Jennifer Manske Fenske is a writer living outside of Boulder, Colorado. Her essays have been published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Arizona Republic, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, and The Lutheran magazine.
Jennifer is a graduate of Clemson University, where she studied fiction writing with Mark Steadman. She received her M.A. degree at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and was a student of Richard Elman’s fiction workshop. After graduation, Jennifer worked at several writing jobs, including newspaper reporter, website content developer, and scribe for an international nonprofit agency.
Jennifer and her husband, artist Jonathan Fenske, planned their own wedding in just ten weeks. Toss the Bride is Jennifer’s first novel.
Q&A with Jennifer
Did you really plan your wedding in ten weeks?
Yes! Jonathan and I had a quick courtship (just ten months) and we could not wait to be married. I spent most of the ten weeks on the phone, visiting vendors, making appointments, and generally managing the wedding. I was able to do this because I was in between jobs. I also moved in with my parents, who were saints and gave me the wedding of my dreams. Eight years later, Jonathan and I look back and still think it was one of the best days of our lives.
Were you the kind of kid who wrote stories all the time?
No, I actually acted in plays starting from when I was about twelve years old. I attended the Fine Arts Center in Greenville, S.C., which is a fabulous magnet arts high school, and I studied theatre. At Clemson, I acted and worked backstage on lots of plays. When I was a junior, however, I took a fiction writing class and something clicked. I knew then I was not going to pursue theatre after college, but try to be a writer.
When you’re not stuck behind a computer, what do you like to do?
Anything outdoors! I love to hike and camp. Some of our best trips have been to places like the Grand Canyon or the Rocky Mountain west. Jonathan and I keep a few plastic tubs filled with our gear. When it’s time to hit the trail, we grab the dog and stop at the grocery store for supplies, and then we’re out of range for the day or weekend.
Other hobbies I enjoy are knitting, tennis, and cooking. I collect vintage purses and pins.
What’s been the best thing about publishing a book?
One of my favorite experiences was visiting St. Martin’s Press in New York City. On my first visit to their offices in the Flatiron building, I had to pinch myself. There I was, going through security, and I was being let in. They were buzzing me up because I was one of their authors. That was a surreal and wonderful moment—and one I am very grateful for in a thousand ways.
