Interview Jeannine D. Van Eperen
by
Ginger Simpson
1) The blurb about "Children of St. Ives" sounds very interesting. Here's your chance to write one paragraph to convince me to buy it.
Perhaps, because it has a little something of everything in the story. The children in this book go on to lead interesting lives even though they’ve been raised in poverty at an orphan home in a tiny village in France. One girl rises to fame in the ballet due to hard work and drive, another, her best friend, uses her beauty and sex to achieve the same goal. There is also a story of undying and eternal love, and a shroud of mystery surrounds a blind boy who arrives at the St. Yves Orphan Home one day with no memory of his past.
2) I noticed from one of your previous interviews that you even enjoy the editing process. Can you share with prospective authors what mistakes you made as a new writer that you no longer make as a seasoned veteran?
I’m not sure I don’t make the same mistakes, Ginger, but I do try to correct them. My editor can tell you how many times I must change using “and then” when writing, but I’m getting better. I work and work at not ending sentences with a preposition, but find that I still do that at times. In dialogue, a writer is allowed that lapse as Americans tend to speak in that manner, but it is not good grammar to do so in narrative. What I now do when I write is go over the last pages I’ve written and edit them before moving on with the story. Not only do I catch typos and mistakes in language but doing this takes me back to the mood of the story.
3) When you are deciding your genre, do your characters decide for you?
I’ll have to give you a sometimes on that. Usually I know before I begin if I will be writing a mainstream, romance, historical or a combination thereof; that said, I wrote a paranormal romance without knowing that was what it was until I finished the book. Then I told my friends at my RWA chapter, Land of Enchantment Romance Authors (LERA) about the story, and they informed me I had written a shape-shifter paranormal romance. I just thought Golden-Rod was weird and wondered why I had written such a strange book. So, in that instance the characters did lead me.
Also, in Children of St. Yves the heroine Jean-Marie just started talking to me, telling me she wanted this story. I recall driving with my husband one day near Peoria, Illinois, when this little French girl began her story. I had to grab some paper and a pencil quickly and started writing. The story begins in the mid 1940s, shortly after World War II.
4) What prompted you to seek Internet publishing?
I believe it is the coming thing, not that we won’t still have libraries and regular books, but since children are now growing up with computers and five-year-olds are more adept with them than I, I must believe that in many cases, ebooks will replace most print books. I can’t understand why all schools don’t switch to giving students ebookreaders and just load the texts into them. It would save a lot of back problems among the younger generations. I’m sure I recently read that at least one school district was trying out that plan. I was pleased to see that someone had the same idea I had.
5) If you had it to do over, would you go the same route or would you seek a literary agent and try to "bigger and better" results?
I have some books published by print publishers. As you are probably aware getting a book published by a big New York publisher is as hard as getting to be a star in movies. One must have their book hit an editor’s desk or agent’s desk at just the right time. I have had editors and agents tell me that they love my writing and the plots, but that they don’t think the book will sell. Funny, but that’s just what they told Ayn Rand about Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. Editors and agents are rarely willing to take chances on an unknown writer. Perhaps the story doesn’t have the requisite three sex scenes or the book is set in 1946 and they are only interested in those set in 2003; and places like Harlequin will not consider a story where the hero is in the arts, unless the writer is one of their big names. At this stage, I am happy to have the opportunity to let the populace choose to read a book that isn’t done on a prescribed formula. Wings gives me this chance to write what I want to write, and hopefully, I’ll find my niche and audience. I do have some very faithful readers.
6) What were some of your most disappointing moments after the release of your first book?
I didn’t have any disappointing moments with the first. My first books The French Physician and Albuquerque came out within a few months of each other. Albuquerque has a banking background set in Albuquerque. I had worked at Albuquerque banks and knew a lot of people in that industry. I sent a mailing to every bank worker I could think of, and they all bought the book, I suppose, thinking they’d see themselves. However the book is complete fiction, although my husband met a man who told him he knew exactly who I wrote about. He mentioned the name and I had never heard of that individual. People will see what they want to see. With those books I also received publicity in the newspapers, was interviewed on the radio and received a review in “West Coast Review of Books”. It’s been downhill from there. I have still been able to garner some newspaper articles and appear at book signings from time to time. Now, disappointments include not being able to get my print books into some bookstores.
7) Do you have problems promoting yourself? What are some of the avenues you've used and do they work?
I answered a bit of this already. Mostly, now I send out mailings via snail mail and on the Internet. With so many complaining of spam, myself included, I only send e-mail notices to those I know and to a listing I have of people I’m not personally acquainted with that have indicated they’d like to received notices from time to time. If I manage to have a book signing, I let the newspapers know. When I have time, I post on several yahoo group listings, and of course, I make the time for this when I have a new book out. I sometimes find that with writing, I can’t afford to take too much time reading messages on the group lists every day. My problem with promoting is that I’m not the type of person who easily pushes oneself into the spotlight, even though I have a theatrical background. To speak before people, I need to pretend I am someone else. In other words, I’m acting. I am or have been a member of South West Writers, RWA, LERA, WisRWA and EPIC. I belong to a women’s club and let the members know I am a writer; in fact, I do this club’s monthly newsletter. I was newsletter editor for LERA and for a newcomers’ club. I just try to let everyone know that I’m an author and have books for sale and give them the URL of Wings and of my websites. I have three: http//:jdvaneperen@freeservers.com, http//:jvaneperen@tripod.com, and http//:www.geocities.com/jve321/Hearts.com I’m having a hard time now keeping them updated.
8) As a cross-genre author, who has penned a historical, I wonder how you conduct your research and what is the most difficult for you?
My historical adventure-romance, Daughter of Spain, will be published by Wings next year. It is set in early 17th century Spain and New Mexico. This is the story of my heart, as I dearly love New Mexico. I researched this book by reading many books on New Mexico, the Conquistadors, and attending lectures on early architecture of New Mexico, and reading books on Spain. Most of my college credits are in history, English history to be precise, though I haven’t completed a story with an historical English background as yet. I have about four chapters completed on a novel set partially in 15th century England, but it keeps getting pushed onto the back burner. Oops, I forget about The French Physician. That book takes place in both England and France, circa 18th century. With such a love of history, I’ve just about done the research already.
9) If you had the opportunity to speak to a "budding" author, what advice would you give them, and what pitfalls would you share?
The budding author should read everything possible in order to have a broad background to bring to her/his writing. I believe reading is the most important part of writing. Don’t let yourself be discouraged. If you have critique partners and they don’t like your work, tough! Let them make suggestions, but don’t believe what they say is gospel. It isn’t. Some people enjoy re-writing someone else’s work. Your book is yours, not theirs. That said, don’t discard everything that is suggested, but keep your voice and your story. If you feel that belonging to a writing group is helpful to you, join one. If you prefer to go it alone, more power to you. Sometimes it’s nice to know that others have the same problems you have. Rejections hurt. They hurt everyone who receives one, and it is helpful to understand that every author gets or has gotten rejections, even the very best. I lectured a group of elementary students last year and said, “To write, read everything you can, even Ketchup bottles.” Some of the students thought that statement funny, but it is true. If it’s printed, read it. Possibly you’ll learn something. Another thing, a writer writes, and re-writes and re-writes. If you want to be a writer, get used to it.
10) There is a lot of talk about the value of obtaining "reviews" of your work. How do you feel about having your own books reviewed and what value, if any, do you get from them?
If a writer wants people to know about her/his book, there must be several reviews. A review can come from another author reading your book and giving his opinion, and hopefully, some kind words or from an Internet site that specializes in reviews. Be advised that not everyone will like your book. It is unfortunate but true. I’ve been blessed with some wonderful reviews, but I have one book out, that people either love or hate. Fortunately for me, I had so many good reviews on that book (not a Wings book), that when I did receive the awful review, I took it with a grain of salt. The strange thing is that book has sold better than some of my other books. People have different tastes. I review books myself, but I usually can find something good within the book; however, I did find one where I could not. Another reviewer might have found that same book heavenly. It is difficult to get a review from your local newspaper, but try it. One can never tell, until one tries. I am not particularly fond of Dan Brown’s books, but he has been on the Best Seller List for over a year with two books. Nor am I a Stephen King fan, but most people love his work. I enjoy reading a Joyce Carol Oates book, but my sister hates her work. A review is one particular person’s opinion on that particular day. In answer to your question, I try to get as many reviews as possible. If I get a good review I’m happy, and if I receive a bad review, I don’t let it ruin my day. I’ve read some wonderful books that have received bad reviews and visa versa.
11) Do you have anything else you would like to share with your readers? With me?
Children of St. Yves is the beginning of a series of books, and if you’ve read According to the Rules you will find that a few of the same characters appear as members of the Paris Opera Ballet in smaller roles. The story of the some of the primary characters in Children of St. Yves continue in Lila’s Protégé and Before the Star Fades. I actually wrote Lila’s Protégé first, but then the characters wanted me to write their earlier story. In this case, the characters led me back to their beginning.
Thank you, Ginger for taking the time to interview me. I hope you and everyone else will give The Children of St. Yves a try and don’t forget Wings has also published two other of my books, Memory and Desire, a contemporary story of a rock star who drops out, and According to the Rules, set from 1936 to 1945, that takes the reader into the world of the ballet. The reader may find the people of ballet very different from what they expect.