Meow! In my hotseat today i have the lovely and talented JILL MYLES, paranormal romance author:
For those of you who aren't familiar with her, Jill wrote THE SUCCUBUS DIARIES SERIES
for pocket and is now doing two other series, under pen names. Here's her bio from her website:
Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the 'naughty parts' of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.
After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own - stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.
Jessica Clare is also the pen name of the artist formerly known as Jill Myles! She feels totally like Prince when she mentions that, too. Jessica Clare will write steamy contemporary romances for Berkley Heat, but those aren't out yet.
And now....here's JILL! (and me!)
R: Tell us a bit about yourself?
JM: Let’s see – I write for two different publishers, self-publish on the side, and have a day job. I’m married to an awesome husband and we have cats. I like video games. The rest is pretty much not worth bothering with.
R: When and why did you decide to become a writer?
JM: Well, I’ve always written. I think most writers don’t have a switch that they flip and decide one day that they’re going to write. They just write all their lives. I do remember the day I decided to write a novel, though! I was a recovering Everquest addict with too much free time on my hands, and so I was bored and watching Last of the Mohicans for the jillionth time. And every time, I thought to myself, jeez, what a shitty ending. And I decided that maybe I should try rewriting the story myself, and so I sat down to write a novel. I started with the scene in my head (which was actually in the middle of the book) and wrote from there. This was back in 2001, and it took me a year and a half to write that first novel.
R: What drew you to the paranormal genre?
JM: I’ve always been drawn to the paranormal in fiction, but for a long time, it wasn’t mainstream. I remember checking out books from the library and being SO excited when I’d find one with vampires or werewolves in it. Then Christine Feehan’s books began to get popular, and Sherrilyn Kenyon, and it was an amazing time for me – the stuff I liked to read was actually getting popular! Holy cow! It wasn’t until I read MaryJanice Davidson’s very funny UNDEAD AND UNWED that I realized that paranormal didn’t have to be dark and serious – it could be light and funny, too. That was the book where the light went off in my head. Before that, I was writing time travel romances and fantasy novels. Really bad ones, I might add.
R: Where do you find your inspiration for your novels?
JM: Everywhere! I forget who said that writers are like magpies – we steal shiny bits from everywhere. It’s so true. My succubus series started with a conversation and I liked a particular turn of phrase. My dating agency series started because I had an idea, and it became something else when I was filling out tax forms for the IRS. My ideas come from everywhere.
R: What is your biggest challenge as an author?/What do you love most?
JM: Biggest challenge is that I can’t write fast enough to keep up with all the ideas in my head. I have a folder of ideas that are awesome and I can’t wait to tackle, but it’s just finding the time. What do I love most? Getting to write the ‘big’ scenes that I’ve been picturing in my head for weeks. Twisting the story down paths that will surprise the reader.
R: Can you still find time to read yourself? If so, what books did you enjoy in particular?
JM: Absolutely! I don’t read as much as I want to, but I still read quite a bit. I recently re-read Kresley Cole’s DEMON FROM THE DARK (she’s one of my favorite authors!) and read Meljean Brook’s ASCENSION novella in ANGELS OF DARKNESS. Oh, and MAGIC SLAYS. And I’m currently reading (via audiobook) THE MONSTRUMOLOGIST.
R: What are you currently working on?
JM: I’m currently working on the second book in my Midnight Liaisons series – or as everyone calls it, the ‘paranormal dating agency series’. It’s tentatively called SINGLE WOLF FEMALE and it’s about the sister of the heroine of the first book. She’s in a fake relationship with a were-bear because the local wolf pack wants her to mate with them, and a fake relationship is the only way to save herself… except she sorta stopped faking the relationship a while back. It’s been a blast to write and I love it so much that I’m putting aside other projects that need to get done just so I can write a few more pages. Loving it.
R: What can we look forward from you in the future? What books do you have in the works?
JM: Lots of stuff in the works! I have BEAUTY DATES THE BEAST coming out under my Jessica Sims pseudonym in October. That’s the first book in the Midnight Liaisons series, and it’s about a human that ends up dating a were-cougar even though it’s against the rules of the dating agency she works for. My next big NY release isn’t until May of 2012, and that’s called WHEN SPARKS FLY. It’s a contemporary erotic romance about getting revenge on the one that got away. It’s going to be written under the name Jessica Clare. And then under Jill Myles, I’m continuing to self-publish! The next few months should see a Succubus short story, a time-travel romance about a mermaid and a warlord, and eventually, SUCCUBI ARE FOREVER, the fourth book in the Succubus Diaries series. Whew.
Anyhow, that’s a lot to remember, and I don’t expect anyone to remember it other than me! If you’re interested in knowing when my next book releases, I have a newsletter on my website, and if you sign up, I only email out when there’s a release. No spam!
R: What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
JM: Now that’s hard. Take on two more pen names? Marry a man after living with him for two months? (We were long distance before that) Juggle a day job and three different writing careers? It’s not really THAT crazy….though I did have to be rescued from a muddy campground by the Red Cross once. But that is a story for another day.
R: What would your readers be most surprised to find out about you?
JM: I have a ridiculous memory for book covers. It’s amazing what you retain.
R: Just for fun:
Morning or night person?
JM: Morning!
R: Beach or Mountains?
JM: Mountains!
R: Cat or Dog?
JM: Cat!
R: Good answer, Heh heh - Favorite Drink?
JM: Latte! Or Coke Zero!
R: Favorite TV Show
JM: Survivor!
R: Favorite Author (other than yourself)
JM: It’s a toss up between Kresley Cole/Meljean Brook/Ilona Andrews/Karen Marie Moning – I don’t have to pick just one, do I?
R: Heck no, Jill, and thank you!
Folks, to learn more about Jill, her pen names and her books, visit her website:
http://www.jillmyles.com/
Well, kitties, I'm taking the rest of the week off - got to prepare some good posting for next week, meow! Plus our home computer has been acting up....the human is going comparison shopping Saturday - hope if she gets a new one it's cat-friendly, meow!
Until next time,
ROCCO
SCI FI BLOGGING CAT
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