Saturday Writer’s Jennifer Hasheider

Jennifer Hasheider is the President of Saturday Writers (St. Peters, MO), a chapter of the Missouri Writers’ Guild. She is also a member of Sisters in Crime’s St. Louis Chapter and Pen to Paper, a group that meets monthly to discuss writing and critique. Jennifer blogs at www.jenniferahasheider@blogspot.com.

Interviewed by Stephen M. Thompson, Ph.D.

Welcome to OpenBeast. Tell us about yourself.

Thank you so much for this interview, Stephen. Lately I’ve noticed that many people think I’m younger than I am. I don’t mind fooling folks about my age one bit. It seems to have happened naturally, and I hope it lasts a long time. I’ve written a thriller novel that someday I’ll make presentable. Because of my experience in management and in the legal field, I find that I’m versatile and can multi-task and perform well in many kinds of positions and situations.

Talk to us about Saturday Writers and the services provided?

Saturday Writers is a wonderful nonprofit group with nearly 80 members. We’re celebrating our 10th anniversary this year. Our motto is Writers Encouraging Writers and that is really what we do. Writing is often a solitary journey, but we’re here so that writers in our community don’t have to go alone. We provide no-pressure support and resources for all experience levels, genres and even all ages. We support our writers by hosting monthly meetings with guest speakers, reading groups, and many other extracurricular activities throughout the year.

So what’s your responsibility or what do you do for Saturday Writers?

This year I have the pleasure of working with a great group of board members that share a common goal. Our responsibilities with Saturday Writers are plentiful, but this is truly a great organization to volunteer time to.

Any upcoming projects or initiatives you would like to discuss?

Saturday Writers has already had a huge half-year in 2012 and we don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. We’ll have reading groups and regular monthly meetings through September, and then we’ll have a booth at the St. Peters Art Fair where our published members can sell their books. There will be a writing marathon, and later an expanded writing workshop. In November, we’ll keep our members busy with our own National Novel Writers Month group (www.nanowrimo.org). We’ll close out the year with a well-deserved Holiday party in December.

What are your leisure time activities?

Besides the enjoyment I get from spending simple leisure time with my family, I also obviously enjoy writing. Painting is something I do because it’s relaxing. I practice photography when I have time. Photographer, Rick Klockenbrink, trained me in wedding photography and my late stepfather, Jack Fisher, gave me plenty of instruction in artistic photography. I credit my dad for my life-long love of spending time outdoors. Something many people don’t know about me is that I’m also a ghost hunter. I hunt several times a year with a fine group that works to preserve history by working directly with and donating to historical societies.

If you could live anywhere where would you build your dream home?

Probably a peaceful place with a beach in front of me and mountains behind.

Thank you.