Jenny Johnson has been a member of Writers’ League of Texas for two years. She makes her home in Houston, Texas. She will be attending the Agents & Editors Conference in June.
Scribe: In what genre(s) do you write?
Jenny Johnson: I’ve worked for many years as a journalist, but I have recently “retired” from that work to focus on literary fiction. I write short stories (my first one was recently published here) and am in the midst of working on my first novel, The Last Days of the Hotel Bravo, which is set in modern-day and mid-20th-century Houston.
Scribe: What authors would you like to have coffee or a beer with and which beverage?
JJ: For some reason these occurred to me in pairs. I would start by drinking bourbon with Walker Percy and William Faulkner, then have wine with Renata Adler and Joan Didion, and finally, margaritas with Rachel Kushner and Dana Spiotta. Not all on the same day, though.
Scribe: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what book would you want to have with you to keep you sane?
JJ: In Search of Lost Time (AKA Remembrance of Things Past) would keep me busy for a good, long while, and would be appropriate for someone cut off from life as they formerly knew it.
Scribe: What have you learned from your association with the Writers League?
JJ: That the Agents and Editors Conference is a wonderful resource. It’s so helpful (and fun) to meet new people, hear a bit about the publishing side of things, and learn from others who are similarly engaged in this bizarre work of writing. Oh, and that it’s good to have an excuse to drive to Austin every once in a while.
Scribe: Where do you see your writing taking you (or you taking it) in the future?
JJ: Writing fiction is going to become a primary activity for this next phase of my life, as my three kids get a bit older and I gain more control over my schedule. I plan to continue splitting my time between novels and short stories, with a splash of journalism thrown in when I start to miss it too much.
Scribe: Is there anything else about you that you would like to share with the world?
JJ: For breaks in my writing days, I love popping over to Twitter, where I keep up with news about literature, art, architecture, etc.— as well as all things Houston & Texas. You can find me at twitter.com/htownjenny. I also occasionally post about literature-related topics on my under-used Tumblr, jennystaffjohnson.com.
Scribe 