18 Jennifer McMahon Quotes for You to Enjoy

Jennifer McMahon

American Novelist

Born: 1968

Character Heart Love Me Writing You

Related authors: Elie Wiesel Ernest Hemingway H. P. Lovecraft James Baldwin John Updike Leo Rosten Nathaniel Hawthorne Richard Bach

I believed then - in a deep, easy way that is impossible for me as an adult - that there was more to this world than meets the eye. Trees had spirits; the wind spoke. If you followed a toad or a raven deep into the heart of the forest, they were sure to lead you to something magical. Jennifer McMahon

Me You Heart World Impossible Wind Trees Meets Way Eye Easy Easy Way Followed Spirits Magical Something More Adult Lead Had Raven Spoke Sure Were Forest Than Toad Then Deep Believed

Although in my life the level of loss has never reached the extremes it does in 'The Winter People,' I certainly can identify with being both a daughter longing for her mother and being a mother who is almost scared by the intensity of her love for her daughter. Jennifer McMahon

Life Love Winter People Mother My Life Daughter Longing Extremes Scared Both Never Almost Reached Identify Although Does Loss Intensity Being Certainly Who Her Level

I think we all have a kind of dark side, and that's what keeps life - and characters - interesting. That's one of the things that I'm drawn to write about again and again, the secrets we keep and how they shape us. Jennifer McMahon

Over the years, I have been a house painter, farm worker, paste-up artist, Easter Bunny, pizza delivery person, homeless shelter staff member, and counselor for adults and kids with mental illness - I quit my last real job in 2000 to work on writing full-time. Jennifer McMahon

Work Writing Job Farm Kids Member Easter Mental Mental Illness Counselor Adult Delivery Over House Shelter Real Been Years Real Job Bunny Person Quit Artist Staff Pizza Worker Full-Time Painter Illness Homeless Last

I absolutely love writing about the things that scare me, the things that keep me up at night. I don't quite know why. Perhaps because so many things do scare me, and this is my subconscious way of trying to exercise some control over things that go bump in the night! Jennifer McMahon

Love Me Writing Subconscious Control Way Scare Some About Absolutely Over Perhaps Know Because Exercise Go Bump Up Trying Quite Many Keep Why Things Night

At the heart of every story is conflict - whether external or internal, make it a good one, and remember that this problem is going to shape your character, leaving her forever changed. Jennifer McMahon

Good Character Heart Conflict Problem Remember Every Changed Shape Make Leaving Forever Going Story Whether Your Internal Her External

All my life, I had this idea that if I could unravel the mystery that was my mother, then I could help save her. But it didn't really work. We were close, but she struggled with mental illness and alcoholism, and it was rough at times. Jennifer McMahon

Life Work Mother My Life All My Life Mental Unravel Mental Illness Struggled Could Mystery Had Idea She Were Close Times Then If I Could Really Help Illness Rough Her Save

Some people say, 'Write what you know.' My thing is, 'Write what scares you.' Jennifer McMahon

You People Some People Say Scares People Say Some Write Know Thing

If there was a way to bring someone back, would you do it, no matter what the consequences might be? I know that for me, my logical mind says, 'Of course not!' But the truth is, when you lose someone who is so close to you, it's as if they are a part of you; there's always one more thing to say, one more moment you wish you'd had. Jennifer McMahon

Truth Me You Truth Is Logical Matter Mind Wish Lose Consequences Back Way Say Says Would Someone More Had Part Know Course Always Close Might Moment Who Thing Bring

I practically lived in the woods when I was a kid, avoiding grown-ups and my dysfunctional family, pretending I was half-wolf, a feral child who napped in nests made out of ferns, ate wild blueberries, and wove sticks and feathers into her hair. Jennifer McMahon

Family Feathers Made Pretending Hair Wild Kid Out Ate Practically Sticks Child Woods Dysfunctional Avoiding Who Lived Grown-Ups Her

Do me a favor - right now, today, start a list of all your crazy obsessions, the things that get your heart pumping, that wake you up in the middle of the night. Put it above your desk and use it to guide you, to jumpstart your writing each and every day. Jennifer McMahon

Today Day Me Crazy You Heart Every Day Writing Every Pumping Guide Favor Above Put Obsessions Wake Up Get List Middle Use Your Each Now Right Things Start Night Desk

One exercise I always do when I'm getting to know a character is ask her to tell me her secrets. Sit down with a pen and paper, and start with, 'I never told anybody...' and go from there, writing in the voice of your character. Jennifer McMahon

I graduated with a B.A. from Goddard College in 1991 and then studied poetry for a year in the M.F.A. in Writing Program at Vermont College. Jennifer McMahon

Writing College Year Poetry Studied Vermont Graduated Then Program

Honestly, I feel pretty awed anytime I meet just about any writer. I get how hard it is to write and make a living from it, but there's also this almost magical force you need to tap into, and I'm amazed by anyone who can do it. Jennifer McMahon

You Living Honestly Meet Pretty About Magical Write Writer Almost Feel Also Force Make How Amazed Tap Get Any Just Anyone Anytime Hard Who Need

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