Welcome! Thanks for joining me on another Sunday Speed Dates. This week I have Jenna Barwin sitting in the hot seat.
Jenna is the author of the Hill Vampire novels, which blend mystery, wine, and romantic spice into a heady combination.
She has degrees in sound engineering, theology, the law, and if a degree was offered, she’d have one in the school of love.
She believes in changing careers frequently enough to keep life interesting. She has worked as a circus magician, news video editor, and public law attorney (but not all at the same time). She brings those varied experiences to her writing.
When not writing, she enjoys both land and underwater nature photography, and is known to occasionally attend a Victorian dance in full regalia right down to pantaloons and a hoop skirt.
Dark Wine at Midnight, the first book in her urban fantasy Hill Vampire series, is available on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited. It’s equal parts mystery, political intrigue, and love story.
She’s currently working on the next book in her series, Dark Wine at Sunrise, due out in 2017/2018
Welcome Jenna! First, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I love to write, it’s how I escape reality. I’m also a nature photographer, both land and underwater.
Recently, I pondered whether there was a link between the sea creatures I photograph, and my fiction writing. Denizens of the sea and vampires share this in common: they can be both beautiful and dangerous.
For example, this lionfish elegantly floats through the water, and is quite lovely to watch, but its spines contain a nasty neurotoxin. Unlike vampires, they aren’t aggressive, and they move slowly through the water, so it’s easy to avoid them.
I think I’ll take my chances with the lionfish!
Tell us a little about your latest project.
Dark Wine at Midnight is an urban fantasy, and combines mystery and political intrigue plots with a love story. It’s book 1 in a series, and is set in an exclusive winemaking community of vampires.
Here’s the elevator pitch: A research scientist is forced by her people to spy on the vampires she’s trying to help. One of those vampires is an expert winemaker with eyes the color of dark bourbon—and just as intoxicating—who’s hiding his own deep secrets. In the end, he learns to love again, and she learns to embrace her own decisions, which includes choosing him.
That sounds interesting!
What are some day jobs that you have held? Have any of them influenced your writing? If so, how?
I’ve performed magic in the circus big ring, edited video for television news, been CEO of a non-profit, and after obtaining my law degree, I worked as a public law attorney.
All my life experiences influence my worldview, and my worldview comes out in my writing.
Wow! You’ve lived a varied and exciting life.
What inspires you personally?
Relationships. I think relationships change people. They call us to be our best selves, to have insight into who we are, and why we do what we do.
In addition to relationships, I get some of my most creative spurts after long hours spent applying analytical and logic skills to a task. Too much left brain work will cause my right brain to jump up and down and scream “Let me out! I wanna play, I wanna play.”
It’s all about balance. Even when we think we can keep going the way we are going, our brains tell us otherwise!
Are you a full-time or part-time writer? How does that affect your writing?
I’m a full-time writer. I thought it would give me more time to write. Instead, because I’m an indie author, the marketing and business end takes up a big chunk of time.
I hear you on that! Sometimes I think the business side gets in the way of writing, but I do like the challenge that provides. It all goes back to balance.
Do you write to music?
Yes.
What are 5 random songs on your current playlist?
How about five random artists? I listen to whole albums at a time, and these are five artists/groups I’m most likely to listen to when writing: Evanescence, Circa Survive, Train, Rick Braun, and Chris Botti. Those last two are smooth jazz trumpet players—I play them whenever I write introspective scenes for my brooding vampire hero.
I love how certain music influences the stories. I don’t think people realise how much impact it has.
What’s one quirky thing about your writing process?
I see the movie in my head before I write a scene. I’ll hear the characters speaking, and see them move in their environment. Because of that, my first draft reads like a movie script. Then I have to go back and ask myself, what is the point-of-view character thinking about? What are they feeling? And I have to try to show that too.
It’s always interesting to hear other writers’ processes. No two people ever write the same way.
How did it feel to finally hold your first book in your hands?
I’ll have to let you know once I do. I’m anxiously awaiting the print proofs from CreateSpace.
I’ll be sure to ask on facebook! I can’t wait to see you holding your book.
What was the hardest part of developing your lead characters?
Henry Bautista was the first character I developed, and I found him quite easy to write. Dr. Cerissa Patel was much more difficult, because her reason for visiting the vampire community changed at least three times, each one requiring major re-writes.
Originally, Cerissa started out being an ambassador there to make a political marriage with one of the vampire leaders, and she came across as very immature. Early beta readers didn’t like that, and so I gave her a major maturity boost, and re-envisioned her character’s story. So instead of the Bachelorette, her story becomes more Dr. Frankenstein meets Shark Tank, but with vampire entrepreneurs, and a mystery to solve. Of course, she can’t help but be attracted to the darkly handsome Henry.
OMG…I love that so much. Dr. Frankenstein meets Shark Tank with vampires. Excellent concept!
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Escaping into the fantasy and watching the story unfold. I particularly enjoyed discovering the chemistry between Henry and Cerissa, and learning who they are as people.
That’s one of the perks of being a writer. We develop these relationships with our characters. It’s like having lots of friends.
Do you play a musical instrument? If so, which one(s)?
Piano. I also played string bass and tympani when I was in high school.
Awesome. I still toy around with the piano. It’s hard not to once you learn to play it, it’s so expressive.
If we Googled your name what would we see?
LOL, I write under a pseudonym, so you’d only find things related to my writing. If you Googled my real name, well, you’d find I received an Emmy nomination in the 1990s for news video editing.
That’s huge! An Emmy…wow! I’m thoroughly impressed.
When people look at you, they would never guess that you…
Write about vampires. Performed in a circus. Drove a Lincoln Town Car.
Before Ford discontinued the Town Car, I owned one, and I’d get comments from guys: “What’s a little thing like you doing driving a big car like this?” I guess I didn’t look like a Town Car driver.
Ha! But seriously…what’s up with performing in a circus?!
What advice would you give pre-published writers?
First, learn the craft of writing. Once you know the rules, once you can write to the rules, then it’s okay to break the rules.
Second, figure out if you’re in this for love or money. If money, learn how to write to market. If love, then recognize it may take time before your market finds you.
Both solid pieces of advice. Thank you.
What is next on your writing agenda?
Dark Wine at Sunrise is book 2 in the Hill Vampire series, and I’m currently editing it.
Dark Wine at Midnight is available for preorder on Amazon, and the eBook is on sale at a reduced price during the preorder period. The sale price ends when it goes live on April 25. For the next 90 days after that, the eBook will be exclusively on Amazon and available in Kindle Unlimited. The print book will be available through Amazon and other distributors.
Excellent!
Where can we find out more about you and what you write?
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Wonderful! I can’t wait to see you around online. Thanks again for stopping by!
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