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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Interview with Author Billi Jean


Today I would like to welcome to the blog author Billi Jean. Billi is currently on tour promoting her books and took the time to answer some questions for me. So here's Billi everyone.

First off, can you tell us a bit about you? Did you always want to be a writer?
Well, I've been writing for as long as I can remember reading, just not writing for other people to read…..if that makes sense. I've always dreamed up stories, but when I 'grew up' I decided to ignore that part of myself and concentrate on living – and for a few too many years, simply surviving. So, when I had a moment to catch my breath, I did. And I picked up a story that had been running around my head for years. After that, I simply started to write, and write, and write. J

What kind of writer are you? Panster or Plotter?
I'm a bit of both. For me, writing is intense and full of characters usually filling me in on their story. I'm a half pantser/half plotter. So when I get a clear picture of all the different sides to my character for a new story, I set everything I'm working on aside for a bit. I try to at least plot out whatever light bulb hit me before I force myself to return to whatever I got interrupted from. It can be confusing, but most of the time it works for me.

Where do your ideas come from?
Oh wow, well. My stories can come from almost anything. It's funny. I read some back cover for a book and an idea might come to me. Or standing in line at a store, I might get an idea for a story simply from watching someone at the store. Or seeing a tattoo or listening to music, or hearing a radio show, or watching the news….you get the idea? The ideas I have come from a lot of different ideas!

A la Twitter style, can you describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
Fast paced, eroticism with a side of kick ass characters out to protect the world they live in….? How was that? J

Out of any of your books, which one would you like to be a character in? And why?
Oh….well, geesh, I'm not very brave, or strong, and I don't have any super hot powers like a vampire, or a half witch/lyake so ….mmm, if I were to be in one of the stories I write, I'd like to be a vampire. I think a female vampire would kick ass, like Star, and be too hot for the boys with fangs to handle. So, yeah, a dark haired, sexy vampire female with some hot fighting skills. J

What are some of your favorite kinds of stories to read?
I love fantasy, and still remember Robert Jordon with a mixture of fascination and frustration! Frustration because I WAITED and WAITED for his newest story. I was a pretty impatient reader. Now I read romance and some horror/science fiction.

Do you have a favorite book and if so what is it?
I have way too many favorite books. I love to re-read a book when I have the itch to revisit an author's world. I've read the Hobbit more times than I can remember. I re-read Samantha Kane's work often simply because she 'gets' her characters so darn right! I love Lora Leigh books but sometimes their too intense for me to re-read! But I love her.

Have you ever fallen for another author's hero? If so, who and why?
Can't say I've fallen for another hero….not that I can think of right now at least! I've been obsessed with a few of mine, though!

Describe the characteristics that make up your perfect hero.
I think my heroes are strong men, warriors, sure, but strong enough to know when they aren't, if that makes sense? Ranger is the perfect hero, stubborn, set in his ways, strong, valiant, but with such flaws you want to smack him on the back of the head – and then duck maybe, but still he has this endearing quality about him because he does make these mistakes, even when he's trying his best, he screws things up. I think sometimes the growth of a character makes him more of a hero than the damsel in distress he saves.

What are the scenes that are the hardest for you to write?
Sex. Sex scenes take time. I always gloss over them the first run through of the writing process. Maybe because I need to know my characters better, maybe because they come slower for me, but I always write or wrap those up last.

If you could have dinner with any three book characters, who would you choose and why?
Oh, I'd want to have dinner with Bilbo, Gandalf, and Aragorn! Of course.

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?
Oh, now this one is hard. I'd with Anne Rice, Samantha Kane, and Mercedes Lackey. =) That way I'd cover all my bases: Horror, Hot Erotic, and Fantasy!

What do you like to do in your free time?
I'm pretty boring. I write, work out, go on hikes and go hang out with my friends.

Favorite movie?
Underworld (both)

Favorite song?
Sexyback

Favorite color?
Blue and Yellow

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
Yep! Right now I'm finishing up two more novels in my Sisters of the Moon series, A Spartan's Kiss the story of Tabithia and Aeros and Golden's Rule the story of Susanna and Torque. Both will be out this year over at Noble Romance Publishing. My other project is a new series, Loves Command. The first in the series, Running Scared is due out March 26th with Totally Ebound. I'm thrilled at the chance to work on this series, and can't wait to see how Russell stands with the other heroes I've written!
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Ranger is a werewolf, a Lykae with a problem. He's found his one true mate, the only female who can complete him. Only trouble is, he's denied his instinct to claim her. Now his mate hates him as much as she believes he hates her. He will have to risk both their lives to finally prove to his stubborn vampire he loves her?

Star is a half-breed vampire with a past of not being accepted because of her mixed blood. Ranger is just one more example of how much she doesn't fit into the immortal world no matter how much she tries to fool herself into believing otherwise. She's a strong female, a fighter, but when it comes to the opinions of others, she has no defenses. Why fight what she knows is true? She is a half breed, less than those around her. She has a home, friends and females she loves like family. Only trouble is, her family is now related to the mangy wolf man who hates her.

Places to purchase:


When life throws Samantha a curve ball in the form of an ancient Lykae warlord bent on marking her as his - what's she going to do? Run like hell? Oh, yeah, that so worked the first time around. With Derrick hot after her tail, Samantha discovers being the hunted just might not be as bad as she thought.

Derrick is a warlord hardened by centuries of battle. Now that he's free from years of torment, he discovers his mate. Only his beautiful little half wolf is as determined to deny him, as he is to claim her.

As the battle to keep her safe intensifies, Derrick faces the biggest fight of his life: winning Samantha's heart and keeping alive long enough to claim her.

Together they just might tame each other.

Places to Purchase:

Billi Jean has been writing since high school when she couldn't wait for Robert Jordon to write his Wheel of Time series faster. She writes from home in a little two hundred year old farm house in Western Massachusetts where she shares her space with her active children, an old dog, and two lazy cats.

Her first book, Midnight Star, has won numerous awards and was voted Best Book by Long and Short Reviews. Her next installment in the Sisters of the Moon series, Silver's Chance, hit the shelves in August 2011. The next, A Spartan's Kiss will arrive right on Valentine's Day, 2012.

Places to find Billi:

1 comments :

  1. Thanks for the interview ladies, that was fun reading. Good luck on your latest book!

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