Jeanne C Stein - Interview and Contest

[The contest portion is now closed. Thanks to everyone who participated!]

A very warm PVN welcome to Jeanne Stein who has taken time from her busy writing schedule to answer questions about her Anna Strong Chronicles and the writing life. Jeanne is also happy to answer questions from readers and respond to their comments.

Retribution (Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles, Book 5) was published by Ace, on August 25, 2009.

Read the interview and then the contest information.

PVN: The mysterious Culebra - what is his story? And please tell us about Beso de la Muerte.

Jeanne: Culebra is a favorite of many of my readers. I’ve been asked to write an Anna Strong novella and decided to use Culebra’s story as the theme so you’ll have to wait for the details of his life. I will tell you he has an interesting past. Beso de la Muerte is a fictional town, the place in which Culebra sought refuge when escaping that past. It had to be a place with magical qualities—one supernaturals and mortals alike could be comfortable in.

PVN: Describe the hunky Lance. I love that fact that he is an underwear model.

Jeanne: That came out of nowhere, really. Well, not exactly. I was looking at an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog and suddenly, I was inspired. Anna needed someone she could let her hair down with, someone she could enjoy sexually as a woman and a vampire. She tried a human lover (Max). That didn’t work out so well. Lance fulfills her needs. At least for the time being!

PVN: Retribution is book five in the Anna Strong series. While writing it did you ever find yourself going off in a surprising direction?

Jeanne: Sometimes, although the next book in the series, Chosen, really took me in surprising directions. In fact, in that book, whenever I came to a fork in the plot, the original thoughts I had proved to be wrong. The story went in opposite directions to what I’d planned. It made it much more fun to write and I think it will be more fun for the reader because I expect they’ll be surprised by the twists, too.

PVN: Anna clings to her humanity and her love of her family only grows stronger unlike most other vampire in the series. Why have you made this such an important part of her character?

Jeanne: I wanted to give Anna vulnerability. A creature as strong as a vampire has few natural enemies. Immortality could make one
reckless. Having a family and attachments to the human community keeps her grounded and aware. Makes it less likely she’ll become a predator.

PVN: You have stated before that one of your favorite early Urban Fantasy novels is Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin. (It's certainly on my list of greats.) What is it about this story that appeals.

Jeanne: The realism of Rosemary’s Baby is what makes it so scary good.
It’s easy to believe in witches when you see Rosemary decorating a nursery and sewing curtains. It’s what I strive for in my books. Take readers on a trip in a real city (San Diego) with stops at real places (La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla), give Anna a real cottage (on Isthmus Court in Mission Beach.) Ground the reader in what’s real so they accept what isn’t.

PVN: As a writer are you a panster or are you someone who must have an outline?

Jeanne: A little of both. I don’t write a complete outline, but I usually have a synopsis—maybe a page or two—outlining the main plot points. Also, a paragraph or two about each secondary character and the role they play in the story.

PVN: What sort of daily writing goal do you set for yourself?

Jeanne: My daily goal is ten pages. If I write more than that, it’s great. But I don’t let myself stop until I’ve completed those ten pages!!

PVN: What do you like and not like about author tours?

Jeanne: What I like is easy—Meeting readers. Meeting other authors. Room service. What I don’t like is the time it takes away from writing. I bring my laptop but it’s hard to write on the road. In the morning, I’m usually preparing for the event. By the time I get back to my room at night, I’m tired. I don’t get much done away from home.

PVN: What other writing projects do you have in mind?

Jeanne: Next up is the seventh Anna Strong novel, as well as the novella I mentioned earlier. I’m also working on a novel with a co-author set during World War I—the theme involves Angel/Demon involvement with a war that truly changed the world.

PVN: Which conferences or conventions have you attended in the past year? How have you participated? Do you believe this is a necessary part of a writer's life?

Jeanne: Let’s see—I participated as a panelist in ComicCon, DragonCon, Amradillocon, Colorado Gold, RomanticTimes and coming up in October, MileHiCon. It is a necessary part of a writer’s life but you have to learn to choose which conferences give you the most bang for your buck. Since I pay my own way, it’s an important consideration. I look for cons that put me in touch with readers, reviewers, bookstore owners and managers. And cons that promise fun—like DragonCon. I think it’s my favorite.

PVN: Tell us about your love for San Diego, Anna's home town.

Jeanne: I lived most of my adult life in San Diego so it’s a city I know and love. It’s a city of contrasts. Being so close to the border makes the city a target for drug and human trafficking. It has one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. It is home to the wealthy and the indigent—often sharing the same community. It is a place where anyone can be comfortable and individuality is welcomed. It’s also a place where developers have been allowed to run roughshod. Open space is disappearing and high rises literally block out the sun from two or three story buildings that once had panoramic views. The airport’s short runway is little more than a long driveway. It’s a big city that’s run like a small town. To everyone’s detriment.


PVN: Where can readers find you?

Jeanne: On my website: www.jeannestein.com

The blog I share with Mario Acevedo The Biting Edge

And now on Facebook. (I’m still learning about Facebook but it’s fun so befriend me)

You can find a new story, The Ghost of Leadville, in an anthology just released, The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2

And of course, in the new book Retribution just out.

PVN: Thanks, Jeanne for taking the time to do this interview!

Jeanne: Thanks for having me—again—it’s always a pleasure.

Now for the contest :

Jeanne: "I would like to offer 2 winners their choice of series books, magnets, pens and a surprise or two."

To be eligible do one or more of the following:

* Leave a comment
* Ask Jeanne a question
* Link this interview to your own site or a social network site, and be sure to let me know the URL

If your email is not associated with your ID, please put the address in your response.Contest ends Oct 8, 2009 at 11:59 PM