In a world where the line between reality and fiction often blurs, Jasmine Dade found her voice in storytelling. Rediscovering her love for writing after a hiatus, Jasmine was inspired to craft her debut novel, Aftershock, a celebrity romance that seamlessly weaves personal experiences with creative imagination. Balancing the emotional weight of real-life memories with a lighter, fictional narrative, Jasmine’s journey is a testament to the healing power of writing. As a full-time nurse, she navigates the challenges of life and work, using her passion for storytelling as both an escape and a therapeutic outlet. Her story is one of resilience, creativity, and the courage to share deeply personal experiences with the world, encouraging others to find their own voices along the way.
What inspired you to write “Aftershock,” and how do real-life experiences play a role in
your storytelling?
I was inspired to write Aftershock when I re-discovered my love for writing after a
hiatus. Writing a book has always been a long term goal that I kept putting off and I
finally decided to act on it. One of my favorite tropes is celebrity romance so I decided to
make that the main premise of this story. A lot of real life memories and experiences
made their way into the book because I wanted to make it feel authentic but at the same
time keep it lighter than the weight that reality can bring.
Can you share some of the personal experiences that influenced your writing?
Many characters and experiences from my real life were woven into the plot line. I was
raised by a single mom and the relationship between me and my father has been very
difficult. There are moments in the book that are deeply personal so I would like to keep
some of them to myself. In general I found myself writing a main character who I relate
to in several ways. It was very therapeutic to express myself by writing about the many
experiences that shaped my life and including many characters inspired by real life
friends.
What were the biggest challenges you faced while writing “Aftershock,” and how did you
overcome them?
The biggest challenge I faced writing Aftershock was deciding how I wanted to end the
story. I didn’t want to make it unrealistic so it took several re-writes to get it to a place
were I was happy with how it turned out.
How does writing help you process and deal with your own struggles and mental health?
Writing is very theraputeic for me in one of two ways. Sometimes it acts as an escape
from my real life and sometimes it acts as a way to dive into my emotions and fletch
them out more thoroughly.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of sharing your personal stories through your
writing?
The most rewarding part was hearing back form readers saying they relate to the
characters or experiences.
How do you maintain balance between your writing and personal life, especially when
dealing with emotional content?
I work full time as a nurse so my days can get pretty crazy! I mostly write when I get
home from work or on weekends but it can be a slow process sometimes.
What strategies or practices do you use to stay inspired and motivated in your writing?
Sometimes finding the right words to piece together a story can be hard so in order to
stay motivated I try not to rush the process. Sometimes focusing on other things to bring
the story to life is beneficial such as writing a book blurb or creating social media content
or making a pinterest board. These things still allow the story to grow without the
pressure that trying to write a full book in two days can bring.
What advice would you give to other women who want to share their personal stories
through writing?
Writing and sharing your story with the world is an amazing feeling so for anyone who
wants to become an author, go for it! I will say sometimes the pressure and criticism that
comes with it can be scary so just make sure you’re in the right headspace before you go
live.
How do you handle criticism or feedback about your writing, especially when it involves
personal experiences?
With anything that you share with the world there are going to be some people who aren’t
a fan. I think thats the simplest way to put it and its the most important thing to remember
when dealing with critics. As long as you are writing what you love thats what you
should really focus on. I know it can get hard sometimes but all you can do is try your
best even when the haters try and bring you down.
What are your future goals or projects in the realm of writing and storytelling?
I am currently working on my second book that should hopefully release sometime in
2025! The genre will be slightly different than my first book in the aspect that it will be a
Young Adult Romance. I’m so excited to share more and if anyone wants updates on
book number two, I will be posting on my instagram @jasmines.writing.corner leading up to the release.
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