Hi Jen! Welcome to Zigzag Timeline. Can you tell us about
your background as an author?
Hi, Mary. Thank you for having me.
Honestly, there isn’t much to tell.
Before My Soul Immortal, I wrote some short stories that will never see the
light of day, and started a couple novels that never grew past the 20K word
count. The desire to write has always been in me, but before this book, I never
had a complete story to tell.
What got you into writing?
Probably my father. His love of books
was contagious, and he eventually passed it to me. My dad kept list of books he
wanted to read, and would bring stacks of them with us on vacation. When he
wasn’t reading he was writing in his journal. Reading and writing, along with
the other arts, were a big deal in my house growing up.
What was the first idea you had for “My Soul Immortal,” and how did the
story grow from there?
The plot started with thoughts about
déjà vu and reincarnation. I even remember the morning the idea hit me. It
quickly flowed into a pair of characters, one being immortal. But why? I wanted
to think outside the box and come up with a different kind of immortal. After
bouncing ideas off my husband, we came up with the idea of children of Death.
Once I nailed down this idea, the plot and character fell into place quickly.
Among your characters, who's your favorite? Could you please
describe him/her?
Artagan.
Artagan is a cocky, self-assured character, or at least that’s what
he likes to appear to be. He has more sides to him then he shows at first. He,
like Jack, has his own tragic backstory, but he chooses to deal with it in a
different way, determined to joy living even if it “kills” him. His badass
attitude makes him a fun character to write.
What's your favorite scene from your
novel? Could you please describe it?
I have many, but my favors is a scene
that popped into my head at the start of writing this book. It turned into
Jack’s dream at the end of chapter 1. In the beginning, I didn’t have any of
the characters’ names. It was just a young man in Victorian garb, standing
under the elms. However, despite the
storm raging around him, he kept his vigil. His eyes glued to a candle in the
upper-east window of an old Jacobean-style manor. The sound of
church bells resound over the flurry of drumming rain, and an unseen force
snuffed the candle out. At that moment, he knew the woman he loved was dead.
What's your favorite part of writing? Plotting? Describing
scenes? Dialogue?
I love to paint a scene. In the end, my
hope is the reader smells the sweetness honeysuckle, feels the rocks crunching under
the soles of their shoes, and hears the leaves rustle while the wind dances through
the trees branches.
How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have a
writing process, or do you wing it?
The first draft took me about three or
four months to write. However, I wrote it in third person and in past tense. I
felt I wasn’t capturing Jack’s emotion in third person, so I rewrote it all
into first. Then I got the bright idea the story should be in present tense. I
rewrote a couple chapters, liked it, so I rewrote it again. I do not recommend this tactic. The words
tedious and mind numbing come to mind. So yes, you could safely say I winged
it. I’m working on my second book, and I’m finding I’m much more structured
this go around. Then again, I know a bit more of what I’m doing.
What is it about the paranormal romance genre that appeals to you?
I love a good romance, from the classics
like Pride and Prejudice to today’s chick-flicks, and I love how fantasy sees
the world through different “eyes,” what could be. Paranormal romance is a good
blend of these two genres. s
What’s your experience with Red Adept Publishing been like?
I can’t speak highly enough of them. Through
this whole process, they have been helpful and professional at every turn. I’d
recommend them to anyone.
Did you ever surprise yourself when you were writing your book?
Characters who took on lives of their own? Plot elements that took unexpected
turns?
Oh, yes. What surprised me most is how real
the characters feel to me. I guess I
didn’t expect them to start “talking” and to have minds of their own.
My Soul Immortal is the first book in a series. What can you
tell us about plans for sequels?
I’m excited where this story is going. In the second book of
Fated Eternals, we delve deeper into the world of the Concilium Animarum.
Thanks for stopping by!
LINKS:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.
Book Page on RAP: http://redadeptpublishing.com/
Author page on RAP: http://redadeptpublishing.
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