1.
When did you know
you wanted to be a writer? What were some of your first steps toward making
your dream a reality? How would you say most of your stories are conceived?
Dreams? Research? Experience?
My first book was published 25 years ago… What an amateur I was then; how
much better am I now? Mmh – jury’s still out. Stories come from day-dreams, but
always brought to life with experience. I am insistent on true-to-life, even in a
fantasy setting.
2.
What 3 things
would you like readers to know about you?
Really
– I just don’t care! I want people to know and like my books, and don’t feel
that I matter at all
3.
What role does
your family play in your writing, if any? Any pets? If so, how many and what
kind?
A
lot of my books are sexy, so I make a point of refusing to discuss exactly
where the line between fantasy and reality lies. Would not be fair to my
partner! On the other hand, my cat Rudy is fair game. If only he could read
perhaps he would stop being so arrogant.
4.
Tell us about
your books. Genre, titles, any favorite characters? What can we look forward to
from you in the near future? WIP’s, upcoming releases?
Most
of my output is either sexy romance or adventure. As I said above, all of them
are meant to feel real, even when
they are talking about witches etc. It’s always easier to make a story real if
you have an actual location in mind. I have been lucky enough to live in
several countries (we were part of the oil industry) so exotic locations, food,
people are frequent. I have written a little history too and right now I am
working on an explanation of fracking – I shall call it Fracking 101. My absolute best seller is a lifestyle title - How to make Wild, Passionate Love to your
Man
5.
Is there a common
thread in your books? How do your values show up in your writing? What do you
want readers to take from your writing?
I don’t do sad, horror or
violence, and I insist on my heroines standing up for
themselves. So Anesthesia
Steele in Fifty Shades wouldn’t get a
walk-on part! I
would love women to take encouragement from my books, and
recognize that sex
can only help their relationships. So give yourself enough
time to make love – it’s
important!
6.
What do you look
for in a good book? In what ways would you say your books exhibit these
qualities?
First
and foremost, it has to be a good story. Real characters, real settings,
sensible motives – real! Then you need a plot that keeps the reader engaged.
Even if they guess that it is all going to end well, they still won’t exactly
how that is going to happen…
7.
What are some
things you know now about writing and being an author that you wish someone had
told you at the very beginning?
It
would have saved a lot of heart searching if I had been told that the book
trade is not concerned too much with the quality of your writing. As long as it
reaches a certain minimum standard, it’s good enough. (Look at The Da Vinci Code… and that sold
zillions.) It took me years before I realised that my writing was pretty good
but I just lacked the vital ingredient for success – a favourite uncle in the
book trade.
8.
Along that same
line, what are some of your favorite resources?
Google
and Wikipedia! Life is just so easy for us now, with the instant research tools.
Another great resource is knowledge of places. Given a choice, the reader will
always go for a back street market in Kalimantan over the familiar shopping
malls of home.
9.
What lifts your
spirits when you’re discouraged?
The
next sale. It’s all about people giving good money to read my books – always
makes me feel good.
10.Other
than writing, what’s your passion?
I
live in a remote village in the far north of tropical Queensland. I am
passionate about life here; it takes so much time to get the simplest stuff
done here.
11.Not
limited to writing, what do you believe are some of your greatest
accomplishments so far?
You
know, I have done things that make people jealous but I can’t characterize them
as achievements myself. I don’t look at my life that way…
12.What
tips can you offer towards building and maintaining a strong support system as
a writer?
Keep
in constant touch with your writing friends (I am blessed with several). Swap
ideas, edit for each other, promote each other’s work. What goes around, comes
around.
13.For
the adventurous, write a descriptive 4-line poem. You’re welcome to freestyle):
Jacqueline,
Going her
own way,
Butterfly
brain and
Pain in the
bum!
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