Jenna Greene - A Compelling Young Adult Dystopian Story

Posted on 30th of August, 2023 by Naomi Bolton

Jenna Greene is a YA/ Children’s author from Alberta, Canada. She is also an elementary school teacher. When she isn’t reading or writing, she enjoys dance and dragon boat racing. Jenna is known for her Reborn Marks series, her Imagine series, and her picture books. As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about her book, Restore.

Please give us a short introduction to what Restore is about.

Restore is the third book in The Reborn Marks series, a dystopian YA fantasy. This is the final chapter, so the main character, Lexil, has made strides in discovering who she is and what she is capable of. No longer satisfied with her own escape, she means to free other ‘reborns’ from a life of slavery – by destroying the entire system of government that allows it.

What inspired you to write this story? Was there anything in particular that made you want to tackle this?

The story is about a young girl discovering who she is. I think that is a story everyone can relate to, whether it be set in a fantasy world or our own. The messages and themes are the same – people are capable of affecting the world in a positive way. This is an inspiring story about strength, resolve, power, and caring.

Tell us more about Lexil. What makes her tick?

Lexil is not your typical protagonist. She has no massive powers, great intellect, or skills at fighting or hunting. She relies on noticing what others don’t. Her strengths are empathy and understanding, and a belief that she has the ability to make positive change. She doesn’t like taking risks, but she will. She uses her instincts. While she is willing to accept the help of others, she is independent and capable of acting alone.

Have you always wanted to be an author? Please tell us more about your journey.

I have wanted to be an author since I was seven years old, playing with my She-Ra: Princess of Power action figures and making up stories. As soon as I could put pen to page, I would craft tales. When I was in high school, I believed I could become a poet. Alas, my talent was more suited to prose. My first book is IMAGINE, a high fantasy tale where I explored how to craft a story and create characters. Since then, my writing has evolved to tell entertaining stories in a more refine manner.

This is book 3 of the Reborn Marks Series. How does it tie in with the other books in the series?

The world Lexil is living in – and opposing – has grown since the first book. In Reborn, the first book, she is a slave and hoping to escape that life, assisting one other person in the process. Now, her goals are bigger. She isn’t thinking about her own safety, rather choosing to risk it to free all those like her.

Why Young Adult? What drew you to the genre?

When I started writing my first novel, I was seventeen. Thus, I was a young adult. But I have continued to adore the age category and write within it. There is a draw to that stage of life – where people are exploring and questioning. The audience is accepting of many ideas and concepts and willing to go on a thought-provoking adventure with the author.

Do your characters ever go off on their own tangent, refusing to do what you had planned for them?

All characters are feral little beasts who never listen. But, they know best.

Interesting cover. Please tell us more about how it came about.

The cover is designed by Dawn Dominique. She is a true master and capturing emotions and themes and making you want to read the tale within the pages.

What was your greatest challenge when writing Restore?

I think the challenge was giving each character a conclusion, whether happy, sad, or somewhere in the middle, that fit their character and would satisfy the audience. I’ll let the readers decide if I managed to accomplish this.

What fascinates you about dystopian worlds and settings?

It’s difficult to point at our society and own its flaws, whether historical or current. It’s much easier to tackle ideas through metaphor first, then apply it to our own life. Dystopian explores the idea of ‘what if’ but everything can relate back to reality.

When starting on a new book, what is the first thing you do?

Just get started. Once the idea is in my head, I want to get thoughts on the page as swiftly as possible. (I’m always afraid the muse will leave me and never return). Plus, I just love typing a story and seeing where it might go. I usually have a lot of guideposts I want to hit along the way, but the majority of the plot reveals itself to me as I go along.

Do you have any interesting writing habits? What is an average writing day like for you?

I like to wear a tiara when I write, to let my family members know I’m writing and not just fiddling around on the Internet. Since I’m a teacher, I write mostly during the summer and other breaks. From September – June, I try and open my laptop at least 3-4 times a week. Sometimes I write pages, and sometimes nothing comes. That’s okay. I’m kind to myself.

What are you working on right now?

I have a children’s chapter book being released October 3rd, called “An Owl Without A Name.” This is a story of a young owl who is injured and rescued. Taken to the Alberta Birds of Prey Center (a real place!) he seeks to figure out who he is.