Please Welcome Author...E. Jamie!!

Thank you for taking the time to interview with us! E. Jamie’s newest release by Amira Press is Redemption. Her erotic novella will be available in ebook on November 21st, 2008! You can visit her at her website http://ejamie.net

1. When/how did you know you wanted to write?

I was very lucky in that I've always known what I wanted to do. I was never one of those kids in school who was taking different subjects trying to figure out what my career would be. I've always loved to read and to be able to create these worlds and characters like those I was reading seemed like the best possible thing to do for a living.

2. Is writing your full time job or do you have another job also?

I made the transition this year to writing fulltime from home. I work as a freelance non-fiction writer and that gives me the freedom to devote my time to my true love: writing romance.

3. Who are some of your favorite authors?

My two absolute favorite authors are Paullina Simons and Diana Gabaldon. They write the two series I just adore. Paullina writes the Bronze Horseman series which is a romance set in WW2 Russia. Very Dr Zhivago. Diana writes the Outlander series which is a time travel romance featuring the hunky scot Jamie Fraser. I try and read both series every year but since my own writing has taken off I haven't had the time. It's a good problem to have!

4. How long does it usually take for you to research a book?

I tend to write the first draft and then go back and do the research and work stuff in as I edit draft 2. Hopefully no more than a month.

5. Some authors start out with a plot in mind, others with characters whom they’ll follow to reveal the theme. What works best for you and why?

I'm very much a plot driven writer. I'm in awe of those writers who can start off with a character and just follow them along. I have to know going in who that character is and what her journey will be. Now as I write, twists and surprises happen but for the most part, the plot remains how I planned it.

6. Many authors are doing strictly e-books, do you think this is just a trend, or does it spell the end of real books?

I think if it does happen it will be because print books are getting so expensive! Thirty dollars for a hardcover! That will have to change if print books want to remain an option for book buyers. I think readers love the tactile feeling of holding a print book though so assuming the price does come down, I don't see print books disappearing anytime soon.

7. How long does it take for you to write books?

It obviously depends on the length. My first two published shorts were a couple of weeks start to finish. My new novella Redemption took about a month and a half. Novel length works usually take me a couple of months for a first draft if I'm not being lazy and procrastinating.

8. Do you see yourself writing in the same genre in 10 years? If not then what?

I think I'll always write erotic romance but I'd love to be published in mainstream romance as well. I also have a lot of ideas in the supernatural/religious thriller genre and have had a work in progress in that genre that I've had to shelve many times as my erotica has taken off! I love reading those kinds of books ala Dan Brown. I'm also getting into reading paranormal romances and those are giving me some ideas as well. I don't want to be pigeon holed into one genre.

9. What advice do you give to those who are just starting out or trying to become published?

I know alot of people tout the Butt In Chair method, being disciplined and plugging away at it and I cetainly agree with that, but I think just as important is the 'Move Your Ass' method. Writing is all good and fine but nothing is going to happen if you don't get out there and submit and keep submitting!

10. Getting back to your books coming out soon. Tell us a little about what to expect from them?

Redemption is a steamy historical/western novella that is being published by Amira Press and is coming out this November 21st. It's a marriage of convenience story between a young innocent Katie Beaumont and outlaw Ben Cready. Katie witnesses her mother's murder at the hands of her uncle and she meets Ben Cready the day before he's supposed to hang. They marry so that she can claim his homestead as her own and hide there. They share one night of explosive passion. Unbeknowest to Katie at the last minute Ben is given a reprieve by the Sherriff who wants him to track down his nephew's killer. Six months later, Ben returns a free man, to claim the bride he's never been able to forget.

11. Do you have any projects you are currently working on?

I'm currently working on a contemporary full length novel called 'Till Death Do Us Part' which is an erotic romance. It's a rich girl/poor boy story. Connor Nolan and Sara Hawthorne elope and her father has him murdered, or so Sara thinks. Grief stricken and pregnant, she marries Connor's best friend Aaron to avoid an arranged marriage and when Connor returns, Sara must choose between her new found love and her first love.

12. When and where can we purchase your books?

You can purchase my books through my website www.ejamie.net, www.amirapress.com and through Fictionwise and Amazon Kindle.

13. How do you feel about fans doing fan fiction and/or roleplaying on the web based on your or other author's works?

I really have no problem with it and I don't understand authors that do. I mean, fan fiction by it's very nature lets you know that they are not trying to steal your work but simply playing with it as fans. As long as they're not claiming to be you and trying to sell it, I say have at it. Personally, I know A LOT of famous authors who got their start in fanfiction. It's a wonderful training ground.

14. What are you reading right now?

Right now I'm reading The Darkest Joy by Dahlia Rose who is a fellow Amira author. It's a gorgeous paranormal romance about a fallen angel named Caim who is sort of like a soul collector and he falls in love with a mortal. If I were to try writing in the paranormal romance genre it would probably be a 'fallen angel' type of premise.

15. Give us three "Good to Know" facts about you?

Ah let's see. I love to cook but can't make soup. Seriously, I can make a roast dinner to feed ten people but soup never comes out right for me! I either screw up the water rationing or I don't let it cook long enough. It's frustrating as hell! Number 2, I can't write in silence. I need noise to write. If it's too quiet, my mind wanders but for some reason, having music or TV on in the background helps me focus. Number 3 My brain has no off switch. Seriously. I can make a plot out of anything. I can look at a pencil and it will inspire this whole story about maybe school girls who witness a murder or a writer being haunted by some hunky demon!

16. How do you structure your day for writing?

While I was working at my day job, I would write in the late afternoon into the evening and now that I'm working from home I still find that schedule to be my most productive. I am sooooo not a morning person so I usually leave mornings and early afternoon for e-mail, research and promotion then from four to midnight is when my brain becomes alert enough to be creative. I'm trying to change that so I can be more productive but so far that's the shedule.

*****

Redemption Blurb: On the run from a murderous uncle, Katie married outlaw Ben Cready the day before he was supposed to hang. They shared one night of explosive passion and for six months, she'd believed herself a widow. Now Ben is back to claim what's his, and that includes the sweet bride he'd never been able to forget.

Forbidden Blurb: Alexandra is suffering from anxiety about her upcoming wedding. She loves her fiance but wonders if she'll ever feel real passion. Max has been in love with Alexandra for months but keeps his feelings hidden as she prepares to marry his best friend. When she comes to him one night, will loyalty be enough to deny his heart's desire?

*****

CONTEST:

E. Jamie is holding a contest, so be sure to participate!!!

The first person to e-mail her at nancy777ca@yahoo.ca letting her know they found her through our blog will get a free copy of her ebook, Forbidden.

*WARNING* Some books may contain explicit material and are for persons 18 years of age or older. If you are not at least 18, please do not enter the contest, as we have no way of knowing your actual age. By entering this contest, you are accepting these terms and are stating that you are at least 18 years of age or older. Thank you. *WARNING*

Please note: Winners will be chosen by E. Jamie and not The Deadly Vixens.

Warning: My Depressed Rant About Nothing

Awesome Friday! Yesterday was my youngest son’s seventh birthday. My oldest turned eleven in August. Where have all the years gone? *shakes head* I don’t feel any older. A littler fatter maybe, but definitely not older, and yet they are proof that I’m older than I feel. Time didn’t go this fast when I was their age. Now it feels like I’m rolling down a hill gaining speed with absolutely no brakes. And in all the years I’ve been writing, since middle school, I’ve got one book published, but only because I decided I was going to try and chase my dream for a change instead of helping my husband chase his. It seriously does not help that he's not on board with my dreams.

So, maybe you guessed it…I’m a tad melancholy today. Not only are my boys growing up, but I’m frustrated with my writing. I joined Nano and I’ve typed a little over 13,000 words since Saturday, which I think is pretty good. Hopefully, I’ll get more written this weekend. But, I was reading over some of it yesterday and it was complete drivel! I’d have scraped it if I didn’t need the word count. That alone makes me frustrated. I want perfection, I expect perfection from myself…so, yeah, I’m a perfectionist in a lot of ways.

That led me to thinking how do I know my stuff is good enough to be published? Am I chasing a hopeless dream? How can I know they’re worth chasing? My friends like my stuff, but they’re prejudiced and they’d like anything I wrote. My mother won’t read it because it has the dreaded stuff in it…S-E-X. Shh…don’t tell anyone. She just told me last week that she has almost worked up the nerve to read my book. What? I am so rolling my eyes right now. Really, if she needs to work up her nerve to read it, then I wish she just would not read it! I don’t need the extra drama in my life right now, thank you very much. My mother-in-law thinks I’m going to hell for writing about vampires. If she read any of my stuff, her theory would be confirmed and the flames of hell would be nipping at my heels. I might need to take my socks off and make sure the soles of my feet aren't blistering as I write this rant.

So, I have no true critique group. It’s hard for me to trust folks to give me an honest opinion. One, they’re either going to try and spare my feelings and not give me the cold hard truth. Which does not help me hone any of my writing one little bit. Or, two, they’re going to give advice that is so far out in left field that it’s going to take every hope I ever had and crush it. I’ve seen that happen to someone, had them questioning their ability to write and that person now has a contract for the book that was severely slashed apart. Seriously, sometimes I wonder if folks intentionally want to crush other people’s dreams.

Sorry for the rant, the melancholy, the gibberish above that makes no sense whatsoever. Maybe I’m already cracking under the pressure of Nano. Maybe I’m just cracking under the pressure of a husband that is working too much, children that are involved in anything that involves a ball, a kick or a punch, and I’ve been zooming about like a single parent entirely too much lately. I don’t even know what a home cooked meal is any more. Anyway, I’m shutting up because I’ve dragged you all down entirely too much today. Rah! Rah! What a way to start the weekend off Gracen!

I hope everyone has an awesome weekend. If you care to share, I’d love some advice on how you know your writing is worth placing your hopes and dreams in it? How you battle the husband who doesn't support your writing? How do you stay upbeat without letting your doubts wear your down?

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for your chance to win a copy of Linda Ambrosia’s book, Gulliver’s Children!

I've decided this post is proof that I can write a lot about nothing!

My life

Good morning everyone. I just came home from work, so I'm sitting here writing this about to fall asleep. Please bear with me if it doesn't make a lot of sense. :) Things have been kind of crazy for me lately. My dad had an accident and flipped his car, totaled it, and my mom has to have surgery on Wednesday. So things have been a bit of a mess for me.

I haven't had time to think about what to talk about, so I'm unsure what today's topic will be. 

I've been busy working on edits for a couple of books I've subbed out. One of them is for my novella that the editor requested edits on, so I really have to get it done quickly. The other is for a novel that a partial has been requested. I need to go over at least the last few chapters in case they request a full. But I have a little time on it since I just sent the partial in. So that is what's been going on in my writing life. 

I think I'm improving as far as my revision goes, and the comments that the editor left for me have really helped. It is true that the more you do it, the easier it gets. I've still got a long way to go, but at least I can say that I'm improving. That's always a good thing. 

How has your writing been going? Is there something you feel you're improving on? Or something that you feel like you need to improve on? Leave a comment and let me know what you think or how you're doing. I'd love to hear it. 

Timed writing

I'm sitting here this morning thinking about all I need to get done, but wondering when I'm actually going to get to it all. Many times, I join in a chat room where we do writing challenges for 20 minutes at a time and then at the end, we report back how much work we finished. These challenges have really helped me get a lot done. In fact, I wrote my whole novella in chat challenges. 

Timed writing can work even if you are writing by yourself. Just set the timer and see what you come up with at the end of 20 or 30 minutes. You can amaze yourself at just how much you can get done when you are focused like that. 

One of the main things to remember is that in this short time of writing, you're not supposed to edit yourself. Just write. Don't think about anything but what comes next. You can always go back and edit later. Once you turn off your inner editor, you can get a lot more written. 

Sometimes it goes well and sometimes it doesn't, but even if you're sitting there writing junk, you never know when a pearl will show up in your writing. If you get stuck, skip that section and just write "add later" and keep going. If you need more research on something specific, then you can type in "fill in when researched" and move on. Just don't forget to go back in and fill that in once you have the information you need. This is one of the big concepts of the fast draft notion. The point is to get it all down and not lose momentum. 

Have you ever tried timed writing or fast drafting? It can be a lot of fun and you can surprise yourself at how productive you can be. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. Happy writing!