Adventures in Writing: J.A. Jaken

About the Author

Hello and welcome to my website! I'm very happy that you stopped by. I've been writing fictional stories for more than ten years, and this is the little spot on the internet where I've decided to showcase them. I got my start in this profession by writing slash fanfiction, where I've published numerous stories in multiple fandoms under the pen-name Rushlight. Over the years I've written short stories and novels in genres ranging from m/m romance to science fiction/fantasy to gothic horror to modern detective mysteries.

 

I realized at a young age that I was attracted to the darker side of life in the fictional stories I felt compelled to write. I feel that there's something enormously satisfying about putting a character through intense physical and emotional hardship, and then carrying him or her through out the other side. I believe that is the main reason why I tend to write stories that have a darker edge to them. Characters are the most interesting when they've had all of the baggage, all of their many masks, stripped away from them and they're left with nothing but the purest core of who and what they are.

Outside of writing, I like to spend my time studying foreign languages, riding horses, practicing martial arts, and collecting medieval weaponry. I speak a little bit of Japanese, a little bit of American Sign Language, a little bit of French, but I'm not really fluent in any of them (although I'm trying!). I'm a single mother of three: one son, one black cat, and one Rottweiler, all of whom I love more than life itself. I'm ridiculously shy for an erotic fiction writer, but I love connecting with other writers and people who have an open and tolerant mindset. I'm endlessly fascinated by just about everything I see around me, and I'm constantly looking for new ways to learn and improve my knowledge of the world.

 

I'd love to get the chance to chat with you and get to know you better. If you'd like, you can reach me at my email address here: jajakenfiction@gmail.com. Feel free to drop me a line anytime to chat and let me know what kind of books you like, what kind of creative projects you're working on, or just anything. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter, as well as Goodreads, LiveJournal, DreamWidth, and InsaneJournal.

 

Also, I would really love it if you'd consider subscribing to my newsletter. It's low volume (I promise!), and I only use it to announce updates about my books and related creative projects. I've been getting involved in some new creative endeavors lately such as audiobooks and cover design, so there's a lot going on that you won't want to miss! :)

 

As an incentive for joining, I'm sending a FREE ebook copy of my m/m short story Insomnia to each of my subscribers:

Insomnia
by J.A. Jaken

 

Genre(s): M/M, Paranormal, Suspense

 

Recovering from the pain of a broken relationship, Julian goes on a solo trek along the Adirondack trail in an attempt to rediscover who he is. Along the way he learns there are far stranger things lurking in the old woods than a lover's betrayal, and that the old magic—once you fall prey to its allure—inevitably changes a person forever.

For good or for ill.