Coming fresh out of college, it can be hard to adjust when things don’t go exactly as planned. Sometimes after graduation, an intended career doesn’t work out, a relationship ends, or one must move back home.
This struggle of a new college graduate is followed in Moorestown resident Jenni Fink’s new book called “Sentenced to Life,” which is about a young woman named Chelsea Carlton who just graduated college and needs to finds herself again. Fink hopes readers can relate to her protagonist and realize the journey is half the fun.
“After college, no one is telling you who to be. You have to decide for yourself,” Fink said. “At the time, things might not work out, but in a few years, it will be funny.”
Fink grew up in Moorestown, going through its school system from elementary to high school. She then went to the University of Arizona, studying communications and wanting to work in fashion. After an internship with a small fashion public relations company that failed to provide her a job, and hearing horror stories from friends in larger fashion companies, Fink knew she couldn’t work in that kind of environment. So she came home to Moorestown to find herself.
“I didn’t know what to do because I had pictured my life that one way. I had to take a step back and look at what I really loved to do,” Fink said.
Fink always loved writing, but she had put herself in a box with her career goals. She didn’t consider writing as a career. What got her into writing again were her blog, Frankly Fink, and becoming a contributing writer for Buzzfeed.
“I had to let go of what I thought my life was supposed to be and what it was going to be. It turned out so much better than I imagined. I feel like I’ve opened myself up to so many opportunities, even though I’ve let go of one. You really need to do something you truly love instead of forcing yourself to love it,” Fink said.
She started “Sentenced to Life” her last year of college when she was questioning her career goal. Encouraged by friends and family, Fink wrote and finished the story and sent it to publishers.
“I have great friends who were definitely a big influence on keeping me going. Sometimes, the best thing you can have are people who are in your corner and push you forward when you feel like you can’t go any further,” Fink said.
Fink was rejected by publishers time and time again. She said it was hard receiving the rejections. However, her book was eventually accepted by Pegasus Books, a publishing company in California.
“It is easy to lose faith with rejections. But when my book was accepted, I could finally say I was right. It was worth it in the end, and I feel like I’m doing what I was meant to be doing,” Fink said.
Fink worked with Pegasus Books on “Sentenced to Life” for more than half a year to edit it and get it ready for publishing. Looking back at her first draft, she said the book has come a long way.
“Sentenced to Life” is about recently graduated Chelsea Carlton, who seems like she knew what she wanted when her planned life starts to unravel. Jobless, she is forced to move back to her hometown and her unrequited summer love, Chris. With so many paths to choose, she’s forced to make decisions that will forever change her future.
This “coming of age” novel is purely fiction, but the book does parallel Fink and her friends’ feelings at the time of graduation and after.
Fink hopes those who read the book take away three things: that you aren’t alone, that the journey is half of the fun, and that you can change career goals any time in your life.
“Take every experience and use it to propel yourself forward, because in the end, it will be funny. The feelings you feel right now are normal. Sometimes, it is hard to find someone who can relate, but it is really all normal and everyone else is feeling that way. The only place and person you need to be is exactly where and who you are. You always have the power to change the situation if you find out it isn’t what you want. Some new opportunities are better and so much more than you could’ve imagined,” Fink said.
“Sentenced to Life” is available through the publisher at www.pegasusbooks.com as well as Ingram, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.
The release date was Monday, July 13. The book will be available as a paperback and eBook from more than 40,000 retailers worldwide.
Fink is working on her second book and hopes to continue writing as a career for the rest of her life, or at least while it is still fun. If not, she always has the opportunity to change.
