Saline MI
1-06-2024 11:19pm

Author Jennifer Vivekanand Talks About Young Adult Thriller, Welcome to Nightjar

Local author Jennifer Vivekanand will sign copies of her young adult thriller,  Welcome to Nightjar, at an event 6-8:30 p.m., Jan. 19 at Carrigan Cafe, 101 S. Ann Arbor St.

We caught up with Vivekanand to ask her questions about her novel.

Q. Tell us what's happening at Carrigan Cafe Jan. 19?

A. I’ll be downtown at Carrigan Cafe on Friday, January 19th, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., selling and signing copies of my debut YA Thriller, Welcome To Nightjar.

Don’t forget to buy a cup of coffee and a treat while you’re there from the friendly staff at Carrigan. They have a lot of things to choose from.

Q. Tell us about the book.

A. Welcome To Nightjar is a YA Thriller that leads readers on a wild ride full of mystery, murder, and mayhem, set in a small Michigan town.

My main character, Zadie Grant, discovers secrets involving her and her bully’s family. As she investigates this mystery, she finds herself being stalked
and attacked, and is running out of time to figure out why.

Q. The story is set in the fictional town of Nightjar. That's an odd name for a town. Was there any special reason you chose that name

A. A nightjar is a bird of prey that hunts at night. Since my book is a thriller, it seemed like a good choice.

Q. Nightjar is a small town with secrets. We live in a small town. How does Saline, or any other small town you've lived in, shape your ideas about Nightjar?

A. In a small town, you can have characters who are more intimately connected than those in bigger communities. There are more opportunities for awkward situations because “everyone knows everyone.” I love to write character and dialogue-driven stories with protagonists and antagonists who feel real, and find themselves in both relatable and crazy situations.

Q. The main character, Zadie, is a teen that won't ever fit in. Why can't Zadie fit in?

A. There’s a mystery to Zadie’s identity. She has questions she can’t answer, and things start happening that she can’t explain. Zadie feels like she doesn’t fit
in because of her unconventional home life and a physical characteristic that makes her feel different.

Q. It seems like every teen has personal anxiety about fitting in. Is there a better place to identify with not fitting in than in a book? Why do you think that is?

A. No one is judging you when you’re reading. You get to experience the world through the eyes of characters that are going through relatable experiences
from the safety of your own space.

Q. What do you hope readers get from Welcome to Nightjar?

A. I would like my readers to know that high school is temporary, and there’s a whole world full of people and experiences out there. Those four years don’t define you for the rest of your life.

Q. In your bio, it says you make weird sandwiches. What's the weirdest one that you enjoyed?

A. In my book, Zadie loves liverwurst and pimento cheese sandwiches. I think that’s the weirdest one I’ve actually made. Readers can get the recipe on my author site, www.stuffbyjenn.com

Q. Who are some of your favorite authors in the teen genre?

A. Authors I like are Karen McManus, Ernest Cline, and Suzanne Collins, who wrote One of Us Is Lying, Ready Player One, and The Hunger Games, respectively.

Q. Where can we get the book?

A. The print book is available at Fine Print Bookshop in downtown Saline, Shuler Books in Ann Arbor, and online at Barnes & Noble. The eBook is available on Amazon, and I’ve narrated an audiobook version that is widely available on platforms such as Spotify, Apple Audio Books, Google Play, Barnes & Noble, Audiobooks.com, and Libro.FM. And of course, I’ll have copies for sale at my book signing at Carrigan Cafe on January 19th in Downtown Saline.

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