About Jennifer Dyer

Storyteller

Mischief Maker

Aspiring Ninja-Jedi Princess

What Stories Move You?

Do you remember the first story that really moved you?

I still recall the first time I saw The Empire Strikes Back. The lightsaber duel, the shocking revelation (how can such a great guy have such a terrible father???), R2 vs Yoda (machine vs magic), and of course, Chewie, the ultimate BFF.

That original trilogy transported us all to another galaxy where we became Jedi heroes and Jedi Princess saving the day and rescuing poor, abused Rancors from evil overlords. And excuse me, Rey, but I was the Emperor’s daughter first, thank you so very much. But my imagination married Luke Skywalker…so there you go.

Aside from my mind living in another galaxy, everywhere I went, I refused to be without a book. Back then, we had no iPhones and no Kindle apps. I used to choose purses based on how many paperbacks they would hold. But on the occasions I found myself with no reading material, no problem. I reworked books I’d read, changing and morphing the stories into something new. Fun, but that made paying attention to the real world difficult. I mean, where’s the romance in geometry proofs?

 A few of my favorites you might already love:

• Star Wars, of course. That original trilogy changed the world.
• Avatar, the Last Airbender. In my opinion, this might be one of the greatest stories ever told. (Ahem…don’t tell Star Wars.) Zuko might be my favorite character of all time. And who doesn’t love Uncle???
• The Princess Bride – That sword duel. Inigo! Westley! The battle of wits. “As you wish”…one of the most romantic lines EVER! The book is great, but the movie is in a class all by itself.
• Sherlock – I love the many iterations of Sherlock Holmes, including the TV show Psyche. The BBC show was twisty, irreverent, and did I mention Benedict Cumberbatch??? He and Martin Freeman were brilliant. If you’re a fan of Mr. Holmes, there’s a super cute middle grade series by Elizabeth Eulberg that starts with The Great Shelby Holmes.
• Speaking of middle grade books, Percy Jackson! I love both the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and the Heroes of Olympus series. The Lost Hero and Son of Neptune are touching, hilarious and just downright fun.
• Terry Pratchett – a brilliant and hilarious British satirist who penned the Discworld series. If you’ve never read his books, check out this guide to his amazing world.
• Harry Potter. Of course. I remember the agonizing wait for each new installment. We would go to the bookstore at midnight and wait in line to get our reserved copies. I couldn’t wait to get home read, so I’d use a flashlight while hubs drove.
• Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. Atmospheric and those stakes! Only one can win, but you’re rooting for both Puck and Sean. A loss for either is tragic. The audio version is superb.
• Wonder Woman. I’ve always been a fan. Both Lynda Carter and Gal Gadot have brought so much charm and strength to this beloved character. (I didn’t see WW 1984.) If you ever need a good laugh, check out the “Kid Stuff” episode of Justice League Unlimited where Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern, and Superman have to become eight-year-olds to fight the villain.
• The Book of Esther. This short historical book is found in the Old Testament and features a young woman in an unfair situation who models faith, courage, compassion, and cleverness. She is my hero.
• Chocolate. It might not be a story, but it goes perfect with almost anything.

Okaaay…thanks for the long answer, but WHAT do you write?

Good question. As I am an omnivore as a reader, I’ve tried out some different genres as a writer as well. Many of us love or at least connect to fairy tales, and even without trying to, I almost always find a fairy-tale twist hidden in my plots. I seem especially drawn to Beauty and the Beast and Rapunzel. Here are a few mashups I hope you’ll enjoy: 

• Beauty & the Beast meets Star Wars.
• Young-adult hacker thrillers with a Rapunzel vibe – what?!?.
• Zany, adventurous middle grade featuring tall tales characters in the modern world.
• Twilight Zone meets a certain fashion doll who has a lot of pink accessories in a dream nightmare house.
• Your favorite romcoms (who else loves Sandra B and Reese W?!) mashed up with meddling fairy godmothers.
• And more to come!

So…If you like reading so much, why write?

The human experience is one fraught with highs and lows, friendship and betrayal, love and loss, joy and grief, and fiction is a place where we can experience the gambit of human emotions to find hope, healing, laughter. It’s even a place where we get to express or understand our anger.

I write for those of you who, like me, love to fall in love and to kick butt. For those of you who not only dreamed, but absolutely KNEW you could grow up to be a ninja Jedi princess, taking on baddies and rescuing wounded dragons and princes. I hope to take you on magical adventures, sometimes by horse, car, spaceship, wings, and occasionally rattlesnakes flying on stardust. I hope to give you a place to laugh and cry, a place to find family and friends…a place where you overcome the toughest obstacles, where you find first and second and millionth chances, and where you discover a place to belong.

And if you also love chocolate? Bonus!

Come on in. You are home.

If you’re not asleep yet…

I also love animals, especially dogs, and have a Greyhound addiction. We currently have three along with a very sarcastic cat. Be sure to join us on Instagram for more shenanigans and antics.

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