Jeaniene Frost Interview

Publication Date: September 1, 2007

Jeaniene Fronts

Jeaniene is a newcomer to the realm of vampire romance, with her first book (Halfway To The Grave) due out at the end of October.
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Upcoming Title or Latest Release

Halfway To The Grave
Release Date: Oct. 30, 2007
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins

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The Questions

What's your upcoming or latest book/story about?
My debut novel, HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE, is about half-vampire Cat Crawfield, who's going after the undead with a vengeance trying to find her father – the vampire who date-raped her mother. Then she gets captured by Master vampire Bones, who forces her to partner with him as he tracks down the source behind the disappearance of several women in Ohio. Soon Cat is torn between her prejudice against vampires and her sexy new partner, while a group of killers are in pursuit of both of them.

How did you come up with the title?
I wanted something that was a play on Cat's half-vampire status, as well as a reference to cemeteries or other vampire-like haunts.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer, and what inspired you to start writing?
My dreams first inspired me to start writing. I've had vivid, story-like dreams as far back as I can remember. Even as a pre-teen, I would write them down, and of course I loved to read. So the desire to tie the two together into a novel has been with me since I was about fourteen. Took me sixteen years later to quit procrastinating and finally do it, however.

When did you write your first book?
About a week after I turned thirty. That milestone birthday was the kick in the butt I needed *grin*.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I really didn't know. I toyed with the idea of being a teacher, or an editor. Then once I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to be a novelist, but I kept putting off the actual writing of a book.

What projects are you working on now?

I started a new novel, a contemporary urban fantasy, a couple months ago. Editing, revising and other life/day job issues have gotten in the way, but I want to return to it because it's still speaking to me.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Read, watch TV, go to the movies, go out to dinner … I'm pretty boring, lol.

What does your family think of your writing?
My husband is very supportive. He was one of the only people who knew I started writing when I finally did. I didn't tell the rest of my family or friends until I signed with an agent, and that was mainly because I didn't want to hear questions on my progress. It's very hard when you're starting out to have people ask, "So how's the agent-hunting? Haven't you gotten published yet? HOW long have you been trying?" Many people outside of the publishing business don't realize how difficult it is, or how long it takes, to get an agent/a contract. And I didn't want the pressure of their expectations in addition to my own.

How long does it take you to write a book?
It really varies. I've written a first draft in as little as three months, but then there's that new book I mentioned that I started six months ago and I'm still not even a quarter done yet.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
Depends on if I have a self-imposed deadline or an actual one, lol. If it's self-imposed, I write on the nights and weekend (I still have a full-time day job). If I have an editor-imposed deadline, then I will get up at 6 a.m. every day to write for two hours before I go to work, then write in the evenings and weekends as well. But oh, I hate waking up so early! So I'll only do it if I have a hard deadline.

Do you have an interesting writing quirk?
Ha, I talk to myself, is that interesting? I'll sit at my desk or pace around the house muttering and asking plot questions aloud ("If my heroine does A, then wouldn't B and C have to follow?") Scary stuff! My husband, God bless him, just smiles and ignores my crazed mutterings. He knows I'm a non-dangerous type of crazy.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Dreams, mostly. A dream was the inspiration for HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE, and for the new novel I'm toying with. The subconscious never runs out of ideas. I have more books half-plotted out from dreams than I'll ever have time to write.

What do you think makes a good story?
For me, it's characters. If I'm not invested in the characters, then I really don't care if they defeat whatever obstacles are in their way. I like strong heroines, physically and emotionally. I like heroes who are tough without crossing into the "no really means yes" mentality. And paranormal elements. I love the "what if" factor that paranormal elements open up in novels.

What was one of the most surprising things you've learned in creating your books?
That there's no getting around revising! That's something I truly didn't realize that when starting out, which is my own fault for not doing more research on what it took to be an author. When you finish a book, typing "The End" is pretty much wishful thinking. Authors are usually blind to the own mistakes, and it takes a trusted critique partner or agent or editor or all of the above to point out glaring errors before a book hits the shelves. Writing is a process, not a one-step deal.

Do you have a specific writing style?
I tend toward first person narratives. It just feels more natural to me.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Action scenes. Ugh, they kick my ass … I really try to make them exciting and yet, realistic for the circumstances, which is a tough combination.

How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?
I've completed four novels, and I can't really say I have a favorite. It seems to be whatever I'm working on at the time.

Who or what has influenced your writing?
Wow, hard question. I think every time I read a book I like, I pick up something I'd want to employ in my own writing, so there would be too many authors to list.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
I just can't pick one favorite. That's not playing by the rules, I know, but it's impossible for me to answer with only one name. Writers have such varying styles,
subjects, and genres that saying one was the best overall would short-shift the others to me.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I would have to say Melissa Marr. I met her a couple months after I sold HTTG, and she really went out of her way to show me the ropes of the writing world, offer encouragement during the revision process, help with marketing stresses, new draft worries, and overall OMG-what-am-I-doing? breakdowns, lol.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
LOTS. Debut novelists who I've really enjoyed are Tiffany Trent, Ilona Andrews, Mark DelFranco, Vicki Pettersson, Rachel Vincent, and Caitlin Kittridge.

Who designs the covers of your books?
Thomas Egner at Avon, and he is a cover artist genius. I love my covers. I can't praise Tom highly enough for them.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Well, my book hasn't released yet, so I've only heard from a handful of people who've gotten an advance copy. That's been great, however. I look forward to – hopefully – more feedback once it hits the shelves.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I really hope you enjoy the book. I know I enjoyed writing it.

Do you have any advice for other writers?
Revise, query, repeat as needed. Don't let rejection get you down, but don't be inflexible about changing your story to make it more marketable, either. It's a tough business, but the end result is absolutely worth it.

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