Loading ...Interview and Contest with Author Jeri Smith-Ready
Exclusive Bitten by Books
Interview with Author Jeri Smith-Ready
A big welcome to our readers today! Be sure to read to the end of the interview to find out how to WIN the the great prize being offered up. The contest runs until 3:00 pm Eastern time tomorrow to give our east coast and international readers a chance to participate.
NOTE: this is not a fixed time event, the post just goes live at 8:00 am PST. You can stop by any time during the day or evening and leave your questions and comments.
Interview:
Hi Jeri!
Welcome to Bitten by Books, we are excited to have you here today!
I would like to thank you taking the time to join us for the question and answer session with our readers. It has been very interesting to get to know more about you and what makes you tick as a writer! Readers, if you haven’t done so already please stop by and get your copy of Jeri’s latest release Wicked Game
BBB: What do you find the most challenging aspect of writing?
JSM: First drafts, by far. To me it’s like sculpting air. There’s nothing to work with but the terrifying emptiness of my imagination, and some days I don’t feel very creative or inspired. Some days I feel like the most boring person in the world.
The first draft of the first chapter is the worst, absolute terror. Sure, I can change anything in the rewrite, but the moment that first word is down, it seems like the basic nature of the book becomes fixed and permanent. What if it’s wrong?
To get past the paralyzing paranoia, I sometimes start with Chapter Two. That takes a lot of pressure off.
BBB: What is the most rewarding aspect of writing for you?
JSM: Of the actual writing process, I enjoy rewriting the most. I can take the basic components of the book and re-imagine it as something better. I often change endings and entire plots. In the upcoming Wicked Game
In general, one of my favorite parts of being a writer is reading my work aloud in front of an audience. Maybe it’s my theatre background, but I love forging that direct connection and hearing instant feedback. Reading aloud turns the written word into a two-way dynamic between the author and reader. And it’s just plain fun.
BBB: What or who was your muse that got you started writing?
JSM: My twin muses are caffeine and music, and they combined in a fateful way one evening in February 1995. I was at a coffee house watching a friend’s two-man blues band, enjoying my first-ever espresso, when the idea struck me out of nowhere for a weird, funny scene. I went home that night and wrote until 4am (it was a *double* espresso), when I completed the first ten-page scene. It took months to determine (and redetermine) the novel’s actual plot, and the book eventually ended up locked in the proverbial “trunk” of unpublished manuscripts, but I was bitten by the writing bug. From that point on, I never wanted to do anything else, though I often feigned interest in other pursuits, even enough to temporarily fool myself.
BBB: What do you feel are the benefits of the new electronic readers such as Kindle
JSM: It depends. If it means fewer books printed (which I don’t think has happened yet—I haven’t heard of publishers lowering print runs due to electronic versions), then trees potentially get saved. On the other hand, toxic waste from electronics is a huge environmental hazard. If the makers of the e-readers have a recycling plan in place, it could mitigate this impact.
This question would’ve made a great thesis project during my grad school work in environmental policy. I wish I were still getting my degree so I could study it. Oh wait–no, I don’t.
BBB: What impact do electronic readers create on the bottom line for authors in the end? Do you feel they have a negative impact or positive, or no impact at all that you can see?
JSM: Again, it depends. E-books provide greater access to books to people around the world, so an author might find herself with more income that way by reaching more readers. Also, a few readers will only buy e-books.
Where it might have a negative impact is if the publisher pays a low enough royalty rate for e-books that the author makes less per copy sold in that format. Then the overall impact depends how many readers are choosing to buy the electronic version instead of the paper one.
Never expect a straight answer from a former policy student. 
BBB: Who among your characters is your favorite and why?
JSM: Definitely Ciara Griffin from Wicked Game
It’s terrific fun to be in Ciara’s head, because I get to say and do things I could never get away with in my own life. My other favorite character, Lucifer from Requiem for the Devil
I suppose I gravitate most strongly to my “bad” protagonists. Maybe I enjoy the challenge of making them sympathetic, or maybe I just relate to them better (let’s not look too hard at that second possibility, shall we?).
BBB: How do you like interacting with your fans at events? Do you feel shy or are you right out there bigger than life?
JSM: I love it! I’m an introvert by nature, but when I’m in the company of people I know I have something in common with, like a love of books (you thought I was going to say, ‘a love of me,’ didn’t you?), it’s easy to be outgoing. At Conestoga this summer, the Fangs Fur & Fey mini-con organized a ‘speed-dating’ session where authors paired up and spent five minutes at each of 15 tables chatting with 2-4 fans. It was great fun, and I was lucky enough to be paired with one of my writing idols, the sweet and brilliant Rachel Caine.
BBB: Can you tell us if how many sequels planned after Wicked Game
JSM: Bad to the Bone
BBB: Succubus or Vampire. Which would you choose to be and why?
JSM: I know my mom is reading this, so I’m going to say vampire.
BBB: How would you describe the writing style in the Wicked Game
JSM: Maybe urban fantasy and chick lit, or urban fantasy and mainstream fiction. Most reviewers say it’s not like anything else out there. I guess that’s a good thing.
Basically, it’s light but not fluffy. It has its dark and poignant moments, but the word people most use to describe it (after “original”) is “fun.” Which was exactly my intention. The world needs more fun.
BBB: How do you keep track of your characters and world building?
JSM: With my epic fantasy, I keep a spreadsheet of all the characters and their ages throughout the different books, as well as their hair color, magic powers, etc.
My vampire series is set in the modern-day world, and the character list hasn’t gotten out of hand yet, so I keep it all in my head. Also, Wicked Game’s
BBB: What is your favorite paranormal fiction book of all time?
JSM: This is the hardest question of all! I’m going to go with the first one that jumped into my head: The Talisman
Oh, I just remembered my favorite book is Good Omens
BBB: What do you like to do in between all the time you spend writing?
JSM: I take it back. *This* is the hardest question of all. When I’m not writing or doing other writing business-related tasks–which is hardly ever–I like to listen to music, read, or watch TV with my husband (I told you I was the most boring person in the world–you didn’t believe me, did you?). The only thing I do that is not even remotely writing-related is watch football.
Oh crap, I just realized there’s a football rivalry in Bad to the Bone
BBB: Since Wicked Game
JSM: I don’t have an iPod
First tier (ones whose every album I own)
Nirvana
Morphine
Cake
Eve 6
Tori Amos
Liz Phair
Green Day
The Doors
Second tier, close behind:
The Cure
The Smiths
Steve Earle
Chris Isaak
R.E.M.
Neil Young (with or without Crazy Horse)
Then there are the subgenres I love, like the riot grrls (especially L7 and Bikini Kill), Delta blues (esp. Leadbelly and Son House in the old days and more recently Guy Davis and Alvin Youngblood Hart), and Irish folk-rock (especially The Pogues and Flogging Molly). I also love all forms of punk, from 70s old-school through modern skate/pop punk.
My latest hot band discovery is The Raveonettes. Entertainment Weekly described them as “the supergroup that, in an alternate universe, the Ronettes, My Bloody Valentine, and the Velvet Underground formed on a lost weekend.” For me it was Love at First Listen.
I’m also mad for the new releases by Beck and Death Cab for Cutie, as well as a new-ish psychedelic band called The Black Angels, who make great vampire music.
I have a special page on my website for all the music of Wicked Game
Also, on the station’s website http://www.wvmpradio.com/, you can hear playlists by each of the vampire DJs, samples of what their shows would be like.
*Fourteen pages later, she shuts up.* That’ll teach you to ask me about music.
BBB: Are there any local radio stations in your area that inspired Wicked Game
JSM: I was listening to 100.7 The Bay when I came up with the idea for the series, so I have to give them credit. But my favorite local station is 94.7 The Globe, partly because one of their DJs, Weasel, has been my favorite DJ since the 80s when I started listening to alternative/indie station WHFS. After WHFS died a slow death earlier this decade, he moved to The Globe.
Weasel is the most amazingly knowledgeable DJ I’ve ever known. So I figured as a long shot, I’d write him an e-mail and see if he’d give a cover quote for the book. He did it! Even better, he said it was true to life and based in reality, and that he could relate to the vampire DJ characters (I know, scary, huh?). I was thrilled beyond belief—to me, this was the ultimate validation that I had done my research and brought the characters to life.
BBB: One of your biggest fans our staff reviewer Lori, who just happens to have the same name as her heroine’s best friend (coincidence or fate?) wants to know if Lori will figure prominently in any future storylines.
JSM: Yes! I love Lori—she’s a very grounding influence on Ciara, reminding her how to be a decent human in the midst of all these vampires. She has a major role in Bad to the Bone
BBB: What did you do before you became a writer? Do you write full time?
JSM: Nothing very interesting. Seriously. I could list my office jobs and my degrees, but it would make you yawn. Or I could lie and say I was a smokejumper for the Mongolian Forest Service. Yeah, let’s go with that.
I do write full time, which is not to say that I make a living in the sense of enough money to live on. But that’s the goal, obviously. Until then, I sponge off my husband, who expects me to buy him an airplane one day with my millions of sales. *puts on pathetic Sally Struthers look* Please consider giving to this important cause by supporting my career, in any way you can.
BBB: You have several other books that you have released, can you tell us more about them?
JSM: I also have a romantic fantasy series with Luna Books. The ASPECT OF CROW trilogy (Reviewers Choice Winner and Rita nominee Eyes Of Crow
The heroine has the Aspect of Crow, which deals with the powers of death. The character’s world is threatened with destruction by an outside force called the “Descendants,” who lack magic but are more technologically advanced–both due to their alienation from nature.
My first urban fantasy was Requiem for the Devil
You can find out more about all of them, as well as my short stories, on the Books page on my website http://www.jerismithready.com/books/.
BBB: Do you have any pearls of wisdom you would like to share with our readers here today?
JSM: Never store plasticware in the oven.
Be sure to check out Jeri’s sites:
http://www.jerismithready.com
http://www.wvmpradio.com/
http://www.myspace.com/jerismithready
http://twitter.com/jsmithready
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Questions and Contest: Now, I am going to open up the internet floor so to speak and let our readers ask Jeri some questions. Feel free to post as many questions or comments as you like. She will be popping in and out today and tomorrow to answer them.
Readers, here’s how to enter the contest. You can do ONE or ALL of these things, and each one will give an additional entries at a chance to win. One lucky participant will be chosen to win a copy of Wicked Game
1. Ask Jeri some questions. Ask as many questions as you like, you can also start a stimulating discussion.
2. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter here on the right hand side of the site. This is for new subscribers only.
3. Post the link to the interview here today (http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=2202) at another blog, website, Myspace, Ning Group, Facebook, Yahoo Group (any group where it is appropriate) and you will be given TEN additional entries for a chance to win for every link you post. BUT you MUST come back here to this interview and post those links in one response here in this thread. The more places you post the event, the more entries you get, so spread the word! NOTE: if you post multiple links here, your post will not show up right away. If you don’t see it, don’t keep posting it, we WILL approve your entry later on in the day. 
4. Purchase copies of Jeri’s awesome books TODAY or TOMORROW and send us a copy of the receipt for your purchase to: racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces) for TWENTY additional entries. You get TWENTY entries for each one you purchase. Not valid on past purchases. Click these links to buy her most recent books you can also use the amazon search box on the right hand side of the site to search for more of her wonderful titles.
Eyes Of Crow
Voice Of Crow
The Reawakened
Books make GREAT gifts for friends and family anytime!
5. Add us as your friend on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bittenbybooks
Add us as your friend on Facebook: http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=614064436
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BittenbyBooks
Be sure to mention that you are friending us for this contest so we know to enter you! 
6. Stumble, Digg or share the post with any social networking sites. There is a button right at the end of this post that says “Share” that you can use.
7. Twitter and ask your friends to re-tweet the URL for this event: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=2202
8. Read the Bitten by Books review of Jeri’s book here:
http://bittenbybooks.com/?page_id=58&book_author_id=Jeri%20Smith-Ready
Then leave a meaningful comment IN THE REVIEW post that shows you read the review, not just a post that says “sounds good” or “nice review”, a couple of sentences would be great! Simply share your thoughts, ideas or opinions and show the author some love.
9. Add Jeri’s website to your blog roll or links page: http://www.wvmpradio.com/
10. Add Bitten by Books to your blog roll or links page: http://bittenbybooks.com if you leave our link up permanently you will always be entered into our contests automatically. Just be sure to stop by each contest we hold and leave the link to where it is so we can give you your entry!
11. Email ALL of your friends and invite them to come by today! If your fiends come and post here and say you sent them, they get TWO entries and you get TWO entries! They have to tell us who you are so we know who to give the entries to. You can invite as many people as you want and get all the extra entries!
12. Join the The Blood Bank the Bitten by Books Community! here: http://bittenbybooks.ning.com/ then come back here and tell us your username. Be sure to post something about yourself on your blog there.
The contest will run through tomorrow 11/18/08 at 3:00 pm Eastern time to allow our East coast and international readers a chance to win too!
Be sure to include an email and name where we can contact you if you are a winner.
We will be awarding the AMAZING prize and announcing the winner to the Bitten by Books website later. And REMEMBER you can’t win if you don’t play!
(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Good Morning Jeri,
My mom melted a plastic handled screw driver that she left in the oven after changing out the light bulb and she melted a plastic handle knife she left in the oven.
Is their a story behind your words of wisdom?
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I just wanted to say WELCOME to Jeri! Thank you again for taking time out of your day to be with us.
And I love Leadbelly too!
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Good Omens was such a fabulous book!!! One of my favorites too!!!
And if you haven’t read WIcked Game yet, definitely pick up a copy!!! You won’t be sorry!
Thanks for the insight into your writing, Jeri!!!
Lisa
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Hi Jeri! I really love the Aspect of Crow series, and Wicked Game was terrific, too! On your website you have a quiz to find out what our spirit animal would be in the Aspect of Crow world: I was wondering what yours would be, either using that quiz or just your own knowledge.
And if you were one of the vampire DJs, which musical era would you be stuck in?
Thanks!
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Kizzy: Wow, that sounds rough! It hasn’t happened to me, but someone I knew left a casserole dish with a plastic lid in the oven, along with other cookware, and forgot to take it out before preheating.
What DID happen to me was worse. I was at a relative’s house for Xmas, helping cook, and I reached into the drawer below the oven where the baking sheets were stored. What I didn’t know was that this “drawer” was actually the broiler. Got very painful burns on my fingertips. Worst Christmas ever.
Rachel: Thanks so much for having me!
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Hey Jeri! Great interview as usual.
I absolutely loved Wicked Game, as you know! It’s definitely in my top books ever, and I can hardly stand the wait for the sequel lol.
Ciara is one of my favorite protagonists. She’s so smart the way she handles her situations, and she thinks extremely fast on her feet.
What kind of trouble will Ciara be getting herself into this time around?
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hi Jeri!
I have not had a chance to read Wicked Game yet, but its on my bookshelf just calling to me!
My question to you: who is your favorite football team?
Also, if you had to pick one band to listen to over and over, who would it be?
(Rach-posted to three yahoo groups and twittered)
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Hi Jeri! (And Rachel too of course!)
Do you base any of your characters on people in your real life? For instance can we catch a glimpse of your husband’s personality in any of characters?
Thanks
Steff
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*waves to Lisa Kessler* Great to see you here!
Kimberly B: Thank you so much! When I took the animal spirit quiz, I came up with Owl, which really surprised me. But after reading the description, I realized it really fit:
“Owls are keen, perceptive and skeptical. You’re adept at getting to the truth, making you an ideal investigator or attorney. Your insights into the less honorable side of human nature can make you a bit cynical, but your numerous friends appreciate the dark sense of humor it brings.”
As to what era I’d be stuck in, that’s hard to say. I love them all, so I’d probably pick Shane’s (the 90s), because he can appreciate his own and everything in the past. Plus Nirvana is my favorite band.
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Hi Jeri,
I love the concept of a vampire radio station. Love the music on your site. Shane is my favorite DJ.
Who is your favorite DJ in Wicked Games?
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Brooke: Ciara (along with Lori) finds herself going undercover to a support group called The Bitten, for humans who are recovering vampire addicts (i.e., former donors). The support group is part of an anti-vampire organization that–well, I can’t tell too much more or I’d ruin the mystery.
Oh, and she gets evicted.
Virginia: The Baltimore Ravens, of course! Their summer training camp is right here in my hometown (which is the real-life inspiration for the town of Sherwood in WICKED GAME). I also love the Packers, Patriots, and of course my childhood fave the Redskins.
As for band I could listen to over and over, it would probably be Nirvana, though I mentioned The Raveonettes in the interview. I haven’t loved a new band that much since Evanescence came out with FALLEN in 2003.
Steff: I think most of the characters have pieces of me in them more than anything. My husband plays guitar, though, just like Shane.
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Oops, forgot to give my link:
http://www.myspace.com/brookereviews
I have a blog entry here, and the links to Jeri’s website and Bitten by Books on the left side in the “General” section.
[Reply]
[...] Jeri Smith-Ready, author of Wicked Game, by Bitten by Books [...]
Hey Jeri!
How do you get over any writer’s block you may have? Also when you write do you listen to music or need background noise or like silence?
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flip: Well, definitely Shane by a long shot. He’s a lot more like me than Ciara is (which probably means he’d get on my nerves in real life ;-).
If I had to pick a second favorite, right now it would be Jim, the violent hippie. I just finished his short story and will post it tonight for my newsletter subscribers (hint, hint! Go to my website to sign up!). It’ll go up in a week for the rest of the world.
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Hi Jeri! Nancy waving!
What’s the most fun or unexpected thing that’s happened in one of your books?
I love your writing and look forward to BAD TO THE BONE!
Light,
Nancy Haddock
La Vida Vampire
[Reply]
Jeri, thanks for the interview.
How many books to do you feel comfortable working on in a year? How long does it take for you to write a book?
With the Aspect of Crow series wrapped up, do you have another series, of any kind, in mind or are you just focusing on your vampire DJ series?
Thanks again!
Katie
[Reply]
katiebabs: Hmm, writer’s block. It usually happens when I’ve taken a wrong ‘detour’ in writing the story, so I try to back up to the point at which it feels right and start again from there. Sometimes it means I need to take a short break and get some inspiration through reading or movies or music or just taking a walk.
As for background music, I do listen to it a lot when writing first drafts. When revising I need silence so I can hear the words in my head. But even then I’ll often use instrumental music. It helps keep me focused and blocks out background noise.
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Hi, Nancy! The most unexpected thing happened in THE REAWAKENED. I had the whole thing outlined and the romantic heroine (Sura) was supposed to end up with this one guy. Then her mentor (Dravek) walked onstage, and BOOM! the whole subplot blew up. It was Lust at First Sight. So I changed that plot, and Sura and Dravek’s forbidden love story and struggle for happiness ended up having a major impact on the end of the book and therefore the entire series.
Katie: Two full-length (i.e., single title, adult) books per year is pretty much my limit, and even that is tough (especially when the epic fantasies get to be so huge). In addition to the vamps, I’m also working on a YA urban fantasy series I have high hopes for. And if that doesn’t work out, I have other projects in my head that I haven’t had time to develop, since I have yet to perfect the cloning process.
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so i have too mny questions to put here so i will ask a question about a few characters (all who i love ) but there is one thats still bothers me and saddens me at the same time spencer. please i shouldnt ask but let me know if he will find someone like shane did i mean i feel so bad for his story i was crying hard when i read it. //// nothing wrong with a boring life i know am selfish but it keeps ya pumping out incredible books… all which i have except the earlier ones which i still have issues with trying to get from that one place i told you about on myspace lol ….. and i am asking a huge favor since you are going to be in and out all day could you tell your publisher that some fans are really!!!!! wanting bad to the boneand could they bump the date up cause i amdying to read ok …. one again i feel am making this tooo long …. love your books (all that i have read thus far) and honestly when i see ciara in my head i just figured she was what you would be if you were not a writer i know it seems bad considering her background but i really do ….. lena
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When the manuscript goes back & forth between you & your editor, how much do you change that the editor requests? Are there some scenes that you were insistent on keeping or not changing?
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Hi Lena! How do you know Spencer doesn’t have a serious vampire girlfriend out there right now?
They have whole non-work-related lives that Ciara doesn’t know about, so really anything is possible. And if it makes you feel better, Jim’s story (posting tonight for newsletter readers and next week for everyone else) isn’t sad at all.
My poor overworked editor is doing her best to make sure BAD TO THE BONE comes out on time, much less early, so I’m afraid no dates will be moved. Thank you for your impatience, though!
I love that you think I’d be a con artist if I weren’t a writer. Maybe I really am on the side.
And isn’t con artistry really just another form of fiction?
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Lorna: My editor is always right. No, seriously, she’s brilliant.
I haven’t come up against an edit that I felt strongly enough about to disagree with. If I did, I would talk it over with my editor and we would come to a solution that made us both happy. And she always stresses that her edits are only suggestions, not orders.
In fact, I always cut out a lot more than my editor asks. My rewrites are like verbal tornados–everything gets swept up, taken apart, and then hopefully I rebuild something better. I once compared the process to that reality show AMERICAN CHOPPER, the one where they build these amazing motorcycles. There’s always a point in every episode where the bike looks like crap and it will never be done in time, and everyone’s stressing out and yelling and throwing things, and then it all works out in the end.
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Hi!!!
I love your books (as I told you before!) I just recently bought Requiem for the Devil for my friend like two days ago. I’m hanging on the edge of my seat for Bad to the Bone. Have a good day!
Caprice
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Would episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer traumatize the Wicked Game vamps or do you think some of them would find it cute?
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Hi Jeri!
I was wondering… do you plan on sticking to writing just about vampires in the future or have you thought about expanding your writing to other topics?
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Great interview & contest. I love the idea of all those ways to enter!
I just bought a book from Amazon - sending the receipt through now.
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Hey Jeri, thanks for joining us today
I was wondering what environmental policies were nearest and dearest to your heart when you were studying the issue?
Oh, and what’s your favorite song from The Raveonettes? I’m pretty partial to “Lust” myself
[Reply]
Caprice: Thank you so much! I hope your friend enjoys REQUIEM FOR THE DEVIL. As my first published novel, it’ll always hold a special place in my heart.
Crystal: Ooh, what a great question! I think they would envy the Buffy vamps for getting to simply turn to dust when they’re staked. In my universe, the post-staking demise is a bit more, um, slow and painful.
By this point in their relationship, Ciara has probably shown Shane all the Buffy/Angel episodes on DVD. His favorite character would probably be Oz, because of his music and bone-dry sense of humor. Regina, OTOH, would be a huge Faith fan (they would have a blast hanging out, if not for the whole stake thing ;-).
Danielle: Well, I have six books out now and only one is about vampires, so yeah.
As far as the future goes, I don’t plan to start any new vampire series, but hope to continue this one for at least one or two or three more books past BAD TO THE BONE.
My proposed YA series is about ghosts, and another idea knocking around my head is sort of voodoo-related, so I’m always looking to try new things. One day I would love to write a novel about the Jersey Devil or the Loch Ness Monster or similar legends. They were really huge when I was a kid, but people don’t talk about them much anymore.
Great questions, everyone! Keep ‘em coming!
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Karen, you rock! Isn’t this a great blog? So many ways to win. I wish I weren’t an author so I could enter these contests (I know technically I could but I like to leave the chances to readers). OK, I don’t *really* wish I weren’t an author, but you know what I mean.
Sarai: Global warming is a big one, of course–so big it’s almost overwhelming. My academic focus was on urban planning and development–especially making cities and towns less car-oriented. I interned in EPA’s Smart Growth division one summer. This was in 1999; I’m sure that division no longer exists, but hopefully it’ll be revived next year along with the rest of the agency.
Favorite Raveonettes song? Probably “Aly Walk With Me” or maybe “You Want the Candy” or “Lust.” My favorite from PRETTY IN BLACK is “Somewhere in Texas” or maybe “Love in a Trashcan.” They are all so freaking cool! I just love their unique sound. It’s like a combination of the 50s, 60s, and today.
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Hey Jeri. Ciara’s best friend here……LOL. I still think that totally rocks that we have the same name. Now if you could reveal that her real name is Lorelei, that would be even cooler. So I would love to know more about your theatre past. Were you active with any local groups? (I love that I live so close to “Sherwood”.) Would you consider doing theatre again? Ya know, I am on the board of a local theatre group…….I’m just sayin……
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Hi there, Jerry!
As you know, I love all your books and am so ready to go pick up my copy of The Awakened. Bad to the Bone is going to be awesome, too. So, my question…with all your writing and book signings…how do you find time to just be you?!
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Hey Jeri I just want to say I loved Wicked Game and can’t wait until Bad to the Bone comes out.
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Congrats on your books. I sure hope that you get a chance to explore all those other Vamps floating around screaming at your muse to be heard.
Since becoming a writer - what is the one question that is asked most of you that drives you crazy? Also, your work space-is it in manical order or ordered chaos?
[Reply]
Hey Jeri!
Great interview and I love how your fave DJ read your book and then gave you kudo’s! I have listened to the same Dj’s in the morning for several years now and that would be too cool to have them do that to my one day published book!
I am looking forward to Bad to the Bone, already have Wicked Game and I was wondering if you are going to do another Street Team for this one as well? The first one was alot of fun!
Take care and Thanks for sharing with all your fans!!
Chris J.
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Oops! sorry… :S you’re a new author to me so I don’t know much about you and all of your books…YET! lol my apology
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Hey Jeri,
Loved the first two Aspect of Crow books but haven’t been able to catch a copy (or time!) for the 3rd or Wicked Game yet. But I plan to read them soon if everything works out. Question: When is your next book signing? Or how can I get hold of your autograph? (I know selfish question but I’m deprived, really
Note for contest:
Posted about this event on my blog.
Listed both BBB link and Jeri’s link on my page
Listed BBB link on Facebook status
Left comment on review for Jeri
Here’s the links for where I left the links:
http://www.xanga.com/Liz5MangaPrincess
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=673354071&ref=profile
I think that’s all you need!)
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Jeri, it was interesting to see what musical artist that you like. What is your all-time favorite song?
Deidre
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Awesome interview…also very much enjoying the questions coming up here in the comments!
Hi Jeri! Here is my question: are there any actors out there who you could see playing Ciara and Shane in a movie or TV adaptation of Wicked Game?
btw, I am deeply in love with The Raveonettes’ cover of “My Boyfriend’s Back.”
Thank you for chatting with us!
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Will it just around the corner, what is your favourite thing to do in the winter? What is your favourite season?
Thanks!
Natasha A.
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Hi, Jeri! I just finished reading Wicked Game after two of my friends recommended it to me on the same day. I really enjoyed it, so — thank you for writing it!
One thing that excites me about Wicked Game is the way you’re using the web to add new dimensions to the printed page. The vamps’ individual stories, and especially the playlists — it helps everything come to (un)life, and I’m discovering some new (to me) music in the process!
My question to you is, do you see yourself continuing to do this for your future projects? Could online content end up being part of the writing process from the beginning? It sounds exciting — if a bit daunting!
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Lori: Hmmm, Lorelei. I could make that happen.
As for theatre, I haven’t done it since a year after college. Too time-consuming, and I tend to fall for my leading men. I treasure my marriage, so….
Ruby: Good question. I do it by spending time with friends who don’t care that I’m a writer. I mean, they care because they want me to be happy, but to them it’s no different than if I were happy as an accountant. Also, my dog and cat are not impressed with my career (in fact, they hate when it takes me away from home), so spending time with them also reminds me who I really am.
Carmen: Thank you so much! I also cannot wait, but in the meantime I’m putting up short stories on my website of how each of the vampires were turned, just to tide everyone over until the big day.
MarnieCollette: I think the question that drives me craziest is some form of the “When are you going to make X out of your books?” X being a movie, TV show, audio book, graphic novel, e-book, whatever. As if it’s up to me, LOL! As if producers are lined up waiting to make a movie out of the book and I just haven’t gotten around to picking one. So the answer is always, “When someone else pays to have it done.”
I think a lot of people have the misconception that authors control so much more than we do. All we do is write what’s inside, and even then all the typos aren’t necessarily our faults. 
My workspace is wherever I want to be, because I have a laptop. There’s a pile of random to-do stuff that follows me around. I’m not the world’s most organized person, but I desperately *want* to be. This sets up an internal conflict.
Chris J: I hope a lot of the WICKED GAME Street Team members come back for BAD TO THE BONE and that new people join up, too! That’s definitely one area I need to organize better in the new year.
Daniele: It’s okay, I was just giving you a hard way to go for fun.
Deirdre: My favorite song is “Inside Out” by Eve 6. No real reason, I just love the way it sounds, and it’s so fun to sing along with. My husband pointed out that the lyrics are really dark, but I never noticed that. I just love the way I feel after singing along, because it requires a lot of deep breaths to keep up. So it’s like aerobic exercise!
Sarah: I love that rendition, too! Re: actors. I think Scarlett Johanssen (sp?) would be perfect for Ciara, and I see Cillian Murphy as Shane, though he’d have to change his beautiful Irish accent to Pittsbugh/Northeast Ohio. Or they could just rewrite Shane to be Irish instead of Irish-American.
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Natasha: My favorite thing to do in the winter is sit inside and look at the falling snow. And drink cocoa, and those special holiday teas that Celestial Seasonings comes out with every year. My favorite seasons are probably fall and winter, because then I don’t feel guilty for not doing yard work. I also like the shorter days (sunshine gives me a headache more often than not) and the cozy feeling of huddling under a fuzzy blanket and reading or writing or watching a movie. I’m an indoor kind of girl, obviously.
Ken: What a great question! I definitely do plan to incorporate the web and especially music into my future projects, at least for this series.
It has actually affected the process from the beginning. When I chose songs to appear in the text of BAD TO THE BONE (and the chapter titles), I kept in mind how they would sound on an eventual playlist. There’s a brilliant-sounding segue between Rob Zombie’s “Dragula” and Tori Amos’s “Happy Phantom” on the BTTB playlist. Which is great, because it replicates what Shane is playing on the radio in that scene. DJs have an ear for that sort of thing.
And of course, after writing the vampires’ “turning stories,” I have to keep those facts in mind as I continue to write more novels in the series. The cool thing is, they actually have given me a couple of ideas for plots. So maybe a few characters from the vampires’ pasts will show up in a novel someday.
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Jeri,
You said in this interview that you would have much to ponder when deciding how many books would be part of this series? How do you decide?
You know I love Wicked Game…I tell you every time I decide to reread it.
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Forgot in my earlier post… I posted a link to this interview on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=2533488&ref=profile
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Hi Jeri!
I’m patiently waiting for The Reawakened. And seriously jonesing for Bad To The Bone. I was going to ask when the next “vamp turning ” story would be arriving, but you answered that in the interview. Hmmmmm…what to ask?
Oh, I know…..Are you fostering any dogs now? Is doing that as rewarding as I think it may be? I have long thought I’d like to do it, but I get attached so easily. DO you have problems with letting them go?
Debi
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Hi Jeri. I just realized that Bad to the Bone is due out on my birthday next year! What a birthday present. And I have a question. I’m sure authors love getting writing suggestions from readers, haha, but I was wondering if you’ve considered doing a spin off series of Wicked Game that’s made up of novels told from the POV of each vampire DJ during the period they were turned. Basically a novel length version of what you’re already doing on your website. I would LOVE to read a vampire novel told by Jim’s POV that takes place during the era of Vietnam, the counterculture, and the Sexual Revolution. But that’s just a suggestion, hee hee. (Oh by the way, was Jim named after Jim Morrison?)
Thanks,
April
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What a great interview Jeri. My hubby has been looking at me funny because I have been laughing while reading it.
Since you have a Lori, how about a Katie?? Huh? wiggles eyebrows*
Katie
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Jeri’s entirely responsible for my hearing loss. She introduced me to the Raveonettes and now I’m totally their bitch.
Thanks Jeri Smith-Ready!
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OMG, the Talisman is such an AWESOME book! I always think of it too when I hear CCR. Or read the one Harry Potter where there were things in the water under the boats. Or that…erm…oh yeah…we’re talking about you. Sorry….I get distracted easily. LOL
My thing lately with these interviews is to shamelessly steal from the Actor’s Studio. So here are my questions.
What job would you NOT want to do?
And
What’s your favorite curse word?
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Hi Jeri. I liked Lucifer in Requiem, can see why he’s your favorite.
Do you have a different approach in writing YA vs. the adult books?
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I enjoyed the interview do you collect books or pass them on after you read?
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I loved Wicked Game, Jeri and I’m eagerly looking forward to Bad To The Bone. Vampires and music…can’t beat that combination!
My question is: do you have a favorite vampire book, series or TV show?
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Hey Jeri!
I just finished Requiem, which I loved. I seem to be going backwards since I read Wicked Game first. I love that you put just enough of a spin on classic subjects to make it interesting, but still connected to traditional mythos.
I’ve posted the interview at the Vicki Pettersson forum, where you have your own thread
http://vickipettersson.proboards51.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=authors&thread=393
BTW, How are the puppies?
Ailishsmom (Theresa)
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hmmmmm…. plastic ware in the oven? never tried that one, but microwaving an egg has to be right up there on the DO NOT list ^_^
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You mention above starting on the second chapter. Do you write most of your book, except for Chapter 1, in order? Or, do you hop around to scenes that might be later in the book, but where you already know the dialogue in your head?
Take care.
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What is your favorite genre to write?
What genre would you like to try you hand in the most?
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Hey Jeri! Have you ever heard of the Bastard Fairies? They are one of my new fave groups.
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ZOMG, look at all the comments! Sorry, I stepped out for a few hours to finish and send my newsletter. I’ll try to answer as many as I can before I turn into a pumpkin at midnight.
Jules: That’s a very good question, and I don’t really know the answer. I have to discuss it with my agent and editor and–not to sound too wifty–with the characters themselves. I’m also planning to dive into J.D. Robb’s IN DEATH series to see how she carries on two characters in a committed relationship for so many bajillion books and keeps it interesting.
Debi: No more need for patience–The Reawakened is now available!
Unfortunately we won’t be fostering any more dogs. My greyhound Meadow has hurt her back really badly, so no more romping and wrestling for the rest of her life (which we hope will be a long time–she’s only 8!). But we will start fostering kittens soon–after Christmas when the tree comes down.
April: Well, Happy Birthday in advance! As for spinoff prequel books, maybe, maybe. It wouldn’t be for awhile, though–I need to tell Ciara’s story first. Having just written Jim’s story and introduced his makers, it would be cool to see what sort of havoc they wreaked back in the early 70s.
I think maybe he was named after Jim Morrison. I honestly can’t remember for sure.
Katie Bug: Ha! Sure thing. But be careful what you wish for.
Mark: Yeah, there’s no volume high enough for the Raveonettes, and they MUST be listened to with headphones/earbuds. But I’ve decided that their wall of sound is less harmful than a sharp screeching guitar or snare drum. It just gently pushes against your brain instead of stabbing. I’ve found that the louder I play them, the better I feel! :-p
Going to bed now to read (Chuck Klosterman’s DOWNTOWN OWL, if anyone’s interested–it’s hysterical). Will answer the rest tomorrow–thanks for the great questions!
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Hi Jeri! I remember picking out VOICE OF CROW to read when seeing it with the LUNA books at EHarlequin because I had only read a couple of the LUNA books before and really wanted to try more. I was awed and fascinated with this trilogy. I plan to get book 3 very soon, but it will be sad leaving the characters and the world you developed for this all. It was one that I really got so into that pulling myself away from it to do chores or sleep was nearly impossible! I often think of them in that tree house or when they were fighting among the others in the field and more and more scenes just stay with me. Was it hard for you to end this trilogy? Do you think you’ll ever be going back to this setting again or the characters? Whats up next for you with LUNA?
Thanks Jeri!
PS, My next post will have info regarding the contest entries so I don’t make it a long one with the question to Jeri. tbranxiety @ yahoo . com
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For this contest I:
But do have books one and two and they are keepers! I highly recommend the CROW trilogy!.
1. Question is above, thanks Jeri!
2. Subscribed to newsletter previously.
3. Post the link to the interview here today to MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/auntcaffey
4. I plan to buy the third in the trilogy this Friday. Unable to get today
5. I am your friend at your MySpace. I signed up today and added you to my Facebook. I
follow you on Twitter already!
6. I shared the post onto my Facebook. Neat to do!
7. I Twitter and asked my friends to re-tweet the URL for this event. Cool posting it! I’m sorry I got last name mixed up. I put Ready-Smith instead of Smith-Ready. Its not the first time I did it. Oops. But I fixed it. Its just a habit I’ve been doing this since I read the first book, LOL. Again sorry Jeri.
8. I read the Bitten by Books review of Jeri’s book WICKED GAMES and posted there. I’m looking forward to the reviews for the CROW trilogy. Will you be posting them? They are both fantasy and paranormal books and they would fit here for readers looking under the various types of charactes you have under the links. I did read book one already and two is right here with me and must get book 3 Friday!
9. I added Jeri’s website and blog to my Google and blog roll at my blog at http://www.Caffeys-Reads.blogspot.com
10. I added Bitten by Books to my blog roll at my blog at http://www.Caffeys-Reads.blogspot.com
11. I emailed all my friends and invited them to come by today!
12. I joined the The Blood Bank the Bitten by Books Community! My user name is Caffey. I posted in my blog there!
My email is tbranxiety @ yahoo.com
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HI JERI! CATHIE M SENT ME AND I AM SO GLAD SHE DID! YOWZA DO ILOVE HAWT BAD TO THE BONE MAN WITH HAIRY CHESTS THAT I CAN RUN MY FINGERS THROUGH!! LOL NEVER READ YOU BEFORE AND THAT HAS GOT TO CHANGE! DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULARE MALE THAT YOU WRITE YOUR BOOKS BASED ON?
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cool , cathie (caffey) sen t me
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Jerri,
Are there any questions that you wish one of your readers would ask you? If so, what is the question(s) and answer(s)?
Thank you for the interview today!
Darby
darbyscloset at yahoo dot com
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Just wanted to say that Wicked Game was wicked cool. It was fun but you never lost the sense of danger. I mean, these are vampires after all. I’m hugely looking forward to Bad.
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What do you do to relax? Do you read? Do you have a favorite author?
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you evre think to use, the line from the hippies
SEX, BLOOD & ROCK AND ROLL?
well except the used drugs instead of blood
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Hi Jeri,
I really love your LUNA line and though Wicked Game was fabulous as well. I have both titles (Reawakened and Bad to the Bone) on my TBB List.
Do you have a bad habit when writing?
Do you name your characters or do they tell you themselves who they are?
I already joined the newsletter link.
Thanks for coming and sharing a littl eon your books and life.
Dawn
love2read28@gmail.com
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Wow, Is there anything you two didn’t cover? Was there something you wish you had?
Looking forward to this new book.
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Hi JSR!
OMG! One of my very favorite 80’s tunes is HOW SOON IS NOW by Morrissey who was lead singer for The Smiths. Your taste in music is fantastic! Especially the punk!! I am grandma punk. Still have my mohawk, piercings, and tattoos. I miss the 80’s! Did you ever have wild hair? Do you have any tattoos?
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Morning, everyone! I’ll take these 5 at a time so my comments don’t get too long.
Becky: Wow, that’s a really long list. Probably middle school teacher would be at the top. Any kind of teaching, really. I love tutoring, but the thought of getting up in front of kids and trying to entertain–I mean, teach–them terrifies me to the core.
Favorite curse word? F*ck, except without the asterisk (I wasn’t sure if this was a clean site). It’s so satisfying and has so many variations.
Pam P: Thanks, I’m glad you liked REQUIEM! I don’t think I have a different approach for YA vs. adult fiction. Ultimately I’m trying to tell an emotionally compelling story. I think there is a need to cut to the chase faster, because of the shorter overall length of the novel. But I don’t consciously use certain vocabulary in an attempt to “sound” like a teenager. They’re not aliens, after all. Or maybe the voice comes naturally to me, because of my serious case of arrested development.
Dorothy: It depends. Though I rarely reread a book, if I’ve really loved it I keep it forever, just to remind me of that experience (I also started keeping a book journal a few years ago after I found myself accidentally reading books I’d already read before–I have a terrible memory for titles). But I have limited shelf space, and my husband gives me the evil eye if I bring home “strays” with nowhere to put them. So most of them get passed on, or at least sit in boxes until I find someone who wants them.
Cari: Favorite vampire book, by far: BLOODSUCKING FIENDS by Christopher Moore. It’s very funny, but at the same time the characters feel real, not cardboard caricatures. It has a very sweet and realistic (i.e., not perfect) romance in it.
Favorite vamp TV show: BUFFY! But after seeing Season One of Angel, that might end up being my favorite. I never really liked Angel when he was on BUFFY after he became Angelus (Xander is my personal favorite and audience stand-in, so his enemies are my enemies ;-), but once he got his own show he became a lot more, uh, human.
I honestly can’t think of a vampire movie I’ve loved. My cheese threshold is really low.
If someone throws out some names, I might be able to pick one that I’ve actually seen and loved.
Theresa: OMG I have a *thread*? Neat-o! Thank you so much for posting there. As for the puppies, there are none at the moment. Meadow has hurt her back again, so her Canine WWE days are over. Right now we’re just hoping that one day she’ll be able to get through the day without pain, much less win a title bout. As I was telling Debi up-thread, we’re going to start fostering kittens instead, assuming our cat Misha will allow us.
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Rachel: Oooh, microwaving an egg sounds like fun! With someone else’s microwave, of course.
Walt: It varies according to novel. For my first 2-3, I hopped around and wrote scenes I was most interested in. Then the next few books I wrote straight through. The last two I’ve gone back to the “hopping” method. For THE REAWAKENED, which had 6 POV characters, some of whom didn’t encounter each other until the end, this method worked really well, because I could just write one character’s thread for a week or two, then move to another.
Basically, I feel like with every book, I have to learn how to write novels all over again. The method/process that worked for the previous one doesn’t always work for the next. And that’s perfectly normal, because I’m a different person than I was when I started the last one. Realizing this fact made me feel like so much less of a loser.
Lexee: Urban fantasy is probably my favorite, because it lets me combine the magic of fantasy with the built-in weirdness of our modern world. If I were to branch out, I’d like to try more romantic comedies with paranormal elements, where the magic was more of a catalyst than the main focus. Some of my favorite movies are like this: GROUNDHOG DAY, BIG, PLEASANTVILLE, 13 GOING ON 30. But sadly, publishers aren’t buying many of those these days, because readers aren’t buying the ones that are out there.
Arwen: No, but I’ll go check them out right now! I mean, as soon as I finish answering these questions (damn, I am SO easily distracted!).
Gotta go answer a couple of urgent e-mails. Be right back!
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OK, I’m back.
Caffey: It wasn’t hard to leave it behind, because after all those poor characters went through, to see them arrive at a happy ending was really satisfying. I was really pleased with how the trilogy turned out–better to go out with a bang than a whimper, right?
Plus, I got to do one last short story, which is on my publisher’s site right now as a serial.
Linda B: As a matter of fact, BAD TO THE BONE has a dude named Dexter with a very hairy chest. Um, he’s a dog, though, so I hope you’re into that sorta thing. And he is actually very much based on a foster dog we once had. I’m anxious to see the final cover to see if he’s as cute/scary as the real-life inspiration.
See how I deftly avoided the question about real-life men and their inspiration for my fiction? I should be a politician!
kh: Great, thanks for coming. Hope you enjoyed the interview.
Darby: I wish they’d ask me, a la Cartman, “How’d you get to be so cool?” And I’d say, a la Ferris Bueller, “Years of practice.”
Jessa: Thank you so much! Things get bloodier in BTTB, but hopefully stay just as much fun.
Gayle: To relax, I like to read and cook (usually not at the same time–cookbooks have such predictable plots, yawn). If I had to name just one favorite author (which kills me), I’d have to go with Neil Gaiman. I’ve read almost all of his books, and usually in hardcover.
tami: Hee, hee–take a look at the WICKED GAME cover some time. “A novel of sex, blood, and rock ‘n’ roll” is the tagline. Yay! It does tend to scare away certain people at booksignings, though.
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Dawn: Cool, thanks! I really think The Reawakened should move from the TBB list to the B (as in Bought) list.
Writing bad habit? I tend to use too many filler words like “just” and “only” and “still” in my first drafts. I also find myself falling back on the same actions within a book (there’ll be a ton of “scoffing” or “sighing” or doing various things with one’s breath). That’s what last polishes are for.
As for character names, I find that the protagonists’ names come very quickly, before I even starting writing, and never change. It’s almost as if they whisper them in my ear as they come to life. Secondary characters might change halfway through or even in subsequent drafts if they don’t quite fit (or if there are too many people with the same letter name).
Deanna: I’m having a hard time thinking of another question. I mean, I could go back to one of my other interviews and see what else has been asked, but one of the things I liked about Rachel’s questions was that they were original!
I had so much fun answering them, and especially the followup questions that y’all have asked.
But if I think of another smart-ass answer, I’ll let you know.
Mel: I love that song, too! It makes me think of one of my friends I knew in London–he loved going to clubs with us, but once we got there he’d stand on his own by the wall and never talk to anyone. I’m sure he’s a chartered accountant now.
Yep, in the late 80s/early 90s I had very short hair that veered between ruby red and magenta. And I had a tail. No tattoos yet, but I plan to get one on December 12. I know what I want but haven’t picked out a design or artist yet. It’ll be the only one ever.
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Hi Jeri,
Just saying Hi. You know you’ve got a big fan here. My husband is reading Wicked Game, and it’s fun hearing him say “wow, I didn’t know that!” He’s enjoying the book, and did “Aspect” as well. It’s a delight being able to share.
Best to you,
joysann
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Hi Joyce Ann! I’m so thrilled your husband likes the books, too. It’s definitely not just for girls.
I’m curious what sort of new facts he’s learning from WICKED GAME. Sort of scary.
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Your husband seems very supportive in regard to your writing. Is he into the arts also? Because if you write full time, that can be very time consuming. He must be very, very understanding.
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Vicky: He’s extremely understanding. I couldn’t ask for a more loving and supportive partner.
He’s a web designer, both as a profession and with his side business, so he’s always working, too. Luckily we both work from home (right now he has two jobs, one FT and one PT, that both let him telecommute), so we see a lot of each other. The four of us (him, me, and our laptops) make a lovely couple.
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Hi Jeri ~~
I don’t know if you’ve answered this before - but if you have I’ll paologize now - Uh. Sorry. LOL
But what made you decide to write a series about vampires?
I loved Wicked Game and I would love to win a copy of Bad to the Bone !!!!
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Hi Ruth! I actually didn’t set out to write a vampire book, but when I had the idea for a bunch of characters stuck in time in different musical eras, it pretty much had to be vampires, because they’re the only ones who die and then live again (except zombies, and I wasn’t forward-thinking enough to try that :-).
I’m glad you enjoyed WICKED GAME! Thanks for stopping by the interview.
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Hi Jeri~
I think that it is great that you love music so much. I have to say that right now my favorite groups are Avenged Sevenfold or Alkaline Trio…which I am probably far too old to be such an avid fan of both groups.
I loved Wicked Game and I hope that there are many more to follow.
Do you have any big holiday plans this year?
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Great interview. Wicked Game sounds great, I have definately added it to my TBR list.
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Just wanted to say how much I loved “Wicked Game”! My daughter (whose name is also Ciara Griffin!) was so EXCITED about your book. She loved it even more than the “Twilight” series (and coming from a 14 year old, that’s pretty high prase), plus thought it a bonus that there are now 2 Ciara Griffins out there. I cannot wait to read “The Reawakened”…it’s on it’s way from Amazon.com.
Cheers and thank you so much for the fabulous reads…
Andrea
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Congratulations to Chris J. who is the winner of this contest! Enjoy!
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Congrats!!
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Way to go Chris!
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I just wanted to say that I finished Voice of Crow yesterday, and loved it even more than first! I actually read it all in one day. The only other book I’ve ever read in one day was the Notebook, and that was considerably shorter. I can’t wait to read all the rest of your books.
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Hey Jeri!
Firstly I’d like to say I absolutely love the Aspect of Crow trilogy. I haven’t yet read the third which makes me sad. I will have to rush to order it immediately after…I finish writing this of course. You’re characters are amazing. I remember being in love with crows simply because of a school research project at school and found their love so intruiging…I searched frantically for a book about crows at Barnes and Nobles and my mother picked up Eyes of Crow just as we were about to leave. Not what I expected. No. Better. I can relate so well with your characters that it inspired me. Though I’m fifteen I’ve always found comfort in writing everything that pops into my head with much added description and I’ve written four unpublished novels. But…the nature in yours, and the complex simplicity of it all gave me a whole other idea that have actually gotten me and agent. I thank you very much for being alive, I applaud you’re survival in this harsh world for the sake of writing fantastic books and reading long messages from crazy fans. Really. :)Hopefully I’ll catch you at a book signing or something or other and pick your brain. I would love that.
-Carisha Kelsey
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and of course I come with mucho spelling errors. where’s the editor when you need her…
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