The Game Fanatics Staff: Jennifer "Next Jen" Kibble

By: 8 Bit Brit
Published: Feb 5, 2013
at 8:00 am

The Game Fanatics Staff

Editor in Chief: Jennifer “Next Jen” Kibble

Jennifer or Next Jen, was born and raised in South Florida in a trailer park that was marked as a waste of space. Gangs, drugs and sex were common in this area and to get away from it, Jen escaped with video games. Her first system came at the age of four, with a NES. Her parents had an Atari but Jen has no memory of actually playing it. Besides playing video games at a young age, Jen started to write short stories and a series in the 5th grade. It was another means of escape from the neighbor she lived in until the age of nineteen.

Nothing came from the writing, until Jennifer was chosen to participate in a NASA Tweet-up, now called NASA Social. This was an event to allow people from Twitter to experience launches and the Kennedy Space Center, among other activities. Jen’s first experience with a NASA Tweet-up was for mission STS-133, the final launch of the space shuttle Discovery. One of the events planned was a tour of the Saturn V Center. This took place after hours and while walking around in silence, it was then and there that Jen decided to start writing again, for herself. This put into motion the determination to get her book series, Phoenix Element published. She is currently writing the second book in this fantasy young adult series and awaiting a copyright for her first book before moving forward with self publishing.

It is from her love of writing, video games and sci-fi that has helped Jen to be inspired to write as well as her 5th and 8th grade teachers. However writing in her spare time and for The Game Fanatics is not Jen’s day job. She currently works as a cook at a casino, dreaming of one day becoming a paid writer instead of a cook. Jennifer is married and lives with two cats and a half German Shepard half beagle named Shepard (from Mass Effect).

1. How did you become interested in online journalism and what attracted you to The Game Fanatics?

This happened by accident. I was checking out my Twitter feed one day and noticed that The Broken Controller was looking for writers for their new gaming website. I applied and was accepted. The site wasn’t organized but it did give me a taste for writing about the gaming industry. Then came the tweet about The Game Fanatics looking for staff members and knowing that The Broken Controller wasn’t going anywhere, I decided to send in my application and I haven’t looked back since. I actually took journalism as a course in college, but nothing came of it. Funny how things tend to flow into place, eventually.2. What has been a moment of triumph for you in life? Whether it be gaming related or not please share!

I want to say getting my books published, but that hasn’t happened yet but I have finished one so far, so that is something. Or getting all the achievements in all three Mass Effect and Dragon Age games as well as Elder Scrolls Oblivion (I still need to do the same for Skyrim). But I would have to say beating asthma. It is still there, but not as nearly as bad as it used to be. I was around twelve year old when I was diagnosed. Growing up poor, we didn’t have a lot of money, so the first few years, I didn’t have medication. I remember sitting in the bathroom (that’s where my wall a/c unit was) with a paper bag, trying to stop my asthma attack. I’m honestly surprised that I made since my attacks were severe. I still go to my allergy doctor but it has been almost two years since I had to use my inhaler. I am on two different types of medication but considering where I was with my asthma and compare it to today, it is a huge difference.

3. Do you have goals that tie in with being apart of The Game Fanatics and/or the gaming community?

Having The Game Fanatics known by the whole gaming community, like IGN, would be awesome. We have come a long way. Within the gaming community, I would love to be hired as a video game writer and collaborate with other writers on the next big game.

4. What is the first console you ever purchased or had gifted. What was the game you played and what were your earliest memories?

First console that I remember playing is the NES. I used to play video games with my mom, like the original Mario, Duck Hunt, Bubble Bobble and then some. I don’t remember my parents buying it for me, the NES was just there, popped into existence. My second tattoo is of a NES controller. Growing up playing NES, I was always player two. The first system I remember being bought for me, was the Sega Genesis. We were at a mall that wasn’t open yet, but a few of the store were. We were in Sears and I saw a display for the Sega Genesis. I must have played the original Sonic for hours. If I remember right, I got that system for Christmas or it could have been my birthday since it is three days after. All the Sonic games were played over and over again, along with Vector-Man. I would leave that system on for days because I couldn’t save my progress back then. One of my earliest arcade memories was when Virtua Fighter 2 came out. There were two lines, one for player one and the other for player two. I was the only female waiting in line and at that age (or any age) I didn’t care, I just wanted to play the game. Once it was my turn, I beat two people, clearly older than me and then I was beaten by the third person. Instead of throwing it in my face, he told me “good game” and that was it. They were impressed that a fourteen year old girl kicked some ass and that was that.

5. Is there a favorite celebrity, role model or idol that helps your voice when you write online publications? Who and why? What have they done to inspire your writing ability?

I never really believed in role models (until I met the Doctor). I admired a few growing up, but I never really looked up to any of them. I never wanted said, “I want to be like that person when I grow up” but instead I wanted to just be me. My voice when writing comes from music. Doesn’t matter what I am writing, I have to have music playing and I have to find the right song that just clicks with what I am writing about. As well as music, landscapes gives me inspiration as well. Certain places I try to take a mental picture and whenever I need it, I try to go back there in my mind and draw strength from it.