What started as a collection of essays on UA alumna Jenni Fink’s blog, Frankly Fink transformed into a novel of self-discovery. Fink gave the Daily Wildcat an inside look on her first novel “Sentenced To Life,” released July 13.
“Sentenced To Life” is a story about Chelsea Carlton and her struggle to find herself in college. Carlton is an aspiring fashion designer whose dream job disintegrates, forcing her to move back into her parents’ home. She then faces old romances, her family and her future.
“My favorite message in ‘Sentenced To Life’ is that you aren’t alone,” Fink said. “Everyone has questioned their dreams and whether or not they’re on the right path; it’s not just you.”
Fink’s novel tells a story of heartbreak, acceptance, chasing dreams and finding oneself–relatable themes for college students.
“It’s not easy to take a look at the life you pictured … and admit it isn’t really what you want anymore, but I think it’s important for people to know that it’s okay to redirect your path,” Fink said.
Although the novel may appear a memoir, Fink describes it as a fictional story about real-life issues.
“My inspiration came from a lot of my friends and what we were all going through during our senior year,” she said. “No matter what the status of our job hunt, we all felt the pressure of figuring out who we are.”
Fink graduated from the UA in 2013 with a communications major and minor in management and Spanish. She was an active member of the Sigma Kappa sorority during her years at the UA, to which she credits shaping her ability to work among diverse people in the work force.
Fink had her own dreams of working in the fashion industry, and when it came to deciding what she wanted to do, she said it took her a lot of wrong choices to make the right one about her future.
“I thought about what I really liked to do, and that was observe people and make them laugh,” Fink said.
During her senior year, Fink started a satirical lifestyle blog titled Frankly Fink. When the blog wasn’t as successful as she hoped, she found a new outlet, which eventually led to “Sentenced To Life.”
“I think it’s important for people to know it’s okay to redirect your path,” Fink said.
Fink has many plans for the future and continues to creatively write. She plans to write a second novel and hopes to release it sometime in 2017.
“I have this vision of creating a series of events across the country dedicated to promoting young entrepreneurs and artists,” Fink said.
Fink said she believes our generation is unrewarded because many choose to pursue unorthodox career paths; she said she wants to create an event to highlight this fact as well as our generation’s unique talents.
You can find “Sentenced To Life” online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Pegasusbooks and Smashwords, as well as in Barnes & Noble stores later this fall.
