Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Interview With Evelyn Palfrey

This blog was such a fun idea. Thanks, Deatri, for coming up with it. Since it is a blog you all know you can leave comments, right? (Grin)

Dyanne: Evelyn, somehow I’ve decided to ask at least one crazy question of the interviewees. I have the perfect one for you. Living in Texas you really do strike me as a for real cow-girl, something I always wanted to be. So were you? And if so did two six shooters complete your outfit?

Ev: Hahaha, Dyanne. I’m a Texan, born and bred. I travel as often as I can and I’ve been all over the country, but I’ve never lived anywhere except Texas. I grew up in a small town in the beautiful piney woods of East Texas, so I’m a country girl at heart, but not a cowgirl. I do, however, have two six-shooters, and about to buy a five-shooter. I don’t have any cattle, but I did drive a pick-up truck for 10 years, then settled into a sedate SUV when I turned 50.

Dyanne: See I knew it. I just knew you had guns. (LOL) I remember the speech you gave in 2004 at RSJ. You advised the writers to become involved in the YA market. You were right it’s exploding. Did you take your own advice?

Ev: Not yet. I am having such a good time writing the stories of ‘marvelously mature,’ and I have more of those stories to tell. However, I am excited to see the increase in titles where our children can see themselves in the heroines and heroes.

At Romance Slam Jam I urged romance writers to tap into the YA market for two reasons. For writers, it is a way to develop their careers by growing their readership. The teens who read their YA romance novels now will be the adults who read their adult romances in the future. Secondly, writers have the opportunity to counteract the negative cultural teachings in popular music and videos by showing Black people in loving and respectful relationships. For some teens, that reinforces what they see at home. For others, it shows the possible. (Thank you, Barack and Michelle)

Dyanne: What is your secret to getting the ladies in your yahoo group so involved in current issues? I love your group.

Ev: I love the group too, Dyanne, and can’t take any credit. I feel truly blessed to be associated with these women, and a couple of men, from all over the country who came together because of a love of reading. But reading is only one aspect of our lives. I don’t get the members involved in current issues. They already are. What I do, is allow expression of those other aspects of our lives. We can discuss anything a member wants to talk about, including other writers’ books, and touchy subjects like politics, religion, and family. The only rules are that we remain respectful of each other in our discourse, understand that another intelligent person can come to a different conclusion, not take or send anything personally, and ignore any subject you aren’t interested in. Violators will be deleted. It works well. I’ve had occasion to question my own long-held beliefs and I’ve learned a lot. I’m glad you joined and we enjoy your participation. (evelynpalfrey@yahoogroups.com)


Dyanne: Will you tell us about your future writing plans and the title of the book you have coming out?

Ev: I’m working on a story, Against Her Better Judgment, for an anthology with two fabulous writers. Doing the research for it has been a gas. All I’ll say about that is gun ranges, dog kennels and young hard-bodied police officers. The working title of my next full novel is How Could You Leave Me. It’s the story of a woman who shocks her friends and family by taking in a homeless man.

Dyanne: Thanks Evelyn. How can the readers reach you?

Thank you, Dyanne.
Evelyn@EvelynPalfrey.com

Interview With Seressia Glass

Dyanne: Seressia, I know first hand that you’re a truly talented writer and an award-winning author at that. Would you please tell my readers a little about yourself and your life before becoming a writer?

Seressia: Thanks, Dyanne. I’ve been writing since I learned how. I started with short stories for extra credit in elementary school, writing skits for PTA, and several essays, one for MLK Day which won a city-wide contest here in Atlanta (I’m one of those rare birds: a native Atlantan living in Atlanta.) I’ve had various retail jobs over the years before I moved into the corporate training arena. For a while, I worked part time in a bookstore and that’s how I met ladies with the Georgia Romance Writers. Stephanie Bond told me about the group, I went for a visit, joined, and got the motivation necessary to finish my book.

Dyanne: Why did you choose the romance genre?

Seressia: I love love stories. I love the emotional rollercoaster. I love the heroine’s journey. I love that you can write about a wide variety of settings. And I especially love that no matter what the couple goes through, you know they will have a happily-ever after.
Dyanne: Seressia, if you could not be a writer what other dream job would you have chosen? LOL.

Seressia: That’s a good question. I’ve wanted to write for so long that I didn’t have a backup plan. I went to college intending to get a journalism or communications degree. If I wasn’t writing fiction, I’d be writing something—which is actually what I do in my day job. Write training materials. Oh wait, for a brief time in high school, I was in an all-girl band. I played guitar. We were called Scarlet Mane—a blend of the Bangles meets Klymaxx meets the Ramones. We had a few songs but never had a public performance—life got in the way. I still have a guitar that I occasionally pick up.

Dyanne: Seressia, thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview. If there’s anything you’d like to say to the readers please do so. Also would you give a link for reader to view your work?

Thanks, Dyanne for interviewing me! Readers, thank you for investing your time and your money in my work. It is those two things that enable me to continue doing what I truly love to do. Keep buying new and we can keep writing for you!

All of my current and upcoming releases can be viewed at www.seressia.com/books

Interview With Jackie Hamilton

Jackie, since writing as part of a team for so many years I want you to know I have the smelling salts in case you get nervous. (Smile) I don’t want the other half of your JM Jefferies writing team looking at your answers until they’re in the RSJ newsletter.

Dyanne: You’re a big animal lover and your next book features a pig. What animal do you think have the attributes of a large portion of males? (I’ll bet you thought I was going to ask if you were a vegetarian. I was but didn’t think it would be a safe question. LOL).

Jackie: No need for the salts unless we’re going to use it on my steak. I think men are most like dogs (which are my favorite animal. I want to grow up and be a dog lady which might mean I also want my own harem of nubile young studs to attend me, but that’s another interview isn’t it. ) Most of the men in my life have been loyal, well trained, protective, playful, and accepting. As have most of my dogs. I’m sensing a theme here.

Dyanne: You write as Simone Harlow and as part of JM Jefferies, which persona is sexier?

Jackie: Simone Harlow used to be, but J.M. has been dipping her toe into more erotic adventures like the novella we did for Creepin, called Balancing the Scales, and J.M. has a short story called She’s No Shrinking Violet for a Phaze anthology called Coming Together At Last. Simone defiantly has the bigger potty mouth.

Dyanne: What new project are you involved with?

Jackie: As J.M. Jeffries Miriam and I have a book in The Lotus Blossom Chronicles 2 called Dirty Little Secrets (that’s the story staring Royal Dandie Pig) Suite Nothings which is the second book in the Suite series. Also a novella in Carnival Diabolique called Mistress of the Beasts. It’s about a demon hunting African princess. As Simone Harlow I have a story in What White Boyz Ride called Flow and another one in Caliente called Julia’s Second Act. Then Simone is taking a much needed vacation for a bit.

Dyanne: As host for RSJ 2009 can you tell us how things are shaping up and what we the readers can do to help.

Jackie: Things are shaping up well. Most of the major details are taken care of. My list of workshops is complete, and we are just counting down the days. And people are beginning to register.

Dyanne: Thanks Jackie. I can’t wait to see you in a few months.

Jackie: You are most welcome. L.A. is going to be a blast

Congratulations LaVerne Thompson

Hello Everyone,

Dee here, your RSJ Big Mouth. I asked last year's winner of the Romance Slam Jam Aspiring Author Contest what she's been up to since the Slam Jam, and all I can say is
CONGRATULATIONS LaVerne!!!!
Read the why below the congratulations below.

Be sure to leave a comment for LaVerne.

Peace

Dee

------------------------------
Greetings from LaVerne Thompson

Since RSJ 2008, my debut contemporary interracial romance, PROMISES, was released from Red Rose Publishing on September 25th in e-book format. I am really excited about it. The story is a highly sensual short about young love lost then found. How many of us have a childhood friend that we were close too, but circumstances beyond our control pulled us apart? A situation like this is what my story is about. I love the cover and everyone at Red Rose has been fantastic. Someone has already asked me if I know the cover model. Unfortunately, no. Here’s an excerpt.


*
He had taken several steps before he saw her but she hadn’t seen him. Her back was to him, yet he would have known her anywhere, anytime.


From the rear she was perfectly proportioned. Above average height, she would only come up to his shoulders in her high heels. He noticed she still wore her hair in that corkscrew style but longer now, hanging well past her shoulders.


When they were kids he loved nothing better than pulling one of her dark curls and watching it spring back towards her head. He wanted to pull one now. His gaze left her hair and followed the back of her dress, admiring the open display all the way down to the top of the curve of her beautifully rounded butt. Her dress ended just below her thighs, giving him a view of long sleek toned legs. She always did have nice legs. Yeah, he wanted to do a lot more than touch her hair.


She must have sensed him staring at her because suddenly she turned around and stared back at him. Even across the crowded room, he could feel her drawing him toward her; pulling him in until only the two of them existed in the universe. Just the way it had always been between them.
*


This is only the beginning. I have several other projects in the works, some contemporary romances, some fantasy, and I hope to have two print stories out next year as well as another e-book. Check out my blog isisindcblog.blogspot.com for additional information. I hope to see most of you at RSJ 2009 or on that fantastic cruise planned for 2010. I’ve already made my reservations!
isisindcblog.blogspot.com
Redrosepublishing.com