Welcome to my Writer Wednesday feature! Each week, I either showcase a fellow writer who has inspired/encouraged me in some way, or I interview one. Writers could be at any stage of their writing career.

Introducing this week’s guest:

Kathleen Flanagan Rollins (Interview)

What genres do you write?

Right now, it’s all prehistoric adventure novels, my favorite. Misfits and Heroes: West from Africa is the first in a planned trilogy about ancient explorers in the Americas. The first deals with a group crossing the Atlantic from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico (modern place names). The second follows a group from what is now Indonesia across the Pacific. The third group comes from what is now Basque Country in northern Spain, all around 12,000 BC. The groups meet in the second and third books, with complicated results.

Sum up your current WiP in 10 words or less.

Indonesian explorers cross ocean, settle in southern Mexico, make contact.

What’s your ultimate goal as a writer?

I want to give the reader a good adventure story, one that entertains while it challenges conventional thinking about ancient people.

How close are you to achieving this goal?

Some days closer than others! Two years ago, I self-published Misfits and Heroes: West from Africa, the first in the series, which was a big step. Now I’m working on revising the second book, trying to incorporate what I’ve learned from the first. I’m also working with a professional proofreader/editor, which is a huge help. While I was editing the first book, I figured I have a couple of degrees in English and spent a lot of years teaching composition and literature, why should I pay someone to edit my work? Then I learned the answer: we simply cannot see our own work as clearly as someone else can.

Any quirky writing habits?

I listen to classical music while I write. Once I stop being aware of the music, I know I’m concentrating on the story.

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

I know I should be busy with my (final?) line edits for Oracle, but this Campaigner Challenge called to me (in more ways than one, as you’ll find out when you read my offering!).

The challenge: write a short story in any format, in 200 words or less, that begin with the words “Shadows crept across the wall…”. For an added challenge, you could:

• end the story with the words “everything faded.”
• include the word “orange” in the story.
• write in the same genre you normally write
• make your story 200 words exactly!

He left the beach house, powder-fine sand tickling his bare feet as he neared the water’s edge. Orange fingers of light danced across the sea’s rippling surface. Her voice grew clearer, more insistent.

Come to me … I will show you a world like no other…

He’d heard stories of them. Sirens. Sea women with haunting voices, luring men to their watery deaths beneath the waves.

Let me show you a life without struggle or pain…

She appeared from behind a rock, wet hair dripping, skin glistening, seaweed clinging to her curves, the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.

Ours will be a love like no other…

Water sloshed around his ankles, his knees. Drawn towards those hypnotic eyes, eyes as deep as the ocean, brimming with … could it be … love?

He reached out a hand. She took it, and with a kick of her tail, pulled him under. The shock of the cold made him gasp, but when she pressed her mouth against his, everything faded.

Siren's Lament by Ironshod (click for image source)

(Word count: 200 words)

—

Click here for the list of entrants and links to all entries for this Challenge. Don’t forget to vote for your favourite by clicking the “Like” button! I’m a judge for this challenge and ineligible for prizes, but I still like to feel loved, so if you liked mine, it’s #6 on the list.

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Yee-haw! Welcome to the Weekly Round-up, where I lasso up the week’s latest news and rootin’-tootin’ literary articles on the Net!

Firstly, author R.S. Guthrie @ Rob on Writing created quite a stir when he suggested that Amazon should start charging people for digital publication. Read the debate it generated here, and Rob’s follow-up responses here.

For the artistically inclined out there, this ongoing project may interest you: there is a call for creative contributions for the project, 100 Book Covers to Fight Illiteracy. Choose one from the list of 100 greatest novels of all time (as published by the Observer in 2003) and re-interpret the cover. These newly designed covers will be put up for sale as posters, and all proceeds go towards improving literacy. The completed series will be launched on September 8th, the International Day Against Illiteracy, so get your entries in soon!

In other news, one of my fellow JTP authors reveal the cover for her latest book today! Check it out here. Isn’t it pretty?

What I’ve been up to:

The 4th Writers’ Platform-Building Campaign is now under way! The first Campaigner Challenge is under way, and it’s a doozy! Read my entry here.

Also, just got my line edits for Oracle. No one ever told me how difficult this stage is, seeing your baby all covered in red comments … my poor baby…

Question: Do YOU think Amazon should start charging for publication? Will it improve the overall quality of e-books published? Or will it serve to make more money for a giant corporation already making tonnes off both readers and writers?

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Six Sentence Sunday is a weekly feature whereby participants post six (6) sentences of their work, published or otherwise, to be read (and possibly critiqued) by everyone else. Thank you to all regular commenters for your return visit, and welcome to all new visitors!

Today’s Oracle six introduces Lancer’s younger half-brother, Reggie, via a conversation between Lancer and Blaize:

—

“Did you manage to get a babysitter for Meg?”

“She’s at home with Reggie.”

Blaize gave me a wry smile. “Is that wise?” She’d met my brother a couple of times before over dinner. In those meetings, he’d managed to nearly set fire to the whole back garden—twice, thanks to excessive alcohol consumption leading to an overdose of lighter fluid in the barbecue grill.

—

Check out the other entries here!

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

I’ve seen this tag game around the Internet, and yesterday I was tagged not by one person, but two! Fellow J. Taylor Publishing writer J.A. Belfield tagged me, followed soon after by fellow Writers’ Platform-Building Campaigner Jane Bussey @ A Writer’s Muses.

So … I know I should be working on final line edits for Oracle, but this sounds too much fun to pass up! The rules: link back to the person who tagged you, answer the tagger’s 11 questions, ask 11 of your own, and pass them along by tagging 11 other bloggers.

Seeing as I’d been double-tagged, I’m answering both sets of questions from both ladies.

First, here are J.A.’s questions–and my, are they doozies!

1. You’re stranded on a snowy mountain after the aircraft transporting you to [wherever the heck you like] makes a crash landing. Out of the 6 passengers and 2 pilots, only 2 have survived. You … and some dude who looks shockingly like your number 1 book boyfriend. But … you’ve now been stranded for close to 89 hours, and the closest you’ve seen to a food source is staring right back at you. So … which part of him do you plan to eat first?

Uhh … can’t we just eat the dead passengers first? They’re still fresh thanks to the natural refridgerative properties of the snowy mountain air, and they’ll put up much less of a fight.

(click for image source)

2. So … you have an evening of glitz and glamour ahead. But being the super secret spy you are, you already foresee the night ending in a run for your life (or to protect your anonymity). Which means the all important decision of footwear becomes a little complicated. Do you go for your favourite pair of freakishly awesome Jimmy Choos and hope you don’t end up on a cobblestone street? Or do you say to heck with it, and wear a skirt long enough to cover your battered Nikes?

As a super secret spy, I’d like to think I have some super hi-tech gadgets at my disposal, say a stylish pair of Jimmy Choos that will transform into running shoes with a literal click of the heels. Hey, James Bond had all those cars! All I’m asking for are a pair of shoes!

3. If a global law was instated that each and every citizen of every country could only ever eat ONE type of cake for the duration of their lives and they each had to sign a contract binding them to their decision, what cake would you choose as your ‘can’t live without’?

Red velvet cake. That way I’ll have the best chocolate and cheese.

4. If you could choose ANY book (no matter how impossible the graphics required might seem) to be made into a film (movie for the U.S.ers), what book would you choose?

My book?

5. Okay, seeing as I brought it up above in the stranded question I have to know: who’s your No 1 (ONLY1!) book boyfriend? The. Ultimate. Fictional Male. Of your dreams!?

YUM! (click for image source)

What a tough question! After much deliberation, it’ll have to be Kona, the hot, mysterious love interest in Tracy Deeb’s Tempest Rising. He is described as looking like a Pacific Islander, muscled, dark-haired, with a strange swirly tattoo. I picture an older Taylor Lautner, but wa-a-ay hotter!

6. And still with the book boyfriend, we’ll presume you didn’t eat all of him before the two of you were rescued, and he’s a forgiving kind of guy. So now he’s agreed to a date that doesn’t have him on the menu (at least not as the starter, anyway, if you get my gist). What’s the date? Where, what, why, how?

I’m easy to please: a yummy dinner at a nice restaurant (must have dessert!), followed by a film with popcorn–no rom-coms, either a martial arts flick or a Disney/Pixar/Dreamworks cartoon. Would be nice if it was snowing on our walk home, and we could get into a mini snowball fight.

7. The government are clamping down on the atrocity otherwise known as social networking. Every social networker is permitted only one platform. So … which one can’t you live without? Choose your poison.

Facebook. It keeps me connected, and Bejeweled Blitz keeps me entertained.

8. The hot girl always used to pick on you at school. She had all the boys flocking round her. All the cool kids following behind like sniffer dogs after crack (no pun intended … honestly). And some years have passed since you walked out of those school gates for the last time and thanked the heavens you’d never have to deal with her again. But then you walk into your local burger bar … and get served … by Miss Popular. Except she most certainly ain’t looking quite so pretty any more. To add to that, the server next to her is asking how she got on with finding a baby sitter for her rambunctious triplets. Tell me: is she worth your scorn? Or can you not resist the impulse to wallow in your better life?

I might allow myself an internalised smirk, but after so many years, I’m willing to bury the hatchet.

9. Okay, an easier one for you as I’ve been pretty hard: what is your EARLIEST childhood memory? Is it even from this lifetime? 

I can remember losing my balloon on my first ever trip to London when I was still a kid growing up in Malaysia. I lost it just as we we got home, and we could see it from our window as after we got in as it floated away. Don’t remember if it upset me, though.

10. If you could travel through time, which year would you travel back to and why?

I’ve been playing too much Assassin’s Creed … 16th century Renaissance Italy, complete with swoon-worthy assassins.

11. And finally: we’ve suddenly discovered an anonymous donor is willing to pay for us all to get together but we only have 24 hours to argue and fight/discuss rationally the destination. Which city’s corner are you fighting for?

All of us should go on a looong writer’s retreat to this island.

We stayed here for our honeymoon--and I want to go back! I want to live there!

Now to answer Jane’s questions:

1. If you could live the life of any historical character or person from 1900 or earlier, who would that be?

I’d be one of the many legendary warriors in the Three Kingdoms period in China (184-280). There are no records of female warriors from the time, but Lady Sun Shang Xiang, daughter of one of the ruling kings, was purportedly a tomboy with extensive marital arts training, and so might have had a hand in battle.

2. Why did you choose that person?

Wouldn’t it be cool to be one of the first kickbutt females in history? And during one of the most exciting times of Chinese history.

3. What is the one thing in life you want to accomplish?

To be able to make a living out of my writing.

4. What TV show do you wish would be remade or produced?

I was a huge fan of MacGyver. They should revive the series with a hot new lead.

5. What was the last book you read?

Touch of Frost by Jocelyn Adams (review here).

6. What is your favorite old (black and white) movie?

Shamefully, I’ve never watched a full black-and-white film, except for Nosferatu. It wasn’t my favourite film ever, but it’s the only one that qualifies.

7. If you could invent one thing to benefit humanity, what would that be?

How about a robot clone to do all the dreary housework (and in my case, do my day job!) for us so we can spend our days stress-free?

8. If you could grant someone you know a wish right now, what would that be?

I’d fund my dad’s retirement. It’s high time he stopped working and started relaxing.

9. What classroom memory do you have from elementary school? 

I wrote a letter of complaint to the principal because we didn’t like how our form teacher treats us, and got in trouble for it. The head called my parents in and accused me of “causing disorder.” So much for free speech (this was a Chinese school in Malaysia in the 1980s). But luckily, my Dad just brushed it off.

10. Describe your favorite fruit without naming it.

It has a thorny, tough outer shell protecting soft, yellow flesh. It’s said to be an acquired taste, but I love the bittersweet, custardy flavour. The hubster thinks it tastes like cheese and onion.

11. Name a song that makes you feel happy whenever you hear it.

The Bare Necessities from The Jungle Book.

Right, now it’s my turn! Here are my 11 questions:

1. Which is the first book you remember reading?
2. Tell us about the first ever piece of creative writing you wrote. Don’t be embarrassed!
3. What was the biggest secret you wrote in your diary as a teen?
4. Who was your childhood celebrity crush?
5. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
6. And today, what would your dream job be?
7. What strange phobia(s) do you have?
8. If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you do with the money?
9. Which is your favourite Disney animated film?
10. If you had to choose just one particular food to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
11. Best. Dessert. Ever? Choose wisely.

(click for image source)

Yes, YOU, the one reading this! You’re it (if you’d like to be)! Just let me know in the comments if you’re taking up the challenge, and I’ll be sure to pop by to read your replies!

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Touch of Frost is the latest paranormal romance by Jocelyn Adams. You may recall the interview I had with the author last week as part of her blog tour to promote the release of the novella. Well, I’ve since read Touch of Frost, and here are my views.

Blurb for Touch of Frost:

Even the simplest of touches between Will Frost and Lauren McLean are forbidden. 

To share love will surely mean death. 

Since her granddad’s passing, Lauren has existed a few steps out of sync with the world. Desperate to feel the love only he offered her as a child, Lauren returns to the haven they once shared — a snow-covered cabin at the foothills of the Rockies. 

It’s not the memory of her granddad that warms her ice-cold, frost-bitten body after being caught in a blizzard, though. It’s the man in whose bed she wakes. 

Along with bringing life to her soul, Will stirs deep-rooted memories in Lauren and brings out the love she seeks. 

What Will knows about himself — the secrets of his kind — he keeps hidden, forcing Lauren to search for answers, to question and ultimately put her life, and his own existence, in danger. 

In love, though, there is always a way. 

Can Will get around the rules? Or will Lauren give up her life simply to have one last touch from Will Frost?

Purchase links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Jocelyn Adams grew up on a cattle farm in Lakefield and has remained a resident of Southern Ontario her entire life, most recently in Muskoka. She has worked as a computer geek, a stable hand, a secretary, and spent most of her childhood buried up to the waist in an old car or tractor engine with her mechanically inclined dad. But mostly, she’s a dreamer with a vivid imagination and a love for fantasy (and a closet romantic — shhh!). When she isn’t shooting her compound bow in competition or writing, she hangs out with her husband and young daughter at their little house in the woods.

Contact: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

BOOK REVIEW

The story starts with Lauren at her late grandfather’s cabin. After hitting a funk in life, she’s escaped to her childhood retreat, and is out hiking when a snowstorm blows up. Next thing she knows, she wakes up in a stranger’s bed, only that the stranger, a hunky mountain man named Will Frost, seems very familiar somehow. And Lauren is determined to find out why he stirs such feelings within her, even if it means putting her life in danger.

I like Will Frost’s character. In fact, I adore him. A handsome, mysterious, rugged stranger possessing immense powers, yet he is reduced to a stuttering wreck in front of the woman he loves, because he fears his secrets would endanger her. How he cares for Lauren and nurses her back to health is sweet, and his talent with charcoal drawing reveals another softer layer to his character. And what can I say? Any story featuring a charismatic animal character is a winner in my books! In this case, Will Frost’s lynx companion, Calla, steals the show on more than one occasion.

Sadly, I don’t feel as much of a connection with Lauren. After a string of failed relationships, she returns to the cabin feeling jaded, and upon feeling Will is “the one,” refuses to let him go without a fight. With the latter, her stubbornness and directness with Will belies her strong, willful character, and that I like, yet I couldn’t help feeling that the opening scene, where she broods over her lack of love and purpose in life, makes her out to be a bit whiney and woe-is-me. Most of all, I don’t appreciate how she treats her supposed best friend, brushing her off when she clearly wants to try and help make her feel better.

One person I’d have liked to learn more about, is Lauren’s grandfather, whose influence is present throughout the book. The wood carving of a lynx, the cabin, the suggestion that he may have known of Will… I would’ve enjoyed it if Adams had elaborated on this kind but absent old man.

All in all, the story is unique and intriguing, and the ending, although predictable, is definitely satisfying. However, I would have liked to have seen more investments in character development.

4 stars!

Touch of Frost is now available as an e-book! Visit the links below for purchase information.

Purchase links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Apart from my Writer Wednesday author interviews, I am now co-moderator of the Psychological Thriller Readers & Writers group on Goodreads. One of my main roles is to interview a fellow crime/thriller writer every month, and unlike WW, there will be a different set of questions each time.

This week, coinciding with Writer Wednesday, I bring you…

Jane Isaac

Jane Isaac studied creative writing, and later specialist fiction with the London School of Journalism. Her non-fiction articles have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online.

Two of her short stories, Duplicity and Perilous Truths, will appear in crime anthologies released in 2012. An Unfamiliar Murder is her first novel.

Apart from her personal blog, Caffeine’s Not a Crime, she blogs about her writing experience at Diary of a Newbie Novelist and is co-author on the Pyjama Club.

Jane lives in rural Northants, UK with her husband, daughter and dog, Bollo. When she is not writing she loves to travel, is an avid reader, mum, dog lover, and enjoys spending time with her family. She believes life should be an adventure!

Jane loves to hear from readers and writers. You can contact her via her website, where you can also sign up for her newsletter for updates on An Unfamiliar Murder and the sequel, scheduled to be release at the end of 2013.

Contact: Website | Blog

Describe your typical writing day. How do you balance your writing with your day job and other commitments?

Any of you that have read my blog on newbiewriters.com will know that, like many, I am a part-time writer, wrestling to find time between a day job, family and a very naughty Labrador, to squeeze in some writing.

Consequently, I don’t rely on daily word counts, but concentrate on writing one scene at a time. This way I can plan it out in my head as I walk the dog, jot down some notes around the pool when my daughter has her swim class, then transfer it into text on the PC later.

I do try to set aside some time (usually a morning) two days per week, when I devote myself to my writing to ensure I keep it moving along.

Where do you get your story ideas?

I’m a great people watcher and eavesdropper! I like nothing better than sitting outside a Cafe, soaking up the atmosphere–watching and listening. I guess my stories are made up partly from my imagination (which has always been rather over-active) and partly from snippets I see and hear around me.

In An Unfamiliar Murder, both your main characters are female. What are the benefits and drawbacks of writing from the point-of-view of someone of the same gender as yourself? 

For me, a woman’s viewpoint is certainly smoother to write. It’s easier to relate to how she thinks and feels, being the same gender. That said, although my two female leads share similarities with me, they are also very different in many ways and required a lot of research in interviewing others to get them to a place where I was happy with them.

Sum up your current work-in-progress in no more than 10 words.

Lies, love, loss and deception, has Murderous Consequences.

What is one thing that your readers may be surprised to learn about you?

Although I don’t share the accent (we moved shortly afterwards), I’m a true Cockney, born within earshot of the Bow Bells in East London.

Quick-fire Questions

Favourite season?

All – as long as the sun shines.

Plotter or pantser?

Panster. I want to plot, really I do…

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl, always.

Because you live in England … fish & chips, or pie & mash?

Fish and chips–although they smell better than they taste!

Big Brother or X-Factor?

Umm, Neither. More of a Sherlock girl.

—

Thank you for your time, Jane! For anyone interested in a Great British murder mystery, here is more information about Jane’s debut novel:

An Unfamiliar Murder

What secrets lurk beneath a normal, healthy skin?

Arriving home from a routine day at work, Anna Cottrell has no idea that her life is about to change forever. But discovering the stabbed body of a stranger in her flat, then becoming prime suspect in a murder enquiry is only the beginning. Her persistent claims of innocence start to crumble when new evidence links her irrevocably with the victim…

Leading her first murder enquiry, DCI Helen Lavery unravels a trail of deception, family secrets and betrayal. When people close to the Cottrell family start to disappear, Lavery is forced into a race against time. Can she catch the killer before he executes his ultimate victim?

Purchase links

Paperback: Amazon US | Amazon UK

E-book: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Yee-haw! Welcome to the Weekly Round-up, where I lasso up the week’s latest news and rootin’-tootin’ literary articles on the Net!

First, here are three interesting articles from Futurebook:

Kerry Wilkinson describes how his “reader-first approach to writing and self-publishing” helps him compete against big-name publishers.

Also on self-publishing, Phillip Jones blogs about common perceptions of self-published writers in “The book was great and the typos weren’t very bad.”

Finally, Agent Orange asks: are the British second-class citizens in the eyes of the great Amazon?

This is a notice a library came up with in response to Penguin’s decision to discontinue offering e-books to libraries:

What are your thoughts about this? More details from GalleyCat here.

Writers: are you ready for the 4th Writers’ Platform-Building Campaign? It’s a great opportunity to expand your social platform and potential readership, and it’s an awesome way to connect with fellow writers! For more information and details on how to sign up (you have till this Wednesday, February 15th), visit organiser Rachael Harrie’s blog, Rach Writes…

Readers: Tahereh Mafi announces the title of Book 2, sequel to Shatter Me, in a vlog on her blog. She also has an awesome contest running, with six book bundles up for grabs! Contest ends on Wednesday, February 22nd, so get your entries in now!

And finally, Win with eBooks has an amazing giveaway running, with the top prize of a Kindle Fire, or a US$200 Amazon gift card! Plus, there are 20 books on sale at just $0.99, and purchasing them will give you even more chances to win! Contest ends Wednesday, February 15th.

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Six Sentence Sunday is a weekly feature whereby participants post six (6) sentences of their work, published or otherwise, to be read (and possibly critiqued) by everyone else. Thank you to all regular commenters for your return visit, and welcome to all new visitors!

Today’s six from Oracle is once again from Blaize’s point-of-view. This is her internal reaction to a comment from a teammate that she doesn’t look too “comfortable.”

—

Comfortable? It felt as though her intestines had been twisted into a sailor’s knot, and some psychotic Popeye, high on spinach, was using her stomach as a punch bag. Still, she couldn’t, wouldn’t, let that on, not to the rest of the team, and especially not to Sykes. The man had that chauvinistic air about him: lads’ mags stashed in his desk drawer, throwaway sexist comments, and about as much charm as a Neanderthal preparing to club her over the head and drag her by the hair back to his cave. She never liked the way he treated her, as if her sole purpose on the team was to provide eye candy for the men, as if she was completely dispensable in any investigation. Even now, his gaze strayed further south of her face, down towards the V-shaped collar of her shirt.

(click for picture source)

—

Check out the other entries here!

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Touch of Frost, a paranormal romance novella by Jocelyn Adams, released on February 1st from J. Taylor Publishing. Today, I am pleased to host a leg of the book tour on my blog.

Blurb for Touch of Frost

Even the simplest of touches between Will Frost and Lauren McLean are forbidden. 

To share love will surely mean death. 

Since her granddad’s passing, Lauren has existed a few steps out of sync with the world. Desperate to feel the love only he offered her as a child, Lauren returns to the haven they once shared — a snow-covered cabin at the foothills of the Rockies. 

It’s not the memory of her granddad that warms her ice-cold, frost-bitten body after being caught in a blizzard, though. It’s the man in whose bed she wakes. 

Along with bringing life to her soul, Will stirs deep-rooted memories in Lauren and brings out the love she seeks. 

What Will knows about himself — the secrets of his kind — he keeps hidden, forcing Lauren to search for answers, to question and ultimately put her life, and his own existence, in danger. 

In love, though, there is always a way. 

Can Will get around the rules? Or will Lauren give up her life simply to have one last touch from Will Frost?

Purchase Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Interesting, no? I’ve got the book on my Kindle, and the title has been calling me … ca-all-ling me… Can’t wait to read it!

Now, meet the lovely Jocelyn Adams:

Author Bio

Jocelyn Adams grew up on a cattle farm in Lakefield and has remained a resident of Southern Ontario her entire life, most recently in Muskoka. She has worked as a computer geek, a stable hand, a secretary, and spent most of her childhood buried up to the waist in an old car or tractor engine with her mechanically inclined dad. But mostly, she’s a dreamer with a vivid imagination and a love for fantasy (and a closet romantic—shhh!). When she isn’t shooting her compound bow in competition or writing, she hangs out with her husband and young daughter at their little house in the woods.

Contact: Website | Blog  | Twitter | Facebook

And now, on to the grilling:

Touch of Frost has one of the most intriguing blurbs I’ve read in a long time! The first couple of lines really hooked me: forbidden love under penalty of death! What were your inspirations for this story?

Wow, thanks! ::taps chin:: Hmm, there isn’t really a point I can remember where this story popped into my head. I suppose it came from my love for the snow and the peaceful way it makes me feel when I’m out walking or playing in it. There’s an isolation that comes with large flakes drifting down silently around me, one that forces me deeper into my own psyche. ::shrugs:: As for the rest of the story, I’m always trying to find new and interesting paranormal situations to write about that haven’t been done to death, so I came up with the real life version of Jack Frost and put a twist on it.

(click for picture source)

Calla is a gorgeous lynx raised by your male protagonist, Will Frost. Any story involving animals is a win in my books! Have you any personal experiences with lynxes?

I haven’t actually seen one for real other than in the zoo, but the former owner of our home told me that there is a pair of lynxes that live in the woods behind us. He often heard them calling to one another. It’s a very eerie call, like a baby cry. Lynxes have always been one of my favorite big cats. Their big furry paws and tufted ears make them appear soft and cuddly, though I wouldn’t suggest wrapping your arms around one unless you’re not opposed to being shredded and served like sashimi.

Describe your typical writing day. How do you balance your writing with marketing, editing, plotting, your day job, and all other commitments?

I admit I’m a creature of habit. My day typically begins when I first wake up, in that quiet time before I crawl out of bed, where the scenes take shape in my mind. Once I sit down at the computer, I slip into the “zone” where I basically spill out the skeleton scenes, then go back and fill in details like descriptions of people and objects, later.

I have a hard time balancing writing with all of the other tasks. Writing, I’m good at. All of the other stuff, not so much. Once I begin writing, I have an undeniable need to finish what I’m working on before going on to other things, but that doesn’t always work out. I have a calendar full of tasks I need to complete each day, so my little Outlook reminders pop up to break me out of my writing daze. Otherwise I’d probably do nothing but write.

How do you overcome writer’s block?

I’ve never really had writer’s block, at least not for more than a day or two. Sometimes I just need to step back from a piece and sleep on it, then I’ll usually have my story path figured out enough to continue. My mind works at its own pace, and it I force it to write something I’m not ready for … well, let’s just say the product ends up in a crumpled heap in the recycle bin.

Will Frost sounds like one hot hunk! Have you ever developed a crush on one of your characters? Who was it and why?

Yes, he is a little on the tasty side, isn’t he?  A crush, huh? Well, probably the one I feel closest to and lust after most would be Liam from The Glass Man. He’s got that rugged edge to him that I like, and he’s far from perfect, just like me. And hot damn, he looks FINE in a pair of jeans. ::sigh::

Thank you, Joce. The torture is almost over. But first, we have the…

QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS

Favourite book?

It used to be The Stand, by Stephen King, but now I’d have to say it’s the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews.

Favourite season?

Oh, that’s easy. The fall. No bugs. Still warm, but not too warm. Pretty leaves. No bugs. Oh, did I say no bugs? Ha! Yeah, if you couldn’t tell, I hate bugs. Silly of me to live in the black fly and mosquito central of Ontario, right? Yeah, I know.

Chocolate: dark, milk or white?

Um … can I say none of the above? J I have a mild allergy to cocoa, and honestly, especially when it comes to cake, I prefer strawberry or lemon to chocolate any day. Yes, I’m sure everyone thinks I’m crazy now, and they’d be mostly right.

Neat freak or messy Jessie?

It depends on what aspect of my life I’m describing. At work, I’m very much a neat freak, but at home—especially with a five year old—I tend to be a little lax with the house work because five seconds after I’m done, it looks the same as before I started.

Most dreaded household chore?

That’s easy. There’s only one appliance my family couldn’t do without: the dishwasher. We all HATE doing dishes, so we don’t own anything that can’t go into the dishwasher.

Touch of Frost is available now! Read an excerpt here!

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer