WTAMU graduate, Jennifer Archer has more than one interesting story to tell. First, those narratives in her ongoing list of published novels seem to continue to attract her fans’ attention. But, as she awaits the upcoming release of her latest book, she doesn’t mind recounting the way that writing grabbed her attention.
While creating stories was an early passion, Archer said she did not think writing was something she could get into because writing was “something someone else could do.” That did not stop her from still doing it for fun.
“I wrote stories in junior high,” she said. “I never entered them in contests. “My poor friends had to read them though.”
With her mindset stuck on thinking professional writing was not for her, Archer went to WT for a bachelor’s degree in business management; a career path she describes as appropriate for her as being a lion tamer or World Federation Wrestler. Yet, she does not regret her education, as it has helped her support her family over the years.
“My husband and I had a pharmaceutical business, where I helped run things on the business end,” Archer said. “I do [the business] for our new business where we rent houses to people,”
However, Archer did get her writing career on track by taking weekly writing classes given at Amarillo College. Since she was raising two boys at the time, Archer did find it difficult to find the time to write. To make time, she would wake up an hour or two before her family and write then.
“The biggest barrier to get past, if you want to write, is just setting aside the time to write,” Archer said. “Sometimes I would just cut out some things from my day — like TV time, I would devote to writing.”
Eventually, Archer did finish her novel, Body and Soul, and sold it to Love Spell publishing in 1999. Since then, she has written several novels and novellas focusing on life and relationships for women, for the most part in a realistic setting. However, because of her love for the paranormal, Archer does enjoy throwing in a bit of a fantastical twist to her tales.
“It just makes sense to me because in real life there are just some things you can’t explain,” Archer said.
This philosophy will be reflected in Archer’s newest book coming out April 5, Through Her Eyes, a supernatural mystery book designed for young adults.
“I’ve always wanted to write a book like this, and once I had an idea, I went for it,” Archer said.
For more information on Jennifer Archer and her books, go to her website at jenniferarcher.net. Fans and interested readers will also get to see Archer at her book signing at the Barnes & Nobles on Soncy in Amarillo, April 16, from 2 to 4 p.m.
