Paranormal
Fantasy Author and
Freelance Writer/Editor for Hire
Heidi:
First, Jean, tell us a little about yourself.
Jean:
I’m a writer and blogger from Tulsa, Oklahoma. When I’m
not writing novels or blogging about my faith, I work as a freelance web
content writer and occasionally I provide editing and book formatting services
for indie authors. I’m a big ol’ geek who’s really into crafting, reading,
really good TV and Netflix dramas, simple living, home decorating and my
husband. I’m also quite fond of our little menagerie of four-legged dependents.
Heidi:
What genre do you write?
Jean:
The series I’m currently working on is clean paranormal
romance, but I’ve also written urban and dystopian fantasy and occasionally
dabble in horror and steampunk. (I had
to google this term… steampunk is literature set in the era of steam powered
engines, usually with a twist of sci-fi)
Heidi:
When did you start writing?
Jean:
I wrote my first short story in first grade. I think
the protagonist was a talking football who didn’t like getting kicked around. I
was a weird kid.
Heidi:
What are you working on now?
Jean:
I just finished Kindred Spirits, the sequel to my debut
novel, Restless Spirits. Right now I’m taking a very short break before I get
started on the next book in that series.
Heidi:
Who is your favorite character in your stories?
Jean:
That’s tough. It’s kind of like being asked to name
your favorite child. I have a lot of fun writing Ron Wilson, the main
protagonist in Restless Spirits, but really all of those characters are a joy
to write. Outside of that series, I’d say my favorite is Alek Constantine from
Dominion of the Damned.
Heidi:
Do you see yourself in any of your characters?
Jean:
Not really, although the Wilson sisters both share my
sense of humor.
Heidi:
Where do you write? Describe your workspace?
Jean:
I don’t have a dedicated work space. I’ve tried that,
but it turns out I hate sitting at a desk. I either use my laptop or a portable
word processor called an AlphaSmart to write, so I tend to move around whenever
I need a change of scenery to inspire me. Usually I’m either on the living room
sofa or camped out in bed, but if the weather’s nice I’ll take it outside.
Heidi:
Do
you have any new books out?
Jean:
As
a matter of fact, my publisher just released Love Letter, a stand-alone novella
set in the Restless Spirits universe. It's available wherever e-books are sold.
Heidi:
Who is/are your all-time favorite author/s?
Jean:
I’m terrible at picking favorites. This could be a long
list. Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, George R. R.
Martin, Joss Whedon (he writes comics sometimes, so I guess he counts as an
author), Lani Diane Rich, Jim Butcher, Cherie Priest, C. S. Lewis and J. R. R.
Tolkein . . . I think all of these authors have really helped to influence and
shape my writing over the years.
Heidi:
Did you find writing a query letter a challenge? If so,
how did you overcome it? Do you think there was a key phrase or idea in your
query letter?
Jean:
I’ve actually never written a query for fiction. I’m
intimidated so much by the process that this is one of the reasons I decided to
self-publish. I’m just really fortunate that it worked out the way it did.
Heidi:
What advice do you have for a writer aspiring to be
published?
Jean:
If you’re looking to be traditionally published, my
best advice is probably don’t do it the way I did it, which was to self-publish
and then have my book get discovered years later by a traditional publisher who
offered me a multi-book contract. That just doesn’t typically happen. If
traditional publishing is your goal, I’d stick to querying agents and
submitting your work to publishers.
But if you want to self-publish, my advice is this: do
the work and invest the time and money to produce a book that’s as
professional-quality as possible. Don’t rush to get a sub-standard book out
there. It’s so, SO hard to get noticed, but it will be easier if you do good
work -- not just good writing, but good writing that’s well-edited,
professionally formatted and has a really great cover. When you self-publish
you’re not just a writer--you’re also your own publishing company. So treat
your book the way you’d want a traditional publishing company to treat it.
Heidi:
Would you like to acknowledge someone for their faith
in you?
I’d really like to thank Dawn Carrington at Vinspire
Publishing for reading Restless Spirits and deciding it was something she
wanted to take a chance on. There wouldn’t be a series if not for her decision
to e-mail me and ask if I was interested in continuing the story.
