This month, fellow romance author, Teri Thackston, is stopping by to say hi and answer a few questions about her latest book, THE SALVATION OF CAPTAIN BEN CHANDLER published through Cerridwen Press.

Here’s a quick blurb about the book: Rumors of her death have cost Clarity Breckenridge her home and her precious Arabian stallion Sir Robin. Civil War weary Captain Ben Chandler just wants to deliver the stallion he purchased for his cousin in Texas. Thrown together by fate, held together by mutual attraction, they struggle together to outwit a killer who threatens both their plans.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today, Teri!

1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer? And how did you get your start?

I’ve been writing since I was about eleven years old, inspired by Nancy Drew stories initially and then later by Ian Fleming and Alistair MacLean.

2. Where do you find your inspiration?

Everywhere! People I meet, stories I hear or read—both fictional and real—even the whisper of the wind through high grasses on a mysterious hillside…yikes, I’m getting ideas right now!

3. What is the one writer’s tool you can’t live without?

My initial answer would be my laptop, but I really could write with the ancient tools of pen and paper. It’s my God-given imagination, I guess, that is most important to me.

4. How many words/pages do you do in a day/week/month? And how do you keep yourself motivated to do them?

I’m not very disciplined, so I don’t count words or pages. I write until my brain shuts down—sometimes that’s after a couple of hours, other days it’s only after my stomach or my bladder remind me that it’s time to get out of the chair for a break.

5. Whose work has influenced you the most?

Alistair MacLean—no doubt. He didn’t have a lot of romance in his stories, but he knew how to meld action and plot in a way that simply stunned me. I learned how to tell a story by reading his works. I learned to add romance from writers like Christie Craig, Colleen Thompson, Kim Lenox—there are just too many inspiring writers to name.

6. This month is the release of your western historical, THE SALVATION OF CAPTAIN BEN CHANDLER. Where did you get the idea for that?

I was working on my first western romance for Cerridwen Press THE ABDUCTION OF MISS JENNY CHANDLER, and one of the secondary characters—Jenny’s cousin Ben—kept popping into my mind. I actually wrote a few scenes from his point of view and I liked them so much that I left them in that book. That’s unusual for me. I generally stick to the hero’s or heroine’s POV (okay, not always, but usually). I just liked Ben so much that I had to come up with a story for him.

7. Tell us a little about the book.

It takes place shortly after the Confederacy surrendered to the Union—a highly emotional time for our country. Heading home to Texas, Confederate Captain Ben Chandler catches Clarity Breckenridge stealing the Arabian stallion he bought in Kentucky. Clarity claims to own the horse and is determined to get it back. But everyone she knows claims that she died at the end of the war. When a killer tries to permanently end her attempts to prove her identity, Ben whisks her—and her horse—to Texas.

Ben is emotionally and physically weary. His parents are dead, the woman he loved has left him and he suffered so many near-misses during the war that he just wants to hide himself back home. When Clarity’s joyful outlook threatens to bring him painfully back to life, he resists his growing attraction to her.

Meanwhile Clarity’s vow to return home and prove her identity is strained by her growing attraction to the handsome captain who saved her life. But a near rape years earlier makes her afraid that she could not be a whole woman for him, so she pulls back, too. Fleeing a killer and their own pasts, can they reclaim Clarity’s identity and find love and new lives together?

8. This book is a sequel to THE ABDUCTION OF MISS JENNY CHANDLER. Tell us a little about that. Will there be more books in the series?

Jenny’s story takes place in Texas and Mexico a few years before the Civil War. Jenny is a young lady from Louisiana visiting family in Texas. She enjoys a life with no more pressing problem than what to wear to the next cotillion, and she’s content to remain “Daddy’s little girl”. Then she meets Texas Ranger John Grayling and realizes that growing up might not be so bad. Unfortunately Gray’s latest love has just announced she’s marrying someone else. Deeply hurt, Gray swears off women and vows to devote himself to his job. But when Jenny is kidnapped by bandits and Gray is captured trying to rescue her, the young woman’s spirit and sensuality test his vow.

Renegade Comanche and Army gold figure in the couple’s escape, adding to the action and emotion. Gray falls for Jenny, but can he trust her when every other woman in his life has failed him? Jenny loves Gray, but can she break through the barrier around his heart? Can passion’s fire ignite lasting love before evil plays its smoldering hand?

I do have ideas for a couple of more books featuring the Chandlers, but those ideas are still percolating in my imagination.

9. What are you working on now?

I’m working on another romantic suspense, set along the Texas Gulf Coast.

10. If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

When I was young, I wanted to be a world-famous novelist and a spy but I realized that those two occupations wouldn’t go together very well. Today, I think I’d be a sculptor. I find writing is similar to sculpting in that the story is revealed by removing unnecessary layers. I’m not sure I’d be very good at it—my Playdough sculptures seemed limited to snakes and balls!

11. What’s your favorite genre to read? What’s your favorite genre to write?

Oh, that depends on what day of the week it is. I’ve written western, suspense and paranormal and I love all three. If I could write only one…well today I would say westerns. But a few weeks ago, my answer was paranormal. I guess I’ll just keep writing all three.

You can find out more about me and my books on my author page at Cerridwen Press: http://www.jasminejade.com/m-225-teri-thackston.aspx?skinid=13

Or my website: http://www.terithackston.com or my blog http://www.terithackston.blogspot.com. I also hang out on Facebook and MySpace and a lot of reader/writer loops and I love to hear from readers and other writers.

Hey, ya’ll. Guess what? I have a new interview up! It’s over at Mistress Bella Interviews and you can check it out here. Hope you’ll stop by and say hi.

I totally didn’t blog yesterday but I’m making up for it today!

With the economy the way it is, it’s a safe bet most of us won’t be making any big-ticket purchases, like a new computer or laptop. But there are those of us who still like our gadgets at a fair price that we find irresistible. Our fingers itch to get hold of those really cool things we’ve been drooling over.

From eBook readers to easy ways to backup and store your precious works-in-progress, here’s a list of all the cool stuff out there for under $500.00.

Amazon’s Kindle – $299.00 plus shipping
So you’re looking for an ebook reader? Check out the new Kindle 2. And they just lowered the price, which is totally awesome. You can read magazines, newspapers, and of course books. The average cost of a trade paperback is $13.00. The average cost of an ebook is $4.00. I’d say that’s quite a savings if you read more than a book a week. The sleek and slim Kindle is $359.00 plus shipping and if you want to get the extended warranty that’s another $65.00.

Specifications:

• weighs in at 10.2 ounces
• 2 GB internal storage
• 2.0 USB compatible
• battery lasts up to 4 days with wireless turned on (longer with it off)

Supports: Kindle, TXT, Audible, MP3, PDF, MOBI, PRC, HTML, DOC, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP

System Requirements: None

In the Box:
Quick Start Guide
power adapter
USB 2.0 cable
rechargeable battery

Sony Reader – $299.00 plus shipping
Sony’s answer to the Kindle, the Sony Reader offers similarities. One drawback—you have to download the books to your computer and then upload them, whereas with the Kindle, you can download directly to the device. Another slim and sleek design, this has a 6-inch high resolution display for easier reading. I found this online at BestBuy.Com and SonyStyle.Com, so you’ll still have to order it and have it shipped, like the Kindle.

Specifications:

• weighs in at 9 ounces
• internal memory can hold up to 160 eBooks
• SD memory slot (card not included)
• USB 2.0 compatible

Supports: BBeB Book, PDF, TXT RTF and other Microsoft Word text formats, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, MP3 and AAC audio

System Requirements: Requires Intel® Celeron® 800MHz processor or better, Windows XP (Home, Professional, Media Center Edition/2004/2005) or Vista (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Ultimate), 128MB RAM, 20MB hard drive space, USB port and optical drive

In the Box:
rechargeable lithium-ion battery
AC adapter
soft cover
eBook Library 2.0 software

iPod Touch – $229.00 (8 GB) to $399.00 (32 GB)
So you want an eBook reader, do you? And maybe a music player and something to watch videos on, too. Throw a few games in there for good measure. Get an iPod Touch. It’s a PDA, an eBook reader, an MP3 player, portable video player, portable game machine, plus it gives you wireless Internet so you can surf the web, download books from Fictionwise, and even check your email. All at the touch of the screen. It’s everything you need to be portable and still stay connected. Sleek, contoured design and weighs in at 4.05 ounces.

Specifications:

• 3.5-inch (diagonal) Multi-Touch color LCD
• 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB flash drive
• Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery
• Music playback time: Up to 36 hours when fully charged
• Video playback time: Up to 6 hours when fully charged

Mac Requirements:

• USB 2.0 port
• Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later
• iTunes 8 or later
• Internet connection (broadband recommended; fees may apply)
• iTunes Store account

PC Requirements:

• USB 2.0 port
• Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2 or later)
• iTunes 8 or later
• Internet connection (broadband recommended; fees may apply)
• iTunes Store account

In the Box:
Earphones
USB 2.0 cable
Dock adapter
Polishing cloth
Quick Start guide

AlphaSmart Neo – $219.00 plus shipping
Little Alphie, we love you so! This is perfect for the on-the-go writer. Need to shuttle the kids to soccer practice? Take along the Neo. Meeting the writer’s group at Starbucks? Neo is your best friend. It has up to 700 hours of life on only three AA batteries and weighs in at 1.76 pounds. Affordable, flexible and easy to use, pound those words out and then upload to your computer. For more information, check out the website at www.AlphaSmartDirect.Com.

Specifications:

• 5.75″ x 1.5″ LCD screen can be configured to display two through six lines of text per screen
• 2 MB of software (SmartApplet) storage, and 512 KB of data storage to hold approximately 200 pages of text
• System Requirements: Compatible with Mac and Windows and select USB printers

In the Box:
Pre-installed SmartApplets
USB cable
Three AA batteries
AlphaSmart Manager CD
NEO and SmartApplet Quick Guide
Documentation CD

HP Mini 1000 XP Edition – $349.99 at BestBuy.Com
Need more than just an eBook reader? Want to write, check your email, or surf the web? Get an HP Mini Netbook! If you’re one of those on-the-go writers who need access to email and the web while pounding out those words, then this is for you. Write anywhere – the doctor’s office, soccer practice, in traffic (just kidding about that last one). It features a full keyboard—no more of that thumb typing—and is small enough to fit in your purse. It measures 10 inches x 5 inches and weighs in at about 2.4 pounds. Way better the carting your bulky laptop around!

Specifications:

• Intel® Atom™ Processor
• 1.6GHz Processor Speed
• 1GB DDR2 RAM
• 16GB Hard Drive
• Built-in Webcam
• Built-in Ethernet LAN
• Wireless-B+G Networking
• Two USB 2.0 Ports
• Windows XP Home SP3

In the Box:
3-cell lithium-polymer battery
AC power cable
Owner’s manual

Acer Aspire One – $239.99 at BestBuy.Com
Just as the competition is stiff with eBook readers, so is the competition with netbooks. Here’s another model, a tad lower than the HP Mini but still with all the bells and whistles. Ramp up your multi-tasking skills by surfing the web, checking email, reading eBooks, and writing.

Specifications:

• Intel® Atom™ Processor
• 1.6GHz Processor Speed
• 1GB DDR2 RAM
• 8GB Hard Drive
• Built-in Webcam
• Built-in Ethernet
• Wireless-B+G Networking
• Three USB 2.0 Ports
• 3-cell lithium-ion Battery
• Windows XP Home

In the Box:
3-cell lithium-ion battery
AC power cable and power adapter
Software: Acer eRecovery Management, Acer Launch Manager, Adobe Reader
Owner’s manual

And need I say back-up, back-up, back-up? All the gadgets in the world won’t protect your stuff unless you back it up once a month, once a week, or – heck – even daily if you write every day.

Get yourself a good set of thumb drives (aka USB device, jump drive, etc). You can buy up to 8 GB for $30 and that’s a 3-pack. It’s well worth the investment to have all your precious babies backed up. You can get them at WalMart, Target, Best Buy, Comp USA, Tiger Direct, Fry’s Electronics. Virtually anywhere that sells computer gadgets.

Another option is to buy an external hard drive to back up your files. Get a 250 GB one for $150 at BestBuy.Com or in the store.

Every computer comes with a CD Burner these days. Get a spool of CDs and, when all else fails, burn your documents to a CD for safekeeping.

What are some of YOUR favorite gadgets? Answer below to enter a drawing for a $10 gift card to either Best Buy or Amazon.com!

Hi all! My good friend and fellow writing colleague, Colin, is here to talk to us about his brand new release, Stella. Be sure and check out the official page for Stella, by click here.

Here’s a quick blurb about his upcoming book from Eternal Press, available in print and ebook now. Click here to read an excerpt and purchase your copy today!

RANDOLPH LOWE is a distinguished British Secret Agent in the twilight of his career. When he is handed a mission to kill one of the world’s least accessible, yet most wanted assassins, he never expected a beautiful young woman with the alias, STELLA.

Stella leads him around the world as she picks off her marks with ease, during which time Randolph grows infatuated and falls in love. But Stella has her own dark secret. Forced into making a terrible sacrifice, she is destined to live her life as a lone killer.

The love of one man may be enough to free her, and only that man can save her now… but only if he can find her…

And now I’m pleased to have a Q&A with Colin.

What was the inspiration for Stella?

The idea for STELLA first came to me in 1988. I was listening to an album of the same name by Yello, and I developed a series of images to certain songs in my mind as I listened to the album. I always promised myself I would one day write these images down into a cohesive text, but it wasn’t until 2007 that I felt my writing had developed enough that I could give it a bash.

I began by writing down these images, and from that I used the music to further inspire the gaps in between. Slowly, a story began to unfold until I had a first draft. It took a lot more work to make it into what it is today and I’m delighted with how it turned out.

Why write a paranormal mystery; you’ve never written in this genre before?

It wasn’t meant to be a paranormal book. My original idea was for the book to be a spy novella, something with its roots in the mysteries of underground eastern Europe. As the ideas began to develop on paper, though, the book began to take on its own form and it made sense for a paranormal aspect to come into it. I can’t honestly see it working without it now.

Did you enjoy writing in the paranormal mystery genre?

Very much. Looking back, my writing has diversified naturally over the past couple of years. My favoured “genre” is crime, but I have found the two other most enjoyable types of writing I have indulged in has been paranormal (through STELLA), and children’s poetry, through my e-chapbook, Silly Poems for Wee People Vol.1.

At the start of 2009 I vowed I would write more about the things that made me happy, and since making that decision and sticking to it, I’ve had more success and fun with my writing than any other year.

What research went into writing Stella?

Not as much as you might think. Most research concerned the locations in the book that I hadn’t been to, but which I wanted to appear in the book. It’s fast moving story and takes the reader all around the world, so while I could write vividly about Prague, Amsterdam and London, I knew little of San Francisco, Brooklyn NY and Fes, Morocco.

There was also a bit of research into demons and black roses, but mostly it’s all made up – the kind of writing I enjoy most.

Will we see more of Stella and Randolph?

STELLA was originally meant as a personal writing experiment and I never meant, or expected it, to ever be published. However, now it has been, and having enjoyed working with Stella and Randolph so much, I want to do more with them.

Both Stella and Randolph are such strong characters and there are so many questions I have now STELLA is behind me, that I want to find out more about them. And where the author has questions, so too I expect will the readers.

I’ve already begun work on the sequel and am planning on making their story into a trilogy. The book I am writing just now – the sequel to STELLA – is called BACCARA BURNING.

Baccara Burning sounds interesting – what’s it about?

I’m not going to give a lot away – obviously – but it will take Randolph and Stella’s relationship to the extreme. It will be a real test of their love and trust, and through this we will get to know the real them. Both have lived dark and hidden lives, but in Baccara Burning the cloaks are gone and there is no hiding any longer.

The book starts in Sorrento, but ultimately I want to bring them to my home town of Edinburgh, throw in a local ghost legend or two and see what happens.

What else are you working on?

Other than the sequel to STELLA, I have various projects on the go. I have one novel and a novella both in the editing stage, and I’m working on a new chapbook of poetry to be released later in the year. I also have plans to complete writing a crime novel I began near the end of last year. What with all that and writing gig reviews for News of the World, it’s a busy time!

COLIN GALBRAITH’S popularity as a contemporary Scottish writer has grown rapidly over the past few years. He is a prolific published writer of fiction, poetry, non-fiction articles and reviews, and has been earmarked by the Scottish local Press as one to watch.

Today I’m pleased to host fellow writing colleague, Jenny Storm. She’s celebrating her new release, a YA mystery called Dixie Dust Rumors, and took time out to do a little interview with me.

Here’s a quick blurb about the book:

Who could be luckier than a young girl whose father trains racehorses? That is, until false accusations could cause the loss of not only their livelihood and the horses they love, but their dreams. Due to the belief that horse racing is a crooked sport, even unsubstantiated rumors can be fatal to a trainer’s career. Twelve-year-old Rose Olen is determined to find out why a journalist printed innuendos that make her father’s business practices sound unethical without checking facts. Aided by her friends Maya Sanchez and Libby Kim, and her younger brother Simon, they investigate the charges and come up with a scheme to foil the reporter. They juggle responsibilities at school, the contempt and ridicule from other students, and responsibilities at the track as they search for the truth behind the Dixie Dust Rumors.

And, now, meet Jenny Storm!

Hi, Jenny! Thanks for taking time to answer a few questions about writing YA and mysteries.

1. My sister-in-law is an avid horse racing fan, so I’m no stranger to the sport. When did you first get interested in horses and horse racing?

JS: I watched and won my first Kentucky Derby in 1969, when I was seven years old. Majestic Prince was the winner – I fell in love with him. Gorgeous, gorgeous horse. I now have photos of him I will frame for the study in my new house. Along with photos of horses like Point Given, John Henry, and Holy Bull. My mom, dad, and I watched that first race on TV – in black and white – they thought it would be fun, and my grandfather worked part-time as a parimutuel clerk (the guy who takes your bet at the window) in MA on a harness track (He was a lawyer by day). I just fell in love with the sport. I grew up watching the races and took riding lessons at summer camp in New Mexico the summer I was 15. Because I was a girl, they only let me learn English-style riding, but I learned to jump and saddle and take care of horses, and just loved them. Being a city girl, working in theatre on both coasts, I didn’t really have much chance to follow that joy. When I worked on Broadway on MISS SAIGON, I started getting into it again, and some friends and I used to go the New York tracks, which expanded to Florida, Kentucky, and California tracks, and I started focusing my volunteer work on horse-related charities.

At the time I researched this book, I went to the track once a week. Now, I only get to go every few months, although this is my tenth year covering the Triple Crown. I hope to get back into more regular race-going over the next year or so.

2. How different is writing YA from adult fiction?

JS: You still have to tell a really good story and let the characters remain true to themselves. I found myself second-guessing parental response more than changing anything because of the kids. DIXIE DUST is on the younger, more innocent end of the middle grade spectrum by choice. You can’t have dark and intense ALL the time!

3. Any pointers you can give people who want to write cross-genres?

JS: Know each genre that interests you inside out. Read constantly. Pick elements you like best, or that you want to read and can’t find, and use them in your work.

4. I’m sure you get this question(s) all the time, but I’m going to ask it anyway. What are the benefits of having a pen name? The disadvantages? Why would someone choose a pen name over their own?

JS: It’s more for marketing ease than anything else. Different names in different genres. You can choose where to cross-market and where to keep names separate. There are people on the marketing side of it who have trouble wrapping their minds around anyone who’s good at more than one thing. One of the few positives about the bulk of marketing now dumped on the writer is that the writer can shape the individual campaigns better, and choose where to cross-market.

Pen names give you a huge amount of freedom. Each name has a personality and a voice, and yet you still can keep your life separate. It’s a luxury a performer doesn’t have. And, as you evolve, you can retire pen names that no longer suit your work or your life. Much easier than changing your real name over and over! It keeps you from being locked in other people’s boxes. You get to build and rebuild your own.

5. Will there be a sequel to DIXIE DUST RUMORS?

JS: It was originally conceived as a stand-alone, part of – hmm, I don’t want to call it a “series”, but an array of novels for this age range with protagonists in different sports. I’ve got one nearly done where the protagonist is a twelve-year-old female hockey player. And I’ve got notes on books featuring rowing and archery and fencing – all sports I’m interested in.

However, working on the proofs for DIXIE DUST made me realize that there’s more to say with these characters. I’ve outlined the next book with them, which takes place in Saratoga over the summer months, tentatively called DEAD MAN’S STALL. The title sort of gives you the gist of the mystery! The vibe in Saratoga in summer is fascinating, because you’ve got the flat race meet, where there’s a lot of pressure, a lot of quality horses, and the horse people are incredibly busy with that. Then you’ve got the rich, who flock to town to throw around money and their attitude around million dollar horses. Some of them are great, but there are plenty of people who show up who are really nasty individuals. And you’ve got the ballet, up for the summer, and all the other arts and charity events. Seriously, I take more clothes up for three days in Saratoga than I do for three weeks in Europe. It’s all the same people at a variety of events all day every day. I feel like I’m the wardrobe girl/quick change artist of my own life. I’m constantly changing clothes. And there’s polo. I love the sport and the horses; have very little use for the people and attitude around it. And harness racing. And slot machines. Then you’ve got the college students, both working summer terms and those just up from other places for summer term. And you’ve got the townies who couldn’t afford to flee or rent their houses for $3K/week and have to stay in the middle of all that chaos. It’s an interesting dynamic. The town’s much more mellow in the middle of winter. Mix that in with teen hormones, and well, it’s something I want to explore.

6. Since I know you write an adult fiction series (or two!) as well, tell us a bit about that. What is the best thing about writing a series? What’s the hardest?

JS: What’s great about a series is learning and growing with the characters, for both the writer and the reader. If you haven’t outlined the whole series in advance, you really have to make sure you don’t contradict too much in the earlier books, and make sure changes are rooted in past experiences and either compliment or contrast to them. If you’ve outlined the whole series, you have to give yourself enough freedom to let the characters surprise you.

The hardest is not to get caught up in the fear that the series will be dropped and you won’t get to finish it. If something happens and you leave or lose one publisher, just keep going and find another.

And, the longer the series runs, the more carefully you have to track details. I keep notebooks and, once the final proofs go up, I update details, like what backstory was revealed, any new character details, things like how a character takes his coffee, etc. That way, when I write the next book, I just flip to the page and make sure I keep details consistent. Or, if I deviate, there’s a choice and a reason, and I make sure it’s clear to the reader and not just a mistake.

7. Tell us a little about Dixie Dust Rumors. What inspired you to write it?

JS: Several things came together at once. I wanted to write a middle-grade novel, on the younger end of that age range. I love the series fiction from the early twentieth century: Trixie Belden, Ruth Fielding, Judy Bolton, Beverly Gray, all of those. I wanted to write fiction about horse racing. If you hang around a racetrack, you can find dozens of fascinating stories on any given day. I’d love to see a scripted cable show set at a race track. It’s fascinating, and the dynamics and the insular aspect of the world are complex. And yet, you still have to function in the outside world – especially the kids of trainers and owners and jockeys. I wanted to explore it, but also pick particular elements and explore it more simply than I could in adult fiction. I would have approached the same bones of plot very differently in an adult fiction piece, but I wanted to explore it living in Rose’s psyche as she lived it, not as an adult remembering it.

8. What appeals to you most about mysteries?

JS: As a reader, I like to try to figure it out, but also be surprised. I don’t want to get too far ahead of the protagonist, but I don’t want the protagonist to have and act on information I don’t have. I also don’t want the protagonist to be an idiot and keep making the same stupid mistakes. There are definitely mysteries I’ve picked up where I wished the protagonist would get killed off! I like the logic, the puzzle, figuring things out, the why, especially the psychological why. Also, for me personally, I like the sense that there will be some form of justice at the end, and the good guys win. I know that doesn’t always happen, and I respect writers who can pull off something more existential and complex and depressing, but for me, personally, I want the death to have meaning, even if I don’t agree with it, and to feel, by the end, that things have been set right with the world. Watch – having said that, I’ll go in a totally different direction with something like, next week!

Visit the Jenny Storm webpage: http://www.devonellingtonwork.com.jennystorm.html and friend her at: http://www.myspace.com/jennystormya

Okay I spaced and forgot I was doing this today. Well, I didn’t really forget, I just misplaced the reminder in my head that I was doing this today. LOL

ANYWAY… I’m doing an interview over at Book Talk and giving away books. Come on over! Click here.

My good friend, Devon, has a book release today! HEX BREAKER is now available from Firedrakes Weyr. Be sure and get your copy today.

Also, she’s taken time out of her busy schedule to do an interview with me. Enjoy! And go get her book. That’s an order.

Interview with Devon Ellington, author of Hex Breaker

When did you know you wanted to be a writer? And how did you get your start?
I’ve been writing since I was a kid.  I published in school type magazines in elementary school, and did press for the high school’s music organizations in high school.  I wrote some plays in high school, too.  In college, I got away from the writing and focused more on production, although I kept extensive journals.  I got back into the writing, mostly with plays, in the 1990’s, working off-Broadway and writing for actress friends who couldn’t find good monologues.  That blossomed back into prose.  For several years, I ran dual careers on Broadway and writing; in the last couple of years I’ve been making the transition to writing full-time, adding business and article writing into the mix.

Where do you find your inspiration?
Everything is inspiration.  Nothing a writer experiences on any level is ever wasted.  I work primarily from character, so characters tend to be my starting point.  A character starts telling me a story, and then I start asking, “What if?” and we fly from there.

What is the one writer’s tool you can’t live without?
A good pen!  I’ve written outlines and even parts of short stories on bar napkins or the backs of envelopes.  A musician friend of mine was very insulted once because I scrawled a short story on napkins while I sat in the front row while he performed his set – but something in his music inspired me, and it had to be written down RIGHT AWAY.  So, yeah, a good, reliable pen!

How many words/pages do you do in a day/week/month? And how do you keep yourself motivated to do them?
I do as many as need to be done.  I do 1K first thing in my day, usually fiction, and then switch back and forth on projects depending on what’s on deadline. I like to do about 1500 – 2000 words/day on a single project, but switch off projects all day as necessary.   Motivation – this is how I make my living; I don’t write, I don’t eat.  No one else is going to pay the bills or look after me.  It’s up to me.  And I’m not willing to knuckle under to some cubicle job and write “on the side”.  I’ve made my living the entire life in the arts, first in theatre, and now writing.  I suppose you could call Broadway the “day job”, even though it’s at night, but there’s a saying “theatre is a jealous mistress”, which I’ve found to be very true.  It’s much harder for me to write when I’m in a full Broadway show week, so I limit the amount of work I accept backstage.  The writing has to come first, and I have to be ruthless about it.  It’s hard, because I love the work backstage, and I work with some amazing people who matter so much to me, but there comes a point where my own work has to come first.

Whose work has influenced you the most?
So many writers have influenced me.  Harriet Beecher Stowe and Louisa May Alcott are huge influences, as is Shakespeare.  There’s a reason we keep going back to his work after all this time.  I was lucky enough to work with both Arthur Miller and Athol Fugard – within the same six-month period, actually – they were huge influences on me.  As far as contemporary fiction writers, I’d say Jodi Picoult, Elizabeth Berg, Yasmine Galenorn, Sharon Shinn, and Ian Rankin are my strongest influences.  And Chaz Brenchley.  I am totally in awe of Chaz Brenchley’s writing.  Plus he’s one of the best humans on the planet.

Today is the release of your novella, HEX BREAKER. Where did you get the idea for that?
I wrote it on a dare.  A couple of the scenes came into my head after working long hours on a television episodic, coming home and feeling rather zombie-like!  Not to mention annoyed with some of the foibles that take place on a set.  The car chase scene formed in my head when someone was trying to crawl up my tailpipes late night on the I-95 one night.  And the opening sequence was part of a dream I had while working with the inspiration for the character of Randy.  Originally, Wyatt East, the male protagonist, was not even a consideration in the book.  Billy Root was supposed to be Jain’s foil.  But then Wyatt sauntered into the book in Chapter Two and took over.  He pushed Billy aside, and he’s a much stronger individual than Billy, and a better match for Jain.

Tell us a little about the book.
Hex Breaker Jain Lazarus joins the crew of a cursed film, hoping to put to rest what was stirred up before more people die and the film is lost.  Tough, practical Detective Wyatt East becomes her unlikely ally and lover on an adventure fighting zombies, ceremonial magicians, the town wife-beater, the messenger of the gods, and their own pasts.  Hey, it’s always more fun when they have dark pasts, isn’t it?

Will there be more adventures with these characters?
Yes.  I should have a short story available for free download soon.  The second story in the series, tentatively titled OLD-FASHIONED DETECTIVE WORK, is told through Wyatt’s eyes, and is almost finished.  The third will be told through Billy Root’s point of view and is set in Scotland.  Gee, now there’s a surprise, right?  Something of mine set in Scotland – again!

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the Jain Lazarus short story, and  I’m trying to finish OLD-FASHIONED DETECTIVE WORK so I can start on Billy’s story.  I’m working on the next story for the crew of The Merry’s Dalliance – NEW MYTHS will have the first of these pirate fantasy stories in their fall issue. I’ve also begun the second book in the trilogy that starts with TRACKING MEDUSA, the archaeological adventures featuring Dr. Gwen Finnegan and Justin Yates.  This one is called THE BALTHAZAAR TREASURE.  I get to use more of the research from CUTTHROAT CHARLOTTE and The Merry stories in it.  I warn you – Justin’s going to break your heart in this one.

Thanks so much for the interview.

HEX BREAKER
Available from Firedrakes Weyr Publishing, www.firedrakesweyr.com
$4/digital novella, $6/CD

Visit the Hex Breaker site to keep up with the latest Jain Lazarus adventures and read excerpts at: http://hexbreaker.devonellingtonwork.com.

Keep up with Devon Ellington’s writing and latest releases on Ink in My Coffee:  http://devonellington.wordpress.com

Thanks, Devon! I can’t wait to read the book!