CassAsks - Jenifer Prince

To followup from that incredible post the other day - we all know the one - is Jenifer's CassAsks!

A little background on this - I (as I'd mentioned) have been a big fan of her art for a while. I decided to just... what the hell, I'll reach out and see if she'll do a little Q&A! If nothing comes of it, then it's no big deal.

So imagine how blown away I was when she not only answered that she'd like to do CassAsks, but that she has read and loved Those Who Wait! (did I fangirl about this? yes, yes I did)

Jenifer Prince's CassAsks -

1. When it comes to writing, I knew from a young age that I loved to read and write – was it the same for you, in terms of being a creator? When/how did you discover your passion for creating art?

Yes! But also not really? I've been passionate about drawing ever since I can remember. It was by far my favorite activity as a kid and later it became a great way for me to express my feelings and creativity. Expressing myself through drawings also helped me a lot in my teenage years as I navigated the struggle of learning and accepting I was a lesbian - I come from a small town in Brazil, where sexualities outside the heteronormative norms weren't really talked about.

However, even though I was so passionate about creating art, I didn't think of it as "being a creator", I just saw it as a tool for self expression and a fun activity. I had no idea that it could be a real profession (again, the small-town limitation). Once I moved out of town to go to college, I got more in touch with the illustration business and decided to try to go that route. I put all my energy and dedication into it, and thankfully, it's happening!

2. What was your first fandom you ever joined (if you were into a fandom)? Did you read fic for it? What comes to mind first are shows. 

I think probably Faberry and Swanqueen, though the latter was short lived because all the queerbating was too much for me to handle. I don't remember reading Swanqueen fics, but I absolutely read all the Faberry fics that exist, lol

3. What have you learned about yourself through your work?

That's such a great question! I've been told a few times that my work has a certain (sapphic) yearning and longing in it, and that was something I didn't notice until someone pointed it out. I realize now how both of these feelings are part of how I experience life and my existence as a lesbian. 

4.  What is the most difficult part about working on a new project?

For authorial projects, I think the first step is the hardest. The beginning of something new is always charged with lots of ambiguous feelings, but once I start the project, it just flows. 

5. Where do you tend to get the most inspiration?

Mainly from my life experiences. I know it sounds cliché, but it's true! My wife not only inspires me, but she also helps me a lot with new ideas. I'm also inspired by lesbian/sapphic media (books, songs, movies, etc) and lesbian/sapphic history! I'm always researching queer history, and the way it touches me every time I learn something new is inevitably inspiring. For example, I recently learned about a singer called Lisa Ben (an anagram of "lesbian") from the 1940s, who is known for creating the first lesbian zine in the US. She also used to make gay parodies of popular hits from that time. How cool is that?

6. What is your favorite food/meal of the day?

Breakfast!!! There's a cheese bread (pão de queijo) in Brazil that is very popular in the region where I'm from, so a couple of pães de queijo with a cup of latte is the perfect breakfast for me.

7. If you could have dinner with one artist, dead or alive, who would it be?

Madonna. 

8.  You’ve found a lot of success (well-deserved!) with your work. Has this changed your process or how you approach creating art?

Ah, thank you! I think so, yeah. As I mentioned before, I used to create art just as a way of expressing myself, my own desires, my own ideas… Today, though, I'm lucky enough to get to talk to so many people and hear their suggestions and requests, for example, which I try to follow as much as possible. I guess today I'm aware that I'm not creating art just for myself anymore, and that inevitably changes my approach to it. 

9. Do you have a favorite piece of your own? Do you hang your own work in your home?

Yes, I have a couple of framed prints, but that was per my wife's request! Hahaha

It's so hard to choose a favorite piece! I think the "dream dancing with you" is the one.

10. What book got you into reading?

As a kid, Alice in Wonderland, probably. Later, I had to read "Dom Casmurro" by Machado de Assis for school and it was SO good that I got back into reading again. 

11. What book got you into reading sapphic romance?

"Breaking Character" by Lee Winter.

12. What is your process when you’re preparing for a day of work? What does that look like?

Normally, I start working after lunch (mornings are for housework and other tasks I need to do), and when I finish depends on the project I'm working on at the time. When I'm not in the sketch stage, I like to watch or listen to something while working as it helps me focus (I know it seems counterintuitive, but I swear it works for me!). You might find me listening to a lesfic audiobook, a podcast about literally anything, or even watching a documentary. I especially like documentaries about queer history, the last one I watched was about the AIDS epidemic in Brazil in the 80's and how it affects the queer community to this day.

13. What is your favorite Taylor Swift song and/or lyric?

"august" and "Treacherous" are my favorite Taylor songs. "august" because of its immaculate yearning vibe and Treacherous because it's so sapphic, isn't it?

14. Have you ever read a book and/or loved a work of art that is criminally underrated? Now is your chance to advertise it:

I think everyone who likes a good mystery or is a fan of noir novels should read J.E. Leak Shadow series! It's soooo good! Also, I think the movie "Saving Face" is the most underrated lesbian romcom EVER and I can't accept that!!! 

15. Do you ever work on more than one piece at a time? How hard is it to switch between works when you’re done with one?

I used to work on at least 2 pieces at a time, but then the infamous burnout caught me, lol. Nowadays, to prevent that from happening again,  I tend to work on just one project at a time and put all my energy on it. I feel like it's actually a better way to work since I can take my time to make sure I'm doing my best, and it also makes me more excited once I start working on a new idea.

16. Finally – where would you put these characters on this seating chart:      

Sutton Spencer from Those Who Wait by me
Bess Thornton from Breaking Character by Lee Winter
Erin Bennett from Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner
Trina Lee from Bet Against Me by Fiona Riley
Alex Blackwood from She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott & Alyson Derrick
Evelyn Hugo from The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Explain your reasoning :)

Ok, so Evelyn Hugo at the head and Elizabeth Thornton at the foot of the table since they're both famous actresses with strong personalities, that way everyone could have a good vision of them AND Evelyn would be in a great position to run the conversation (as she would). Then we have Alex and Sutton, then Trina and Erin. I believe Sutton and Alex would talk a lot with each other and get along really well, probably leaving the dinner as friends, same with Erin and Elizabeth. Even though Elizabeth is an ice queen, she's more shy than bitchy, so I believe Erin and Sutton would help her relax into the conversation since they're both such welcoming people. Evelyn and Trina, on the other hand, would possibly annoy each other and I think that would be so entertaining for the other ladies.

(for a better visual reference:)

         ALEX   SUTTON

EVELYN                  ELIZABETH

       TRINA    ERIN