Jane Beckenham's Q&A
WWR: Let's start off by talking a bit about you. Can you give us a brief rundown of how you got started writing romance? Are you an avid reader?
AUTHOR: I started writing about 9 years ago. We got our first home PC, and I'm an interior decorating nut. I was chatting on line to a woman who was a writer. With her encouragement I gave it a go, and I've never looked back. If so, what authors and books do you enjoy? I spent many years of my youth in and out of hospital and so had to rely on my own company - and books. I got hooked. The first books I really remember reading are 'Black Like Me' and 'Island of the Blue Dolphin'. I moved onto category romances and historical, particularly the Angelique series, by Sergeanne Golon. Today, I'm a fan of Lynne Kurland, Sandra Hill, Sophia James, Melissa James and if I want a SF hit, I go to ND Hansen-Hill. Or for a cotemporary twist, or murder, Yvonne Eve Walus is always a sure bet. Check out some of her poetry too.
WWR: What have you found to be the easiest and hardest parts of being a romance author?
AUTHOR: The easiest is the addiction! I love it. Talking to my characters, as they let me get to know them, bit by bit. The hardest is that I'm not a straight out plotter. I get an idea and maybe a blurb of sorts and go to it. Then I've got to find out why this story needs to be told.
WWR: How many books have you written? Have all of them been published? And if so, by whom and when?
AUTHOR: I've written about nine books, plus a couple I wouldn't mention. My first publication was a co-authored book with Ellen Ben-Sefer (as Janelle Benham) - WOMAN OF VALOR is a time travel/romance set in ancient Judea, 69AD, plus there is a sequel to come out called LEAP OF FAITH. Then BE MY VALENTINE, also a time travel was my individual work, again a time travel set in Jamaica, late 1600s. Lots of pirates and evil landowners! A contemporary came next, set here in NZ - Always A Bridesmaid. These books were all published by Treble Heart Books - www.trebleheartbooks.com. Then my release this year through Linden Bay Romance (www.lindenbayromance.com) of HIRING CUPID which is a fun sexy read, and the new one HE'S THE ONE is through Linden Bay too. I've got a few other books I'm just waiting to hear on so, fingers crossed!
WWR: Is romance your one true love, or do you plan to write books in other genres someday?
AUTHOR: Oh yes, I think so. Everyone wants a happy ending and I'm a sucker for it, but I think I'll always cross the genres between contemporary and historical or time travel. However, that said, I've a YA, I'm working on plus I had a dream a few years ago about a mainstream mystery (with a hint of love of course!), but that is still in the dream stages!
WWR: What's been the most memorable moment of your writing career? Was it when you got "the call" for the sale of your first book?
AUTHOR: Of course that's always wonderful. Mine was an email. I think the most exciting thing for me though is starting each book. A new story, a new world, characters, the thrill of it all. Call me fickle, but I have a hard time sometimes remembering my characters names six months after the books are finished, I've moved on to my next love affair with my new hero! But don't fret, I'm not like that really, I've been married nearly 25 years!
WWR: Speaking of "the call"...can you tell us a bit about it?
AUTHOR: As I said above, mine was an email. It was very validating. Like YES YES YES. I CAN do this! I was so excited I phoned my friend in the States, the one who originally got me writing, phoned all the family etc. But really it's been since then that the journey has been awesome. I've made some fabulous writer friends, and hearing readers have enjoyed by books, well that is everything.
WWR: From your website we found that you've been published by both Treble Heart Books and Linden Bay Romance. Can you tell us a little about what it's like working with them? And, do you have more stories in the works to be published with either of them or both?
AUTHOR: Working with both publishers is a great learning curve. Always learning different things from editors. I live in New Zealand, and we speak England/English, so I have to work on my American-speak sometimes! Also little things like grammar, and punctuation is different, so depending on which country/publisher a book is going to I have to remember all those little things.
Linden Bay is a great bunch of people. I'm presently in the final edits of HE'S THE ONE.
WWR: Your most recent release, HE'S THE ONE, is scheduled to be released October 1, 2007. Can you tell us a bit about it?
AUTHOR: Taylor is a virgin, and a wedding planner. But what does a gal do when her clients (the brides) ask her questions about sex. Poor girl. She can't answer, but she does what any good businesswoman does, she goes seeking the right guy. Enter Cade Harper, bad boy, made good, and soooo sexy. Of course he's up for it (pardon the pun), but when Cade keeps putting Taylor off, she's not quite sure what's going on. And of course, background and history get in the way. It's a fun, sexy read. Cade is my Sawyer from Lost (sorry not the doc Jack), I go for the bad boys, coz I like to have my heroine's tame them.
WWR: Is HE'S THE ONE a sequel or otherwise connected to HIRING CUPID your other Linden Bay Romance? If so, can you tell us a bit about the way they're linked?
AUTHOR: No they're not sequels, but both are set here in New Zealand, and both women are strong, business minded, goal orientated women, until these men put a spoke in their wheels!
WWR: In HE'S THE ONE the heroine, a wedding consultant, makes a business proposal the bad boy hero can't pass up. Can you tell us a bit about Taylor and Cade?
AUTHOR: Taylor's family are all brain boxes, she's the square peg. She's always felt never good enough. ( I don't wan to give too much here as it'll give away the story LOL).
Cade, well that poor boy is the eldest of 3, he's had a hard life, with parents who really were pretty useless. At least he thought so, but then he saw it through a child's eyes, and now years later, he's having to re-evaluate it, if he is going to find his own happiness.
Having read the excerpt at Linden Bay Romance, I can say this book sounds hot and very interesting. The tension-filled banter between Taylor and Cade definitely made me want to read more. So I have to ask...when is the release date and how do you get your very own copy of this story?
He's the One is being released in e book - 1 October, and print book, later this year.
Go to http://www.lindenbayromance.com/comming_details.php?id=98 to read an excerpt and to purchase (though at the moment it is still in 'coming releases'.
You can always catch me at my web site www.janebeckenham.com (don't growl, coz it needs updating and I'm so techno-challenged - it's on my to do list! Also I blog at http://janebeckenham.wordpress.com/ and am trying to get a myspace up and running. But if you'd like to read excerpts, go in for prizes, read about what other authors are up to, join my newsletter Join Jane's Newsletter. I'm always happy to get reader mail. Email me at neiljane@ihug.co.nz
Thank you so much for having me here.
