Aye,
But There is a Story To Be Told
An Interview with Jacqueline Church Simonds,
Author of Captain Mary, Buccaneer
Men weren't the only ones seeking treasures and revenge on the High Seas. One
need only speak with Jacqueline Church Simonds to learn of Ann Bonny and Mary
Read, two 18th century women pirates who dared to break out of the conventional
mold of their time.
In her historical adventure novel, "Captain Mary, Buccaneer," (Beagle
Bay Books, 2000), Jacqueline transformed a dream and a history final on women
pirates into a book she was destined to write.
After graduating from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, she began
writing the first draft of her book, which turned into an 18-month project. Then
she "happened across David Cordingly's excellent book "Under the Black
Flag," which details life on a pirate ship and their (sub) culture."
Later Jacqueline found Joan Druett's wonderful "She Captains" book,
which portrays women who dared sail the seas. Because of newly-gained knowledge,
she completely re-wrote the pirate scenes in her own book. When she completed
the manuscript and started sending it out to various markets, she learned that
traditional publishers weren't interested in the topic. But, Jacqueline knew
this tale deserved to be told and so she looked into subsidy publishing and
on-demand publishers. With the assistance and support of her husband, Robin,
Jacqueline founded Beagle Bay Books publishing house and printed the book
herself. The learning experience was not one she'd soon forget, but it was well
worth being able to have control over her destiny.
Forget the swabbing of the deck and the mending of the sails and sit back so you
can enjoy learning about Captain Mary.
Denise: Your website stated that Captain Mary is a combination of all the women
pirates you've researched. Who were these women and what part of their lives did
you assimilate into Mary's life?
JCS: The two main women pirates who most influenced the creation of
"Captain Mary, Buccaneer" were Ann Bonny and Mary Read. They served on
the same ship in the 18th century, but at first, Ann didn't know Mary was a
woman! You can read descriptions of the women on my website (www.captainmary.com)
on the "Pirate Women" page. I found the women compelling because Mary
Read came to be a pirate while pretending to be a man and Ann Bonny became a
pirate for love - two very different approaches with the same result. Both were
just as ruthless as their male crewmates. Despite their different paths, both
were unconventional women in a very conventional age.
I incorporated the bold business sense of Cheng I Sao, a 19th century Chinese
pirate woman who, after the death of her pirate captain husband, went on to
create a 1,000 ship pirate fleet that took control of part of the Chinese coast.
There is also the dedication to a political ideal that I took from the
"Irish Pirate Queen," Grace O"Malley, an 18th century woman who
used piracy to fight for Irish separatism against the English.
These are the main women who helped shape Captain Mary, but there were a
surprising number of women who chose the pirating life, going back to 10 B.C..
To look at a more-or-less complete list, compiled by experts in the field, go to
the aforementioned webpage and click on "Women Pirate List."
Denise: Kindly inform us as to how your main character stepped out of a typical
early 1700 society and into a male-dominated aggressive role? Was her decision
made freely or out of desperation?
JCS: Like most real people, Captain Mary - who started out life as Amaritta
Marie de Tocqueville on a South Carolina plantation - made important life
decisions partly in desperation and partly because she didn't appreciate that
she, indeed, had a choice. She is fierce by nature, but made more so by
circumstances and her environment.
Mary runs away from home after accidentally killing the man her father had
chosen to be her husband. She runs away with the stablehand and after some
wandering, they end up in the Bahamas. There she meets a man with whom she falls
in love - resulting in a messy divorce situation from the stablehand / husband.
Because of these problems, her new lover becomes a pirate, enlisting Mary as one
of the crew. The pirates know of her sex and resent her presence, even though
she fights as well - or better - than many of them. The pirates are captured by
the British and the crew (as well as her husband) hanged. Mary / Marie is spared
because she is pregnant. She is jailed until the birth, after which, she too
will be hanged. While she awaits her turn at the gibbet, Petronius, a fellow
pirate who she'd thought killed in the capture, helps her escape. The price of
her freedom is that she must assist Petronius and his fellow escaped slaves in
launching a pirate venture for profit. Their thinking is that a black pirate
crew would be hunted down by everyone, but a white woman pirate captain would
only arouse laughter. Petronius's partners die soon after, and Mary becomes the
de facto captain of the Fury. Because of this, she is bound by the same rules
her crew is (pirate crews had to sign rules of conduct). Thus, she must be every
bit as brutal as the crew expects with those they plunder and with the crew
themselves.
It is the habit of behaving as a man that changes how she reacts to others - now
in a male / aggressive way. It also effects her personal relationships.
Denise: Is Mary tortured by what is right and what is a sin, or is she out to
lay down her own rules?
JCS: I wouldn't say Mary is tortured, but rather confined by what she sees as
behavior expected of her male role. At one point, a woman asks how Mary can
justify stealing some furniture. "Surely this damns your immortal
soul!" Mary replies "My life allows me freedoms that [the woman]
merely crave. If I didn't steal, didn't pirate, I couldn't live the life I
live." Mary cannot imagine being free without breaking the laws of God and
Man. Even if she left the pirate's life, she can only imagine other illegal
activities to support the free life she wants.
Denise: How does her story unfold, one adventure and on to the next? What island
or ocean does she patrol? Is she overwhelmed by greed no matter what the cost?
Does she fear the law will eventually catch up to her, or doesn't she give a
damn?
JCS: The story arc is a progression from the first situation, its repercussions,
to its final result; illuminated by numerous flashbacks to flesh out Mary's
life. There is some "one adventure to the next" feel because that's
the nature of a pirate's life (that & boredom waiting for the next victim).
Captain Mary and the crew of the Fury cruise the waters of the Caribbean, mostly
the Leeward Isles (the Southern part of the chain). Her own special island,
Cache Island, is in an archipelago south of the island of Guadaloupe. Mary, for
the most part, is just getting by from day to day. It is her partner, Petronius,
who helps her see that there must be an end to this life and that she must plan
for it. She attempts to create a future: putting aside money for her daughter
and the island nation she founded - which has become a small democracy in the
midst of colonial waters. It dawns on her that the pirate's life is getting a
bit old and that if she keeps at it, her life can only end on the gibbet. She
starts to believe she could be happy staying on Cache Island and being its
governor - but disaster intervenes.
In some ways "Captain Mary, Buccaneer" is a metaphor for women in the
modern business environment. Mary sees piracy as her "work," the Fury
as her company. And indeed, she faces competitors who want to put her out of
business; there are several hostile regulatory agencies that thwart many of her
plans; her employees distrust a woman boss; she has difficulty meeting
appropriate possible lovers; and she even has problems getting decent child-care
for her daughter.
Denise: Is there an opportunity for her to find love during her raids? Who is
the focus of her interest? What is she seeking in her relationships? Why can't
she find happiness?
JCS: Mary does find lovers in her travels, but in the end they betray her. Since
she is beyond the usual gender descriptions, her lovers reflect this, as does
her behavior with them. For the most part, she keeps people at a distance in
order to protect the fragile heart she conceals under her tough exterior. As
with many people, she doesn't recognize that there is someone nearby who loves
her until it's almost too late.
As the story opens, we see her take a French doctor (who is a traitor) as a
lover - but she puts him in a position where they don't see each other. While
involved with this man, she continues to have feelings for a woman who was
formerly her hostage, but later became her lover and business partner. Then
there is Petronius, her pirating partner and advisor and sometime lover. A very
tangled web Mary weaves for herself!
Although we market this book as a straight historical fiction, I think it also
can be said to be an historical / erotic romance.
Denise: How do we go about purchasing a copy of your unique book?
JCS: "Captain Mary, Buccaneer " (ISBN: 0-9679195-7-9, $16.95) is
available by special order from your local bookstore, Amazon.com,
BarnesandNoble.com and
publisher direct at www.captainmary.com
or www.beaglebay.com.
Denise: What inspired you to launch Beagle Bay Books? Why did you choose to
publish women's historical fiction?
JCS: After trying for two years to get "Captain Mary, Buccaneer"
published, getting scammed by two different con artists and an unpleasant
experience with a subsidy publishing deal, I finally realized that I could
publish the book myself. As many of your readers know, the learning curve is
straight up in self-pub. There are so many mistakes to make! So, over the course
of a year, I learned about marketing and the finer points of publishing - and
really loved it. We (my husband Robin is my partner) began casting about and
found our first author, Lisa Jensen. Her wonderful book "The Witch from the
Sea" will be out in August. Just last week we signed up another author (a
gentleman from England) whose book will probably be out in late Spring 2002. We
have another author "on hold" while she finishes developing her book -
but we hope to have that out by next Summer.
We focus on Women's Historical Adventure and Romance because there are still -
after nearly 30 years of Women's Liberation - very few women heroines in the
media. Who are the adventure heroes for girls today? The Power Puff Girls?
Charlie's Angels (redux)? "Laura Croft" works - but the audience there
is mainly boys. "Xena" is fun, and was a success - but they stopped
production. So there is a lot of room in this sub-genre - all we need is for
people to write the stories!
Denise: How many titles a year do you hope to purchase? What formats will the
novels be published in?
JCS: We hope to purchase 2-4 quality manuscripts a year. At this time, we like
our micro-publishing status and plan to keep our publishing ventures to 2-3
books a year. We use the Trade Paperback format, which gives us flexibility as
well as a competitive pricing edge (vs. hardback). We are considering e-books,
but there still doesn't seem to be much of a market for these. If we had a title
with strong demand, we would consider a hardback edition.
Denise: Will you be reading manuscripts throughout the year, or only during a
stated reading period? What vehicles of promotion will you offer authors?
JCS: We read throughout the year - though my favorite place to read new
manuscripts is at our "camp" on a pond in Maine (think "On Golden
Pond" & you're about there) in the Summer.
We work closely with our authors in promotion. Because we're small, we have
limited funds. But we do pay for some national advertising and extensively lobby
reviewers and bookstores. Then we have the sort of marketing we call
"sheer, unmitigated gall" - but you have to be a Beagle Bay Books
author to find out more.
I'd like to take this opportunity to let your readers know that we have just
started "Creative Minds Press," a subsidy press where you can select
the services you want - from a simple critique to a full press-run with all the
services you can lay-on. We'll have the website up in August (www.creativemindspress.com).
Beagle Bay Books can't publish all the good manuscripts we encounter - either
because of our constraints or because the novel is "off-genre." With
Creative Minds Press, we want to offer authors who know their books are good,
the opportunity to publish - and create a quality book. After all, "The
Celestine Prophesy" was self-published before it was picked up by a major
press and made into a bestseller - why not your book? Robin and I will keep
Creative Minds Press author-friendly and offer as many services to foster the
growth of writers we work with, as well as get them into print.
Denise: Please tell us a little about your own life, from interests to
employment. If we were to venture into your home, should we expect to see a room
devoted to pirates?
JCS: Like many writers, I've done all sorts of things in my life: from being a
lights & sound roadie for a small Southern rock band; to selling almost any
sort of retail item imaginable; and even once working as a Lady's companion
(which shows up in "Captain Mary, Buccaneer)"! I have lived all over
the U.S., and am currently residing in Nevada (and loving it!). Robin, our
mascot beagle Bertie and I are about to embark (pun intended) on some serious
RVing this year that will include several appearances at Pirate festivals (check
the events page at www.captainmary.com for details).
As to my writing life, I did very little before the age of 35 - though I always
wanted to be a writer. I just didn't give myself permission to do it. I went
back to college in my 30's (if you're thinking about this - do it! It's
marvelous as an adult. You appreciate it so much more). At the University of
Maryland Baltimore County, I was encouraged to pursue my dream - which
eventually resulted in a (unpublished) novel Four Days in Hamden, which I
submitted as my Senior English Honors thesis. I also discovered the pirates Ann
Bonny and Mary Read in a history class there. Although I had been toying with
the idea of a pirate woman, the research I did for that History 101 paper became
"Captain Mary, Buccaneer."
I have written short stories and poetry that was published in "little"
literary magazines; won Honorable Mention in the Baltimore Sun Summer Fiction
contest; been the Fiction Editor of the UMBC literary magazine Bartleby; and
have had a non-fiction piece printed in Down East magazine. I also had the
opportunity to study at the Iowa Summer Writing Conference in 1999.
"Captain Mary, Buccaneer" was my debut book in print. I am
concurrently working on two novels now. The first, a long-standing project about
the Russian-American Impressionist painter Leon Gaspard and his incredible life
(it puts Baron Munchausen to shame). The other book is about women working on
the American railroad during WWII.
Nope, no pirate paraphernalia - unless you count the pirate costume I wear at
festivals. Oh, I do have a small pirate flag on my office bulletin board - just
to let a little of my wild side show!
And a little something extra, Beagle Bay Books writer's guidelines:
We are looking for historical adventure romance novels with strong women
characters. She needn't be as tough as Captain Mary, but she must have the inner
strength to shape her own destiny and deserve a partner of equal stature. If
you're thinking about writing something in this line, think about your favorite
action heroes: Robin Hood, Captain Blood, Roy Rogers, whatever - why can't there
be a female version without copying exactly the male mindset? You can do it and
we want to see it!
We ask that you e-mail only the first 100 pages to info@beaglebay.com.
Please include a full synopsis of the novel and your writing credentials (and
don't be afraid to admit that you wrote for your high school paper & little
else since).
Don't forget the debut of Creative Minds Press in August. Check the web address www.creativemindspress.com
for a new approach to author's services and self-publishing!
--Denise Fleischer, GWN Online
Netera@aol.com
July 14, 2001
Author
Judith Appelbaum
By Denise Fleischer
Judith Appelbaum's book, "How to Get Happily Published (HarperCollins,
1998) has reached an incredible 20th anniversary edition. And why not? It's got
everything but the editor's desk in there: Penetrating the Publishing Mystique,
Where to Get Story Ideas, Revising, the Rundown on a Risky Business, and that's
just the beginning of the book.
Appelbaum has been a columnist and reviewer for The New York Times Book Review,
an editor of Harper's and the managing editor of Publisher's Weekly. She
received the Publishers Marketing Association Benjamin Franklin Award for
Lifetime Achievement, she chairs the Book And Serials Industry Communications
Rights Committee and is a leader in industry efforts to improve royalty systems
for the benefit of both authors and publishers. She serves on the board of the
Book Industry Study Group, advisory boards of the Small Press Center and
ForeWord magazine. Along with Florence Janovic, who helped found the Village
Voice and create ad campaigns for a number of top publishing houses, she
operates Sensible Solutions, a book marketing firm, based in New York, that
helps authors and publishers reach their audiences.
No doubt the first question she's been asked: Is there such a thing as being
happily published?
"Yes, definitely. It's kind of like being happily married - not always
blissful, but you can maximize the joys and minimize the pain if you care enough
to work at it," stated Appelbaum.
Her comprehensive guide for beginners, as well as for established writers, is
now 20-years-old, in its fifth edition and has sold more than 500,000 copies.
What does it offer writers and publishers that others do not?
"How to Get Happily Published" has three special strengths: It gives
authors control over the publishing process instead of telling them how to obey
its alleged rules," explained Appelbaum. "It covers the whole
writer-to-reader chain, from the idea stage to the re-publication stage, instead
of focusing on only one part. And it helps writers sell their work to all kinds
of markets, not just in one format or just for one sort of audience."
Appelbaum penetrates the publishing mystique by treating publishing as if it
were a rational, manageable activity.
"Like making machinery or gardening, and you arrange to learn how the
industry works - maybe by having access to a friendly editor who'll explain it
to you or maybe by reading "How to Get Happily Published," which is
designed as a substitute for the friendly editor," she added.
After welcoming you to the 20th-anniversary edition, after speaking about the
publishing mystique, friendly editors and perfecting your follow-through,
Appelbaum discusses "The Pleasure Principle."
"That's the 'rule' that says: If you, as a writer, assess all your options
carefully, set your goals wisely and learn to understand the framework that
affects their realization, then getting published can bring you many happy
times."
As writers we are more inclined to look at the negative. We know the sting of
rejection and are often burdened by it.
How do we overcome the fear of failure?
"Most writers never completely overcome it; they learn to live with it.
Sometimes just knowing that is a help. Keeping a journal can help too, and so
can joining a writers group, reserving particular times and places for writing,
and reading "The Courage to Write" by Ralph Keyes," she said.
In the "Buying Advice and Assistance" section of her book, Appelbaum
tells us about the "Rip-off Factor."
"In publishing, as in any other field, it makes sense to watch out for
people who'll take your money without providing value in return. Writers should
be especially wary of criticism services and vanity publishers. Published
writers, writing teachers and peers are better sources of useful criticism. And
a self-published book is more likely to succeed - as well as less expensive-than
a book produced by a 'publisher' who makes the author pay for it.
We can't do it on our own. Sooner or later down the line we need to be
represented by an agent. What should we consider when selecting an agent? What
should he or she be doing, and how often to effectively be representing us? How
can we tell when the agent is failing to look out for our best interests?
"There's a chapter in "How to Get Happily Published called 'The Plain
Truth About Agents' because so many people think you have to have an agent to
sell manuscripts, especially book manuscripts. It isn't true, though. Often,
it's much better to focus on editors and defer approaching agents until you have
an offer or a track record or both. The agent's job is primarily to get bids on
book projects and shape the deals for them. Because agents work on commission,
the time and effort they can devote to most books is severely limited, which
means you can't expect lots of reports. But if your agent never returns phone
calls or e-mails and won't provide information on submissions from time to time,
the agent may be getting ready to fire you or it may be time for you to do the
firing," stated Appelbaum.
Who you know may be important to getting your manuscript through the publishing
corridor. Establishing an acquaintanceship chain may be one step in the right
direction.
According to Appelbaum, this can be accomplished by finding people you know who
respect your work and whose opinions will interest editors.
"Start by making lists of relevant writers; publishing house employees,
booksellers and experts in your field. Then contact some of them, about editors
they might introduce you to and about comments they might give you to share with
those editors," she stated.
Appelbaum added that established writers are often supportive of newcomers;
experts may be happy to help in various ways, and people in publishing can
easily alert colleagues to new talent.
Then there are small publishers. What can they offer writers?
"Well run small publishing houses are increasingly attractive to authors -
including much-published authors - because they're more likely than the giant
firms to pay attention to each book, to reach the book's best readers, and to
keep the book selling for a long, long time," she expressed.
Is Sensible Solutions an evolutionary step upward in terms of sharing her
knowledge of the industry?
"That's a good way of putting it - I did start Sensible Solutions to share
more of my knowledge of publishing than I could offer in a book," she said.
"We're target marketing consultants who provide strategic advice on
reaching a specific book's optimum audience. Or, in plainer terms, we help
writers and publishers give books their best shots at success."
For further information on the book, log on to http://www.happilypublished.com/thebook.html.
(This article first appeared in Rhapsody Magazine).
GILDEDDenise: You
published "Gilded" in September 2000 through the print-on-demand
company Xlibris. So, your book is now available in hardcover and trade
paperback. What was involved in the production of the book? What kind of
experiences did you have with Xlibris? Would you recommend it to others? Is it a
major investment?
Catherine: After hearing that New York editors enjoyed my book and after
winning the two awards, I decided I'd invest some money and self-publish the
book to finally get it out there. When researching the costs, I discovered that
print-on-demand companies are a wonderful way for the self-publisher to take
advantage of the newer, more economical publishing technologies available. I had
"Gilded" professionally edited and critiqued beforehand, picked out my
cover art, and sent off the electronic manuscript to Xlibris in June 2000. After
checking over proofs and making sure everything looked in order, I had the book
available by September 2000. Unfortunately, September was also a time when
Xlibris was having some growing pains, and distribution of the book was
painfully slow. But the company has rapidly sped things up, so now
"Gilded" can be shipped within 24 hours when ordered from several
online and offline bookstores. Ordering options are listed at my home page: CatherineKarp.com.
As long as Xlibris stays in business (they've done some recent reorganizing, so
I'm crossing my fingers they stick around), I'd recommend them because they
produce a high-quality product. Authors do have to understand that
print-on-demand companies are not true publishers: they don't edit or market
your book for you and you retain the rights. For a small (or in some cases
cost-free) set-up fee, they'll print and distribute your book and the rest is up
to you. It's not a huge monetary investment (although they keep part of the
profits to cover the cost), but, as with most things in life, you'll get out of
it what you put in.
Denise: You mentioned that CrossroadsPub.com will publish the e-book
version of your book. How did that come about and what will that mean in terms
of return on your investment?
Catherine: I decided to try an e-publisher after realizing that this is
where many historical authors have headed after being told by New York that the
genre is dead. I did have an electronic version of "Gilded" available
through Xlibris for a while, but their e-books are a bit overpriced and they
only have one format available. CrossroadsPub.com has an excellent reputation,
so it will be nice to give "Gilded" a little more prestige. Good
e-publishers are exactly the same as print publishers (review processes,
extensive editing, free of author fees). The only difference is that the books
are sold as electronic files. Having the e-book version will create more places
where "Gilded" can be purchased and attract readers who prefer books
as electronic downloads (yes, some people do love e-books).
Denise: How have you actively marketed your book other than
CatherineKarp.com?
Catherine: I've been working on promotions here in San Diego quite a bit.
I appeared in several newspapers, received a wonderful review from a local
literary magazine, and signed copies at a Victorian Valentine's Tea at a 1887
home affiliated with the San Diego Historical Society. The Internet has proven
to be one of the best ways to market the book, however, simply because it's so
easy to reach readers around the world. And the Web has led me to meet so many
wonderful people who have helped tremendously in spreading the word about the
book.
Denise Fleischer, GWN Online editor
Netera@aol.com
Charlotte Boyette-Compo is a speculative fiction author who has created a universe empowered by dark fantasy and at the same time has captured the lives of men and women from the post-Civil War generation. She is the author of 21 books, nine feature the WindLegend Saga and belongs to numerous writer's organizations, including the Romance Writers of America and EPIC. Currently, she is hard at work on a new anthology. Charlee and her husband, Tom, live in the Midwest. They've been married for 34 years and have two grown sons, Pete and Mike. She and Tom are the proud grandparents of Preston Alexander and Victoria Ashley. Log on to: www.windlegends.com and http://www.onelist.com/community/C-BoyettCompo to learn more about her alternative universe.
And now, the interview:
Denise:
In "Windkeeper," you weave together the three lives of Conar McGregor,
Liza and Kaileel Tohre to create your sword and sorcery romance. It appears that
Liza and Kaileel's lives revolve around Conar. One seeks to bring him peace
while the other is determined to destroy him. Help us to understand why Conar,
the Prince Regent of Serenia, is unable to love, to feel, to exist in on his own
world.
Charlee: As a child, Conar spent seven years in the hellish Abbey of the Domination where Kaileel Tohre and the Brotherhood subjected him to great physical, psychological and spiritual agony. He was taught not to feel tender emotions and any transgression was met with brutal punishment. As a result, the young man grew up not trusting those around him not to inflict further hurt on his fragile self-image. Although he puts on a strong facade of machismo and perfect control, in reality he is a lost little boy seeking desperately to fit into a world he doesn't quite understand. Afraid his emotions will turn back on him, he maintains a distance with those he does not know intimately. His inability to fall in love before he met Liza was due to a bitter relationship with a much older woman you will meet in The Windseeker.
Denise: As "The Keeper," how is Liza's life interwoven with Conar's? Does she help to heal other tormented souls?
Charlee: Long before either Liza or Conar was born, the gods decreed them Bondmates: linked by their souls and through the magik they wield. He is like a battery; she, the terminal. Together, they are one unit. Apart, they are whole but not complete. Her main purpose in life is to be the conduit through which Conar finds himself and is finally able to become the great leader he is destined to be. And yes, she does help other lost souls. Conar's brother, Jah-Ma-El is one.
Denise: What is the history of the Brotherhood of the Domination? As High Priest, is Kaileel serving a demon? Is he mortal or immortal? Why does he hate Conar with a vengeance?
Charlee: The Brotherhood began a few months before the Third World War when a group of military men who had powerful psychic powers came together with the idea to become the rulers of the world once the dust settled. In an unholy ritual they called forth the Supreme Evil of Mankind, Raphian, the Destroyer of Men's Souls, to aid them in their bid for world dominance. As one of the pacts with the demon, the Brothers can gain a supremely long life in which to wield their evil. Many live well into the second centuries of existence. They use their powers to subjugate those who are weaker than themselves and set up an order of men who felt as they did. By using their mental and metaphysical powers, they were able to put rulers on the thrones of the newly-formed nations who would do their bidding. Kaileel, who serves the demon Raphian, hates Conar simply because the young man does not return Tohre's unnatural love. He also fears Conar...as does the entire Brotherhood...because they could not totally bend the young man to their will and turn him against the good in his nature. They are terrified of the prophecy that one day a warrior will come who will destroy them completely. They believe that warrior is Conar McGregor.
Denise: In "The Wind's Eye" you switch to a dark historical romance that takes place during the Civil War. Here, Captain Sinclair McGregor is released from a Yankee prison camp into another hellish domain. He quickly finds his ancestral home has been sold for back taxes and that his fiancé married the new owner. Not only is Sinclair penniless, but also forced to live with his grandmother, who despises him. What chance does he have with the odds against him recovering what he once owned and loved?
Charlee: Sinclair's chances are slim when we first meet him, but he is persistent if nothing else. His imprisonment has taught him to be a very patient man who knows when to act and when to be still. Like most of the Southern men returning from the war, he must learn to adapt to a world totally beyond anything he's known before. He must swallow a great deal of his pride in order to survive. Gaining back what he has lost is not so much important to him in the beginning as merely learning to exist in a world set against him.
Denise: With "NightWind" you navigated a little deeper into Hell. Your vampire horror romance begins with Demon Syntian Cree released from the depths of Hell determined to find himself a woman. How does he meet Lauren Fowler? Were they destined to be lovers? What course does her life take with Syntian at the helm? Can something evil love?
Charlee: Hidden away in his lair, he first hears Lauren's crying and the pain and despair in her soul reaches out to him across time and space and touches what is left of his human heart locked away inside his demon's chest. Were they destined to be lovers? To his way of thinking they were. He came to Earth to ease her sorrow, to give her that which she had never known: self-respect and love of herself. And in the doing, he teaches her to love him. He mentors her, if you will, and helps her to see that she is every bit as worthy of a handsome man's love and adoration as any female ever born. Quietly and with great persistence, he nudges her toward that self-awareness she does not know she possesses. He is evil, yes, but he was first a human male with human emotions and needs. The evil inside him gives way to those human traits as Lauren wins his black heart.
Denise: You've written 21 books, nine of which are part of the WindLegend saga (published by Dark Star Publications). Where did all your creativity come from?
Charlee: What gifts I have come from my generic makeup. If you go by all the astrological charts that explain the creative makeup of people born under the Sign of the Twins, I fit that Gemini personality to a T. I have always enjoyed spinning tales even as a little girl...when it was considered blatant lying at that age. My creativity did not lessen as I grew older, but my lies got taller and more complex. By the time I started writing, they became imaginings that others found spellbinding and I knew I had found my niche in life.
Denise: Have you ever strayed from dark fantasy and dark historical romance into other genres?
Charlee: Romance or mystery/thriller or horror, it just falls into that category as I write. I don't always consciously set out to make the book a dark fantasy. The characters lead me where they will and I tell their tell. That is why most of the time my stories are cross-genre with things blending over one another as I write. I think that's one of the reasons I would never make it in the traditional New York publishing world. My colorings go WAY outside their staid lines.
Denise: Tell us about your first publication experience.
Charlee: On the surface, it was a disaster. It was with a subsidy publisher who wound up being slapped with a class action suit, of which I was a part. The company folded owing me royalties I will never see. Scratch a little deeper and things didn't turn out so badly after all. I was one of the few authors that company actually printed and promoted books for and I did receive two fairly nice royalty checks before they went under. I was able to have my rights returns to me as well as the remaining books that had not been sold. With those books in hand, I took them to Amazon's Advantage Program where I am selling them myself and as a result, I had a way to open doors to websites with something to show them to introduce myself. All in all, the experience was not as traumatic as most authors endured.
Denise: Are your books in both print and e-book format? How can we order them?
Charlee: All of my 14 published novels are in e-format but each is going into paperback, as well. At the moment, I have three in paperback: The Keeper of the Wind, BloodWind, In the Wind's Eye, but NightWind and In the Heart of the Wind are to be released very shortly. After that, I have five more coming out in paperback all at the same time. You can order the novels either through my publishers at http://www.darkstarpublications.com or http://dlsijpress.com or through Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble. You can order them in any brick and mortar bookstore that deals with Bakker and Taylor Distribution. They can also be found in many online bookstores that sell e-books like Bookaholics.
Denise: Tell us about your interests and professional associations.
Charlee: I am a member of the Authors' Guild, National Writers' Union, Mystic Ink, the Writer's Club Romance Group, Romance Writers of America, Romance Foretold, The HTML Writer's Guide, EPIC (the Electronically Published Internet Connection), Word Museum, Women for Literature, Ardeon, E-Authors, the Phenomenal Women of the Web, and the first author to be published by Twilight Times Books. I also belong to Beta Sigma Phi, Ladies of the Heart, Partners of Mary, White Rose Sisters, and Writer's Round Robin. I enjoy reading, observing certain television shows (observing is a bit more intense than merely watching), and traveling.
An
Interview with Lisa Jensen
author of "The Witch from The Sea"
You'll find author Lisa Jensen either at a local movie theater, in the reference
department of her library or at her desk writing her next novel. For 25 years,
Lisa been a film critic for the Santa Cruz weekly, "Good Times." She's
reviewed movies for "Cinefantastique," "Take One,"
"Movie Collector's World" and "Coast Weekly." She's sat in
the co-host chair for "Talking Movies," a film review TV program,
hosted "The Golden Age of Television" and her film reviews have been
heard on the radio. Lisa's written book reviews for the "San Francisco
Chronicle" and written feature articles for the "Los Angeles
Times" and the "Chronicle." Her latest achievement is her book,
"The Witch from the Sea," an "adult historical adventure/romance
novel with heart-pounding action and blazing romance set against the background
of 19th Century Caribbean Sea colonialism."
Enjoy our recent conversation together.
Denise:: You have an extensive background as a film critic having written
for the Santa Cruz weekly, "Good Times," as well as reviewing for
"Cinefantastique," and numerous other publications. When did you
develop an interest in being a film critic and reviewer? Did you take courses on
film interpretation?
Lisa: I used to stay up all night and watch old movies on TV as a kid —
that's about it for my background in film! I did take one film class in college,
on Alfred Hitchcock. We watched about 20 of his movies and I drew a storyboard
for a murder scene as my "final." (This was Santa Cruz in the '70s,
when classes tended to be a bit free-form.)
I never thought of being a career film critic, but I love movies and I love to
write. When GOOD TIMES solicited for a "stringer" film reviewer, it
was an ideal opportunity for me to actually get paid for writing. Eventually,
their alpha film critic moved on and I inherited the full-time job. That was 25
years ago.
You don't really need to know a lot about film history or film interpretation to
be a good critic (although the more movies you've seen over a lifetime, the
better). All you need is an opinion and the ability to construct a coherent
sentence. After that, it's all on-the-job training.
Denise:: Tell us about your experiences co-hosting "Talking
Movies," and hosting "The Golden Age of Television." Was it
network or cable TV?
Lisa: In the heyday of Siskel & Ebert, somebody at the local cable
station got the bright idea to do a "Sneak Previews"- format movie
review show with a male and female critic. I did a "screen test" with
the fellow from the daily paper and they decided to put us on the air together.
It was really pretty fun—except we had to cover 4-5 movies per show, more than
the 2 a week I saw for the paper. At first I was petrified about being on TV,
but I got used to it. (Watching myself, later, is another story!) And it
was hard work rewriting my print reviews for a TV audience, where things have to
sound a lot more conversational. But it was a great experience.
After that, my co-host moved to Maui, poor guy, but the station kept me on to
host "The Golden Age Of Television," a 2 1/2-hour package of vintage
TV shows that made the rounds to syndication and cable stations. I got to
decorate my set with atomic '50s furniture and old toys, to get in the mood, and
all I had to do was write a short intro for each segment and read it off the
teleprompter. That was about 10 years ago, and people still occasionally stop me
on the street and say they remember that I used to be on TV.
Denise:: A wonderful, new achievement awaits you with the publication of
your debut novel, "The Witch from the Sea." Set in 1823, your book
focuses on Tory Lightfoot, whose "rebellious nature and mixed blood are the
source of constant scorn and abuse." Where does her quest for freedom lead
her?
Lisa: She thinks she's going to run away to sea, which was common enough
for boys in seaport towns of that era. (She starts out in Boston.) She doesn't
find much freedom on the merchant brig on which she stows away, with its
tyrannical captain and cowed crew. But Fate intervenes and she doesn't stay too
long on that unhappy ship.
Denise:: It seems that her decision to disguise herself as a man and stow
away on a merchantman bound for Barbados only leads her to more trouble. What
does she encounter and what choices does she make?
Lisa: There are many historical records of women who disguised themselves
as men to join a ship's crew or become soldiers—the famous historical pirate
Mary Read is one. Tory acts from that same urge to live a more liberated life.
And it happens unexpectedly for her when her merchant brig is captured by
pirates off the Cuban coast. Circumstances force Tory to choose to join the
pirate crew to save her life—and that's when her true coming-of-age begins.
Denise:: Does she find love, respect and freedom on the high seas?
Lisa: Of course! As the failed actor-turned-pirate, Jack, says to her
about Shakespeare, "the comedies always end happily." But none of
these things come easily for Tory, and never from the quarter she expects.
Denise:: What made you write this book and what sources of research
did you use for this time period and life at sea?
Lisa: I don't know; I had this idea about a young woman on a pirate ship—too
many Errol Flynn movies, I guess! But I didn't want her to be Olivia DeHavilland,
a beautiful hostage who steals the captain's heart. I wanted my heroine to be a
working member of the crew who made choices to live that life and earned a place
in that society. I'm fortunate to have a University of California campus right
in town with a huge library, so that's where I did most of my research. I read
evey book they had on piracy and the history of the West Indies (now called the
Caribbean) in the 1820s. It's a fascinating period, full of fortune-hunters,
uprising slaves and revolution. I wrote most of this book while I was still
computer-illiterate, so I never did much research online.
Denise:: Tell us about your experience with Beagle Bay Books. Was
Jacqueline Church Simonds the first publisher you sent your book to?
Lisa: My book has a very checkered past! I was signed up with a literary
agency in New York that sold an earlier draft of this book to a German-language
publisher. But that's the last sale they ever made. I have two beautiful
editions of my book, one hardcover, one trade paperback, which are both,
unfortunately, in German! I also have a stack of the nicest, most complimentary
rejection slips from editors who all said they loved my writing and my
characters, but that historical fiction that was NOT strictly category romance
or mystery was "impossible" to market.
I parted ways with my agent, but I still felt my book had something to offer. So
I rewrote it one last time, gave it a new title, and started hunting around for
a small press that might be adventurous enough to take a chance on it. I heard
about a new book about a female pirate called "Captain Mary
Buccaneer," published by Beagle Bay Books, and when I went to their website
(I was more computer-savvy by then!), I found they were actively looking for
female-oriented historical fiction. It was the publisher's website of my dreams!
And they've been great. They publish one book at a time, so my book has gotten a
lot of attention in every phase of production, from my two rewrites (and one
copy-edit) to cover design.
Denise:: What forms of promotion have you considered to help introduce
your book to your future fans?
Lisa: We took an ad out in Romantic Times Magazine, and I wrote a
300-word "cameo" profile to introduce me and my book to that
readership. I'm getting listed on lots of pirate and romance-oriented websites.
I'm doing a lot of bookstore readings and signings and radio and print
interviews in and around Santa Cruz, where people know my name from the paper.
I've gotten some nice pull-quotes from Booklist and nautical historian Joan
Druett, which we're plastering all over my page on Amazon & B&N.com. I'm
also having 500 postcards made up of the cover art with my appearance schedule
and website info on the back, which I'll be mailing to everyone I've ever met in
my life! And of course, I'm starting to do some email interviews, which I love.
Denise:: How can GWN Online readers order a copy?
Lisa: Oh, I'm so glad you asked! Please do visit my website (www.witchfromthesea.com)
to read an excerpt and/or order a copy of the book. It can also be ordered from
Amazon or B&N online. Or it can be ordered from any real-life neighborhood
bookstore, as Beagle Bay distributes via Ingram. Enjoy!
Denise Fleischer, GWN Online Romance Editor, book reviewer
Netera@aol.com
8/19/2001 .