Kelley St. John Interview

Kelley St. John’s previous experience as a senior writer at NASA fuelled her interest in writing action-packed suspense, although she also enjoys penning steamy romances and quirky women’s fiction. Since 2000, St. John has obtained over fifty writing awards and was elected to the Board of Directors for Romance Writers of America.

Q. Is writing fiction something you’ve always enjoyed, or something that you discovered at a certain point in your life?

A. From the time I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to be a writer. However, I actually wrote for NASA before pursuing the true dream, writing romantic fiction. I grew up spending quite a bit of time telling stories with the rest of the family on my grandmother’s porch. Holidays found us all gathered together and creating stories. Writing seemed a natural progression of my love of storytelling.

Q. Can you tell us a little about your books, and what you write?

A. My single title books (Warner/Grand Central Publishing) are sassy, sexy contemporary romances. My category books (Harlequin Blaze) are sexy paranormal romances (stories about mediums who help ghosts stuck “in the middle”).

Q. This must be one of the dreaded questions, but do you have a favourite…and why?

A. My favourite typically changes based on the most current book, because I’ve been “close” to those characters more recently. For my single title books, I’m very drawn to each of my heroines for different reasons:

a) Good Girls Don’t – Lettie was the “bad girl” in high school who always wanted to be good. Twelve years later, she is determined to prove she can, but because she needs to support her younger sister (Amy Campbell Brooks, who is also in To Catch a Cheat), she ends up working for an alibi agency and providing alibis for cheaters. And just before she can quit the “bad girl” job, she ends up lying to her best friend from way back when. Then she ends up falling for him, but she’s already started their relationship with a lie. Lettie truly touched my heart, because she depicted the person who truly has to work to overcome their past.

b) Real Women Don’t Wear Size 2 – Clarise was the sweet “fluffy” girl that everyone liked (but nobody dated). She had more curves than she thought any woman deserved, and she had never learned to use those curves to her advantage. In this book (and with the help of some fabulous friends), she does. I enjoyed writing about Clarise learning to embrace her shapely self and the sensual desires that she’d kept hidden throughout the majority of her life and received an abundance of mail from readers who enjoyed rooting for her during her journey.

c) To Catch a Cheat – Marissa has been cheated on by every man in her life and decides to get even with a cheater database (www.TheGuyCheats.com). But one of the cheaters was falsely accused and renders payback in the form of his site (www.TheGirlLies.com). The World Wide Web War that ensues is only the beginning when the two end up trying to coexist for a week. This one is my favourite to date, because To Catch a Cheat captures the reality that everything in your past plays a part in your future, and overcoming your past experiences can be a journey that can change your life…for the better.

Q. What was it that drew you to writing romance, and are there other genres that you would consider?

A. Romance came naturally for me, writing about life’s relationships. Typically, those relationships stem around a couple working toward that happy ending, even if they do experience a few bumps along the way. However, my books always encompass the additional relationships that make one’s life complete—relationships with family and friends. You’ll see that all of my books include friends and family, because those are also relationships that truly define a person’s character.

For other genres, I have also written women’s fiction and romantic suspense and hope to release those in the fairly near future.

Q. Where do you get the inspiration for your stories from…is it all imagination, or based on real life events?

A. Most of my books are based on real life events. The alibi agency in Good Girls Don’t was based on alibi agencies that currently exist in Europe. I read an article in Time magazine about alibi agencies and then thought, What if someone worked for a place that required her to lie for a living? And what if she really doesn’t want to, but she has no choice? And what if she ends up lying to her dearest friend? And then…Good Girls Don’t was born. Likewise, in To Catch a Cheat, the cheater database is a concept that already exists on a few Web sites (www.dontdatehimgirl.com and www.womensavers.com).

Q. How about your characters…do you base them on people you know?

A. That question could get me into SO much trouble! {wink} I will admit that I have a couple of characters that are strangely similar to family and/or friends. And I should probably leave it at that, LOL!

Q. It seems to be hard to get noticed as a writer these days. What was your experience, and do you have any advice for others?

A. I believe my background stood out in the media world. The fact that I’d written for NASA seemed to help me with exposure. Also, with my very first book, I gave away several vacation packages that showcased the location for the novel. My readers loved the opportunity to win a trip to Tybee Island, where a portion of Good Girls Don’t was set. Then for Real Women Don’t Wear Size 2, I gave away a couple of trips to Indian Rocks Beach in Florida, which was also a very popular contest.

Currently, I’m giving one cheatee a chance to win a $500 Spa Getaway for To Catch a Cheat. To enter, check out www.TheGuyCheats.com or www.TheGirlLies.com. The contests have also been a nice way to stand out and get noticed. My recommendation for other writers would be to identify what makes you and/or your books unique and then advertise that quality to your readers.

Q. Do you enjoy reading for your own pleasure? What are some of your favourite books and authors?

A. I read at least four books per week, if not more. I love anything by Linda Howard, Iris Johansen, Catherine Coulter, Diana Gabaldon and J.D. Robb. Oh, and naturally, all of the Harry Potter books are on the keeper shelf!

Q. Author’s websites are becoming more and more common these days. Do you think they’re important, and do you enjoy working on yours?

A. I’m blessed that my hubby (who I call the Sexy Cajun) designs websites and keeps www.kelleystjohn.com up-to-date and fun. I do think they’re important, because websites give my readers a means of staying up-to-date with books, appearances, etc.

Q. Finally, what comes next for you? Which book is next to be published, and what are you working on beyond that?

A. I have another Harlequin Blaze trilogy that will be released next summer and is a continuation of the trilogy that came out this year. Then, next November, my next single title, The Trouble with Men, will be released. That book features Babette Robinson, sister of the heroine in Real Women Don’t Wear Size 2. After Babette was introduced in Real Women Don’t Wear Size 2, I received a flood of emails asking me to write her story. Thankfully, my publisher agreed that Babette’s story needed to be told 

Q. Having just read To Catch A Cheat, I have to throw in one extra question here.. is ‘pinky’ based on something that already exists, and where can we get one?! {grin}

A. You know, you’re not the first reader who has asked. Yes, Pinky really is a product that’s available to the public and can be found at quite a few “specialty” stores. In Good Girls Don’t, Amy first invents the unique product, and then since readers wanted to see Amy and Landon again, I brought her back in To Catch A Cheat – naturally, I couldn’t bring Amy back without also mentioning her most prized invention.

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R.L. Royle Interview

Rebecca was born in Toronto, Canada in July 1982 but was raised – and still lives – in West Yorkshire, England. She has two published novels, and is taking a year out to travel before she writes her third.

Q. You have two published books at the moment, can you briefly tell us a little about them both.

A. Lucy’s Monster is a dark tale of an A-list celebrity couple’s fall from grace, with un-medicated schizophrenia and drug abuse playing major parts in the storyline. I experiment with my writing style with each novel and in Lucy’s Monster the reader and writer feature as characters themselves.

Eleven Terrible Months, my latest release, is a realistic ghost story. In 1998 a family of five moved into a haunted flat and lasted 11 months: two years later three of the five members write up their personal accounts of what happened to them during that time. It’s as warm and funny as it is scary.

Q. How long have you been writing, and how did it feel when you first saw your book published?

A. I have been writing novels continuously since I was seven years old. I still have each one, even when I used to think ‘said’ was spelt ‘sed’! I have always wanted to be a published author and seeing my work all bar-coded and professionally made for the first time was an emotional turning point for me… I stopped feeling like a good-for-nothing and thought ‘maybe dreams do come true if you want it enough’… it still hasn’t worked for the EuroMillions though.

Q. Where did you get the ideas/inspirations from?

A. I write about whatever I most want to read/find out about at the time and the story tends to grow from two main subjects. I enjoy experimenting with writing styles and creating something different.

Q. Aside form your own experiences, what extra research did you have to do? Is that something you enjoy?

A. The research into mental health for Lucy’s Monster was difficult at times but I still enjoyed it because I wanted to learn. The research for Eleven Terrible Months was easier because a lot of it was based on my own experiences. It depends on how willing the experts are to help and I faced a lot of red-tape when it came to researching young offenders institutions (which features within the account of one of the characters) but I got some great advice in the end!

Q. Are your characters based on people you know, or are they a combination of various traits?

A. Some are, some are totally fictionalised. Because Eleven Terrible Months is set in my locality (Yorkshire) and about a down-to-earth family, I was able to take a lot from people that I know. I also wanted to base this one around those I love because it’s a book that’s very personal to me and it felt right to include them or their experiences in it. I interviewed some friends about major storylines that were based around them and in other bits I fictionalised loved-ones’ experiences without telling them, so they’d read it then think ‘ey up! That’s about me, that is’… in a good way!

Q. How about the ‘celebrities’ in Lucy’s Monster.. are they based on anyone?

A. They are!!! But when people tell me who they picture playing the parts of the three major characters in a film, it’s never the same as who I originally modelled them on! Who are they…? I’ll tell you if you tell me who you think!

Q. What prompted setting up your own publishing company.. do you enjoy it?

A. When I finished Lucy’s Monster, I was planning on sending out details to publishers until a man I worked with said: ‘why don’t you just do it yourself? It’s only marketing.’ I have worked in marketing for eight years and did quite well for the companies I was working for so I thought ‘well if I can sell refrigeration then surely I can sell something I feel so passionately about,’ and bought a stack of books to see if it really was that simple… it was! So I did six-months worth of research then set up Dog Horn Publishing and never ended up approaching an outside publisher. I love the creative freedom I get with being in charge of my own books but the long hours can be tiring. I’ve been doing this (along with a full time job) since March 2004 and am now looking forward to moving onwards-and-upwards and letting somebody else do the business side of things.

Q. Your books are limited editions, with E11even Terrible Months being a gorgeous hardback. Can you share what was behind this decision?

A. Money, space and time constraints mainly, but releasing limited editions has worked in my favour with the collectors market because when I do become a famous author these ones I’ve done myself will be quite valuable. I say ‘when’ and not ‘if’ because it’s my calling and if you don’t believe in yourself then who else will?

Q. With regards E11even Terrible Months, do you think readers can still enjoy the book if you don’t believe in ghosts?

A. Absolutely. One of the characters is very sceptical and acts as the sceptics ‘voice of reason’, for those that don’t believe in the existence of ghosts and spirits. The book’s not just about ghosts – it’s also about family life, teenagers growing up and the general thoughts of three very normal people, who were thrown into this extraordinary situation. This could be YOUR family and it could happen to YOU in your next house, whether you believe or not! That’s what I think is so scary about it; it could happen to any of us.

Q. So where are you going next, what else do you have planned?

A. I am taking a year out to go travelling and then writing my third novel for release, which I have pretty much already written in my head. As for Dog Horn, I am handing the business over in February 2008 so I can concentrate fully on my writing from now on. I am very proud of my little publishing house and the way I broke into the industry but Dog Horn’s too small to take my work to the levels I want to achieve and it’s time to really get this thing on the road! I now have an agent in New York who deals with everything outside of the UK Commonwealth so fingers crossed for overseas success too. Watch this space and remember my name, because I’ll never stop writing and one day I know I’ll get there. Like the British winter weather, ‘I can feel it in mi bones’!

Jonathan Kellerman Interview

Jonathan Kellerman’s first novel was published in 1985, and he has since written many more. He is author of a series of crime books featuring Alex Delaware, plus other ’stand alone’ books.

Q. You have written a lot of books. Do you still remember writing your first one, ‘When the Bough Breaks’, and how did you feel when it was published?

A. I remember every book I’ve written. When I got published I felt vindicated. No longer a self-deluded rejection sponge.

Q. How did it feel to see that book made into a movie? Did the images on the screen match those that had been in your head whilst writing?

A. Great fun. They did a pretty good job. But, of course, there’s nothing like the book itself.

Q. To someone who has never read your books, how would you describe them? What do you think makes them different to other crime books?

A. I’d like to think that my background as a psychologist imbues the novels with a unique approach to human behavior and crime. But I’m not the judge; the reader is.

Q. Do you have a preference over writing books about the same person, such as Alex Delaware, or the ‘stand-alone’ novels?

A. I enjoy both, but Alex has certainly been good to me.

Q. Is it best to read the Delaware books in order, and do you have a favourite?

A. I write the series so that either is possible. Some people like to read in order. I find that with writers I admire, sequence doesn’t seem very important.

Q. You’ve written a couple of books with your wife – how did that compare with writing alone? And how does it feel to see your son become successful too?

A. Faye and I worked beautifully as a team. I’m incredibly proud of Jesse. But I was proud of him before he got published because he’s a really good guy.

Q. There has been some discussion on the forum about authors who employ writers to help with their books. As a regularly published author, is this something you’ve ever considered?

A. Never. NEVER. NEEEEEVER.

Q. Do you get a chance to read for your own pleasure? If so, who are your favourite authors?

A. I read very little fiction while I’m writing. Currently I’m reading David McCullough’s biography of John Adams. And I just finished Bob Dylan’s autbio, which was brilliant.

Q. What else do you like to do to relax and unwind?

A. Play guitar, paint, hike, be with my wife and kids. And my grand-daughter.

Q. Can you tell us what you’re working on next? Do you think you’ll ever write a different genre?

A. My next Delaware novel, COMPULSION, will be published this Spring. I’m working on the book to follow and may also write a stand-alone. For the time being, I’m more than content writing crime novels.

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