved it, I was decent at it, and I wanted to do it professionally.

What has been the biggest influence in your career?

Honestly, I am very motivated by everyone who has told me I couldn’t or shouldn’t. I like challenging myself and proving people wrong. I’m not oppositional, but I don’t let anything keep me from my passions.

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Tell us about your newest release.

Singing All the Way Up is the story of a young girl who may or may not have been abducted by aliens. Her parents say it happened, and she was singing while she hung in the alien ship’s beam, but she can’t remember the incident around which so much of her life revolves. She’s desperate to learn the truth, but her family falls on hard times, and she’s sold to a freak show. This novel is set to come out in July 2023.

Which book of yours would you call your favorite child?

Singing All the Way Up is so close to my heart. I poured my everything into this one.

What inspired you to write this book?

I am very interested in ufology, and I woke up one morning and realized I had an awful lot of UFO knowledge and I’d better do something with it. I considered a podcast or a YouTube series, but writing has always been my calling. I decided that I wanted to take the trope of the horrific alien abduction and subvert it—turn it into something almost beautiful. The aliens in this book aren’t the bad guys—the people are.

What are you usually found doing when you’re not writing?

I work full-time as a jewelry designer, so I’m often at the computer drafting up new designs or cutting pieces on my lasers. I enjoy spending time in the yard looking for toads and interesting plants, but I also like settling in on the couch to read or play a video game with my husband and daughter.

What does your writing space look like?

I write all over. I wrote Singing All the Way Up in bed and edited it on the couch. I have a backyard office in a finished shed and while it’s primarily used for my small business, it’s a great creative space; I write there too.

If you wrote your autobiography, what would you name it?

I think it would be self-titled, like a debut album. Stephanie Sanders-Jacob by Stephanie Sanders-Jacob.

How long did it take to write your novel, and what was your process?

Singing All the Way Up took 4-5 months to write, but the editing process has taken a lot longer. I tried to write for two hours every weekday. I had a very loose outline of some key events, but I just made the rest of it up as I went. I wrote a big chunk of this novel during National Novel Writing Month, which was very motivating. I found that sticking to a strict schedule really helped keep me focused.

Favorite reads?

I read a lot of 70s and 80s horror. Basically anything you can find in Grady Hendrix’s Paperbacks from Hell. I also collect old ufology books, most notably from the 50s and 60s. It’s interesting that people seventy years ago had the same questions and theories we have about UFOs today.

Do you have any book recommendations?

On Writing by Stephen King, Passport to Magonia by Jacques Vallée, Communion by Whitley Strieber

What’s your next big project?

I’m about halfway through a satirical horror novel about vampires wrapped in a pyramid scheme. I don’t know if it’ll go anywhere, but it’s been fun to write.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Read daily if possible, and don’t limit yourself to one genre. Explore fiction, nonfiction, short stories, poetry, and anything you can get your hands on. I’m a big fan of the “write now, edit later” school of thought. Just get it onto the page. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece. If you’re writing, you’re a writer.