Beginner’s Pluck: Jenny Mustard
“My parents encouraged storytelling; they’d ask us about our day, and I started writing small pieces.” Jenny Mustard, a Swedish author and animal lover, has written two books, one of which is about the middle of Sweden and one of the most successful of her own. She is passionate animal lover and started writing fiction when she was a child and lived in London, then moved back to Sweden and Berlin. She now runs a joint influencer business with her partner and has completed a good first draft of her second book, Okay Days, which charts the rise and fall of their love for each other. The book was inspired by the experiences of young people living in Sweden and London, and was written with courage and confidence when she completed her first manuscript.
ที่ตีพิมพ์ : 2 ปีที่แล้ว โดย Sue Leonard ใน Lifestyle
As a child living in Sweden, Jenny’s family moved around a lot. It created a habit that’s continued since she left university.
“I lived in London, then went back to Sweden; then to Berlin, then back to London. We’ve been here for the past four years."
“My parents encouraged storytelling; they’d ask us about our day, and I started writing small pieces.”
A passionate animal lover, Jenny planned to work in animal welfare, maybe through politics or an NGO, but she found it disheartening. “I’m too sensitive. It broke me,” she says.
In London, she worked in clothes and book shops, while becoming an influencer. She now runs a joint influencer business with her partner, who was formerly in film and TV production. Ten years on, they’ve been successful enough to buy and renovate a flat.
Her writing started with essays. “But I’m most happy when I’m writing fiction.”
She gained courage and confidence when she completed her first manuscript. “It got quite far with an agent, before Covid, but I realised it was the wrong genre for me.”
She started writing Okay Days in August 2020, completing a good first draft in eight weeks. “I’d planned it well, and it felt urgent. Planning, for me, is really freeing. It unlocks my creativity.”
Place of birth: The middle of Sweden.
Education: School in Stockholm from age 14. University in Sweden, Biology.
The day job: Influencer using YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and a podcast.
Second book: “My second draft is with my agent, Peter Strauss.”
Top tip: "Listen to your confident side and mute self-doubt.”
Sam, a Swedish 28-year-old falls for Lucas during a work placement in London.
They’re opposites; Sam is chaotic, Lucas is carefree; can their relationships possibly last after that hot sticky summer?
This beautiful novel charts the rise and fall of their love for each other.
The verdict: I loved this debut for its spiky, sensuous reality.