- How may readers contact you?

My email is graciousjanemarie@yahoo.com.  I am also on Facebook under Jane Marie, author or at Facebook.com. 

I have a brand new Gracious Jane Marie Blog Blog Blog - http://graciousjanemarie.blogspot.com/  where readers can leave comments. I’m filling the Blog Blog Blog with silly stuff, gracious living ideas, my writing escapes and status of my stories, whatever I find fascinating. If I think it is interesting, I share!

- How many readers/fans contact you?

Never as many as I like. I have heard some say they don’t want to bother a writer. Please do. Writers love to hear from readers.  Sure I'm busy. Isn’t everyone? Still, I try to personally reply to all those taking time from their lives to reach out to me. Not to respond would be less than gracious.

- Do your fans' comments and letters influence you in any way?

Certainly they do.  I would be foolish not to listen to the fans.  Having said that, if they want me to unite say, Carolena with the ax murderer two houses down the street--Well, I might and I might not.  No tellin'.  Where would the fun be if I didn't give readers lots of surprises?  I know I've done my job when I hear a reader say, "I never saw that coming!"

- Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?

Folks have been very kind so I have lots of favorites, really.  One is because it surprised me.  It concerns the race of one of my characters.  I wrote it one way and several folks have told me they think she is another race.  It is because of her dialect.  You will have to guess just who it is ...

- Why did you decide to write romance novels?

Because you are supposed to write what you like to read. I'm a girl and I like romantic things.

- How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?

I will never tell.  I will say that some of the goofy scenes MIGHT be patterned after my personal "Lucy moments."  I'm always writing about those crazy times in my GraciusJaneMarie.com newsletter (read my Gracious Jane Marie Newsletter archives at http://www.greenlightwrite.com/newsletterarchive.htm ) and now in my new Gracious Jane Marie Blog Blog Blog at http://graciousjanemarie.blogspot.com/ .

- When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?

Here is the quick version. We were going to move from our home in Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida.  I was heartsick.  I was working at the local Christmas shop in our delightful seaside Victorian historic district. I thought writing a book would be a good way to remember our little town. When completed, I would put it in my daughter’s hope chest for future generations. So, since I love Victoriana and romance and mystery and suspense, I asked myself how hard could it be to write a book?  That was 4 books in the series ago. (All 4 are written with Mark of Man and Sand and Sin coming as soon as they are edited.) Before I could begin writing, a man in a yellow slicker raincoat entered the shop selling his catch of the day, fresh shrimp.  He had craggy skin, although he was probably only in his 40s, gorgeous blue eyes like those of a husky dog and auburn curls for which any woman would kill.  When he left, I said aloud, "Jane Marie, you have your first character, his name will be Catfish, and he's going to be in your book.” And he is, in The Goodbye Lie!

- Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?

Between one and two years what with the inclusion of life, death and politics (my husband was mayor of Fernandina Beach, Florida) plus keeping up our 800 plus page website and newsletter/blog blog blog and making all the tie-in crafts, etc. Rest assured, writing is my first love, after God, my family and my country.

- Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow? 

Go with the flow.  I do know that the hour hand spins super fast when I'm writing and darkness comes early... I get lost in the lives of my friends, the characters, trying to decide how they will untangle the difficulties which always find them.

- What is your writing routine once you start a book?

I have a basic idea. After researching the particular where and when and what (an actual historic event maybe), I write a very rough one page outline- sometimes.  Then I start typing Chapter 1 and go to the The End.  Then I go back and punch it up with details and dialogue and then I edit, check facts, rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, 20 plus times and THEN my stories are professionally edited because no one can see all their own typos. Your brain knows what you want to say so ignores many typos, try though you might to catch them all.

- What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?

Both, but I can easily deal with interruptions.  I might jot down a thought so I won't forget but I almost remember many scenes from my books word for word.  Almost.

- What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?

We visit family and play with my grandchild, an angel on earth.  The best part is she loves me tons.  We sit down on the floor and play, play, play.  When Grammy visits, that’s me, it's like "Circus Comes to Town" for both of us. 

I also love to paint my Velvet Undertow Secret Pebbles™ - small glass stones featured in the novel. (When I wrote Secret Pebbles™ into the story, I actually cried as I typed because I was so touched. I was probably quite a sight!) By the way, the secret in the pebble is what two people share. Secret Pebbles™ are available at www.GraciousJaneMarie.com. I can’t forget my hand painted greeting cards, tic tac toe boards and glass just some of my Goodbye Lie Keepsake Collection, all of which tie into the novels. They can be seen at books signings and craft show.

I garden and play handbells. (I much prefer the practice versus performance). We go to the movies, theater and walk on our Amelia Island beach. We travel when we can. We do all the usual fun things everyone else likes to do.

- Do you feel humour is important in women's fiction and why?

Yes! Yes! Yes!  Making folks laugh is a major dimension in life and must be included in fiction where possible. Two of my favorite characters are Peeper, the grandmother who adopted the Dunnigan family, and nasty Aunt Noreen who lives next door.  Everyone knows an Aunt Noreen type, someone you just want to slap, but proper society prohibits such acts.  The squabbling the two of them get into is a riot to write.

- What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?

I prefer tasteful romantic scenes.  I always tell my readers, I write the romance so I won't be embarrassed when my father reads them.  Heads nod in understanding after that. God gave us all a wonderful imagination.  I set the scene and give direction and the readers can take it wherever they want for themselves.  No, I have no difficulty writing tasteful romance.  It's fun!

- What kind of research do you do? 

Everyday is research for me because I am an observer of people, emotion, interaction, places, scenery, animals, phrases, names, etc. From the airport lobby, to the grocery store to the flea market, people are just plain interesting. I've taken docent classes at our local oral history Amelia Island Museum of History.  I love "period" anything, especially the Victorian era. Libraries, online, the History Channel, PBS - anywhere I find interesting facts, I gather then use them.  I even had a park ranger at the Johnstown, PA National Flood Museum read my manuscript for accuracy concerning the great flood of 1889 that is a major part of my second novel, Velvet Undertow.

- Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre? 

Readers may not know I also write modern day silly teddy bear stories as apart of our free online Rascally Readers program geared to encourage family reading.  Go to www.GraciousJaneaMarie.com and click on the teddy bear stories line or go directly to www.MarthaBear.com.   Martha Bear® is the white teddy bear I made many years ago.  She is the spokesbear for our site, star of the teddy stories and featured in each of The Goodbye Lie series novels.  I also have my Gracious Living newsletter achieves at   and my new Gracious Jane Marie Blog Blog Blog, too. I write lots of things in lots of styles and lots of genres.  Why?  Because my thoughts are "Random Ricochets Off the Backsplash of My Mind."  That's what I call my public speaking engagements.  I never know just what I'll say since I have so many fun things crammed in my brain. But wait! There’s more! I have a manuscript about a 9 year-old girl finished and another fictional manuscript set in modern Hong Kong.  (We were lucky enough to have traveled there and, naturally, I couldn’t waste all the grand material I harvested.) I'm almost done with a Martha Bear book draft, too. They are all on the “to be edited” list before they go to the publisher but they are written.

- What does your husband/wife think of your writing?

My husband, Bruce, is my biggest fan. I am truly blessed to have him.

- Do you ever ask him/her for advice?

Yes.  When I first started writing, a man read my manuscript and told me I didn't kill people very well.  My husband, a former Marine, gave me some pointers.

- Do you have a favorite author? Favorite book?

Yes. Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With the Wind. I first saw Gone With The Wind when I was 9. My loving father took me.  Later I read the book as a teen, carrying it to high school every day. I fell in love with the characters. That's why the compliment about my Goodbye Lie series, "where Little House on the Prairie meets Gone With The Wind" means so much to me.  Bruce and I attended the Gone With The Wind 50th anniversary costume ball in Atlanta, GA, celebrating the book's release and three years later, in a different gown I have to add, we went to the 50th anniversary re-premiere of the movie’s original premiere. See some photos here and click on the other GWTW links there if you’re a “Windie.” Even if you’re not, you might be after you check this stuff out. My personal favorite is actor of all time is Clark Gable, but then that’s just me … or is it?

- Who, if anyone, has influenced your writing?

My mother, Marie, for one person. She gave me the gift of correct grammar. What a wonderful help to an author. It makes an editor happy, too. That’s not to say, I speak by all the rules. English is a pretty difficult language to learn as we all hear. I’m happy I’ve been talking like this since I was a baby. J Thankx, Mom. Okay, I need a little work on my spelling. In the interest of equal time, my father actually took a 6 weeks writing course in Erie, PA, my hometown, just so he could send me all the material and lessons. That is one more proof I had the perfect parents.

- How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer?

I've been writing for 18 years in one form or another.  No.  I never wanted to be a writer although I did like winning most of the weekly grade school spelling word story contests, which were voted on by the kids. See the question above about why I began writing.

- How many books have you written, how many have been published?

 5 novels, 2 published so far, and two shorter books for the whole family.

- After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and/or read it?

Once in a while, I go back and look at a page or two. I don't have time to spend reading the whole thing because that takes minutes from creating more stories.

- Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine?

I can’t say I have a favorite book because that would somehow feel wrong, like saying you had a favorite child. The Amelia Island setting and Dunnigan family characters are the same, but the stories are completely different adventures.

- Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting?

For my Goodbye Lie series, it's the setting.  I mean, look at this place.  Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida is a Victorian seaside paradise, perfect for a storyteller. When I get a moment, I want to put together a Goodbye Lie driving tour of the island so readers can visit over a dozen places here, many still standing, that are featured.

- Are you in control of your characters or do they control you?

They may plead, cajole, whine and beg, my characters, I mean, but in the end, I’m the boss!

- Have you experienced writer's block---> If so, how did you work through it?

I have never had writer's block. Just the opposite. I try to slow my thoughts to corral the best ideas. If it sounds like my brain is in a constant whirl, which it is, you should hear me talk. I’m working but failing at slowing my speaking. I know my subject so when I talk, my enthusiasm just fuels my tongue and we’re off to the races!

- What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?

The enjoyment I get meeting readers and seeing their faces light up when they talk about my stories and ask me questions- when they "get" what I'm trying to convey.

- If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?

I'd be a costume designer.

- Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

Write for the pure thrill of the sport. Write for yourself and you will have achieved the most important kind of success.  You've made yourself happy and proud.

- Where do you see yourself in five years?

Having more of my stories, blog, website, and crafts out there to share with readers. I want everyone to enter the gracious land of my imagination because it is a sometimes stirring, sometimes silly place to live. From rainbows, lace and teapots to flowers, romance and the home, welcome everyone and enjoy along with me!

Thank you very much for taking the time with us and answering our questions. I really appreciate this interruption to your busy schedule. Good Luck, and we will be looking forward to the next delightful creation from your talented imagination!

Yours in good reading,
Rose!

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