Kicking off my series of interviews authors who craft, I interviewed author Jennifer Colgan. As enthusiastic about her crafts as I am, she included many pictures with her interview answers and I’m excited to be able to share them. Read on, MacDuff!

KK: Tell me a little more about what crafts you do. What do you like to make?

JC: I’m hooked on crocheting, painting, jewelry making, drawing and my latest obsession is the art of ZenTangle. I’ve also dabbled in candle making, needlepoint and cross-stitch, quilting, loom knitting, and building miniature dollhouses. About the only thing I haven’t tried is soap making, but that’s on my to-do list.

KK: When did you learn to do crafts?

JC: My mother is a knitter and cross-stitcher, so I grew up with crafts. Art class was probably my favorite subject as a kid, and I embraced every medium from clay to pastels.

KK: Have you ever given a craft to a character? How did you go about it? What research did it require?

JC: In my paranormal romance, The Devil’s Due, my heroine Ceara is a sculptor. I didn’t really do extensive research on the craft of sculpting, but I tried to channel my creative nature into the character.

KK:What effect does your writing have on your crafting and vice-versa?  Does one fall off when the other is stronger, or do they synergize?

JC:Crafting helps me through the rough patches in writing. I can work through writer’s block or tackle a difficult scene or chapter better if I step away from the computer and draw or paint or make something. Sometimes a trip to the craft store is enough of a mini-vacation to energize me and give me the drive to get back to writing. Crafts are how I unwind from most of life’s frustrations because, unlike with my writing, I don’t get hung up on perfectionism when I craft. I find I’m a lot more accepting of the imperfections in a crafted piece that I am of imperfections in a manuscript. I can let go and really enjoy the process of creating because I’m not as critical of the result.

KK: What do you dream of making when you have the time or skills?

JC: I’d love to build another dollhouse from scratch. I made a few of them several years ago and ultimately gave them to my niece. I’d also love to crochet a jacket or a sweater, but so far my skill tops out at making blankets.

KK: Where do you get ideas for your crafts?

JC: I subscribe to Crafts magazine, and I devour each issue. I also surf the web sometimes looking for craft projects or pick up ideas at the craft store – my favorite place to spend time.

Jen shared some images of her art with me. Take a peek!

Biography:

Having narrowly missed being crushed by an avalanche of Star Trek novels as a teenager, Jennifer Colgan vowed to one day cause the book shelves of avid readers all over the world to collapse under their own weight.

Now multi-published under her own name and as her alter ego, Bernadette Gardner, Jennifer has arrived in the digital age and instead hopes to be responsible for overloading the memory cards of e-book readers everywhere with her paranormal, futuristic and science-fiction romances.

To learn more about Jennifer visit her website, Bernadette’s website, or their Two Voices blog.