Jacquelyn Frank: Candid & Uncensored!

Jacquelyn’s bio reads like she should already be part of the LITERAL ADDICTION and Book Monster family—she’s an animal lover who treats her cats like her kids, her vivid imagination is a direct result of her nocturnal musings, and she’s a strong-willed fighter with a lust for life and a passion for living it to its fullest.  Sound familiar!?  That’s probably why we love her so much! 

Jacquelyn was born in NY, started writing romantic fiction at the tender age of 13, and currently lives in North Carolina with her family, which of course includes her 9 beloved furbabies [read:  cats].

Also, don’t forget that Jacquelyn will be doing a 2 hour interactive Live Chat from 2:00 – 4:00pm EST (1:00-3:00pm CT/12:00 – 2:00pm MDT/11:00am – 1:00pm PDT) over on LITERAL ADDICTION’s Contact Us Page Chatroom (http://www.literaladdiction.com/contact-us.php/ ).

**NOTE:  You’ll definitely want to ask Jacquelyn more about her cats during the chat! 

Jacquelyn is the esteemed creator of the GATHERERS, SHADOWDWELLERS, NIGHTWALKERS and THREE WORLDS series, the last of which had its newest installment, Book #2 - “Seduce Me in Flames”, released just 5 days ago on 7/26/11. 

For those of you not yet familiar with THREE WORLDS, it’s an über sexy futuristic series about a military unit that is the crème de la crème of the Interplanetary Militia (and yeah, they’re pretty good soldiers too!).  A group that is always on the front lines and sent to do the impossible in the worst situations, the unit lives by their code:  “No Fear/No Fail/No Fatality” despite the odds stacked against them or the distractions that end up crossing their paths.

So, now that we’ve given you a teeny tiny bit of information about Jacquelyn and introduced any new readers to the THREE WORLDS series that the new release, “Seduce Me in Flames” belongs to, let’s find out about the real author behind THREE WORLDS, NIGHTWALKERS, SHADOWDWELLERS, and GATHERERS shall we!? Jacquelyn has requested that we make our Interview fun, unique and exciting, and we are more than happy to rise to the challenge.   

 

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Hi Jacquelyn.  Can we call you Jacki?  We’re very happy to have you with us today and are incredibly excited to get to know you better.  Thank you so very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down and chat with not only us, but also directly with our members, followers and guests in the interactive chat a little bit later on!

Jacki: [Opening Statements…] Well Yes, I am always happy to talk to the little people. ::smirk:: Just kidding! I love doing that. (Even though my publisher just had a coronary!) I am glad you invited me. I haven’t done a chat in so long.  But yes, please call me Jacki J

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  We always start our interviews by asking our authors the following question:

Q1):  What are 3 things about yourself that we couldn’t find out on the Internet?

Jacki: 1. I have a “Jacki specific” Barbie collection.  I have a Pisces Barbie, A Wonder Woman Barbie (my girlfriend gave it to me because growing up I used to spin around like Linda Carter’s Wonder Woman) An Italy Barbie (cuz I’m Italian in heritage) and a Bewitched & I Dream of Jeannie. I grew up loving the magic of those shows.  2. I am a size 7 in shoes.  3. I love to collect cat themed objects, as well as actual cats.

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Thank you for that.  Now, while we’d like to base the entire interview around getting to know you better, we probably should ask a little something about “Seduce Me in Flames” and THREE WORLDS…

 Q2):  What was your inspiration behind the series?  Why interplanetary covert ops?

Jacki: Well, I had a dream about a soldier in a desert, and then about the soldier hallucinating about a woman. That is how it started. Plus, I have had a love of covert ops/SEALS since Suzanne Brockman’s early novels. She used to make me cry every time.

 Q2):  What was the best part of writing Ender’s story in “Seduce Me in Flames”?

Jacki: That he had this huge secret that I didn’t even know about. I translated that into how I thought his family would feel about it. I also remember my editor complaining about spicing some things up more, so I did, and ended up painting myself in to an even tighter corner...but also gave myself an excellent obstacle between my hero and my heroine.

Q4):  There’s a 3^rd book, “Seduce Me in Shadows”, with an expected publication of December 2011.  Is THREE WORLDS just going to be a trilogy, or do you plan on telling the remaining ETF First Action crewmembers’ stories as well?

Jacki: Actually, there is a hold on Seduce me in Shadows at the moment. There’s kind of a cascade effect in publishing. If one thing changes then everything changes. I will let you know on my website when it comes on the schedule.  As of now, it is only a three book deal, but who knows what the future will hold.

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Well, we think we’ve done our duty.  We made readers aware of the new release, “Seduce Me in Flames”, put the teaser out there for next release, “Seduce Me in Shadows”, and filled in the question marks with regards to the future of the series.  Now…we want to get to know the REAL Jacki!  J

Q5):  First, something easy.  What’s a typical day like in the life of Jacquelyn Frank?

Jacki: I start the day with hair, end the day bald, and magically it all grows back overnight! Seriously though, my day seems to be all about putting out fires mostly as I work with my assistant on promotionals, fan mail, Facebook etc.  Then I crank up the iPod LOUD and drown everything out except the voices in my head. But rest assured, I check with my therapist once a week to make sure it’s the good type of voices.

Q6):  What are 2 things that never fail to make you smile, and 2 things that never fail to piss you off?

Jacki: 1. Cats 2. Shopping  AND  1. Stupid freakin people that do stupid freakin stuff designed to piss me the fuck off.    2. TELEMARKETERS!! Wait, let me be more specific. Automated telemarketers or telemarketers who barely speak a word of English. Get off my damn phone! Don’t you know I have work to do??

Q7):  If you could live your childhood over again, first of all would you, and second, what would you change and/or make sure to do that you didn’t do the first time around?

Jacki: I had a horrible stint of abuse in childhood, but things like that make us who we are, so, I don’t know. It’s a slippery slope. Change that and you might change the essence of what makes me…me. Change that and I might never have become the dreamy romantic in need of escape to worlds of all make and measure. As for adulthood, I wish I would have learned sooner that I am just fine without a man! I know, it’s contradictory in some ways. But there you are.

Q8):  If you had to describe yourself in 5 words what would they be?

Jacki: The Quintessential Crazy Cat Lady!

Q9):  If you could choose to go on a ‘free pass’ date with 1 person, dead or alive, who would it be, where would you want to go, and what would the night entail?  

Jacki:  Okay…I pick Queen Elizabeth. She was a tough chick before tough chicks were cool.  She proved a woman could be great without a man or the use of her womb. I would like to attend a modern day Shakespeare play and she what she thought of the production methods past and present.

Q10):  You’re stranded on a desert island of perpetual night with 5 hunky Supernaturals; a Vampire, a Lycan, a Fallen Angel, a handsome Unseelie Fae and a powerful Mage.  Which one will you choose to satisfy your carnal pleasures and why? 

Jacki:   I pick the Mage.  All the others are limited to their species, but a Mage can cross genres of magic and ability. The possibilities are endless!

Q11):  LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha once had an old boyfriend tell her that his ultimate fantasy would always be:  her, a light rain, the shadow of the crows-nest on the 50 yard line of the football field with freshly mowed turf, strawberries, whip cream, and… well… you get the idea!  What’s the most creative fantasy you’ve ever been pitched by a lover?

 Jacki:  Clearly, I need more creative lovers.  The best I ever got was “two chicks…huh..uh huh huh.”

Q12):  They say that music and scent are 2 of the most powerful memory reactors.  What song and/or smell never fail to remind you of something, and what Technicolor memory does it bring back? 

Jacki: Obsession. The perfume I used to wear back when I was a virgin…or in the process of discarding said state. J

Q13):  Can you describe for us the best and/or worst date you’ve ever been on?

Jacki:  Well, I think the worst date my date literally progressed like this…charming, flirting, coaxing…sex…instant douchebag…kicked me out of bed. I kid you not. Of course back then I thought I had done something wrong. Turns out I did. I trusted my crappy instincts for choosing a man. I haven’t trusted me ability to judge a man since.

Q14):  Have you ever caught yourself having naughty daydreams about one of your characters?  Which one and what were you doing?

Jacki:  Hey…I daydream about ALL of my characters. I’m happy to share them with you! All you have to do is pick up one of my books and VOILA!

Q15):  What celebrity do you seriously lust after and why?

Jacki:  Mike Holmes!  He is a knight in shinning overalls. He swoops in and saves people from the bad guys. Of course, sarcastic Jacki brain thinks it’s a lot of PR bullshit, but my dreamer brain tell my sarcastic brain to shut the fuck up in this one instance. I also love Gorden Ramsey…cuz everything to him is “the most amazing…” I have huge desire to teach him more synonyms while he makes yummy food for me.

Q16):  Where’s the craziest place you’ve ever made love, and would you recommend it to others?

Jacki:  The front lawn of my boyfriend’s house. (or neighbor’s house) Every time headlights came by it sucked, though. But the danger of getting caught was outrageous. Ah…those wild hormonal days of yore. I would love to have that passionate need for sex again.

Q17):  We know what it’s like for us as readers and we’ve traded stories many a time, J  but have you as the author ever found yourself picking up the phone after writing a particularly steamy sex scene to dial a booty call?

Jacki:  Erm.  No. Until recently no one wanted my booty. And including recently, I don’t want any booty because it comes attached to the male species…which almost always guarantees trouble.

Q18):  What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business?

Jacki:  Chilling with my kitties. Never get tired of socializing a feral or playing with strings & feathers or listening to a rumbly purr.

 Q19):  This is another of our staple questions…  What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview but never have before, and how would you answer that question?

Jacki:  Boxers or Briefs? (Or Commando)

Answer: Boxer/Briefs.  There’s a cling factor…

Q20):  When you wish to end your career, stop writing, and look back on your life, what thoughts are you hoping you have?

Jacki:  I made it to #1 on the NYT Bestseller list and NO ONE can ever take that away! EVER!! Muhahahahahaha!!

L

ITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Well, that was really fun!  I hope you enjoyed yourself as much as we did, and we hope that we didn’t embarrass you too much!?  Thank you again for coming by today, for being so honest, and for making us realize that no matter what life throws at us; we’re all the same deep down.  We’re looking forward to talking to you and your fans more in the Live Chat.

Jacki:  [Closing thoughts…] I had fun. Nothing embarrasses me. My publishers however…well, that’s another story. :)  Looking forward to the chat!

HUGS & KITTIES

Jacki

If you would like to learn more abput Jacquelyn and her amazing books, you can visit her at the following sites:

Website:  http://www.jacquelynfrank.com/main.html

Blog:  http://jacquelynfrank.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1237552971&ref=ts#!/authorjacquelynfrank

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JacquelynFrank

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/64364.Jacquelyn_Frank

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CONTEST:  Jacki is offering two SIGNED copies of Seduce Me in Flames to two very lucky Book MOnster Followers.

TO ENTER:  Leave a comment on this post and tell us which is your favorite book by Jacki.  If you have not read any of Jacki's books yet (what the heck are you waiting for??  They're awesome!!), tell us which book you would like to read and why?  You must leave your email address in your post and you must be a follower of the Book Monster Blog (click "Join this Site" button) to enter the contest.

Want a 3rd and 4th chance to win??  Hean on over to the LITERAL ADDICTION website (http://www.literaladdiction.com/) read their entry rules and enter to win their contest as well.  They are also giving away two signed copies of SMIF.

Triple Blog Promotion with Zoe Winters

Zoe Winters Interview

Good afternoon everyone!!  Book Monster Reviews, LITERAL ADDICTION and For The Love Of Books are very pleased to welcome Indie author Zoe Winters to our sites today.

Zoe Winters writes quirky (and sometimes dark) paranormal romance, and is the creator of the Preternaturals series.  Her favorite colors are rainbow and clear.

When asked, “What’s your goal as a writer?”, Zoe replied with:  "I want to write a book that makes you almost pee your pants because you don't want to put it down long enough to go to the bathroom. I want to write a book that you miss meals for. I want to write a book you miss bathing for. I want to grab hold of you and not let go until the very last page, where you crumble to the floor in a blissful heap, ask for a cigarette, and say: ‘Damn, was it good for you too,’ then tell 300 of your closest friends about it on Twitter."  J  LOL!

Now if that doesn’t make you want to go out and find her books ASAP, we’re not sure what will!  That said, let’s find out more about Zoe's Preternaturals series and take a brief look at each of the books.

Blood Lust:  The first book in the Preternaturals series, which is actually a compilation of 3 different novellas (all available for individual purchase on Amazon), Blood Lust gives readers a snapshot look at the world of the Preternaturals. Here are brief synopses about each novella:

1)  KEPT (also available free,  here):  As a cat therian (shifter), Greta's blood is already sought after to enhance  spells and potions, but due to a quirk of her birth, her blood is potent enough to kill for.  When her tribe plans to sacrifice her, Greta must ally herself with Dayne, the dangerous local sorcerer, and the only person strong enough to protect her.

2) CLAIMED:  For a vampire, Anthony isn't a picky eater, but he's drawn to Charlee's blood more than any other.  Like a fine wine saved for a special occasion, he's denied himself this pleasure.  But one night, high from the potent magical blood of another, he claims his prize and loses control. Ashamed of almost killing the one woman who means anything to him, he wipes her memory of the event.  When Charlee awakens with complete amnesia, Anthony is the only one who can clean up the mess he's made.

3)  MATED:  Because of the vampiric blood that has run through her veins since birth, Jane has been a target for vampires who resent a human being "kindred."  She's forced to disguise herself as a vampire groupie to appease them and safeguard her life.  When she's abruptly given to Cole, the leader of the werewolf pack, to satisfy a gambling debt, she discovers the blood running through her veins has a far greater impact on her destiny than she ever imagined.

Save My Soul (Book 2): The second installment of the Preternaturals series was released on January 31, 2011 and has gotten rave reviews from fans.  Let’s take a brief look at what Save My Soul is all about:  All he's asking for is her soul . . .  After buying the antebellum home she’s fantasized about since childhood, Anna Worthington discovers Luc, a dangerously seductive incubus who has been trapped in the house by a fifty-year-old curse. To rid herself of her problem house guest she’ll call on a priest, gypsies, ghost hunters, and the coven of witches from lust bunny hell. All she has to do is resist him long enough to break the spell so they can go their separate ways. If she doesn’t, she could die. And that would be the best case scenario.

 Also, don’t forget that Zoe will be doing a 1 hour interactive Live Chat from 8:00 – 9:00pm EST (7:00-8:00pm CT/6:00pm–7:00pm MDT/5:00am–6:00pm MDT) over on LITERAL ADDICTION’s Contact Us Page Chatroom (http://www.literaladdiction.com/contact-us.php/ ).

Now that we’ve learned more about Zoe's books, let's get to know the author behind the Preternaturals a little better.

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION/For The Love Of Books:  Hi Zoe!  We’re very happy to have you with us today!  Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to drop by and spend some time with us!

Zoe: Thanks for having me. :)

1)  How/when did you start writing?

Zoe: I know I was writing novels by Jr. High but I honestly don’t remember if I was writing before that. I know by that time I was getting serious enough about it that it was what I wanted to be when I grew up.

2)  Can you please explain for those of us that don’t know much about it, what being an "Indie author” really means?

Zoe: It just means that I’m independent. Just like an indie band or filmmaker. No one else controls my art but me.

3)  In your opinion, what are the two biggest pros & cons to being an Indie writer?

Zoe: For me there are no cons. I’m not saying everything is perfect and wonderful all the time, only that I don’t really look at it in those terms and the pros can be summed up as: Full creative control. I don’t want to be someone else’s serf.

4)  Do you use social media to help connect with your readers and promote your work?

Zoe: Yes. I use Twitter, Facebook, and my blog. Though I don’t use any of the above as much as I used to. I’m shifting slowly from being pro-active and “out there” to interacting with the readers who come to me. I guess you can say I’m becoming rather hermit-y.

5)  Are there ways that an Indie author can deliver a satisfying reading experience better than a traditional publisher?  If so, what do you feel they are?

Zoe: I’m not really sure how to answer that. I don’t like to create an “Us vs. Them”. I’m sure I did at one time, whether intentionally or not, but yeah, I don’t want to go down that road again. I have personal feelings about certain things with regards to indie vs. trad but I don’t want to keep fighting that fight. I think I should be celebrating indie rather than constantly looking back to the other path and ‘what’s wrong with it’.

6)  What is your favorite supernatural being (or as we sometimes like to call them, “Supe Group” – i.e Vampires, Shifters, Weres, Fae, etc)?

Zoe: Hehe I like “Supe Group”. Either vampires or demons (incubus specifically).

7) What are some of your favorite television shows and movies?

Zoe: Anything Joss Whedon had a hand in. Firefly, Buffy, Angel, Dollhouse. I feel like I’m leaving out a Joss Whedon series, but maybe not.

8)  If you could have any super power at all, what would it be and why?

Zoe: Teleportation. I’m not sure I can say why without just restating the power LOL. It’s fairly self-explanatory haha.

9)  What was the inspiration behind the Preternaturals series?

Zoe: I’m not sure there is any one inspiration for the series because it didn’t start out as a series idea. I’d written Save My Soul. Then I wrote Kept. Kept wasn’t even supposed to be connected. It was supposed to be a contest entry but I didn’t make the deadline. I released Kept to try to start building a fan base. At that time I had the vague idea that Save My Soul might be the start of a series, but I had no specific series plans until I came up with the idea for Claimed, the second novella that eventually became part of “Blood Lust”. By the time I had the second one done, I had an idea for a third one.

I figured out a way to tie the third book into Save My Soul so it could all be one world. And having three novellas gave me enough for a print release. So I made that book one and Save My Soul book 2. Of course by this time, I have about 10 books planned, and I have a much more solid world. It came together in a rather haphazard way, but there is nothing haphazard about it now.

10)  Do you have a time frame as to when the third book might be released?

Zoe: I’m hoping by the end of the year.

11)   Can you give us any insight into some of the things we can expect as the series progresses, and how many books are planned for the series?

Zoe: Right now I have ten planned. I may go over that. It just depends on how I feel about it and how the fans feel about it when we get there. There is nothing worse than a series that has passed its prime that just keeps getting crappier and crappier. After book 10 if it’s still strong and fans are still excited about it, I’ll keep going. As the series progresses Cain will get his own book (and will have a mate). We’ll also travel into a future world where everyone knows about the preternaturals. Things start getting weird by book 4, and really weird beyond that. Right now a lot of things that are happening are setting up future stuff.

12)  Do you have a writing routine?  Certain things you must have with you for the process to begin, etc?

Zoe: No, I really just sit down and write. I try not to get too ritualistic or precious about it.

13)  What are the best and worst parts of writing for you?

Zoe: I like it all. Except when I don’t. LOL. There is no one part that I always like or always hate.

14)  What have you always wanted to be asked in an interview but never were?  And could you answer that for us?

Zoe: I’m not sure I’ve ever had a question I wished someone would ask but never did. People generally ask all the pertinent questions about the series. Anything beyond that would be spoilers which I can’t do. And I generally don’t answer personal questions in interviews.

15)  So, what's next for Zoe Winters?  What do you have planned in the upcoming months?

Zoe: Trying to get books 3 and 4 finished so I can release them.

16)  Is there anything specific you would like to say to your readers while we have you here today?

Zoe: Thanks for reading. Without readers it’s all pretty much textual masturbation.

BMR/L.A./FTLOB:   Zoe, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions! We wish you the best of luck with the Preternaturals series, and all of your future endeavors.  We would love to have you back when you're ready to promote the third Preternaturals book if you're free! J

Zoe: Thanks for having me, that sounds great!

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CONTEST:  Zoe will be giving away a SIGNED copy of Save My Soul to a lucky Book Monster Follower.

To Enter, Post a comment on the interview and make sure you leave a valid email address. Any comments without an email address will NOT be entered into drawing. You must also be a follower of the BMR blog. 

Want a 2nd chance to win??  Drop by the LITERAL ADDICTION website (http://www.literaladdiction.com ), follow the directions and enter to win the contest on their site as well!!!

Want a 3^rd chance to win?   Go to For The Love Of Books blog (http://www.fourtheloveofbooks.blogspot.com/) and leave a comment there with an email address also!

We will be holding 3 separate drawings for 3 separate prizes as designated by Zoe.  GOOD LUCK!!!!