Jenny Knipfer–Author

It’s been a while since I introduced myself, so I thought—especially for people I’m newly connected with—I’d write a further introduction. 

A few random things about me:

My favorite color is green. I adore windy autumn days. Historical fiction is my preferred novel genre to read but gothic mysteries/old romances come in at a close second. I’d rather eat a chewy oatmeal raisin cookie than a piece of cake. The smell of crayons brings a smile to my face. Give me a vacation in a remote area over tourist destinations any day. Now on to more structured details…

More about me, life, and my writing journey…

I grew up a country girl on a dairy farm in WI. I have five siblings. I’m the youngest, by far. As a kid, you could find me helping with farm chores, walking the acreage and daydreaming of days to come, and reading. Always reading. I spent hours alternating between devouring and savoring books in the copse of pine trees my eldest brother planted and around various places on the farm. I loved to read outside and still do.

My parents raised me to believe in God, but I didn’t make my faith my own until I reached my twenties. From then on, life became a journey of seeking, finding, and learning how to keep forging ahead despite the tragedies and health issues it brought. Of course, lots joy and love mixed in with the bumps along the way too. 

Dreams of authorship…

I always dreamed of being an author and actually started writing my first novel twenty years ago. I had the premise, the opening scene, and a few chapters done when life with kids and work took precedence. I set it aside but didn’t tuck away writing all-together. 

I kept up with journaling, which has been my saving grace throughout the years and probably has kept me sane. Through a particularly difficult phase in my life, poems and songs emerged. I started blogging around that time too, keeping up two blogs entitled, Crochet a Day, where I wrote about life and my craft projects and Scrapbook of a Closet Poet, where I shared my poetry and songs. After a transition with my life and my health taking a dive, I decided to give the blogs up and unpublished them. But with the help of friends, I did create a musical CD of original songs, entitling it with the same name as my poetry blog. 

The years past. I enjoyed my work as a children’s librarian and my time with my family as a wife and mom to two teenage sons. But after a succession of very stressful months, I had a serious health issue arise. In 2014 I had a major MS attack, affecting my motor skills, muscle strength, bladder control, and equilibrium, while leaving me with migraines and nerve pain. Through some medicinal and alternative treatments, I improved some, but my walking slowly slid downhill. I now use a walker or a wheelchair.

How I became an author…

In 2018 I retired from my work as a floral designer, wondering how I would fill my time, and in a “lightbulb” moment, I thought of the historical fiction book I’d started many years prior. 

I resurrected it from an old computer and started writing, mainly on my iPad with one or two fingers, since traditional typing presents a problem for me. Within a few months, I had my first draft done. It poured out of me. The scenes came as easily as turning on the TV and watching a movie. Fleshing out a few point of view and storyline issues took a little more time, but eventually Ruby Moon was born. 

Fast forward to 2020, and I now have three published books under my belt in the By the Light of the Moon series and a fourth coming soon. I’ve also written more books in a new series, Sheltering Trees and am writing the third now. I hope to traditionally publish those. 

I look back to 2015 and can’t believe I’ve done what I have. I would have never thought it possible or probable then, for I could barely look at a computer or iPad screen for much time without getting a headache. My cognitive abilities suffered as well, I think primarily because of my head pain. Sometimes I could barely string a coherent sentence together much less write a chapter or a novel.

But you know what? I believe miracles do happen, and I think what I’ve accomplished is nothing short of a miracle and God’s grace. As I look to the future and it’s unknowns, I’ll hold on to that image in the rearview mirror. 🙂

Blessings, J