Friday Five with novelist, Jenn Bouchard

I had just finished a major volunteer position – I had been the President of the Bates College Alumni Association for two years. This had been an all-encompassing role for me that I loved, and when it was over, I knew that I needed to find something very fulfilling to take its place. I started toying with the idea of trying to write a novel. I always say it was my midlife crisis. My husband bought a really cool bike. I wrote a book!

I wish I had started writing earlier. I had always written little stories and poems as a kid, but I abandoned all of that when I went to college and eventually started teaching and having a family. That said, maybe all of these things prepared me for writing at this stage of life. I have much more to reflect on and feel like I understand people and relationships much better now.

I have loved getting to know other writers and learning from them. Once I decided I want to try to write a book, I started attending author events and joined both Grub Street here in Boston and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. I have found such support and have gotten great advice from other writers. The 2021 Debuts group has also been a tremendous resource and collaborative community to be a part of… I am very grateful for such a wonderful network.

Like all of us, I have a lot going on! I have been teaching high school social studies for twenty-one years, including AP Government, which features a big standardized exam every May. I still volunteer as a fundraiser for my alma mater, and I have a 14-year-old and a 10-year-old who play competitive sports. I find that making small goals for myself is important when it comes to my writing. This is one reason why I love writing short fiction. I had three short stories published last year, and another story will be published this summer. I have a fifth in submissions now. Writing short stories is a lot of fun, and it has been more manageable in busier times. That said, I am excited to start drafting a new novel this summer.

Andria Williams, award-winning author of THE LONGEST NIGHT, told me early in my writing journey to be tenacious. That’s all I needed to hear; even when I have gotten rejections – and there have been many – I have kept going. Eventually, I found a great home for FIRST COURSE. I am so excited to share it with everyone on June 21st! It’s the perfect way to welcome summer.

Jenn Bouchard has been teaching high school social studies for twenty-one years. She is an avid cook, volunteer for good causes, and devoted Red Sox fan. A graduate of Bates College and Tufts University, she lives in the Boston suburbs with her husband and two children. Visit her website at jennbouchard.com, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @JennBouchardBOS.