Jennifer L. Armentrout might not be a household name like Stephanie Meyer or John Green just yet, but with legions of dedicated fans and her Lux series optioned as a feature film, it’s clear that her star is ready to shine brighter.
In a recent conversation with YA Magazine, Jennifer shed some light on nursing her writing career, self-publishing her NA novel, her awesome fans, and breaking the YA PNR mold.
ROAD TO PUBLICATION
“Not counting the book I wrote in the 9th grade during algebra class,” Armentrout explains, “the first real book I wrote [in 2007 or 2008], was the first book I went out on submission with. I eventually landed a contract with Spencer Hill Press, a small press in 2010.”
It took Jennifer a year after finishing HALF-BLOOD before she had the courage to submit it. “I’d actually shelved the novel and wrote two more books before I entered a contest SHP was running.” That entry was on a whim. The rest, as she says, is history.
Armentrout submitted three separate novel manuscripts to agents before she signed with Kevan Lyon. This was already after HALF-BLOOD and its sequel were published with Spencer Hill Press. At the time of signing with Lyon, Armentrout was also under contract for CURSED with SPH and two novels with Entangled Publishing: UNCHAINED and OBSIDIAN, the first book in the Lux Series.
Jennifer says, “I signed with Kevan Lyon roughly a month before OBSIDIAN was published. She came on to represent DON’T LOOK BACK. She liked my idea for [the novel], a YA contemporary thriller. We went out on submission with DLB in December 2011.”
Unlike when she was submitting manuscripts to agents, DLB would be the only one Armentrout and Lyon would need to submit before a traditional publisher bit. In January 2012, only a month later, they sold the novel to Disney/Hyperion in a pre-empt for two unrelated books. Of the whirlwind events, Armentrout says, “It was a pretty amazing experience.”
From there, Jennifer had to tackle what was, for her, the most difficult part on her road to publication: gaining serious respect in the industry. Since, while she had already published with a smaller press, she had to overcome the stigma associated with publishing outside of traditional publishers.
”The stigma isn’t so strong now–thank God–but even two years ago,” she says, “being with a small press effected how you were viewed. For a long time, I felt like I had to constantly prove myself.”
Jennifer says she eventually stopped trying to prove herself, focused on giving readers a good book, and quit worrying about what others in the industry thought of her.
SELF-PUBLISHING
After publishing 12 novels with large and small presses, that drive for quality and ability to follow her instincts led Jennifer to her first foray into self-publishing. Under a pen name and with the guidance of her agent, she launched her New Adult novel, WAIT FOR YOU. Due to a great novel and some clever promotions, the story was an overnight success.
“When WAIT FOR YOU came out, it was just crazy insane. My agent and I hoped it would do well, but we never expected it to do as well as it did.” Armentrout added, “I still don’t think I’ve fully wrapped my head around it.”
Since so many in the industry had thought her previous novels were self-published because of the small presses, Jennifer found that there was not a lot of difference externally to being a newly minted ‘hybrid author’ (an author who both self-publishes and traditionally publishes their work.)
“Internally, it was very different,” she says, “due to being the person who handles everything. Usually you have a team that works with you.”
But being the one in charge agreed with Armentrout, particularly how much control she had deciding everything from cover designs and edits to setting prices. Though, she says that one of the pitfalls was trying not to obsessively watch sales.
“When you self-pub, you can see real time sales as they come in. It is sooo distracting.”
Armentrout was fortunate, and able to avoid those more disparaging parts of self-publishing being leveled at her. But that didn’t mean negative attitudes weren’t still surrounding her.
“A few years back,” she says, “a group of my favorite authors got into this huge conversation on Twitter about self-publishing. It was so disheartening to see the comments being tossed back and forth. And then again, not too long ago.”
Jennifer recounted how a reviewer once commented that publishing with small presses was just one step up from self-publishing. That they felt it was cheating. She wasn’t sure what part the reviewer felt was cheating or what was being cheated on. “But hey, everyone is entitled to their opinion.”
Her opinion on the matter, however, was clear. “It’s one thing to believe that those forms of publishing are ‘cheating.’ But to put that out there, a comment so dismissive of such a large group of authors, is something that has always stuck with me and probably stuck with a lot of people.”
As she had experienced the negative stigma with her small press books, she was able to ignore negative reviewers when she self-published WAIT FOR YOU. “Some will say there isn’t a line drawn, but there truly is. That line is getting fainter, which is great news.”
When asked what she thought could be done in the YA community (for traditional and self-publishing authors) to embrace writers and authors of all walks, she said the question was an important one. “One not asked nearly enough and something that’s not talked enough about.”
Armentrout says “I’m not sure what it will take for all non-traditional routes to be fully embraced. I think in the YA world, things are still very old school, still mostly print market, where it’s rapidly changing in the adult world. I do know it is changing, because many YA and Adult authors who were dead set against small presses and self-publishing a few years ago have openly said they’d do it if it was right for a project. Those who aren’t are becoming the minority.
I think it’s ridiculous that there are lines even drawn between traditional and nontraditional. Should what publisher or imprint or in what format truly matter? I don’t think so. A lot of others don’t either.”
Especially not, as she pointed out, the readers.
BEING A FAN OF HER READERS
Jennifer has published over a dozen novels for teens and adults. She’s well known in the YA and reader community, has made the USA Today Bestseller list multiple times and is a #1 New York Times bestseller. With the Lux series optioned for a movie and the COVENANT series with a TV option, she has built a dedicated, loving group of vocal and excited fans over the years.
A lot of that readership came about by working closely with the blogging community. “The success I’ve had is linked to blogger support, and I’ll always be forever grateful to them,” she says.
She also believes in supporting reviewers’ right to voice their opinions. “I do tend to get a bit momma bear when a reviewer is slammed for using a snarky gif or something.”
To grow her large fanbase, Jennifer has always been herself. “That’s sounds a wee bit lame, but I’m a firm believer in not believing your own hype.”
She laughs and adds, “And maybe the books have a little to do with it?”
Jennifer has also seen the positive force of the internet community on her career and that of others through the excitement that can build over a favorite book. “I don’t think you’ll see a more rabid (in a good way) fanbase than what you do when it comes to YA books. I think the Internet is what helps build that community, connecting readers to readers and readers to authors.”
For her and her peers, the Internet and social media sites have changed the game, making it easier for readers and authors to connect. “Readers to get to know the face and personality behind the books,” Jennifer says of places like twitter, tumblr, facebook and blogs. “This is great. Many readers become loyal to a certain author and not their books because of their communication.”
The major downsized for her over all that instant communication? “It takes me longer to respond to emails now!”
Luckily for Armentrout, though perhaps not for those sending her emails, it’s easy to interact everywhere else. And for her, the most enjoyable part of being a writer has been meeting the fans.
Her most memorable experiences are when she’s been recognized in public at a non-book event. But Jennifer shared an encounter from the RT Book Lover’s Convention.
“I stepped into a talkative elevator,” she says. “Conversation literally ceased to exist in a nanosecond and you could hear a pin drip. I didn’t say anything, because I wasn’t sure if it was because of me. And boy wouldn’t that have been real awkward if it wasn’t and I’d said something?”
She continues, “The next day, I was approached by a reader. They were with their friend who’d been in the elevator and had been too nervous to say anything. So I went over and talked to her and (I think) her boyfriend. That was pretty memorable because I’d been worried if I smelled bad or something in the elevator!”
She has also been amused by the many readers who drag their boyfriends and husbands to signings. “They sit in the audience looking like they’d rather be plucking their eyelashes. It’s cute!”
BREAKING THE MOLD
With the modern YA novel inundated with flat and one-note characters, phoned in supernatural settings, and unhealthy romances, readers have gushed over Armentrouts’ tales. Fans love her well-rounded and motivated main characters and supporting cast, her realized worlds, and her realistic relationships.
“All my stories tend to be character driven. And all of my books have recognizable tropes in them.” Jennifer says, modestly, “I don’t think mine are so different from what’s out on the market, but the whole thing about reading is that it’s subjective.”
When it comes to the romances of the YA genre, Jennifer has a positive and upbeat take on the issue.
“The idea of an unhealthy romance is subjective. What one person finds to be unhealthy, another person is not bothered by it. I tend to fall into the last group unless the male lead is a total nonredeemable douche canoe.”
As a reader, she says cheating is a huge turn off. It’s something she promises readers will never see in any of her novels. “The funny thing is,” Jennifer says, “ in OBSIDIAN, Daemon Black was like the king of douche canoes. He was like King Jerk Face. I never expected anyone to be wooed or romanced by him. That’s why he (spoiler alert) has to work real hard for Kat’s affections.”
Which is a refreshing approach to the current heroes of YA. But Jennifer does it even one better for her heroines, and gives them each a backbone. “Because of his earlier behavior, I refused to allow Kat to cave easily once Daemon realized what a poop head he was being.”
The paranormal romance genre of YA, in particular, is important to Jennifer. “Supernatural is true escapism to me. I don’t think anything beats that when you’re looking to get lost in a world.”
Readers can easily get lost in Jennifer’s contemporary paranormal novels, forgetting for pages or whole chapters that they are reading another world. Jennifer says, “I like to keep my creature features as true to real life in terms of personalities, goals, and what not.”
The efforts have certainly caught attention from readers. With the new year just getting started, expect to hear a lot more from Jennifer L. Armentrout. Jennifer’s newest novel, WHITE HOT KISS, hits shelves on February 25th. It is currently available for pre-order at your favorite online and local retailers!
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We asked Jennifer to give us a few of her favorites! What are yours?
Who is your favorite YA heroine?
I’d go with Riley from “Demon’s Trappers Daughter” by Jana Oliver, because she is snarky but kind, stubborn and flawed, but ultimately a strong heroine.
Who is your favorite YA male lead?
Tod from “Soul Screamers” by Rachel Vincent. His wit and charm just gets to me, plus his love for his family was huge to the story.
What other supernatural novels would you recommend to readers?
“Demon Trapper’s Daughter” by Jana Oliver, “Soul Screamers” by Rachel Vincent, “Sweet Evil” by Wendy Higgins, “Firelight series” by Sophie Jordan, “Torn series” by Erica O’Rourke to name a few. And good news is that most of them are complete series so if you haven’t read them, all of the books are available!
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You can learn more about Jennifer L. Armentrout at her website www.JenniferArmentrout.com. Or follow her on Twitter @JLArmentrout.
Olivia Hennis is a transplanted New England girl dropped by a tornado into the magical Land of Jersey. For more info, follow her on Twitter @OliviaHennis.