Authors Interviewing Characters: Jen Craven

Exploring twisted motivations and the tensions between lust and loyalty, Jen Craven’s debut work of contemporary women’s fiction, “Best Years of your Life” is being called “a compelling page-turner” and “a white-knuckle ride of a novel.” Told through the points of view of two college professor moms and their freshman daughter, it’s a story where bad decisions pile up, all  committed in the name of identity and love. Here, Craven interviews Christine, Joss and Abbie, the three main protagonists of “Best Years of your Life” right before the start of the academic year. 

JC: The academic year is upon us! How are you three feeling about classes starting tomorrow?

Joss: Well, I’m still on sabbatical, so I’ll let my wife answer that one.

Christine: I love the start of the year—the energy, the new faces. There’s a buzz on campus that I still get even after nearly 25 years. 

JC: And you, Abbie? 

Abbie: Thrilled. 

Christine: C’mon, Ab. [to Craven]: It was a…process, getting her on board for college. But she made varsity soccer as a freshman, and she’s a smart girl. It’s going to be a great year. We’re so proud. 

JC: Abbie, how does it feel going to the same college where your moms teach?

Abbie: I don’t really know any different, I’ve pretty much grown up on this campus. 

JC: You probably know all the ins and outs. I guess there’s perks to being a professor’s kid. 

Abbie: Maybe. I guess I’ll find out soon enough. 

JC: Yeah, but just watch out—people could want to take advantage of you being an insider. 

Christine: Abbie’s a good egg. We’re so happy to have her close. 

Joss: Ditto. 

JC: So Joss, tell me a little bit about your research. I understand you’ve been on sabbatical for six months now. 

Joss: Yes. I’m working on a study with my research partner in Florida…[pause] R…R…

Christine: Richard.

Joss: Richard, yes. Thank you [awkward laughter]. The impact of functional organic materials and chemical sensors that—

JC: Whoa, that’s a lot. A bit over my head, I’m afraid. 

Christine [laughing]: I hear you, it is deep. But Joss is a top researcher in her field. Brilliant, if I’m being honest. 

Joss: Aw, stop.

Christine: No, you are. 

JC: Abbie, you must be so impressed with your mom—both your moms. 

Abbie: They’re big footsteps to follow. 

Christine: You’ll find your path, sweetheart. 

JC: Christine, I understand you’re up for tenure this year. That’s big! 

Christine: I’ve taught here at MacAmes for over two decades but was on the non-tenure track. It wasn’t until recently I finished my Ph.D. and switched to aim for tenure. It’s a major milestone in any professor’s career, and I just hope my track record is enough. 

Joss: Your track record is spotless. You’re like the most popular professor on campus. [to Craven]: Her classes are always full. 

JC: Sounds like the students love you. 

Christine: I do my best to make my classes engaging, and I love working one-on-one with students. 

JC: You teach anthropology. How does your field impact the way you run your classroom?

Christine: I’m fascinated by the way people behave and why we are the way we are. Human nature is so much based on our history, but also impacted by our present. I’m all about choices and consequences. 

JC: So like, if a student cheats on an exam, they’ll flunk—is that what you mean?

Christine: Well, pretty much. I mean, we encounter choices every day, and we have to decide how we’re going to navigate them. Students have a lot of temptation these days—there’s a lot of pressure to be excellent, and with that comes forks in the road that challenge their ethics. 

JC: And what about the faculty?

Joss: Oh, the faculty a perfect.

Christine [laughing]: No one’s perfect. We just try to set a good example for our students. And our daughter.

JC: You sound like the ideal teacher—and mother. Will you be in your moms’ classes, Abbie?

Abbie: I doubt it. Seems like an unfair advantage, doesn’t it? Plus, I’m more interested in art classes than chemistry and anthropology. 

JC: Oh, art sounds fascinating! 

Abbie: I hear enough about my moms’ classes at home, I could probably recite the exams. 

Joss: Not like you ever would.

Abbie: Duh. 

JC: Well, I wish the three of you the very best academic year. Abbie, good luck in your freshman year. Here’s my words of wisdom: Be cautious. Some people you meet might be wolves in sheep’s clothing. 

Christine: We’ve taught her well—Abbie’s not one to give into peer pressure. 

Joss: Says the woman who’ll do anything for glowing end-of-semester evals. 

Christine: Oh, hush, that’s not true. I have a very clear conscious, and nothing will shake that. 

JC: It sounds like you’re all right on track for a great year. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me.

Abbie: You’re welcome.

Christine: Of course. We were happy to. 

Joss: I’m starving. Chris, is it almost lunchtime?

Abbie: Ma, we just ate. 

Joss: What? Oh. Sorry, I’m a little absentminded lately. Research [more awkward laughter].

JC: I can’t even imagine the amount on your mind. Anyway, thank you, ladies. Best wishes for a fantastic year. You know, college really is the best years of your life. 

BEST YEARS OF YOUR LIFE:

 

Married college professors Christine and Joss thought they had it all: jobs they love, a beloved daughter, and most of all, each other—that is, until Joss’s research pulls her further and further away. Lonely and seeking the emotional connection she once shared with her wife, Christine forms a friendship with a student that quickly walks the line of right and wrong.  

Eighteen-year-old Abbie is an outcast desperate to fit in. When the most popular girl on campus suddenly befriends her, Abbie can’t believe her luck. But the friendship comes with strings attached—stealing exams from her mom’s computer for the in-crowd. 

Soon, both mom and daughter are in deep—and everything’s on the line. When their secret lives collide, their indiscretions culminate in a catastrophe no one saw coming. 

With an eye for suspense perfectly blended with the tender mystery of human connection, BEST YEARS OF YOUR LIFE explores the consequences of bad decisions and the tension between desire and dignity.

 

BUY HERE

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About the author: 

Jen Craven is the author of upmarket women’s fiction, where one decision changes everything. The author of two historical fiction novels, “Best Years of your Life” is her debut contemporary work. She writes from northwestern Pennsylvania, where she lives with her family. Find her at www.jencraven.com or on Facebook and Instagram where she talk about books, writing and everything in between. 

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Interviews, On Writing