Interview Jeannine Van Eperen
by
B. G. McCarthy
1) I see this is your first book for Wings. Tell us about it.
Memory and Desire is about a young man’s desire to find himself. He was raised in poverty on a Caribbean island that caters to the wealthy. At age sixteen he is discovered by an American actress who tells him she can make him a star. He can have the American dream, or is it a nightmare?
2) Do you write in more than one genre? If so, do you find it hard to switch genres and can you write in each simultaneously? Which genre is your favourite?
I write in various genres: contemporary, paranormal and historical romance; mainstream general literature; historical literature; and mystery. I don’t find it difficult to switch. I think what I write depends on the mood I’m in when I begin a story. Very often I have no idea where the germ of an idea will lead me. Some of my stories are sweet romances and others are sexy and edgy. I really don’t have a favorite type, and I like variety in almost every aspect of life, so that must be why I chose to write in various categories. I think I’d get bored if I wrote the same type of story time and time again.
3) Which phase of writing a book is easiest for you? The most difficult?
That’s a hard question because I enjoy all aspects of writing, even the re-writing and editing. I guess I enjoy the process so much I don’t dread any of it.
4) What’s more enjoyable for you? Creating heroes or villains? Action scenes or your book’s introspective moments? Dialogue or passages of description?
I must say that I do enjoy writing dialogue, and often do that first and then go back and put in more description. At least when I first began writing, I did it that way. I dislike books with pages and pages and pages of descriptions and little action and dialogue.
Villains are fun because I can make them do and say things I would never do or say. In my upcoming Wings book According to the Rules, the hero is an anti-hero and the main female character is certainly not a heroine in the ordinary sense of the word. That book I believe will be published in September.
5) How would you describe the hero in this book? How would you describe your heroine?
The hero is a young man who because of circumstances beyond his control is confused and is trying to find himself. He is also incredibly handsome, talented and charismatic. The heroine is talented, an attractive, typical American girl. She knows what she wants in life. There are several women involved in the life of the hero, but one who is truly special. The story has a romance or two in it, but it isn’t written as a romance, it’s mainstream general literature.
6) Do your own hobbies and passions ever sneak in and become those of your character?
I suppose they sometimes do. In another book, I have a character who is a pilot and I hold a private pilot’s license. I sometimes have my characters downhill snow ski, a sport I love. They often like the same type of music I like, but there are many characters that like nothing I like. I have books coming out from Wings that have a ballet background, and I studied ballet and use my knowledge in my work. I think it is more that I use things I know about and that I can write about with certainty.
7) What are you at work on now? How do you feel about writing? Any hints for getting over rough spots?
I’ve been so busy with editing and getting several books ready for Wings and other publishers that I’ve had to put new projects on the back burner, but I do have about three chapters on a new work that will be a historical taking place in Cornwall, England. I saw this grey mansion on a cliff above the sea and it set off a story in my head. I hope to see it through some time this year. Writing is my passion. It is something I have to do. My only hint as to getting over rough spots is to persevere. One may have to change something in the story but eventually it will work out.
8) Who are your favourite writers? Who are your favorite characters in literature?
My favourite writer, and I have a few others, is Norah Lofts, a wonderful English writer who did historicals, contemporaries, mysteries and non-fiction. Most of my favorites write a lot of history, especially British history. Susan Howatch, too, tops my list. I also enjoy Colleen McCulloch, Ayn Rand, Nelson De Mille, John Grisham, Karen Kijewski, Robert Crais, Sharon Anton, Kenneth Follett, Thomas Costain, Kenneth Roberts. I think my list is getting too long. Characters are harder to pick, so I won’t.
9) If you could spend time with any literary character, even one of your own, who would it be and why?
Gee, I’m in love with most of my heroes so that is a difficult decision. I’ll opt for another. Maybe Amber of Forever Amber. She had a diverse and exciting life during in interesting period in history and as I recall the story she was embarking on another quest to the New World as the book ended. That gal would have to have many interesting stories to tell.
10) Do you belong to any writer’s groups? What’s your TBR pile like?
I’m a member of South West Writers, RWA, Land of Enchantment Romance Authors, EPIC and a past member of WisRWA.
My TBR pile is huge with a lot of less known authors than I mentioned above. In my spare time I do reviews so those books seem to go to the head of the pile. I’m reading Waking Walt to be followed by The Acts of Judas and there are a lot of Wings books waiting for my attention, too. I keep reading the Wings Readers Group and there are some wonderful stories on the TBR from there.
11) What advice would you give hopeful writers?
Keep writing. Don’t let rejections get your down. Get the whole story down and then go back and polish it to perfection.
12) How do you feel about getting reviewed?
I love to be reviewed. I know not everyone will like my work, but many will, and I can always learn something from the good and the bad. Naturally, I prefer the good and so far my reviewers have been kind. From experience I know of some run-away best sellers that I haven’t liked but others have praised and visa versa, so it is all a matter of personal taste.