BJ: Good afternoon, Guide! I’m your host, BookwormJo, and this is our second-ever author interview. I have a very special guest on today. This Guidester is not only an amazing writer, but also a passionate, ambitious and friendly reader. I present to you, the one and only, Jojo!

*Rousing studio applause*

Jojo: Thank you so much!

BJ: Alright, Jojo, let’s jump right in. We just saw the conclusion of your first series on Guide, “Bright Star Paulson,” the fictional tale of the adventures of an adopted Nez-Percé girl back in the settler time period. How does it feel to have finished a series on Guide?

Jojo: It honestly feels amazing. I thought that the first chapter was a huge milestone, but the last is definitely an even bigger one. I was so excited to see the chapter appear on Guide that I started telling my family what had happened within the first five seconds 

BJ: Aw, that’s so heartwarming. I remember my own excitement when my first story was posted. Now, looking back, what was your favourite moment in the series?

Jojo: That one’s tough. 

BJ: Oh, for sure. With that much incredible content, it must be hard to select just a single scene.

Jojo: My favourite part was probably . . . the Oregon Trail. It was fun describing the journey back to her homeland . . .  or maybe her reunion with her family. I thought that was a sweet touch to the story.

BJ: Wonderful! Now, we’ve gotta know: what kind of challenges did you have writing this tale?

Jojo: Funny story: I searched up “American Indian” and it said, “See Native American.” “Native American,” “See American Indian.” It just went on and on until I finally found what I was looking for!

BJ: Ooof. Dictionary loops are the worst! Hmm, you mentioned that this story is an abridged tale of your longer book . . .  what scenes exist in your book, but not in this version?

Jojo: In the book, Bright Star doesn’t meet Reverend Paulson until the third chapter. It goes more in-depth on the court scene (I seriously over-edited that chapter!). [I left out] two other parts . . . the part where she was in slavery, because it was unnecessary, and the part with Black Bird, because I was afraid of objections.

BJ: Ohh, I see. Fascinating. Okay, this is the question I’ve been waiting for. I’m sure our viewers are totally intrigued, too.

BJ: *wide-eyed* You said you’re planning to publish this book??? Squeals. First of all, congratulations! 

Jojo:  🤣 

BJ: Second, what insights can you give us into the process?

Jojo: I’ve edited the book, I’ve formatted it, and so now I’m just waiting until I’m old enough that someone’s actually going to believe that I wrote the book on my own without AI help 🤣

BJ: Wow! Sounds like you’re nearly there! Honestly, here’s my unsolicited opinion. You don’t have to wait until you’re all grown up to publish. Writing is all a journey. You’re going to learn and grow way more quickly from taking the next steps than from shelving your manuscript in a dusty digital file.  So, if you do have the opportunity to publish, I’d say go for it! Don’t let worries about what others will think stop you.

*sips water* Alright, Jojo. What can we expect from you going forward?

Jojo: I’m writing several more books to keep me occupied. On Guide, you’ll probably see the debut of a four-chapter series called “Wendy’s Journey.” It’s actually loosely based on something I once felt. In the real world, I’m going to keep writing and getting better and better.

BJ: That’s incredible. Thanks for joining us today and being such an inspiration! We can’t wait to see what you’ll post next.

*turns to viewers*. 

We’ll see you next time for a panel interview where several Guide writers share hot takes, pet peeves and their own writing process.
Until then, God’s blessings and keep writing!