by Maria DeBlassie
Daily Lobo
Amber Hartley wrote her first book when she was in second grade.
UNM student Hartley, 26, is the author of Jimmy. The novel is the first in a trilogy that explores the life of a teenager, who, through his high school experiences and national political conflicts, finds his whole view of reality shattered, she said. Jimmy, the main character, is the guy every guy wants to be and the guy every girl wants to be with, she said, but he is also a loner.
The story took five weeks to write, Hartley said.
Author Dean Koontz inspired her as writer.
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"He grabs you right away and won't let up," Hartley said.
She said New Mexico - particularly UNM - influences her writing, because it is a cultural melting pot and allows her to be controversial.
"Sometimes in America now, you're not allowed to ask questions," she said. "UNM allows me to come into myself as a writer."
Her goal in writing controversial material, she said, was to not only entertain her audience but to feed their souls and minds.
"You get edgy material in TV shows like MTV and movies, but it's not there in literature," Hartley said.
She said she published her novel through iUniverse, an online book publisher. With a self-publication she would be able to print her work immediately and be a part of the publishing processes, she said.
"The book was so close to my heart," Hartley said. "I just didn't want to give it away to some faceless executive in New York City."
As for her future, Hartley said she plans to travel, write and even open an environmentally friendly publishing company, as well as produce a film version of Jimmy. She said her father once told her to pursue her passions, and since then, that idea has always been with her.
"There are a lot of things I'm not good at," Hartley said. "But everyone is born to do something, and for me, writing is what I was destined to do. I really think that it was fate."
She said all the main characters in her book have pieces of her, and that is how she is able to fall in love with all of them and their lives. Jimmy, Hartley said, has her sarcastic humor.
She has been writing for most of her life, she said, but began doing it seriously when she was 21. She also writes essays, poetry and short stories, as well as articles for various magazines, she said.
"The best part about writing is knowing you're creating something that's totally new and unique," she said.
Her advice to aspiring writers is to never give up.
"It can be a long, hard road but very rewarding," Hartley said. "If you feel like this is what you're supposed to do in life, you will be successful."
