Jeanne Adams writes thrilling suspense for Kensington and has a number of magical romantic suspense novels waiting in the wings as well, hopefully to be published soon with another publisher.  Her debut novel, DARK AND DANGEROUS, hit shelves one year ago to critical acclaim and much reader love.  Now she’s celebrating the release of her sophomore effort, DARK AND DEADLY, and joining us here on The Revenge as my second interview vict….err….interviewee.  So without further ado, it’s on with the show…

Bo’sun:  First off, thank you so much for blogging with us here on the pirate ship. 

Jeanne:  I’m delighted to be here!  Thanks for having me aboard.

Bo’sun:  To start off, we need to make a quick trip back to the beginning.  How long have you been writing and how many manuscripts did you write before you finally sold?  And do please share your call story. Nothing like a great call story (and really, aren’t they all great?!  I mean, it’s THE CALL!).

Jeanne:  I’ve been writing seriously – as in with an eye toward publication – for about 10 years, and Dark and Dangerous was my 9^th manuscript.  Had to laugh, because yeah, any Call story is GOOD!  Ha! 

Mine began on a muggy summer morning about a week after the last Dallas conference.  I was driving my son to camp.  My cell phone rang, and since my sister usually calls during drive time, I didn’t even look at the number.  I just picked it up and said, “Hey sis, hang on.  BOYS!  Keep it DOWN, I’m trying to talk to Aunt Sis.”  Turned back to the phone to hear Kate Duffy laughing.  She said, “Well, it’s not your sister, it’s Kate Duffy.”

I had an OS moment, and since it was morning and was as yet uncaffeinated, I had to think, oh, man, what did I just say?  Did I curse?  Crap!  I put on my most professional voice and said, “Kate, how nice to hear from you.  I’m driving my boys to camp, could I call you back in about thirty minutes?”  All the while thinking, Holy CRAP!, It’s KATE DUFFY!  Meanwhile, she’s still laughing.  She said it would be fine for me to call her back, and by the way, she wanted to buy what became Dark and Dangerous.  I thanked her, hung up and screamed, then started singing the alto part of the Hallelujah chorus.

Both the scream and the singing got my sons’ attention – the little one started to cry because he couldn’t understand why I had screamed.  :>  The older one wondered what the heck was wrong with Mom!  I told him, in terms he could understand (i.e. a baseball analogy) that I’d just hit a homer.  He grinned, got out of the car at camp and told his coaches, “Hey, my mom hit a homer in the car!”  The youngest still doesn’t understand why I screamed.  Ha!

I obviously called Kate back, and she was still laughing at me.  I didn’t care because she kept saying things like, “buy” and “contract” and “paperwork will be mailed to you” and things like that so I didn’t care. 

Bo’sun:  Your debut novel, DARK AND DANGEROUS, hit the shelves a year ago.  What was that like?  Did you pinch yourself for months?

Jeanne:  I really did.  It was surreal.  My second book was due to Kate the same day Dark and Dangerous came out, so in some ways I didn’t have the mental space to be too freaked out.  Have to say though, the first time you walk into a bookstore and see a book with your name on it?  Priceless.

Bo’sun:  Now, to do some selling. Your new release, DARK AND DEADLY hit shelves June 1.  What is this one about?  And did you get to name your own books because these are some great titles?

Jeanne:  I’ll answer the second question first…no.  Kensington picked the titles, but I’ve liked them, and my cover art, so I’m happy!

In Dark and Deadly, Torie Hagen had terrible luck with men.  First, she’s left at the altar, then when she recovers from that, she finds her luck goes from bad to worse.  Or I should say the men have terrible luck!  Several are injured, one dies, and all because they dated Torie.  This string of tragedies culminates with Torie’s house being bombed and her ex-fiance being murdered five years to the day after what would have been their wedding day.  Evidence at the scene implicates Torie.  Now a murder suspect, Torie has to turn to the one man who she believes would as soon see her dead or in jail.  Paul Jameson was her ex-fiance’s best man.  He and Torie had one hot date, but Paul broke off any further contact, and tried to keep her from marrying his best friend.  Now her lawyer, Paul also becomes a target.  Together Paul and Torie have to figure out what the police are missing, who’s been stalking Torie and is now targeting them both for execution, before they either kill each other, or fall madly in love.

Bo’sun:  I’m exhausted just reading all that.  You do put your characters through the ringer.  But you also have some really creepy characters do some really scary things.  Do you ever creep yourself out?

Jeanne:  Every now and again, I do.  I come up with some pretty creepy villains.  Most of the time, I try to think about what I would never do, then drop it down a level even creepier than that.  It does sometimes creep  my husband out too.  Ha!

Bo’sun:  I’m sure the man sleeps with one eye open. *g*  You have such an interesting array of skills and experiences.  How do you combine a degree in interior design and landscape design with more than a dozen years working in the funeral and cemetery business? (Yes ladies, she’s your go to girl on body disposal. LOL!)

Jeanne:  I’m a glutton for punishment?  Ha!  Part of it is being a writer, I think.  I’m interested in a lot of things.  The funeral and cemetery biz knowledge is an offshoot of being married to a funeral director for a number of years.  My first husband.  I killed him off in my first manuscript.  Very cathartic.  Then again, that manuscript was a great catharsis and learning experience all the way around – which is probably why it’ll never see the light of day!  I’ve been in real estate and design though since high school.  My Mama was a Realtor and I just love gardening and landscaping and all that.  Combine that with a degree in psychology, Library Science and a near-degree in English for an even wilder mix, you know?

Bo’sun:  If I didn’t feel like a major under achiever before….  To wrap it up before I turn things over to the crew, you give back to the writing community with some great workshops.  Can you tell us a bit about them and how they came about?

Jeanne:  What a lovely compliment!  I do love to give back.  So many authors, especially Romance authors, are very generous with their time and knowledge.  As a recipient of a lot of those hours of instruction, it’s a privilege to give back in any way I can.  The classes I teach are a result of wanting to help writers write well, and/or provide information that might not be easily available otherwise.  I’m teaching the body disposal class at National this year, and as another way to pay back some of that great karma I received, I’m also running for the RWA National Board!  I know, glutton for punishment…but if you’re not casting a vote for your BFF in Region One, I’d love it if you’d consider voting for me!  :>

What about you all?  What’s your way of giving back?  Or conversely, how do you overload yourself?  I had to force myself to give up PTA, because I really wanted to make my writing deadlines, and then run for the board…but it was tough!  How do you draw the line?  (I’m always looking for new ways to UNtangle myself from commitments!  Ha!  I could use some pointers!)

Bo’sun: You all know I can’t help with this one so chime in and help Jeanne out!  TWO lucky commenter will win a free copy of Jeanne’s latest release, DARK & DEADLY, so get to it.