“Writers’ League gives authors the ability to grow as artists and individuals…”
— JoDee Neathery
A member of the Writers’ League since 2016, JoDee currently lives in Mabank, Texas.
Scribe: In what genre(s) do you write?
JoDee Neathery: Literary Fiction
Scribe: What author would you most like to have a drink with, and what’s the first question you would ask them?
JN: Pat Conroy. You have always said that four of the most powerful words in the English language are “tell me a story,” and you’ve given us many classics to enjoy. Do you have a favorite and if so, why?
Scribe: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what book would you want to have with you to keep you sane?
JN: Beach Music because the words are magical and allow you to read the same beautiful sentence a hundred times and never tire of it.
Scribe: What have you learned from your association with the Writers’ League?
JN: There are many people and organizations that advertise their commitment to authors but few are as informative, supportive, and encouraging. Writers’ League gives authors the ability to grow as artists and individuals…like a 1400 member extended family.
Scribe: Where do you see your writing taking you (or you taking it) in the future?
JN: I have fulfilled a life-long dream of writing a novel and I thought that would be enough — it’s not. It’s evidently addictive once it gets in your blood. At my “young” age, I don’t imagine a career is on the horizon, but I’m going to write as long as I can still construct a sentence and who knows where that might take me. I’m currently engrossed in writing another novel, A Kind of Hush, and it excites me everyday to create something I love to do. One of my characters, a little four-year-old boy, came to me in the middle of the night and I knew he had to be in whatever I wrote next. I’m pretty sure he will be in my will!
Scribe: Here at the Writers’ League, we love sharing book recommendations. What’s one Texas-related book that has come out within the past year that you couldn’t put down?
JN: I loved Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird!
Scribe: Is there anything else about you that you would like to share with the world? An opportunity for blatant self-promotion!
JN: I’m a living testament that if you are not blessed with the perfect resume for anything you pursue, you should always strive to be the person you wanted to be before someone told you who you should be. My “author pedigree” is on display in what I write, not on a diploma that hangs on the wall. I was told I was not “college material” but I always knew there was something deep inside that would eventually surface and it did. I’m very proud to have my name on the spine of a book and I hope my story will help others who might doubt their abilities.
Thank you, JoDee!
If you’re a Writers’ League member and you’d be interested in being interviewed for our Meet the Members feature, email us at member@writersleague.org for more information. It’s a great way for other members to get to know you and for you to share a bit about what you’re working on!
