Meet Donna Jennings | AKA Dr. J. Sexuality Educator, Author, & Editor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Donna Jennings and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Donna, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I grew up on a centennial tobacco farm in North Carolina. Rural life provided many valuable teachings that impact who I am today and for which I am grateful. On a farm, there are no dress rehearsals, it is always the now. Farming waits for no one. Working on the farm instilled a sense of dependability. As I fed and watered the animals, I was a literal cog in the wheel of production. If I missed my work, it affected not only the animals but other workers. My brothers still moan about my broken foot in 4th grade, which caused them to do my chores plus theirs.

I learned about teamwork and collaboration as a child when we rotated who was in charge. The real challenge occurred when I became the resident expert on the best way to gather the acre of cucumbers or pull the long rows of tobacco, especially when you were shorthanded or the weather blew up. While everyone had opinions, when you were in charge, yours reigned.

Harvesting is a time-sensitive endeavor, and it honed my respect for the rhythms of nature. That helped me appreciate the fluid nature of life and time. Work when it’s work time. Play when it’s playtime. Whichever it is, stay in the moment.

The best part of farming was my relationship with nature. It supported and encouraged my creativity, resourcefulness, and innovation. Nature allowed me to appreciate individual moments and to blow life into writing ideas discovered in the cracks of life. The beauty of nature has helped me keep a balanced life perspective, and I work that into my writing and teaching.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been a sexuality professional for forty-six years, providing education and therapy, as well as consultation for other professionals. What I am most proud of and excited about is that I’m still evolving in what I do. I never expected that writing, publishing, or editing would be a part of my work. It is the highlight of all my sexuality education efforts. This is also what my students pushed for. They wanted me to keep teaching after retirement and thought writing stories was perfect.

Their encouragement put me on this fresh path. Dr. J., what they called me, became my pen name as a nod to them. The erotic fiction stories I’ve written have relationship realism with a sex-positive bent and factual representation of how bodies work. But they are stories that provide a beginning, middle, and end with lots of micro-tension to highlight a character’s sexual journey.

This year I’m creating two non-fiction books, a writer’s guide for sexuality and a women’s guided journal for sexual wellness. These books, How to Write Scenes with Sex: A Writer’s Sexuality Guide and Purple Sex & Love Beyond Your Dreams, position me perfectly for the next evolution of my work.

I landed an editing position with Rosy, a women’s sexual wellness platform because my unique integrated qualifications spoke to them. They hired me to help other authors hone their skills in creating erotica. Rosy’s research shows erotica works as a non-chemical Rx for women’s arousal, desire, lubrication, and orgasm.

Reading is a private and tailor-made way for a woman to create the environment she needs to experience quality sexual pleasure. Scientifically, we know that the mind is powerful and stories that contain emotional connections pull us in and cause our bodies to react.

I am thrilled to elevate the conversation about women’s sexual health and to help women experience sexuality as a holistic, positive, and pleasurable component in their life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since I live on an island, I would showcase the natural diversity of our ecosystems. We would start at the Greenway, a creek that runs through the heart of the island to enjoy the birds and plants. Next, we would combine history with the beach as we checked out the state park, which is the site of an old fort. This is the best place for shark tooth hunting. But my favorite is showcasing “Bone Beach.” This is where old Live Oak trees have fallen into the water and look like works of art. For watering holes, we’d check out the oldest saloon in Florida and sit at the marina to watch the sun go down and eat fish tacos.
On Saturday we’d trek to the Farmer’s Market and also have a pétanque match with friends.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I retired from my private practice and college teaching, I jumped full stream into writing, knowing nothing about the business of marketing, branding, promoting, or social media. I have gathered some amazing help along the way for each category. But when Mischa Eliot entered my world, I found my go-to Queen of everything technology. I go to her for help with my website, my newsletter, and social media. While she handles it all effortlessly, it is her unwavering support of my mission in the world that touches my heart. The day we connected, I knew I’d met a lifelong friend, colleague, and enthusiastic supporter. She is thoughtful and giving in that all she does and provides the best counsel. What she may not know is that I’m her Number One Fan. We have created a writing journey together, and she makes me smile every day.

Website: https://drjauthor.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjauthor_/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnajenningsphd/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorJAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJAuthor/

Other: https://medium.com/@authordrj