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Wildfire would like to welcome authors Christina Hamlett and J.A. Clarke. Two authors with a passion for writing and interesting hobbies.
Christina Hamlett
Julie: How long have you been writing? What inspired you to pick the pen up one day and create characters that capture the imagination?
Christina: I've been writing stories ever since I first learned how to read. To begin with, I was an only child in a wealthy family. The latter obviously exposed me to the best of the arts, a quality education and extensive travels. The bigger influence, however, was that - in the absence of siblings - I entertained myself by becoming a voracious reader and developing a vivid imagination. There was also an abundance of dysfunctional relatives who proved to be tremendous fodder for what would become future humor columns in my repertoire. While the particulars of a person's upbringing obviously have an influence on their career choices and opportunities, the important thing is to simply decide what it is that makes you happiest and figure out how to pursue it. I always knew that writing was exactly what I wanted to do when I grew up. What I didn't realize is that I'd create the opportunities to establish myself as a playwright, novelist, screenwriter and magazine/newspaper columnist. The fact I enjoyed acting, too, eventually led me to not only perform in community productions but also establish my own touring theater company. This, in turn, provided me with the chance to write all of the plays we put on and to get great feedback from my actors and our audiences. As I often tell my clients, I probably learned far more about crafting snappy dialogue, developing compelling characters and maintaining a cohesive structure from the years spent on stage then I ever learned from any screenwriting books or classes. Theater also teaches you economy of expression. Among the biggest mistakes I read in new screenplays, for instance, is the tendency to rely heavily on the glitz of expensive sets and technical effects to carry the story. When these elements are stripped away, there's rarely a compelling plot underneath. The physical constraints of a stage force you to determine the minimum number of characters, locations and props you need in order to deliver whatever it is you want to say. Interestingly, the clients I have who mention that they majored in Theater Arts and/or did stints in community theater or summer stock tend to write more tightly focused scripts, better developed characters and more plausible dialogue than anyone else.
Julie: Tell us about your latest release and what inspired it.
Christina: Movie Girl (Outskirts Press) is a YA romantic comedy and came about as a result of email and phone conversations I was having with several women friends about what we were doing in high school. The common denominator turned out to be that when we were sophomores each of us had insatiable crushes on senior hottie boys who, by and large, didn't even know we existed. Other similarities soon emerged. We all hated P.E. (especially our gym uniforms), we saw no real purpose in the concept of "homeroom", and we pretty much dismissed all of the genuinely nice guys we knew because hey, they were "just friends" and not nearly as intriguing and dangerous as the hunks who were ignoring us. My interest in developing Movie Girl was solidified a few summers ago by my teaching screenwriting to teenagers at Lyndon Institute in Vermont. Their love of movies – coupled with their boundless ambition to be successful – affirmed that a launch book that revolved around film would be a hit. Interestingly, however, the publishers whom I first approached with the concept remarked that, although they loved my writing, my young heroine would have more commercial appeal if she were (1) anorexic, (2) bulimic, (3) Goth, (4) pregnant, (5) sexually confused, or (6) a vampire. Yikes! One of them even commented that my YA romance was "much too Disney". Since when did a comparison to the Happiest Place on Earth start counting as a negative?
Julie: Do you make time to write every day?
Christina: Definitely. On average, I tend to work 12 hour days during the week and 4-5 hours on weekends. The irony is that a lot of people I talk to don't consider writing to be actual work because I'm having so much fun at it. Some even go so far as to tell me, "You have it easy 'cuz you don't have a job." Hello? Writing is my job. Even during the years I was working for other people, it was a consuming enough passion that I got up an hour earlier, went to bed later and carried a notebook and a tape recorder everywhere I went just to make time for what I really wanted to do. Like any other skill you want to master, you need to practice it diligently and consistently. For example, I've been teaching myself how to play the piano and have made the commitment to practice for an uninterrupted 20 minutes a day. Although this often stretches into 20-40 minutes beyond that, this doesn't give me the excuse to skip the next two days. The very next afternoon, I'm right back at the keyboard and practicing whatever suits my mood. (Our downstairs neighbors are getting to know the music from Pirates of the Caribbean really well…)
Julie: When you write, is atmosphere important? For example, do you use mood music or candles? Do you need complete quiet to concentrate?
Christina: The background music I have playing while I work depends on what kind of project it is. For example, when I was writing The Spellbox – my Scottish time travel romance – I played a lot of Celtic tunes and bagpipe music. When I'm writing things that are comedic, the snappy ragtime patter of Scott Joplin puts me in the right frame of mind. If I'm writing about characters who are upper crust and live in posh settings, anything by Vivaldi is the perfect accompaniment. For Movie Girl, I listened to hits from the 1960's – nothing like a song to bring back memories of teenage crushes, ugly gym clothes, and school dances! And when I'm in a crunch on freelance newspaper stories and am vexed about pokey and/or difficult interviewees, the strains of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd fill the room.
Julie: Who would you say influenced your writing career the most?
Christina: That would be Sylvia Burack, owner/publisher of Plays, The Drama Magazine for Young People. Sylvia bought the very first play I ever sent out for publication in January 1980. It was called The Knight of the Honest Heart and was a Medieval romantic comedy in which Crispin, a shoemaker, pretends to be a knight who arrives at a distant court with the message he's supposed to escort the resident princess back for a marriage to his king. What he doesn't realize, however, is that Celia, the princess' lady-in-waiting, intercepts his note, recognizes a good opportunity when she sees one, and pretends that she's Lady Elaine. That first sale to Sylvia began a relationship/mentorship that not only spanned 20 years but continues to this day with Liz Preston, Sylvia's former managing editor, who now owns the magazine with her husband, Peter Dimond. Even when Sylvia rejected a project, she always wrote a personalized rejection letter that highlighted what didn't work and, further, made suggestions on how to improve it. How many editors in this day and age make the time to do that?! When I learned that Sylvia was going to be retiring, I decided to pen a sequel that picked up where the first play left off. As they always did, Sylvia and Liz read the roles out loud in Sylvia's office when it arrived and informed me that it was so good, they were both crying at the end. What a wonderful testament to be able to continue to surprise and amaze two women who knew my style better than anyone else. The Knight of the Honest Heart Returns was sold 20 years to the day of my first sale; both plays are included in the latest anthology, Awesome Plays for Teens and Tweens. Sadly, Sylvia passed away a few years ago but her presence still lingers and encourages me to always do my best.
Julie: Do you work on multiple projects at the same time?
Christina: Absolutely! At the moment, for instance, I am ghostwriting two projects for clients of The Penn Group, working on First Date (which picks up where Movie Girl ends), penning a couple of one-act plays for Plays, The Magazine for Young People, working on the 12 short romances that will comprise Consumed With Passion (a collaborative project with my husband), and interviewing local business owners, philanthropists and celebrities for two weekly newspapers – The La Cañada Outlook and The Pasadena Outlook. In addition, I evaluate several dozen screenplays per month for clients, agents, and independent studios and write a monthly screenwriting column for Writer's Journal.
Julie: Describe the space where you write.
Christina: The French doors to my home office are flanked by a suit of armor and a black velvet dragon named Mischief. Holding court in the middle of my Oriental rug is Viktor the Siberian tiger (one of 310 stuffed animals I have collected throughout my life). My L-shaped oak desk has a high, 6 foot long hutch with lots of cubbyholes and cabinets that prompted one of my friends to remark that it reminds her of a really quirky Advent calendar! My love of books is evidenced by all the bookcases behind me and my love of photography (we travel a lot) is reflected in the fact that virtually every square inch of wall space has something hanging on it. (I suspect that one day the drywall will completely collapse from the weight of all the frames.) Last but not least, a life-size standing cutout of Captain Jack Sparrow literally has my back. Since my office is in view of our dining room, I often turn on the miniature white lights in my silk ficus tree when we have dinner parties; they throw off just enough light that guests who haven't been here before have been known to freak out that there's a pirate standing in the shadows by my chair.
Julie: What do you do when you aren't writing? Any hobbies or special interests that you can tell us about?
Christina: My husband and I enjoy traveling and, as of this writing, are getting ready to spend our wedding anniversary in Manhattan. (We exchanged our marriage vows, by the way, at Stirling Castle in Scotland.) We're both avid photographers, gourmet chefs, and could probably open a small library with the number of books we've bought.
Julie: Are there any absolutely-must-have characteristics for your heroes or heroines?
Christina: A sense of humor, the ability to engage in smart conversations, and boundless tenacity to pursue their dreams.
Julie: What's next for you?
Christina: The project that I'm most excited about now is a collaborative venture with my husband called Consumed With Passion. It's an anthology of 12 romantic short stories – one for every month - that each revolve around a wonderful meal. I'm writing the stories and Mark is writing the recipes. If it catches on – and we already have a waiting list of people who want to buy it – we plan to do a new anthology each year and even open it up to a competition that invites other food-loving writers to participate.
Backlist:
Movie Girl, Outskirts Press
Screenwriting for Teens, Michael Wiese Productions
Could It Be a Movie, Michael Wiese Productions
ScreenTeenWriters, Contemporary Drama Service
The Spellbox, Hardshell Word Factory
Heaven Only Knows, Hardshell Word Factory
Catch of the Day, Hardshell Word Factory
The Magic Touch, Harper Collins
Charade, Harper Collins
Hunter's Heart, Harper Collins
Knight Dreams, Harper Collins
The Enchanter, M. Evans & Company Coming soon:
First Date, Outskirts Press
The List, Outskirts Press
Consumed with Passion, Outskirts Press
Links:
Absolute Write
Movie Girl
Author Articles
Bookspoke
J.A. Clarke Julie: How long have you been writing? What inspired you to pick the pen up one day and create characters that capture the imagination? J.A.: I've been writing fiction for about ten years. I was going through a stressful time with my day job, plus I had this story in my head that wouldn't go away. One day, I just sat down at our home computer and started writing. For three months, I didn't tell anyone, including my husband, what I was doing. Wish I'd done it sooner. He immediately took on grocery shopping responsibility with two small kids in tow to give me a larger block of time on the weekend to write. Julie: What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both? J.A.: I definitely fly by the seat of my pants. I love to see where my characters will go and sometimes it's a huge surprise. They can be quite stubborn. I've been to many seminars on outlining and sometimes I'll try a little one on paper for a portion of the story, but I generally just go with what's in my head. Julie: What influenced you to get published? How long did it take for your first book to get published? J.A.: I finished my first story, agonized about letting other eyes see it and finally gave it to a friend. After great feedback from her, I started sending it out, and began a new hobby of collecting rejection letters. It took that book multiple rewrites and two years to be published. Julie: When you write, is atmosphere important? For example, do you use mood music or candles? Do you need complete quiet to concentrate? J.A.: Quiet's a must. I get most of my writing done early in the morning before the humans in the house are up. A fire in colder weather is always good; and the two dogs are great snugglers/muse substitutes, although sometimes there's competition with the laptop for my lap. Julie: What's next for you? J.A.: Getting my current WIP finished. Too many life interruptions lately. Julie: Most people envision an author's life as being really glamorous. What's the most unglamorous thing that you've done in the past week? J.A.: Uh…moved dirt and rocks around in my garden. Every year I ask my husband for dirt and rocks for my birthday. I feel kind of sorry for him. He says people don't believe him when he tells them what I want. He would love to get me the sparkly kind of rock. Julie: Out of all of the characters that you've written, who is your favorite and why? J.A.: The rogues. I have two of them—Sebastian in StarJumper's Bride, published by LionHearted Publishing, Inc.; and Matt in Arms of a Stranger, which will be released by Uncial Press in May 2008. I love their zest for life, their sense of humor, the little bit of bad boy in them, their…everything. Julie: Describe the space where you write. To read the entire interview with J.A. Clarke click here! Join us for chats this coming week! February 29th 6 pm - 7:30 pm pst Phaze Author Chat Chat with the Phaze authors about new releases, upcoming
releases and what's in store for the publisher! Also join the chat for a chance to win prizes! Want to schedule your own chat? Send a query to: info@allromanceebooks.com Check out future chats here: 
Tigers and the Twenty-Nine By Zenobia Renquist
This story is rated 1 flame. Love scenes are not consummated, or if the love scenes are consummated details are not given.
"The twenty-nine g...uh...the twenty-nine born on the twenty-ninth day of February are presented to you, Great Ones, on this their sixth birthday," the village elder announced. He bowed to the large mirror before him and backed away.
Alaine's whole body tingled with anticipation. She'd noticed how the elder stumbled over his announcement. While there should be twenty-nine girls, there were actually twenty-eight and one boy. Everyone was a little worried about what would happen.
Without fail, every thirty-six years, twenty-nine girls would be born to the village all on February twenty-ninth. But the day of Alaine's birth twenty-four years ago, twenty-eight daughters and one son were born and the unease started.
She, like her mother, believed there was a reason for it and they didn't worry. They were alone in their opinion.
Alaine let very little upset her. She was destined to be with her love soon. Nothing could faze her when faced with that. Some of the other girls were nervous and frightened. They held hands, trying to give each other strength. Alaine stood ready and willing. She'd waited for this day all her life—well, most of it—since it meant she may see him again.
"Let them step forward," said a deep voice with the hint of a growl beneath.
The girl at the far left of the line squeaked and huddled into her cloak more.
"Come forward, child," the village elder snapped when the girl didn't move. "Be quick."
The girl clutched at her cloak and inched towards the mirror. She didn't move fast enough for the village elder, who yanked her forward and ripped the cloak from her shoulders. The girl covered her nakedness with her hands.
"Stand tall and display yourself properly, Olivia," called a woman in the crowd of onlookers. "Stop embarrassing our family before the Great Ones."
Olivia seemed to gain some courage from the woman's words, because she straightened and dropped her hands. She bowed her head, turned so her back faced the mirror then faced front and bowed once more.
"Good," the village elder said.
Olivia retreated and the next girl took her turn. Each girl did the same thing, displaying themselves for the unknown multitudes of men on the other side of the mirror until it was Alaine's turn. Unlike the other girls, who'd clutched their cloaks until they reached the mirror, she dropped hers and walked proudly forward.
Alaine bowed and gave her head a little toss as she straightened, flinging her black locks over her shoulder. She held her arms a little out from her sides as she turned then winked at the mirror once she faced it again.
"You do us proud, Alaine," her brother yelled from the crowd.
Only two other girls and the single boy displayed Alaine's level of confidence. The last girl presented herself to the mirror, but before she could resume her place in the line, a tiger-striped, fur-covered male hand appeared. With its orange and black palm facing upwards, it reached for the girl.
She glanced at the elder, who motioned her forward, then she looked back at the crowd.
"Do you accept me?" asked the voice that belonged to the hand.
The girl faced the mirror. With hesitant movements, she placed her hand on the one offered and said in a whispery voice, "Yes."
"Then step through."
Brigid leaned over and whispered to Alaine, "Doesn't the royal family usually pick first?"
"Yes. Erica is so lucky. That must have been the crown prince or possibly even the king," Alaine whispered back.
Erica walked through the mirror and cheers erupted from all who witnessed it.
Another fur-covered hand exited the mirror, but this one pointed. The girl the hand's owner indicated didn't hesitate. She took the offered hand and voiced an affirmative when he asked if she accepted him.
To everyone's surprise, the third hand pointed at the lone boy amongst the girls. All noise stopped as he walked forward.
A decidedly deep, male voice asked, "Do you accept me?"
The boy smiled and put his hand in the offered one. "Gladly," he said then stepped through the mirror before his suitor could tell him.
Brigid muttered, "Guess the great ones have those types amongst their ranks as well."
"I'm glad for him," Alaine said, nodding. He deserved happiness after the ridicule he'd suffered for being a boy born during the sacred time.
One by one, the rest of the girls were chosen. Alaine almost screamed every time the furry hands pointed at one of the other girls instead of her. There were nine girls left, counting her, before a white and black furred hand extended its finger in her direction.
White fur. That could be him, she thought as she went to the mirror.
"Accept me."
"That didn't sound like a question," she said.
"It wasn't."
"You're supposed to ask."
"Alaine! Do not presume to tell the great ones what they can and cannot do," the elder yelled.
"I didn't," she said. "It was a friendly reminder."
"Hurry up and say yes. You're holding up the line," Brigid said.
She looked at the mirror and wished she could see the owner of the hand instead of her own reflection staring back at her. She wanted to be sure the hand belonged to the man she wanted and not another. Though she wasn't sure she'd recognize him after all these years. He did tell her white fur was rare among his people.
She placed her hand in his and his fingers closed around her hand, hiding it. He pulled her forward but she hesitated. Again the feeling of wanting to be certain plagued her. This choice was final. Once she crossed the mirror, she'd be mated to whoever owned the hand, whether it was the man she wanted or not.
"Do you want me?" she asked, looking at the place on the mirror where his eyes should be.
The hand gripping hers tightened. "Yes."
His reply was so soft she almost didn't hear it. Something in his voice—in that one simple word—sparked a little recognition. It was him. Riovan had kept his word to her.
She crossed the mirror threshold, ready to meet the eyes of a love she'd pined after over the last twenty years.
Instead, she fainted.
*
Riovan caught Alaine as the effects of crossing the mirror overwhelmed her. Like all those who had chosen before him, he carried his new mate away. He would rouse her after he reached his bedroom.
"Lord Riovan, you're forgetting one thing."
He turned back.
The priest smiled at him in a knowing manner. "Eager, aren't you?"
"Hurry up," Riovan snapped. He offered Alaine's arm to the priest, who snapped a bracelet around her wrist.
"Simply done. Enjoy yourself, my lord."
Riovan walked away without another word. He ignored the congratulatory remarks in favor of getting to his room before his precious burden revived.
He'd just laid her against his pillows when Alaine moaned. "You have not changed," he said in a soft voice. "Even as a small girl, I knew you would be unafraid."
True the creamy brown beauty before him was a far cry from the tiny little girl he'd met so long ago, but her spirit was the same.
"Riovan," she whispered. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him.
Had he changed much from what she remembered? Of course he had. He was a tiger when she saw him the first time. It was the curse of crossing the mirror. His kind were forced to revert back to what they were if they would walk amongst those of the unaltered realm.
Only on this side of the mirror could he stand on two legs and possess a more human-like body, though he still retained his feline features—his tail, his claws, the ears atop his head instead of on the sides, and his black and white striped fur.
He smoothed a single finger along her jaw. "So, you remember me then?"
"Yes. I was hoping you would choose me, like you promised."
"Then you remember that as well. I thought your child's mind would lose such a memory."
Alaine gripped his hand and used it to help her move to a sitting position. She placed her face close to his and searched his eyes. "You really expected me to forget an entire week of laughter and fun?"
"No."
"Good, because I didn't. You're the reason I never feared the time of crossing or the Great Ones."
"Such a silly name you humans gave to us, but it serves its purpose and thus we do not correct you."
"What name would you like me to call you?"
"Only my own. That is the only name that ever needs to be on your lips." He moved forward and pressed his lips to hers. "So soft," he whispered.
Alaine wound her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. Her eagerness only made him want her more.
He'd almost lost her during the time of choosing. Denlal and Xaf had threatened to choose her before he could only so they could keep her away from him. Their taunts had given him just the incentive he needed to ensure he won a place before them when the challenges commenced.
After going through it, Riovan was happy the challenges only took place every thirty-six years. He couldn't imagine the turmoil amongst his people if challenges for the honor of a human mate happened more often. He'd heard the last choosing had resulted in the death of the current king's brother.
Nothing so extreme had happened this time. He'd won his place, which was lower than he liked but before Denlal and Xaf, and he had his mate—a sweet human girl who showed him no fear even when he was a giant cat.
She'd had no way of knowing he was one of the "Great Ones" but she'd approached him and spoke with him. Once she realized he could understand and speak with her, they'd played for hours…days.
He hadn't known at the time that Alaine had run away from home and her destiny as one of the twenty-nine. Before she met him for the first time, she'd been scared of mating with a tiger of the other realm.
Her parents had searched for Alaine for an entire week. They'd found her in his company and were simultaneously scared and relieved—scared of him but relieved she had been safe and well cared for.
Alaine had shown great reluctance in parting with him. Only his promise that he would choose her when the time came, thus enabling her to meet him again, had gotten her to return with her family.
Now, she belonged to him and he wouldn't have to return her. He moved forward so she lay beneath him, all without breaking their kiss.
Her lack of clothing made him thankful. His patience wouldn't have held through undressing her. Perhaps those who'd come before him had met with such a frustration and that was why the twenty-nine came to the choosing with only a cloak.
He touched her body tentatively, not wanting to hurt her in his eagerness. A female of his race had the protection of her fur to shield against his claws, but humans were more fragile.
He coached himself to be calm and take his time. She was his and they had a lifetime. Whether as D. Reneé Bagby or Zenobia Renquist, Reneé lives in her imagination. When not traveling through her fantasy worlds, she can be found in MD living with her husband and two cats. She is an Air Force brat turned Air Force wife, which means she's accustomed to travel and does it whenever possible (so long as she doesn't have to fly). Her favorite pastime is torturing her characters on their way to happily-ever-after for the enjoyment of her readers. On the few occasions her muse flees the scene of the crime, Reneé likes to read (comics, manga, and romance), go to the movies, play a few levels of Diner Dash or experiment with a new chain maille weave. Coming Soon:
Serenity, Samhain Publishing, Ltd
Adrienne (print), Samhain Publishing, Ltd Links:
D. Reneé Bagby Website
Zenobia Renquist Website
DRB MySpace
Zen-Ren MySpace
Yahoo! Group
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Sent: Feb 29, 2008
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