Coffee Chat with Jen Lavallee
Pour yourself a nice steaming cup and settle in to get to know Jen Lavallee a little better.
Tell us a bit about yourself. Who are you? Where are you located? Do you have a day job?
I am currently in grad school working towards my MPA (Master’s in Public Administration), in addition to working full-time.
How do you take your coffee? Two milks!
What Blank Spaces issue were you first published in? I’ve been published in two issues (first published in Volume 1, Issue 3)
When did you first know you wanted to write? When I was a kid…I’ve always been a notebook scribbler.
What are you reading right now? What is it about and what keeps you coming back to the pages? I’m mostly reading policy and governance textbooks; however, I’m also reading Dickens’ “A Christmas Story,” which I read every year around this time.
What role has Blank Spaces played in your creative journey? HUGE role. Blank Spaces was one of the first “real” publications to support me — even nominated me for a Pushcart Prize. That support gave me the confidence I needed to keep going in a really competitive environment.
Tell us a little about the piece Blank Spaces published and how it was received by family, friends, and the greater community? Both of my stories were well received; however, my family and friends are not completely familiar with flash fiction—“I love it, where’s the rest of the story though?”
Describe how you see the landscape of Canadian publishing. I am very heartened with the opportunities I’ve been able to realize as a Canadian writer. I find different actors on this field to be incredibly supportive and inclusive.
Why is Canadian content important? I think it’s easy to become overwhelmed with American-produced content, so overt action to support Canadian artists and creatives is critical to ensure we are included within that environment and bring a Canadian voice to the market.
Where has your creative journey taken you since being published in Blank Spaces? I have a book coming out in May 2022! My debut children’s picture book, Nature is an Artist, is being published as part of Greystone Kids’ next Spring Catalogue. (Now available for pre-order!)
What does your writing process look like? These days…chaos. A stolen minute here and there—prioritizing time whenever I can sneak away.
If you could tell your young creative self anything, what would it be? Don’t give up—keep going for it. Don’t get discouraged, be persistent and you will find success.
How do you invest in your writing goals? Right now, most of my investment comes in the form of my time to prepare for my book release.
What one thing would you give up to become a better writer? Writing is one of the things that I cherish, something that makes me me. I would give up a great deal of things to improve my skills!!
Who are your writing influences and how do they motivate you? My good friend, Jessica Kluthe, had been the biggest writing influence for me—she has also been a past contributor and author of a novel called Rosina the Midwife.
Who is your hero of fiction? Not a fictional character, but a character featured in a work of historical non-fiction, Josephine Bonaparte. She epitomizes strength and surviving.
What is the first book that made you cry? I cry a lot…lol, I can’t remember the first but I recently reread Little Women and when Jo rejects Laurie….sob fest!
What do you tell yourself every time it gets hard and you want to quit? “One more time…” It’s a trick of the mind, but it works.
Do you have any writing rituals that help the words flow? Reading my work out loud. Change the font and size, then reread.
Who do you think makes a better writer — a pragmatist or an empath? Why? An empath, 100% — An empath can go anywhere, feel anything, and understand things others cannot.
What advice do you have for writers struggling to break into the industry? Keep going. Published writers are not always the best writers but the most persistent. Also—have others read your work and really listen to their thoughts.
What are your creative goals? Where do you see yourself in five years? I’d like to publish more children’s books.
What are you currently working on? A children’s chapter book.
What should we be watching for from you? Nature is an Artist (pub date: May 17, 2022)
If you’re a past Blank Spaces contributor and would like to be featured in a virtual coffee chat, please complete our online interview form.
Learn more about Jen’s work that has been featured in Blank Spaces here.
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