Interview with Jess C Scott!

Please welcome Jess C. Scott and her novel 4:Play to Wicked Thorn and Roses!

Where are you from?

I am originally from Singapore; I currently reside in Maine. I live "in my head" most of the time though...

Do you have a specific writing style?

Whatever feels most natural and right (depending on the character/story/etc.), on a purely intuitive level.

How did you come up with the title?

Goodness, I can't even really remember. It's probably the result of a combination of the following elements: Prince (the musical artiste), the four characters in the title story (4:Play), IM-conversations, Sudoku (the numbers puzzle), and Anais Nin.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

The reader is free to take away whatever they like (hehe). I always have things that I'd "like to say", but it's also open to individual interpretation. Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?Well, I guess I have lots of...influences.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Probably Edgar Allan Poe--his works always do it for me, no matter what. In fact, I'm gonna be writing a paper on a comparison between two of his works for one of my literature assignments!

What book are you reading now?

A management textbook, and a book on astrology and psychology. I've also been reading a short story collection (modern fiction).Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?Anything boring/hackneyed/rehashed, I try to keep out. I find balance the most challenging (both in life and writing)--a balance between fantasy and reality, between style and structure, between complexity and simplicity, etc.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Edgar Allan Poe again--I think his works capture the (darker aspects of the) human soul so, so well. A Poe anthology is one of my most treasured items.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?Internally/mentally/emotionally, definitely. Externally/geographically, not really. Though I would still like to one day satisfy my exploratory need for all kinds of "travel".

Who designed the covers?

I designed them myself and had an absolute blast with the process. Tweaking the interior files were a lot worse (maybe because I had less experience on that end).

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Move--too much reading/writing/sitting around (at a computer especially) is unhealthy.

About 4:Play from website:

Summary of 4:Play: A contemporary cocktail of erotic short stories4:Play captures the deliciousness of sexual fulfillment, the adventure of conquest, and the mystery of unexplored territory.Among these progressive stories, a brother and sister try to make sense of the sexual love they share; a demure young woman encounters an incubus; and two friends strike up a stimulating discussion that acts as the perfect aphrodisiac.With a scope and style that is fresh and compelling, 4:Play dives into the depths of navigating gender, sexuality, and the lines of desire.

If you'd like to win a copy of this exciting novel, leave a comment or ask a question!

Thanks for joining us, Jess!