1. You write both romantic suspense and women's fiction. Do you have trouble shifting your head when doing this?
Romantic suspense is my favorite but it takes much more thought and effort. I like to have a twist in my stories so the reader is left wondering up until the reveal, and that takes work. With limited writing time I find myself starting and stopping a lot, then I have to go back and remember who all my main characters are and who is going to be the bad guy in the end! Straight romance comes easier but I must admit I love the added suspense.
Romantic suspense is my favorite but it takes much more thought and effort. I like to have a twist in my stories so the reader is left wondering up until the reveal, and that takes work. With limited writing time I find myself starting and stopping a lot, then I have to go back and remember who all my main characters are and who is going to be the bad guy in the end! Straight romance comes easier but I must admit I love the added suspense.
2. You're mainly contemporary. Have you ever considered another genre and what would it be?
I don't enjoy historical books although there have been a few exceptions over the years. Jane Toombs' Golden Chances was a series that started in the past and followed a family up into the modern century. I loved that because I favor series works where I can see how a couple or family has progressed once their story ends.
I've always wanted to write horror but except for a couple of short stories, that never went far. I've done a couple science fiction shorts as well, and I like the freedom of creating my own world and rules. Then I found out from fellow BWL author Lee Killough how critical sci-fi readers can be and that if a person is going to write about vampires, they must learn the accepted vampire rules. That ruined it for me. So basically I've decided contemporary is my genre!
I don't enjoy historical books although there have been a few exceptions over the years. Jane Toombs' Golden Chances was a series that started in the past and followed a family up into the modern century. I loved that because I favor series works where I can see how a couple or family has progressed once their story ends.
I've always wanted to write horror but except for a couple of short stories, that never went far. I've done a couple science fiction shorts as well, and I like the freedom of creating my own world and rules. Then I found out from fellow BWL author Lee Killough how critical sci-fi readers can be and that if a person is going to write about vampires, they must learn the accepted vampire rules. That ruined it for me. So basically I've decided contemporary is my genre!
3. How do you handle reviews both positive and negative?
Negative reviews hurt, there's no denying they don't. I try not to dwell on them but I usually don't forget them, either. I understand reviews and tastes are subjective, so I always just hope there are more people who enjoy my work than those who don't. If I get a good review I do love to blog about it and crow a little bit on Facebook!
Negative reviews hurt, there's no denying they don't. I try not to dwell on them but I usually don't forget them, either. I understand reviews and tastes are subjective, so I always just hope there are more people who enjoy my work than those who don't. If I get a good review I do love to blog about it and crow a little bit on Facebook!
4. Do you have a library of research books and if so, are there favorites?
No research books, but the internet is invaluable. I Google different subjects for every manuscript, keeping in mind everything I read might not be true. But for the most part I think I can tell what is. If there's something I don't feel good about I'll leave it out before putting it in a book.
No research books, but the internet is invaluable. I Google different subjects for every manuscript, keeping in mind everything I read might not be true. But for the most part I think I can tell what is. If there's something I don't feel good about I'll leave it out before putting it in a book.
5. How do you come up with your villains? Do you find them as interesting as the heros and heroines?
As I mentioned above I like twists in my stories so the person who ends up as the villain was probably just another character up until the reveal at the end. Having said that, I think everybody has some good and evil in them, and it's the characteristic they choose to nurture that becomes prominent. I try to write real people, cops who are tired at the end of the day, who might drink a little too much or smoke cigarettes or swear. It's funny, I've gotten more criticism about characters who smoke than those who swear. I like to add some sex to my stories, too, and it's either too much or not enough, depending who you ask!
As I mentioned above I like twists in my stories so the person who ends up as the villain was probably just another character up until the reveal at the end. Having said that, I think everybody has some good and evil in them, and it's the characteristic they choose to nurture that becomes prominent. I try to write real people, cops who are tired at the end of the day, who might drink a little too much or smoke cigarettes or swear. It's funny, I've gotten more criticism about characters who smoke than those who swear. I like to add some sex to my stories, too, and it's either too much or not enough, depending who you ask!
6. Are your settings places you're familiar with or do you make them up?
Lots of my stories are set in the Midwest because I know the area. But I enjoy visiting a place (like Seattle or L.A.) and then setting a story there, throwing in just enough about the town that it seems like I really do know something. A few years ago I read a travel article in a woman's magazine about the Cayman Islands and it gave me just enough facts (and lovely photos for my mind's eye) that I set a story there, and it worked nicely. Most of my stories are set closer to home, in my comfort zone, where we call soda 'pop' and the Arkansas River is pronounced 'Ar-Kansas'!
Lots of my stories are set in the Midwest because I know the area. But I enjoy visiting a place (like Seattle or L.A.) and then setting a story there, throwing in just enough about the town that it seems like I really do know something. A few years ago I read a travel article in a woman's magazine about the Cayman Islands and it gave me just enough facts (and lovely photos for my mind's eye) that I set a story there, and it worked nicely. Most of my stories are set closer to home, in my comfort zone, where we call soda 'pop' and the Arkansas River is pronounced 'Ar-Kansas'!
Thanks for having me today Janet. Readers can find all my titles on my website at http://www.jamiehill.biz or at Books We Love: http://bookswelove.net/jamiehill.php
Thanks for having me today Janet! Jamie
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