Interview with Author J. E. Taylor:
Hi Ms Taylor. Thank you for doing this interview. I would like to welcome you to the Romance at Heart Interview and Author Grilling session. *bg* We are interested to find out as much about you as we possibly can, so lets get started...
- Please tell us about your latest book.
My July releases, Dark Reckoning and Survival Games were reviewed on your site recently and beyond these books, I’ve got the second in the games series Mind Games coming out in November. My latest project, Vengeance (follow up to Dark Reckoning) takes place in New York City where Steve is operating undercover for the biggest drug lord on the east coast and Jennifer is plagued with visions regarding a serial killer. I just submitted this to Fido and am waiting to hear what the plans for that are.
Vengeance is another high tension ride and as soon as I know the release date – I’ll be posting it on my website.
- What can we expect from you in the future?
I’m hoping to continue with the Steve Williams series beyond Vengeance. I’ve already got two complete manuscripts that need serious editing on my part and a third one started. In addition, I have another serial killer thriller on the shelves that needs to be dusted off and refined along with a YA superhero fantasy that is being flushed with my critique group as we speak.
I also have a handful of short stories that run from Middle Grade to Erotica over on Smashwords for .99 cents a piece that people can pick up.
- How do we find out about you and your books?
My website has blurbs and links to purchase both my available books and short stories. I also have a page on Amazon, Goodreads and of course I’m out there on Facebook and Twitter regularly. I also have a blog where I occasionally babble, but mostly I interview other authors. I love getting to know new and obscure writers as well as some of the more visible ones.
- Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?
My absolute favorite comment was from one of the father’s in my son’s Jukido class – he had read the short story Grayson House and said he couldn’t sleep for two days – he kept having to get up and make sure the windows and doors were locked. In other words, I freaked him out. As a matter of fact, he’s still freaked by that story.
For those of you that dabble in horror – you know that is exactly the type reaction you want your reader to experience.
- How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
This is the rub. People who have known me for years, especially those in the office setting have a really hard time reconciling me with my writing. I’ve got a wicked sense of humor and ‘fun’ is my middle name in that setting. I can make anyone laugh and strive to make whatever project I’m on an enjoyable environment. This laid back fun attitude sometimes doesn’t jive well with management – I mean really, we aren’t practicing brain surgery, no one’s life hangs in the balance – so I don’t see the need to run around like a chicken with my head cut off.
My personality sometimes comes through in some of the sarcasm my character’s display or certain things that I’m intrigued with. My favorite color is listed in Survival Games. I guess some of my strength to endure horrific situations is bound in there as well. I didn’t have the best time in High School – I am small, so the bully’s thought I was an easy target. LOL. I never let them have the satisfaction of seeing my fear or altering my schedule just to avoid them. I’m not the type to slink away or sulk in the corner and this silent strength along with my family’s love and support got me through some very tough years. This defiance of mine got to the lead bully enough that she put me as her pet peeve in the yearbook. I’ve toyed with writing my experience and actually have started it, but I’m not sure I want to open those wounds.
I do take from some life experiences. The most notable is interning as a reporter and being sent to a courtroom to await death penalty deliberations. I got to see a heartless killer up close – and his real life deeds reviewed over and over for the court. All my villains have a little of this man in them. He had soulless eyes, no indication of remorse or anything. It was by far the most terrifying experience I ever had. Up until then, I thought serial killers were stuff fiction was made of, but that taught me there is evil in our neighborhoods, maybe even the next door neighbor. And make no mistake, this man was evil.
He provided for years of nightmares - which of course is the fountain where my ideas take root.
- Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?
The first draft is usually written within three months. I had a purging of stories when I sat down in 2007 and my family gave me carte blanc rule to write. I scribed 9 books and at least a dozen short stories between February of 2007 and December of 2008. Since then I’ve been editing like a mad woman because the original versions were really just skeletons – foundations that need to be layered with character depth and emotional impact. I’ve got four other starts as well that once I get through refining these I’ll go back and finish. In the meantime, ideas keep popping up.
- Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
I’ve got no schedule. Are you kidding? A full time job, two kids and all their activities? I catch writing time when I can. I’m positioned in the family room with my little netbook – right in the middle of the action. When I’m in the zone, the entire house could fall to the ground and I wouldn’t know it. My kids know this and have been known to stand in front of the ottoman and repeat “Mom” until I look up, which sometimes can take a while.
- What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
During camping season, I walk the two mile stretch of Long Sands Beach in York Maine. Or sit on the beach with a good book, or park around the campfire with a glass of wine and some great neighbors. During the off-season, I write, watch movies or certain favorite television shows, but if I’m home and hanging in my chair, I usually have the computer up and running during the movies or television shows and get a little writing done during commercials.
- What kind of research do you do?
For Survival Games, Mind Games and End Game I did a fair amount of research online regarding how long a person can last with certain injuries. My sister gave me a forensic slide deck on the study of blood patterns for different injuries (she teaches forensic science in high school) and I did some research on bombs and the feasibility of blowing up a trailer. I knew enough about editing and set design and on location shoots from the stint I did between my internships and my early career in television (behind the scenes) to get away with writing those pieces. I researched surfing and chess as well.
For the Steve Williams series, I figured if I was going to about an FBI agent, I better damn well know how to shoot a gun. A friend from the office took me to a shooting range and taught me how to shoot several guns.
- What does your husband think of your writing?
He didn’t read Survival Games – he started an earlier version but never finished it. I’m not sure if it was because of the content or just the condition that original copy was in. It took a while to get him to read something else and the next one he read was Mirror Lake – he loved it. After several declines from agents and small publishers due to a controversial scene, I changed the name from Mirror Lake to Dark Reckoning and tried a few more places. The new title was well received and Fido picked it up.
His reaction to the ending of Vengeance prompted me to completely re-write it, which also meant re-writing the entire next book in the series - Hunting Season, but it is now a much more palatable read.
As far as the steamy stuff – there’s a story regarding that. In the very beginning, he didn’t know I was dabbling in erotica and I didn’t know how to tell him I was writing it. I wrote a story called Lunch Date and submitted it to Talent Drips and they accepted it. My first paycheck was for $15, but I still didn’t tell him. I wasn’t home when the check arrived at the house - I was off at a conference and he called asking what it was for. Well, I told him and his reaction was very positive – he wanted to read it. So I sent it to him. Needless to say he liked it, jokingly, he accused me of stealing scenes from our bedroom and went on to say he thought I should pay him commission. We laughed about it and from that point forward, I’ve gotten over the shyness of admitting I write erotica among other things.
- Do you ever ask him for advice?
Yes, on a few of my short stories. He really has a good eye for plot holes and at first he was hesitant to say anything, but now he’s much more willing to share opinions of where I can do better.
- Are you a member of any author groups - RWA, critique groups, etc.?
As a matter of fact, yes. I’m a member of RWA and Backspace along with a SF/F critique group and have taken several of Margie Lawson’s courses where I found one of my most valuable and cherished critique partners.
- What do you think of critique groups in general?
Finding the right critique group is essential. I’m not talking about people who pat you on the back and sing your accolades or the reverse, those that tear you apart just for the hell of it without giving you any indication of what’s working or how you could approach a scene. I’m talking about folk that take the time to poke holes in your plot, point out areas of weakness and tell you what’s working and occasionally slap you in the back of the head and say what the hell where you thinking? A well rounded critique partner is a lifeline to success. I found several with Backspace and as I said above, I found some fantastic ones through Margie’s classes. Sometimes a critique partner needs to be ruthless, just like an editor, but they should go a step further and guide you through the fire and into the calm.
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
99 Nubble. LOL – sorry this is an inside joke. 99 Nubble is a 3.5 million dollar house on a ledge overlooking the ocean in Maine. I have the real-estate sheet on my refrigerator at home. The place is still for sale and has been since I started pursuing this crazy dream. I like to think it’s waiting for us.
Honestly, I’d love to be at the point where I’m writing full time in five years, but the reality of that dream is a long shot. And I have to be practical. I’ve got a fifteen year old and a ten year old and college tuition is looming.
- Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Yes and no. When I was younger, yes. It was one of the many careers I thought of. Writer, Lawyer, Movie Director were among some of my younger aspirations. I did have the pleasure of writing and directing a couple Kids News spots when I worked at Channel 61 in Hartford. I loved it, but in light of marriage and thoughts of family, I moved onto the financial services sector. Again, I had aspirations of running a broker dealer before the kids came along. Then my priorities changed a bit. Now, I’m content where I am. It doesn’t thrill me the way writing or working at the television station did, but it will fund my kid’s college careers and a comfortable retirement. In the meantime, I catch my thrills with my writing.
- Among your own books, have you a favorite? A favorite hero or heroine?
Hunting Season. The third book in my Steve Williams series. I decided to merge the two series and introduce Steve Williams to Ty Aris. Extreme levels of fun bringing together my two favorite characters and anyone who reads both Dark Reckoning and Survival Games can imagine the trouble that meeting will ignite.
>- Which of your books has been the easiest to write? The hardest?
Actually, Survival Games was the easiest to write because it had been bottled up in my head for twenty years and I finished the first draft in a little over a month.
The hardest to write was Georgia Reign. That book haunted me, it was the only one I had nightmares about while writing it, whereas, the others seemed to quell longstanding nightmares. This is the follow up novel to Hunting Season and takes Steve to Georgia and where he faces off against a serial killer that targets kids.
- Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting?
The idea comes first – that for me is usually a plot line – so I’d have to say the story. Unless it’s a sequel, then it’s all about the characters not shutting up and demanding their story be taken further. Which blends into another one of your questions – Am I in control of my characters or do they control me – well, when I’m writing, I let them have free reign. They have even surprised me with where they have gone.
- Have you experienced writer's block---> If so, how did you work through it?
Not so much what I’d call writer’s block, but I’ve had issues envisioning where to go with a story. That’s usually when I put it down and sleep on it. In the past that has helped to clear all the cobwebs and find the solution. If not, I usually change focus into writing a short story. That usually gets the juices flowing again as well.
- What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
The look in my kids eyes – especially the day my author copies arrived for that first book. They see me reaching for my dreams and it inspires them to do the same. Even NYT best seller list and movie deals couldn’t top that – although those would be nice perks.
- If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?
Depends on the season. Day job not withstanding, in the summer I’d be either on the beach or by the campfire. During the winter, I’d either be reading a book or watching television shows like Criminal Minds, Supernatural and yes, Smallville. And then there’s Sunday football! I’d be making chilli and watching the games with my husband.
- Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
Be patient and hone your craft. Study writers in your genre to see what works and what doesn’t. Read, read and read some more. Join a writers group like the Backspace Forum and take some classes to learn tricks and how to delve deeper into character and emotions and apply what you learn to your writing. If you’re going the self publishing route, make sure you find a good editor to help you polish the manuscript before you let it loose.
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!
Author Links:
Website Email Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads
RaH Links:
Interview Review
Purchase Links:
Buy Dark Reckoning at Fido
Buy Fido Publslihing Books
Buy J.E. Taylor's Books at eXcessica
Buy eXcessica Publishing Books
Buy J. E. Tayllor's Book at CreateSpace.com
Buy J. E. Taylor's Shorts at Smashwords