Today Coffee Time Romance had the opportunity to interview best-selling
Ellora’s Cave writer Jaci Burton. Thanks for taking your time to talk to us.
You are a very prolific writer, do you have a strict writing schedule?
Strict? Me? *snicker* Not really. I try to do a book every month. Depending
on length and complexity of plot, it may take a bit longer than that. I write
every day and that helps keep my mind focused and keeps me on
schedule.
How do you decide which type of book to publish next?
It varies. Some depends on my muse…she pretty much tells me what to
write. I also like to vary my series that I’m working on, so if I do one series
one month, I’ll do the next book in another series the next month. A little
variety is a good thing. ;-)
You’ve had so much success with you paranormals. What made you
decide to write a contemporary romance?
Thank you! Actually I started with contemporary romance, and moved to
other genres after that. I’ve always enjoyed the kind of love stories you can
write in contemporary romance, but wanted to branch out into
paranormals, fantasy and futuristics, and even BDSM. Love is the same
no matter the genre, though.
How did the characters of Jordan and Sam come to you?
They were easy. I love small towns and the unique characters you can find
there. Sam is actually bits and pieces of my husband, Charlie, so he was
easy to define. Jordan had complex emotional issues…just the kind of
heroine I like.
A number of your stories have family oriented characters; was it difficult to
write a character like Jordan, who had been abandoned by her mother?
Not really. I like to give my characters a past. And I wanted Jordan and
Sam to struggle for their happiness. I like to dig deep emotionally
sometimes that means stepping outside of my (and the readers’) comfort
zones. Besides, Jordan gets her family in the end. *g*
What kind of research did you have to do for Magnolia Summer? How
much time does research take before you start writing a story?
Research is fun. Since this is a contemporary relationship story, it didn’t
require as much research as, say, a historical would. But I did do
extensive research on plantation homes in the south as well as on South
Carolina, in general. I usually spend a few days on research before I start a
story.
Why did you choose South Carolina for Magnolia Summer’s location, and
are you following a trend in warm weather locations for your books?
I’m not really sure why I chose South Carolina. I love hot, steamy weather. It
just begs for hot steamy sex to go with it! I loved South Carolina’s location
and the beautiful homes found there.
How did you feel when you first saw one of your books at a bookstore?
And will Magnolia Summer be coming out in print?
Oh I was giddy! It was in Nashville where we had an author’s book signing
at Borders. I can’t tell you what a thrill it was to see my books on the
shelves there! All Ellora’s Cave books eventually come out in print, so I’m
sure Magnolia Summer will be out in print sometime in 2005.
You have two more contemporaries coming out this year. Could you let us
know what they are about?
My next contemporary (which I believe is coming out in 2005 instead of
2004,) is Midnight Velvet. It’s a contemporary romantic suspense about
two government agents who end up stuck together and on the run from
mobsters who want to kill them. Close proximity can lead to all kinds of hot
and steamy adventures, you know. ;-)
Your yahoo group is huge (Jaci Burton’s Paradise), and you and your
husband, Charlie, are quite active there. Is it sometimes difficult to both
write and be involved with your group? How do you manage your time?
Not really. I love playing in Paradise. I tend to work around my writing and
anything else going on to make sure I have plenty of time to “play”. It can’t
all be about work…we all have to have some fun, too! I write every day.
Some days it’s two or three chapters, other days it’s no more than two or
three paragraphs. I’m a slave to the muse, and when she’s on a roll, I listen!
Are you and you husband still writing a book together?
We finished our book! Tangled Web, by Jaci Burton AND CJ Burton, will
be released in November from Ellora’s Cave. We had so much fun writing
this book together! It’s a futuristic about a couple who meet on the internet,
with a bit of a twist. ;-) We decided to write this book together because
Charlie and I met on the internet, so we have first hand knowledge of what
it’s like.
Other than your yahoo group, can readers reach you from your homepage.
Yes! Readers can leave me a message in my guestbook, or join my
newsletter and my Paradise chat group right from the home page of my
website.
Coffee Time Romance would again like to thank Jaci Burton for taking
time to talk to us. Her next book Magnolia Summer will be available in
2005 from Ellora’s Cave. Interviewed by Anya |
