Q: First tell us something about yourself.
I am Jean L. Tanelus, born in Miami, Florida in 1998. I am of Haitian and Bahamian descent. I graduated in 2021 with my Bachelor in Business Administration at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), the #1 Public HBCU (Historically Black Colleges/Universities). I am a private person, I don’t share much about myself with others, even those close to me. It was getting hard to contain my vision and voice inside of me for any longer and writing has given me the space to express myself through stories for others to enjoy.
Q: How and when did your journey start as a writer?
My journey as a writer began in December 2020, after watching Zack Synder’s Justice League film. Even though there was already a Justice League film out, Zack Synder was allowed to release his version of the movie he was meant to direct years prior. This inspired me to start writing down the stories in my mind I had always dreamed of, the stories I wanted to see in the world, the stories readers would enjoy with themselves and others.
Q: When did you write your first story? Is it published or not?
I wrote my first novel in 2020 but I wrote my first children’s books in April 2023 and later published in November 2023.
Q: Tell us something more about your books.
The books I have published are Christmas-based children’s books. I wanted to write new Christmas stories for kids to read and enjoy. The books I will be publishing in a year or two are stories about self-reflection and motivation with a little bit of adventure mixed into it. The books I write will vary from children’s books, fantasy novels, poems, or graphic novels, but it all depends on what is the best way to tell my story.
Q: How did these stories and characters come to your mind?
When I came up with these stories I was in Chicago enjoying the sight of snow for the first time. That’s when I came up with the idea to write a children’s book about Christmas which was The Time Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas. After I wrote it I thought about the things people enjoy about Christmas, such as Christmas sweaters, mistletoes, snow globes, and the birth of Jesus. From there I wrote 9 more books relating to Christmas. The characters were created based on how I wanted to tell the story. For example, Did Christmas Come Early, it was easier to have an older neighbor annoy the newer neighbor about the Christmas decorations. For Operation Gingerbread House, I wanted a story with gingerbread characters, like Gingy from Shrek.
Q: Do you want to leave any message for your readers?
To my readers, I want to thank you for taking the time to read about my journey as a writer. I have many stories to tell ranging from children’s books to middle-grade fantasy novels to graphic novels. I would love to connect with you all on social media.
