This weeks Author Interview is with Jaimie N. Schock, author of The Pyre Starter, The Fired Gun, The Circus Crown, The Queen’s Pain, The Crystal Call, The Magic Pact, and The Burning Key (The Talisman War series) and her newest publication, the Sci-Fi novel, Visions of Iotan.
Jaimie writes Fantasy and Science Fiction, and you can read more about her and her books on her website and social media:
WEBSITE – TWITTER – FACEBOOK – INSTAGRAM
When Cillian’s daughter accidentally kills an alien child, he and his family are conscripted to live and work on a spaceship that is headed to a new planet named Iotan. It goes well at first, but will they survive the effects of an alien world and make it home?
Visions of Iotan
Questions about the writing process:
Do you prefer stand alone novels or series as an author?
I prefer stand-alone novels, but only because I wrote a seven-book series and found it exhausting. It’s difficult to keep all the information correct, especially without an outline, which is how I write.
How much do you write each day?
I aim for at least 1,500 words per day, but I purposefully don’t write every day.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Less than a year from start to finish. If it’s a smaller novel, and I’m super motivated, I could get it done in six months.
What’s your goal with writing? Hobby/full time?
I’m a full-time author. Before that, I was a print journalist, so writing has been my job for a while.
Plotter or pantser or somewhere in between?
I’m definitely a pantser. I just start writing and see where the text and characters take me.
Thoughts about writerly things:
Pseudonym yes or no?
No, for my adult books. Yes, for my upcoming Middle Grade fantasy book. I wanted to separate the two types of work. So, I go with Angelina Price for the children’s books. Angelina comes from my grandmother’s first name, and Price comes from a character in my series The Talisman War.
Book reviews, do you read them?
Yes, but I don’t interact. I use them to learn.
And how do you handle the positive and the negative ones?
I celebrate the positive ones, and use the negative ones to improve. Of course, the positive ones are good for an emotional boost.
Tea or coffee? Maybe soda?
I love coffee, but can’t have it due to health problems. So, I do the next best thing: matcha lattes. It has a lot of caffeine, but my stomach can handle it. I will also drink strawberry black tea if matcha isn’t readily available.
If you could choose any side character from your book to write a spin off story about – who would it be?
It would be the character Maria from The Talisman War series. She isn’t technically in the books, but she is mentioned quite a bit in the first one The Pyre Starter. She is the grandmother of the love interest Terrell and the secondary main character Kenna. I would set it in the sixties and include a magic plotline. It would also feature a man that the characters meet at a diner and Adelaide Price, the faux voodoo priestess they meet in New Orleans.
Personal stuff:
Do you ever google yourself?
All the time. I think it’s important that I know what people see when they search for me. I am also incredibly curious about what’s out there.
Do your family and friends support your writing?
My husband is always my first beta reader, and several of my friends have read my books. My family isn’t as supportive, but some of that is because of the content of my adult books (full-length queer sex scenes are involved, along with lots of violence). My eight-year-old niece has read part of my children’s book, however, and seemed to enjoy it. I anticipate that my family will read the Middle Grade book once it’s available.
What do you do when not writing?
I play a lot of Pokemon Go (I’m almost level 46 out of 50), and I like to watch documentaries and horror movies. My favorite horror movie is Event Horizon.
Favourite music right now?
I’m always a big fan of Chris Cornell and Bruce Springsteen. The emotions and lyrics in their songs really connect with me.
Do you have any pets?
Yes, I have four cats. Milo is fifteen and has thumbs (he’s polydactyl). River is second-oldest, Penguin (Peng for short) is third, and our newest and youngest cat is Bob, who we found in our backyard. He was completely feral, but it only took me a couple months to turn him into a lap cat. Now, his favorite thing is sleeping on me.
A big thank you to Jaimie for joining me in this weeks interview. Go follow her on social media and pick up a copy of one of her books.
TEA SPANGSBERG 
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