INTERVIEW with JAYME EVANS

by

Eleanor Sullo

1. There are references to many kinds of writing in your bio--time travel, paranormal, whatever. May I ask which novels, and types of novels have been published?

My first full-length time travel is out this month in March. My characters in To Sail Through Time end up in 1814 and sail with a privateer of Jean Lafitte's scurvy lot. I have a vampire novel, Eternity's Many Loves, the first of a trilogy, that is coming out in November 2002 and I have a romantic suspense, Sinister Knight, that came out last November. All with Wings ePress, Inc.

2. Which was the most fun for you? Can you say why?

Oh man! That's hard. I guess To Sail Through Time was the most fun to research because I actually got to go to New Orleans and Barataria where much of the story takes place.

3. When you're not in writing mode, what are favorite activities? Could you pick one and tell me why you love it and how you got into it?

I like to raise Chihuahuas, read romance books, and watch movies. As for the Chihuahuas, my son brought home his little darling, Topaz, and got me hooked. Now, I breed my own little darlings. I have puppies for sale...wanna buy one?

4. I gather you've been writing seriously for ten years. Along the way I see you've taken courses, and perhaps read writing books or gone to conferences. Give us all a gem of wisdom that has been especially helpful to you as you developed as a writer.

Keep the balance between good writing and the book of your heart. By that I mean, it is important to write the book of your heart, but do it well. Learn how to write and not just put words down on paper. When I first started writing, that wasn't easy for me to learn, because I was too busy 'telling' my story and spelling words like they sound in my Kentucky accent rather than how they are supposed to be spelled.

5. Suppose your house is burning and you have time to gather up only three possessions ( of any size or weight) before you dash out to safety. What would you take (not counting people and pets)?

1.) My red leather-backed Bible with all my five years of notes scribbled in the margins. 2.) Any of my valuable jewelry that isn't on me or in my safe. 3) My computer or at least the backups to my disks that I don't have off site. I'd have to get e-mail access right away, right?

6. Suppose you have to drop two of those and take only ONE. What would it be and WHY?

That was sneaky. Ummm. I suppose I'd have to drop the Bible and hope I cover those biblical classes soon and drop my computer and hope all my books are backed up. Any of the jewelry that wasn't put away, and I wasn't wearing, couldn't be replaced, because what little I have has a meaning, like my mom's ring and my grandmother's gold nugget.

7.How did you get the idea for this fascinating story? Was it from something you read or heard about or just from gazing at the ocean? But there's no ocean in KY! I mean, the time travel, the historical aspects of the war--this is highly imaginative stuff. Tell us about the development of your ideas for To Sail Through Time.

I have always loved history and romance stories with gentlemen pirates. The ocean has always been a special treat for me, because Kentucky is landlocked. "The Buccaneers" with Yul Brenner is one of my all-time favorite movies, so that set the stage for my book with Barataria, pirates and romance. All I had to add was a day doctor trapped in 1814.

8.What qualities redeem even a risky man like its pirate hero in your eyes?

History only tells us of a few pirates that had any redeeming qualities so I had to go strictly on imagination. I tried to think what I would want in a man I got stuck with in the 1800's and it was difficult to come up with ideas. Personally, I could never deal with Bethany's situation, but the marriage of convenience seemed the best way to provide Bethany a way to exist without being a burden to her brother, Bryce. Good chemistry would be important, but he must have a good heart and a potential for love.

9. If you have a favorite literary hero, or a combination or two or three, who are they and why?

I don't have a favorite literary hero, because...well, I don't really know. I have read so much in my years of reading, but not any particular character, except for the ones I have created in my own mind, have stood out.

10. Give us a peek into your next project, book or otherwise.

I have so many irons in the fire, I don't know which project I'll settle on. It could be the second book of my vampire trilogy or it could be the sci-fi/futuristic stand-alone that I have to fine tune before I send it to Wings for consideration. In my backlog of almost done manuscripts, I have about eight more to get done. I just can't seem to find the time with my 'day' (and night) jobs of editing, art work, web stuff and raising puppies.

Thanks so much, Jayme. We're all looking forward to reading To Sail Through Time!