Ella Jade: Meet the Author... Billi Jean

Billi Jean has been writing since high school when she couldn't wait for Robert Jordon to write his Wheel of Time series faster. She writes from home in a little two hundred year old farm house in Western Massachusetts where she shares her space with her active children, an old dog, and two lazy cats.

Her first book, Midnight Star, has won numerous awards and was voted Best Book by Long and Short Reviews. Her next installment in the Sisters of the Moon series, Silver's Chance, hit the shelves in August 2011. The next, A Spartan's Kiss will arrive right on Valentine's Day, 2012.

Stop by her blog http://readingwritingromance.blogspot.com/and leave a message! She can also be found on twitter and Facebook. For more information on what's coming up in her series, friend her on Goodreads, or follow her blog for snippets of her upcoming stories in the Sisters of the Moon series.

What motivates Billi Jean the author? Why do you write?

Oh I can't imagine not writing. I write because it's my therapy, my outlet, and if I didn't, the characters in my books would probably beat me up! I mean, they are most immortals, or big, sexy Navy Seals.

When did you know you were a writer? Was it always your destiny or did you stumble upon your craft by accident?

I've always written my own stories. I read, I love to read, but I'm often left with feeling as if something else could be done, or changed, or something different could happen and then the story could be so different….that grew until I started creating my own fantasy world when I was a teenager. I took a while to dive into writing and publishing from that lonely teenager, but I'm thrilled I finally did.

What is your favorite genre to write and why?

Paranormal. I love creating a world and working with the characters in it. I'm always amazed how new parts of the world slowly unfold for me through my characters. The story I'm working on now, A Spartan's Kiss, opens up some alternative worlds through a little witch Tabithia stumbles upon. That kind of thing just thrills me and I often get so caught up I have to stop my edits and scribble down the outline of the new story.

How did you get into eBook publishing?

I got into EBook publishing after a great deal of research, asking questions, and joining online yahoo groups, romance author groups and making friends online. I did a great deal of researching, reading what other had written on the subject, and asking questions. I choice Noble Romance after hearing tons of authors speak very highly of Jill Noble, and her policy with her authors.

How many hours a day do you devote to writing? Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?

I fill my weekends with writing and most of my evenings. I don't clock hours, but sometimes check my word count to encourage myself. I also have a full time job and I'm a single mom, so for me, I write when I can, but try to save my writing time for solid chunks of time I can devote to my stories.

Tell us about the most intriguing character you've created.

Intriguing. Mmm…that's a great question. I think the most intriguing character is Torment, a demon. He's going to have to wait a bit for his story, but he's one of those dark and silent types with a hidden pain behind his solid demeanor. He's loyal. He's brave. He's best friends to Agni, the hottie fire demon, but unlike his golden friend, Tor is ….tormented. His other half will not be so easy on him and for an ancient demon very set in his noble ways, she might just be his undoing. J He was worth the struggle to learn more about so I could write his story the way it should be. I hope.

Who is your favorite author? And, if given the opportunity to meet them, what would you ask them?

Ha! Well, last year at Lori Foster's event, I had the opportunity to meet Samantha Kane, one of my favorite authors, and I had her sign her book for me in the elevator. I'm afraid I had a girl crush moment though and was too tongue tied to ask her anything. I wouldn't know where to begin. If I did ask something it would be, "when are you writing the NEXT book???"

What did you do when you found out your first book had been contracted?

Screamed. Happy Dance. Called my mom, my critique partner and my son! lol

Has there been a person or influence in your life that has helped you reach your writing goals?

I think my mom, Barb Jones, has been my example of how to live and reach for your dreams. An artist, she's always lived her life. I mean, lived it. Hiked the Grand Canyon, biked a hundred miles, walked, run, and swam through life and simply enjoyed living.

Do you have any words of inspiration to aspiring authors? What advice would you offer a writer trying to publish?

I would simply say, ask questions of authors, write them, get on an author group on yahoo, and keep writing. I think reading is important too. Read your favorite authors, but also read about self editing, work on your own stories and submit them. And if you get a rejection, ask what you can work on. Then listen to what the publishing house says, if they respond. Their advice is like gold! No one, not another writer, your CP or friend can give you the same kind of advice as the publishing house you've chosen to send your work to. They are the people you want to like your work, not your mom, sister, or friend. And most of all, stay true to your own dream.

Do you have any upcoming projects in the works?

I have several upcoming releases. A Spartan's Kiss and Golden's Rule in the Sister's of the Moon series with Noble Romance Publishing. Both continue in the world revealed in Silver's Chance and Midnight Star. A Spartan's Kiss is about Tabithia and her journey to find love. Golden's Rule centers around the mage, Torque, first introduced in Silver's Chance. He has quite a bit of learning to do and one little golden witch more than up to the challenge.

I also have a new series starting with Totally Ebound. The first in the series will be Running Scared with a sexy alpha Navy Seal turned rancher and a hot little beach babe not so sure about her new life in cowboy country. She's running from trouble, and he's more than willing to take her mind off things. They have a wild ride, but the bumps are well worth the rewards.

Where can readers connect with you?

I can be found filtering in and out of International Heat Wave readers, and by email at billijeanauthor@gmail.com

When life throws Samantha a curve ball in the form of an ancient Lykae warlord bent on marking her as his—what's she going to do? Run like hell? Oh, yeah, that so worked the first time around. With Derrick hot after her tail, Samantha discovers being the hunted just might not be as bad as she thought.

Derrick is a warlord hardened by centuries of battle. Now that he's free from years of torment, he discovers his mate. Only his beautiful little half wolf is as determined to deny him, as he is to claim her.

As the battle to keep her safe intensifies, Derrick faces the biggest fight of his life: winning Samantha's heart and keeping alive long enough to claim her.

Ranger is a werewolf, a Lykae with a problem. He's found his one true mate, the only female who can complete him. Only trouble is, he's denied his instinct to claim her. Now his mate hates him as much as she believes he hates her. He will have to risk both their lives to finally prove to his stubborn vampire he loves her?

Star is a half-breed vampire with a past of not being accepted because of her mixed blood. Ranger is just one more example of how much she doesn't fit into the immortal world no matter how much she tries to fool herself into believing otherwise. She's a strong female, a fighter, but when it comes to the opinions of others, she has no defenses. Why fight what she knows is true? She is a half breed, less than those around her. She has a home, friends and females she loves like family. Only trouble is, her family is now related to the mangy wolf man who hates her.