Romance Divas

1. Can you tell us a bit about you and your books?

Well, I’m a 40-year-old who lives in between Hershey and Lancaster, PA (between Chocolatetown, USA and Amish country). I have my B.S. in Criminal Justice and currently work in an emergency dispatch center. I think I actually started writing before I started reading romance. I started reading historical romance back in the ‘80s with authors like Kathleen Woodiwiss and others. I fell in love with romance novels at that time. I wrote my first “book” when I was around 13. It was a story about a girl who lived with a gang (all young adults) similar to S.E. Hinton (The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, etc.) except not as good, of course. I kept that story for a long time (it was typed on a typewriter). But it is now missing; possibly last seen in my ex-husbands attic. He can keep it.

When I began writing romances, it was in the early ‘90s (or earlier, my memory is lacking) and I was reading a lot of Silhouette Desires back then, so that was what I started to write: category contemporary romances. I have a few manuscripts that would need major revamping if I ever dusted them off (I never did anything with them). I have one contemporary m/f erotic romance that is in the hands of two publishers (both requested fulls). I have another contemp m/f erotic romance which is the first in a series of three that is just about finished, but I have put it aside for now to work on the ménage story I am writing, since m/m and ménages are selling a lot better than m/f.

2. If authors want to write romance/erotica, where are the best resources to guide them through the process?

Join RWA and your local chapter. I no longer belong to my local chapter and haven’t for a long time because it would take a big chunk of my time to try to get to a meeting since it’s not close by, when I’d rather use that time for writing. Plus I work most Saturdays. Instead, I found two great online RWA chapters: RWA Online and Passionate Ink (for erotic romance writers).

Ask lots of questions, join online writing groups, attended conferences. And read, read, read! Read what you want to write, read books from the publishers you want to target. It is important to read outside your genre, too.

The most important thing is to not stop writing. The more you write, the better you get. Try to find a compatible critique partner. A good one is priceless. Contests are also can be a good tool to use; it just depends on the contest and the judges.

3. The big question! When you write about sex, do you write from your own experience or is it fantasy? Can you give some tips for writing the sex scene?

Oh, that’s a good question. I’d say I draw some from my own experience, but mostly from fantasy, with a dash of porn . I am in the middle of writing an interracial ménage a trois story that is an m/m/f romance. That means there was an established m/m relationship when the heroine came along. Gay porn is great for giving me ideas for positions. If the position is physically possible then you can find it online! I use www.redtube.com for “research.”

Also, there are websites that have animated sex positions that can be used to make sure everything is realistic. A good one is: http://www.sexinfo101.com/sp_index.shtml.

4. Why do you write under a pen name, and would you recommend it for other writers in the genre?

I use a pen name for several reasons. One is my real last name is Italian and very hard to pronounce, spell or remember. The second reason is I have been working in law enforcement for years and I’d rather not be harassed for what I write. Another reason is my fiancé is a law enforcement officer and I don’t want anyone linking what I write to who he is. And I like to pick and choose who I tell since I write erotic romance. Let me make this clear though, I am not embarrassed of what I write. I love what I write, however, people can be judgmental, so this way I can control who knows what I do.

Whether or not you use a pen name is just personal preference. I think most erotic romance writers use pen names.

5. How do you sell your writing? (i.e. published books, online, magazines, other products?) What is your most successful sales channel?

The only piece I have sold at this time was to Playgirl magazine. I had written a short Erotic Encounter story and submitted it to them. I was happy and surprised when they bought it. It was a fun quick story to write in first person. Usually I write in third person.

I just want to say, that ePublisher is growing like crazy. It is definitely the wave of the future. ePublishers, like Ellora’s Cave, Samhain and Loose Id, just to name a few, have really opened the doors to new writers and edgier material. I think writers and readers are benefiting all the way around.

6. How do you find Twitter for marketing purposes? What other marketing tools do you use?

I love Twitter! It is so addicting. I have not used it for marketing as of yet. But I know others who do find it can increase traffic to their blogs or their websites. All you have to do is post a link and have people “following” you. I think Twitter is a great tool. And so fun, too.

Other marketing tools I use and will use in the future are my website (which is currently being revamped), MySpace, Facebook, my blogs, commenting on other’s blogs, all the Yahoo groups I belong to, along with writing forums I belong to, press releases, and I always add information to the bottom of my emails by using a signature. Also, I heard someone mention Craigslist the other day, what a great free resource that can be.

7. How can people find out more about you (websites etc)

I have a web designer redoing my website: www.jeannestjames.com. I just don’t have the time to do it myself. Also people can befriend me at MySpace at www.myspace.com/jeannestjames and at Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1508063141&ref=profile . Find me at www.twitter.com/jeannestjames if you want to chat. I have two blogs, my main one at this time is www.jeannestjames.blogspot.com. I don’t get to update it too often but plan to in the near future.

Posted: Sunday, January 18th, 2009 @ 8:00 am
Categories: Divas Speak.
Tags: Interview.
Subscribe to the comments feed if you like. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.