Cat Jenkins is the author of "The Market at Night" and is one of the winners of our 2021 Story of the Year Contest. She was born in California, and now resides in the Pacific Northwest. In her interview, Cat shared the importance of great books, and why she wanted to write her own.
"As a child with undiagnosed Asperger’s syndrome, books were my escape, my solace, my best friends. My mother taught me to read when I was 3. Whenever we moved to a new town, obtaining a library card was one of the first things she’d do. When I was in fourth grade, there was only a book mobile to provide reading material. I soon finished everything it had to offer. So, I began writing stories for myself.
As I grew older, I realized how integral books were to my early survival. I wanted to provide the same escape, the same solace, the same friends to others who for one reason or another...not necessarily Asperger’s...didn’t connect with their peers easily. So when I write, I see that lonely, sometimes bullied little girl. And I want to give her a gift. Reading, books, writing...each has the potential to expand that lonely, little world into someplace fantastic. They might even save her life.
I believe in Storyshares’ mission very strongly. All of us who write are offering a gift. Please take it."