Who's That Girl? interview with Michelle de Rooy

Please welcome, contest diva, fellow RWAustralia member and Jedi apprentice, Michelle de Rooy. 

RWNZ Clendon Readers' Choice

Name? Michelle de Rooy. 

Where are you? South-east Queensland. The cold part! :) 

How many years have you been a member of our organisation? I have been a member of RWA(Oz) for four years now; RWNZ for two; and RWA for two.

What genre/s do you write? Mainly Fantasy and/or Sci-Fi romance. Have written contemporary, and Romantic Suspense also. I like all the genres, but I keep coming back to spec-fic. Although I must say I loved the adrenaline rush of writing an assassin. 

Who are your favourite authors? Okay, hard question! There are so many that I have to give the die-hard faves and the most recent faves.

These are in no particular order: Anne McCaffrey; Julian May; Andre Norton; Raymond Feist; George RR Martin; Robin Hobb; Tolkein; JR Ward; Christine Feehan; Susan Mallery; Anne Stuart (LOVE her Ice series); Terry Brooks; Isaac Asimov... The list never ends! 

What inspired you to write romance? I can't say anyone in particular inspired me to write romance; it was just that I had these stories in my head.

I would read, then re-read my fave spec-fic stories and re-imagine them in my head for weeks (sometimes months) at a time with the original and different cast of characters (I'd casually delete the ones I didn't care for too much and reinsert ones I made up!).

I had no idea what fan fiction was - this began when I was 12 years old. Waaay before the Internet, LOL. I loved my fantasy books with my whole being, but I thought something was lacking. I couldn't put my finger on just what it was, though.

It dawned on me in my senior year of high school that it was the lack of a romantic relationship. Oh, there were some that had the required, "Will die/fight/insert whatever battle you like here for a princess," etc, but there was never any emphasis put on the developing relationship. It was just...there. And you never really SAW the girl.

So I started to write my books in my head. The one that is doing okay in contests at present has been in my head since I was 17; that's a long time for a story to percolate! The poor heroine underwent a few major changes in that time, too. Personality, race, name, which planet she came from, LOL - but her hair was always blindingly red. 

If I am to credit anyone with the actual romance side, I would have to say there are two novels I read in high school that really affected me.

One was a Desire - about a Venetian(?) palazzo owner and a foreign girl. I remember the gondolas. I re-read that book a dozen times or more. I can't remember the name of it, and I was gutted when my mum took it to a recycle book shop without me knowing. It was published in the mid to late eighties... I must try and find it.

The other is one called JENNY'S CASTLE. I don't know who wrote it (Kylie says: I do believe that was Elizabeth Sinclair), but I cried and cried. No matter how many times I read it, I still cried. I kept it for YEARS, and it got lost in one of my many moves after Uni. Had a yellow cover. Was an early to mid nineties Harlequin book. 

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? Ahh, that's a loaded question!

I have a list, one agent on the top (Shhh! It's a secret!), but any agent who loves my book as much as I do is going to be hard to beat. I want the relationship a boutique agency offers. The in-for-the-long-haul attitude. I want someone who will guide me to make great business decisions, will teach me what I need to know about the industry, and isn't afraid to kick me up the rear if I need it. I don't need hand-holding as such, just guidance.

Publishers - the same. Someone who believes in my book; my voice. Someone who is prepared to say, "This one is IT. This one has loads of potential." 
 
What's the best thing about going to conference? I LOVE CONFERENCE!!! The first one I went to in Sydney, I felt like I'd come home. There were people there who GOT me. Who understood. Who didn't want to lock me up because I had all these wonderful characters in my head saying, "Hey! Write ME!!!"

The amazing exposure to craft help (and believe me, I needed it! Still do...); the published authors who came up and introduced themselves to a wide-eyed and terrified newbie and made her feel like one of them; the meeting of friends I'd made over the loops.

These are only the tip of the iceberg. I have made some very close and lifelong friends through Romance Writers of Australia and this is a fact I'll never forget. The networking with amazing agents and editors that I never though it get the opportunity to meet. This is what I love. 

And lastly, finish these statements... 
My greatest strength as a writer is...strong characters, and dialogue. Sometimes my settings can be a little light on the fizz, something which my wonderful CP's pull me up over VERY quickly, with an, um, excuse me??? 

The eyes have it...

A sexy hero needs...eyes to die for. And a sexy butt!! I admit it, I'm a butt girl! And usually thick, raven hair...
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...an awesome space-fighter pilot who finds himself in a rather unique situation, he's in love with the woman who was to be his adopted sister; and a heroine who has loved him for many years, who goes missing...
When I write I like to...  play new-agey type music, no lyrics or I'll sing along and write the lyrics instead of my ms! Also, the LOTR soundtracks get played a lot.
My best writing milestone to date is...I'm going to be greedy here and take four: Actually FINISHING a ms; winning the RWNZ's Clendon Award Reader's Choice Trophy; finaling in the RWAustralia Emerald Award top 3 two years running; and finaling in my first US comp - the RWA Emily - coming fifth.

Michelle, thank you for taking the hot-seat this week!

Good luck in all those finals and see you in Melbourne (and Auckland!) in August!

RWAustralia R*BY Award nominees announced!!!

Romance Writers of Australia announced the 2011 finalists in the Romantic Book of The Year (R*BY) Award today.

Mega-cheers for the R*BY finalists who include:

Anne Gracie

Elisabeth Rose

Emily May

Sophia James

Dianne Blacklock

Helene Young

Kimberley Freeman

Monica McInerney

Emma Darcy

Lindsay Armstrong

Melanie Milburne (x2)

Natalie Anderson

Margaret Way

Marion Lennox

Michelle Douglas

Congratulations to all the nominees!!!

To see a full list of books and authors, click here! For a look at past winners, click here.

The winners of each category will be announced at the RWA "From Here to Eternity" conference Awards Dinner at Hilton on The Park, Melbourne, on Saturday 13th August 2011.

Boy, I can see myself getting hoarse from all the cheering I'll be doing on the night. :-)

GUEST AUTHOR: Robyn Donald

A huge welcome this week an author who has almost seventy published romance books to her name.

She's a co-author of WRITING THE ROMANTIC NOVEL with Daphne Clair and was one of two New Zealanders invited to contribute to an essay entitled Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance writers on the appeal of the Romance Novel, edited by Jayne Ann Krentz, and pubished by the University of Pennsylcania Press, and winner of the Susan Koppelman award for its contribution to feminism.

Please say g'day to Robyn Donald!

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I live with my husband in the northern part of New Zealand, overlooking a distant view of our lovely coastline.  Not too far away are the most wonderful grandchildren in the world.

I’m a passionate reader.  I learned to read before I went to school, and spent a lot of my childhood with my nose in a book.  I don’t have hobbies but I enjoy lovely gardens and I’m very good at weeding.  I also like food and trying out new recipes with my daughter, a much better cook than I am.

And in New Zealand’s wet winters, I like to holiday somewhere warm and dry with lots of sunshine!

When did you start to write and how long did it take you to be published?
I started to write after the birth of my first child.  I’d always loved romantic novels – Georgette Heyer was an especial favourite – but it was then I discovered the Mills & Boon romances, perfect reads for a pregnant woman with a small son.  I devoured them, and without making any sort of decision slid into writing them.  Or trying to write them...

It took ten years of abandoned, half-finished manuscripts– and my husband’s suggestion after his heart attack that perhaps I should try completing one – for me to finally do that.  To my astonishment, after revisions THE BRIDE AT WHANGATAPU was accepted.  It felt like coming home.

What sparks your creativity?
I wish I knew.

It sounds very boring, but routine is important to me; I have a set time to write, and I’ve concluded that inspiration lives mostly in my keyboard.  I scribble thoughts down, but rarely use them.  I keep a board of pictures I find romantic or interesting or funny, but hardly ever look at them while I’m writing.  I play music while I write, but often won’t hear a note.

I read voraciously – books, magazines, newspapers – and I have to confess I listen to gossip; sometimes when I reread a book of mine I’ll be able to trace some incident back to something I’ve read or heard about, but always it’s become something entirely different, something that suits only those particular characters.

Northland countryside, NZ

What do you think it is about your genre that readers find so fascinating?
The glitz and glamour of the settings, and the intense, emotional charge between the two main protagonists.

Are you a pantster, scener, or plotter? Is it your characters or plot that influence you most? What’s your writing process from start to finish when writing a book?
My process, alas, involves a lot of rewriting...I have only ever plotted one book; shortly after I was published I read an article in a writing magazine that set out a foolproof system of producing a novel.  I thought it was brilliant, so I followed the instructions.  When I’d finished I was delighted with my efforts - but I never wrote the book.

Eventually, after struggling far too long with it, I realised that I write books to find out what’s going to happen. Once it was all laid out in front of me, I lost the excitement and anticipation of the actual writing.

Invariably I start with a setting, and a house, and one main character – usually the heroine, but not always.  After that it’s a matter of sitting down and plugging away, with occasional wonderful moments of discovery when my muse reveals that a throwaway remark in Chapter Two is of vital importance in the final scene.

Aus/NZ cover

Can you tell us about your latest release?
THE FAR SIDE OF PARADISE is set in one of my favourite locales, my imaginary Pacific island of Fala’isi.  I woke one morning with an image of a man listening to a dramatic, tragic answerphone message, and making a vow to punish someone, and it all happened from there!  The woman Cade wants to punish – a matter of justice, he tells himself, not revenge – is Taryn, the reason for his brother’s suicide.

(UK cover)

THE FAR SIDE OF PARADISE
Her awakening in paradise... 
Instead of the heartless seductress Cade Peredur expected, Taryn's blue eyes reveal an innocent sweetness clouded by private mystery. Determined to gain her trust and find out the real story, Cade sweeps her away to the dreamy tropical island of Fala'isi, and finds himself unprepared for the raw, passionate power of their steamy nights!
 A disastrous engagement has left Taryn wary of men, but Cade stirs feelings she's never known before. However, when Cade's identity is revealed, will Taryn's paradise fantasy be washed away with the Pacific tides...?

Can you share a few fun facts about the geographic locations where your novel takes place?
I adore the Pacific islands, and Fala’isi is the perfect one, with everything I need for any book I decide to set there!  There is sun, perfect weather – or a cyclone whenever I need bad weather - an exquisite lagoon ringed with enchanting atolls, mountains, a legend, gorgeous sunsets, and palm trees and the scent of frangipani flowers and gardenias – as well as fabulous men and women!
How gorgeous! Sigh. Makes me want to go and get stranded... 

What was the easiest and hardest parts about writing the book?
The easiest part was waking up with that image in my mind!  The hardest – coming up with an actual story to fit it.

More of beautiful NZ

What’s the worst writing mistake that taught you a valuable lesson?
Not finishing those first manuscripts.

Once I gritted my teeth and decided to plug away to the end, even though I was certain it was hopeless and dull, I discovered I’d given up far too easily.  I still get that feeling with every book I write, but I know now that perseverance will get me there.
Take note! Some very wise words here, folks!

Do you have a pet that keeps you company when you write?
The dog, a Corgi, is actually my husband’s companion, but when I’m alone Buster lies under the desk and snores while I write.  I’m almost sure he feels he’s keeping me company. 

If you weren’t doing what you do today, what other job would you have?
I trained as a teacher, so I’d probably be doing that.  In fact, in a way I've always taught.  With Daphne Clair I’ve taken weekend courses on writing romance (Kara's School of Writing Romance) and we get an enormous amount of pleasure and fun from them – and many of our graduates have been successfully published.

Tuscan countryside

Are there any particular settings or sorts of characters you’d like to use in a future book?
One day I’d like to set a book in Tuscany – which would mean a visit there for research purposes.  Quite a long visit, I’m sure...
Oh, what a great idea! Tuscany is gorgeous. I had the pleasure of visiting there this time last year. 

What’s next for you? What are you working on?
Right now I’m writing about a young mother whose unhappy previous marriage has left her so determined to protect her son she tries to ignore the man she’s falling in love with. 

Do you have any advice/handy tips/craft skills you’d like to share with unpublished authors?
Finish every manuscript you begin.  It’s the only way to learn how to write a whole book.
  
Robyn, thank you visiting today, it's been wonderful having you here! I look forward to seeing you at the RWNZ conference this year in Auckland, NZ.

Some of Robyn's many books:

If you'd like to contact Robyn, visit her website.

Happy Mothers' Day, Mum!

To all the mum's out there - have a wonderful day!

A special hug and kiss to my mum.

Thank you for giving me the world and loving me.

I love you!

CRAFT: Editing Your Manuscript - Layering

You've finished your manuscript and set it aside for a couple of months. What now?

Well, editing is a good first step. There are a lot of techniques you can use to polish and primp your manuscript in preparation for submission to an agent or editor.

Recently on one of my writing e-loops we discussed the technique of layering. Several of us came up with differing interpretations of what it meant. For me it involves a couple of things.

1. Deeper POV (point of view) - can I add anything to the text to get me deeper inside the character's point of view?
2. Sentence structure - can I restructure/add/delete/rephrase a sentence to give it more depth?

How do I do that? Well, here are a couple of examples taken from my WIP (work in progress). I'll tackle sentence structure first then deeper POV.

Sentence Structure
(unlayered sample for setting)
 
He scanned the clearing ahead. A large tree had fallen across it. It's bark was weathered and scarred. An animal trail ran alongside it but no tracks marked it. He hadn't expected any, not with this warrior. He was too cunning.

(layered sample)

With eyes narrowed he scanned the sunlit dappled clearing ahead. A large fallen tree lay partway across it, years of rot and weathering scarring its gnarled length. An animal trail paralleled the downed tree but the debris along its path was undisturbed, the moss coating its bark intact. He hadn’t expected to see any telltale marks or tracks, the warrior was cunning and unpredictable, moreso with the pressure of being hunted by half a dozen Na’Chi.

*This is more about sentence restructuring and adding description to give it depth. The first example is character, setting description, setting description, setting description, character. Pretty straight forward.

The second example tries to tie both together, so you're getting it through the characters eyes (POV) and there's added description (adjectives) and the sentence structure is more complex.

Deeper POV
(unlayered sample)
Varian stood there, a strange feeling curling in his gut. He shook his head. The yearning made him ache and he craved it with a hunger so powerful it terrified him.
He wanted to pull away. He couldn't. He ground his teeth together.

*You can see the character wants something, a little about how he reacts to it. A lot of the sentences are pretty "standard", and the sentence construction very straight forward.

(layered sample)
Varian stood there feeling peculiar, an uncertain warmth curling in his gut even as he shook his head. A part of him wanted to laugh in disdain at the idea, but another, more selfish part coveted every word.
The yearning made him ache. Made him crave with a hunger so powerful it terrified him. He wanted to pull away, break the physical connection so he could unravel the thread tying her words to his soul.

He couldn’t.

He ground his teeth together, hating that he could be so weak.

*Can you see how much more we get "into" Varian's thoughts/head with this version. There's much more depth to how he reacts and what he's thinking (hopefully this pulls you deeper into his character).

The sentence structure is also more complex and takes away the "standard" feel by adding that little more description.

Also check out the physical paragraphing. Sometimes that can also add emphasis to the scene. Instead of running the last two sentences onto the back of the second paragraph, I gave them each one of their own. I wanted to emphasis what the hero was feeling - doing it sort of adds invisible exclamation marks, mental pauses, and emphasis to what he's experiencing.

One of the best ways to see this layering effect at work is to pick out one of your favourite authors and analyse a paragraph or page of their work.

Deconstruct it. Look at how they structure their sentences, how they described physical reactions, emotional reactions, comparisons etc. then add some zing to a scene of your own.

Experiment (just don't forget to cut and paste your experiment into a new document rather than work on your original version).

So, there you have it. That's my interpretation of layering. Here ends the lesson. Any questions? :-)

# Picture from http://fantasyartdesign.com/"> Fantasy Art 3D Wallpapers, digital art modern online gallery.

Who's That Girl? interview with Shea Berkley

We're headed inland USA today to meet another fellow 2010 Golden Heart® finalist. 

Name? Shea Berkley
My kids call me "Hey, lady."
My husband calls me "Woman, where's my supper?"
I think I've been kidnapped, but the authorities assure me this really is my family.

Where are you? At this moment in time I'm in my loft typing away at revisions that for some odd reason my editor is insistent I do.  I don't get it.  She bought the book.  Why would she want me to change the perfection that it is?

Okay, tongue out of cheek. (maybe not all the way, but mostly)  I live in the Northern Hemisphere in a little place called the United States of America in an obscure state, New Mexico which most Americans don't even know is part of the United States.

I kid you not.  I live with said aforementioned husband (aka my sugar daddy). Against our country's wishes we've produced five children whose sole mission in their collective lives is to make me insane.  They just haven't realized I was crazy enough to marry their father ... so HA! on them.

Stunning New Mexico landscape

Oh, New Mexico! I traveled through there...(mumble, mumble)...years ago when I was twenty after taking part of an exchange program with Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania.
I loved the stunning landscape, particularly around Albuquerque (and of course, a hop, skip and a jump away in Arizona is the Grand Canyon)!

The Grand Canyon, AZ

How many years have you been a member of RWA® America? I'm not sure.  A while. More than ten years.  I think they want me to forget I belong, but I keep sending them my dues and they grudgingly take them.

What genres do you write? I started out writing nonfiction and then got the bug to write fiction. My first foray was in historical romantic fiction.  I lived in England at the time and was just soaking in the history so it seemed like a no brainer.  Over 200,000 words later and a sweetly worded rejection from Avon, "You've got to be kidding me this is seriously way, way, way too long."

I switched to contemporary romantic fiction and finaled for the first time in the Golden Heart® contest.  It was fun, but I realized I was not romantically inclined enough to write straight romance, so I then turned to writing Fiction with Romantic Elements and finaled in my second Golden Heart® contest. Fun again. Then I decided, because I read so many Young Adult stories (yeah, I've got a Peter Pan complex) I'd try my hand at writing YA and I finaled for the third time in the Golden Heart® contest.  Super fun.

Between all that, I wrote a story called TORREIN: AGE OF FEAR, a epic coming of age fantasy.  For a long time the market for epic fantasy was dead.  Then my agent found an amazing publisher that loved my story and bought it.  TORREIN: AGE OF FEAR will be released November 2011 with Variance Publishing.  Super fabulous fun!!!

Who are my favorite authors? Oh, I'm a fickle girl.  I usually fall into a mad crush with the one I'm reading. Suzanne Collins is spectacular.

Then there's Sharon Sala. Bernard Cornwell. Dean Koontz. Darynda Jones. Melissa Marr. Lisa Gardner. Jordan Dane. Susan E. Phillips. Lesley Kagen. Sarah Addison Allen. Holly Black.

See?  I could go on and on and on...

Hmm, I don't think you're fickle at all, Shea! It looks like most writers recognise and love a good story, doesn't matter who wrote the book. So it's logical our tastes and favorites will change over time!

What inspired you to write romance? I read, a lot.  I've always loved romance.  People love to be in love or find love or remember love or defend love.  But we're playing by the truth game today, well sort of. Not everything I'm telling you is strictly 100 proof truth, but a lot of it is. You figure out what's real and what isn't. (big, fat grin)

But what I'm about to tell you is true.  I'm not much of a romantic.  I love romance, but I can't seem to be romantic.  I'm more interested in playing and making out than being romantic, so when I sit down, I have to force myself to think in a way that is in direct opposition to how I view life.  But I get points for trying, and sometimes I actually pull a miracle from my sweet ... ahem ... gluteous area and please my agent with a romantic scene.

Who's your agent? I have a dream of an agent, Laurie McLean for the wonderful Larson and Pomada Literary Agency.  She's got my back. Love her dearly.

Ohh, Laurie was one of the agents I had on my top ten list! Good on you for snaffling her, she sounds like a gem!

What's the best thing about going to conference? Hands down, meeting other writers. It's a geekfest of talking story, structure, character and motivation.  I get all blushy and my heart speeds up when I think about it.  Sadly, I won't be attending the 2011 RWA conference in New York, but I wish I were.  (sniffle, sigh)

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...umm, I don't know.  I've never thought about it.  Seriously, I don't want to think about it.  If I know, I might freak myself out because I'll know I can always do better and then I might freeze up and then, well, I'd be an unhappy, woman sitting in the corner sucking my thumb and rubbing my blankie against my cheek.
A sexy hero needs...to act confident, look good and make me laugh, then make me cry, then make me want to know more after I read The End.
My latest WIP is about...I can't tell you, but I can say it's a Young Adult novel that my agent is soo excited about she's getting a little demanding, which is a good thing even though it makes me crazy at times.
When I write I like to...have copious amounts of coke. The soft drink not the narcotic.  I also eat chocolate. Every day.  That's right.  I'm an unhealthy writer.  What of it?  Seriously, if I didn't do kickboxing everyday, I'd be enormous.  Other than those two things, I like to snuggle my feet under my dog and pray she doesn't pass gas. Don't judge her. She has tummy issues.
My best writing milestone to date is...signing a contract was pretty dang awesome, gotta say.  But my biggest writing milestone is convincing my husband that if I got a "real" job, I'd probably only get fired for doing something inappropriate ... like singing to a customer, or shouting out BINGO just cause, or pretending to be pregnant and that I'm going into labor.  (I sorta, kinda, mighta done all those things before). That he agreed made me a tad annoyed that he'd think I was that juvenile, but then I realized he'd said I could stay home and write.  Booya!  I win!

Shea's latest YA is THE MARKED SON and will be released from Entangled Publishing in August 2011.

If you'd like to learn more about her, she has a gorgeous website with more information about her and her books.

Guest Author: Jess Granger

It's a real pleasure to introduce you to my special guest today. She's a fellow Berkley author who writes science fiction romance (her books make great reading - yes, this is a blatantly biased comment) and a member of the SFRB (Science Fiction Romance Brigade).

She's worked as a balloon artist in restaurants, rehabilitated injured hawks and owls as a volunteer at a raptor management center, traveled all over the country playing the trumpet in a band and wandered all over Europe to explore Germany, France, and Spain until finally settling down with wonderful husband to raise a couple of kids and a menagerie of animals.

Please welcome, Jess Granger!

When did you start to write and how long did it take you to be published?
I started writing stories at the age of eight.  My brother, at a the lofty age of ten, wrote a science fiction novel, at least about twenty pages of one.  I was in that stage where whatever he did, I was going to do it better.

I find it a little ironic that I broke into the publishing business with a Science Fiction Romance in light of my early beginnings. In high school I was infamous for writing romances in the back of my binder when I should have been listening to class discussions, so the urge was always there.

I didn't seriously pursue a career in publishing until just after I graduated from college with a literature degree. One of my roommates suggested it off the cuff.  It was one of those only half serious, "You should write a book," remarks, but the suggestion stuck.

Within the year I had completed my first novel.  I wrote four more after that, and none of those books will ever see the light of day.  Trust me, I'm doing the world a favor.

It took me nine years of honing my skills before I got "the call", then promptly gave birth to a little girl two days later.  I was hit by the happy truck that week.  Now I'm rolling along and about to branch out into the Young Adult market, so there are some exciting times ahead.

What sparks your creativity?
The craziest things inspire me.  Sometimes it is a random picture of something, as is the case with my new Young Adult novel.  For my Science Fiction, I wanted to go against the grain of several tropes in paranormal romance.  That led to some wild and entertaining characters.  I draw a lot of my inspiration from the natural world and classic myth.

Are you a panster or plotter? Is it your characters or your plot that influence you most? What's your writing process from start to finish when writing a book?
I am one of these crazy plotter people that has not one, but four different outlines for every book I write, and each outline serves a different purpose. I have to have what I like to call "the bones" of my stories lined up before I start writing. I don't like the feeling of just letting my mind wander. I've found my mind can be a dangerous place and if I leave it to its own devices, I usually end up in a very creative ditch.

Normally I start with the spark of an idea and I stew on it for a bit. Then I try to develop characters influenced by this spark of creativity. I flesh them out and get to know them, then pull out their deepest darkest issues. I write these early ideas down, then set up the conflict of the story and write about four chapters just to see where the story goes and how the setting pans out.

At that point I call my critique partner and best friend and brainstorm the world a little, peppering myself with the question "why?" until the world becomes real and makes sense to me.

Then I start my outlining.  I have an old beat-up green binder. I sit down and just write out the story as if I were telling it around a campfire.  Scenes and bits of dialogue float out in this outline, and it is fascinating to read it after the book is complete. I then take that outline and clean it up, looking for plot holes and use that to write the book synopsis.

Once the synopsis is done, I take the original outline and break down the plot into chapters so I have a road map for the book. I don't tend to stray from that road map at all. It is something my editors and agent have found useful because they can rely on the fact that any early synopsis I turn in will actually represent the finished book.

Being a pantster/scener, your process fascinates me. I take my hat off to you for being able to plot so well (to be honest I'm a little envious!).

BEYOND THE RAIN
In a universe torn apart by civil war, a warrior and a slave must fight for their freedom, for their lives, and for a love that may destroy them both…

After five years behind enemy lines, Captain Cyani is ready to retire to her homeworld of Azra as one of the Elite — the celibate warrior sisterhood that rules the planet. But first she must complete one final mission to rescue her fellow Union soldiers. The last thing she expects to find is a prisoner, chained and beaten — but radiating feral power and an unbroken spirit…
Soren is a Byralen, an enigmatic people who possess a unique hormone that they use to bond with their mates — and that is sold as a sexual narcotic in the shadow trade. For years, he has endured torture at the hands of his captors as they leeched his very essence. The last thing he expects is to be freed from slavery by a beautiful warrior woman with radiant blue eyes.
Driven by her rigid sense of honor, Cyani frees Soren even though her life hinges upon the success of her mission. But after so many years in bondage, his hormones are so unbalanced that he will die if he does not bond with a woman. Can the lovely but distant warrior be the woman he needs to survive, or will the forbidden bond destroy them?

Can you share a few fun facts about the geographic locations where your novels takes place?
I have the most fun with creating the settings for my Science Fiction Romances.  I like my romances dark and intense with a good dollop of adventure thrown in.

BEYOND THE SHADOWS moves through several alien worlds, and each one had to be carefully constructed.  I had to think about planetary resources, intergalactic trade, building materials, culture, and all sorts of things.  It was amazing.  I remember thinking about an arboreal culture that lives on small tropical islands.  I had to figure out what their traditional weapons would be made of, if there was no mining in these cultures at any point in their history.  I settled on hardened bone from some of the larger sea creatures in their world.

For my new YA (young adult) novel, I had to switch mental gears.  The story is a steampunk-inspired adventure that takes place in authentic mid-Victorian London.

I discovered just as much "world building" had to happen for the historically set novel as the futuristic one.  I had to look up things like the average speed of a horse trotting and the stamina of that animal over time to determine where to place the next plot point in my book, then I had to go into old maps of London and figure out where my characters would end up given the limitations of a horse.  I had fun researching what remains of Sherwood Forest as well as the Yorkshire moors.  Now I really want to go to England for real instead of the virtual tour.

Oh, you HAVE to do that trip - the UK is gorgeous and the history is amazing!

BEYOND THE SHADOWS
A man of deception. A woman of justice. Can their fragile trust be strong enough to prevent a war?
Commander Yara knows perfect leadership requires perfect control and discipline. She has spent years living without the distraction of caring for anything—or anyone. It’s a sacrifice she’s willing to make. Yara has honed herself into the perfect heir to the Azralen throne, but a bloody coup could destroy everything she’s worked so hard for. She must return home to prevent war. Unfortunately the only ship available belongs to an Earthlen trader with no regard for authority—especially hers.
Cyn is a rebel, driven to protect those suffering at the hands of the Elite leaders of Azra. Using his alias to manipulate the lovely but icy commander onto his ship, he has to keep her from Azra long enough to ignite the revolution. But when he awakens a vibrant and feeling woman beneath that icy exterior, he gets more than he bargained for—love. He must find a way to convince Yara to join him, before they get caught in a web of deception that could tear their world apart.

Do you have a pet that keeps you company when you write?  If so, write about him or her.  Has your pet taught you anything about writing?  If so, what?
I have a kitty named Maggie who likes to sit on my lap while I'm working on the computer.  Sometimes she poses like a statue on my desk, while other times she perches on top of my computer case.

Maggie

If Maggie has taught me anything, it is to wear jeans while writing.  She has sharp claws and tends to knead my leg.  More than that, when Maggie is with me, I'm warm.  I don't begrudge this time sitting in a chilly basement when I have a purring cat on my lap with the plushest coat of mink-like fur.  She helps me remember to enjoy what I do, even when it is difficult or frustrating.

Ahh, another cat inspired author. I have 3 myself and all like to take turns keeping me company as I write (usually by tromping across the keyboard...grrrr!).


So, what's next for you? What are you working on?
The first book in The Chronicles of the Secret Order of Modern Amusementists will be out with Simon Pulse in fall of 2012, but in the meantime, I'm writing another romance.  This one is a paranormal shape-shifter book with a high fantasy feel.  I'm enjoying the story immensely, and I hope I can share it with you soon.

Jess, thank you for being a guest on my blog today. It's been a hoot learning more about you.
Kylie, thank you for having me.

If you'd like to know more about Jess or her books, check out her website.

Jess's books: