Happy Friday Everybody,
As promised, today is the day I'm posting my August Author Interview. I know every author I'm always excited about (I must sound like a broken record LOL). But I always have a reason for being excited about whoever I interview.
This particular interview is with Jennifer Bray-Weber, who, besides being an incredibly talented author, is a really cool person. She also has a great sense of humor and is a lot of fun to hang out with; so, without further ado, I give you the awesome Jennifer Bray-Weber...
Me: Your novel, Blood And Treasure focuses on pirates. I've read from other interviews you've done, that you got the idea from a dream, but did you always want to write about pirates or was it just after you had that dream that the idea came to you?
Jennifer: Thank you for having me, Bethany.
I started out writing dark stories set in various times throughout history. The Roman Empire, Salem Witch Trials, and the Civil War have been the backdrop to most of these tales. The common thread to these stories is the tragic endings. Hardly anyone gets out alive! My favorite is about a Civil War veteran battling deep depression. The final word in this short story is ‘Bang’. I still get goose bumps. Some might suggest I see a professional. I say mwuahahaha….
Me: How many books do you plan to have in the Romancing The Pirate series and do you have an idea when the next one will be released?
Jennifer: There are 5 total in the "Romancing The Pirate" series. Each story is an adventure for the pirate ship Rissa and her crew. The pirate captains in "Blood And Treasure", "A Kiss In The Wind", and "The Bruised Sky" get more than they bargain for in the lasses they encounter. Sea battles, vicious enemies, and the testy sea aren’t nearly as dangerous as these captains losing their hearts. "In Clash Of The Tides", the pirate captain is a woman who buys her hero off the auction block. The last novel, yet to be titled, is a dual love story between modern day treasure hunters seeking the mystery behind the sunken Rissa and the pirate captain and his heroine on the doomed vessel.
My next novel, "A Kiss In The Wind", is scheduled for release in spring 2012 with Carina Press.
Me: For Fun: What music puts you in a good mood?
Jennifer: Everything from Metallica and Def Leppard to Breaking Benjamin and Shinedown. Yep – I’m a heavy beats and hard rockin’, loud music kind of girl.
Me: What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
Jennifer: Listen to those who speak of hard work, writing the best story you can, perseverance, growing the proverbial thick skin, and finding great critique partners. It’s all great advice. But I’m all about opportunities. Never, EVER let opportunity pass you by. My career has been enriched because I tackled opportunity, put it in a strangle hold, and held it for ransom within an inch of its life.
Me: You recently went to the RWA National Conference in New York City. What do you find is the most helpful about conferences like that?
Jennifer: Networking. There is so much value in attending writing conferences. Workshops, meetings, book signings, awards ceremonies, and parties all provide the opportunity (BUZZ WORD!!) to meet others, learn from industry pros, exchange and absorb knowledge, and forge new friendships.
Me: Do you have a favorite character who you've written, and if so, who is it and why are they are you favorite?
Jennifer: Captain Blade Tyburn of "A Kiss In The Wind". He’s an infamous libertine with devilish good looks, quick wit, and insatiable desire for women. That is, until he meets his match in knife-wielding, pick-pocket Marisol.
Henri, the small (don’t call him a dwarf! ) curmudgeonly cook, runs a very close second. The only thing he fancies more than the little bows in his beard is his rum.
Me: For Fun: What's your favorite Holiday and why?
Jennifer: It’s a tie between Christmas and Halloween. Christmas is magical. Family traditions, good will, twinkling lights, yummy food, festive decorations and lots of parties makes for an enchanting holiday. I like Halloween for many of the same reasons, except Halloween is mischievous. I love mischief. Lots of mischief.
Me: What's something you learned about pirates that you found really fascinating?
Jennifer: Pirates were democratic and lived by codes. Captains were elected by the crew and often split power with the quartermaster. Articles were drawn up by the crew and signed by the crew. These articles were detailed and included rules of behavior, care of weaponry, punishments, treatment of women, and the division of shares.
Me: Do you find that pirate legends are close to the truth or not at all?
Jennifer: All legends are based on some sort of truth. I will say that the "Pirates Of The Caribbean" franchise does depict pirates, shipboard terminology, and pirate superstitions with a lot of elemental authenticity. But just so you know, the Kraken, half-sea-creature-half-man pirates, and giant goddesses are not real. Not sure about zombies, the Flying Dutchman, or man-eating mermaids.
Me: Are you planning to stick with pirates or do you have other series ideas in mind?
Jennifer: In my future I see more pirates, serial killers, Confederate spies, fire-breathing dragons, and a paranormal world built around the 7 virtues and 7 sins. Thankfully, not all in the same book.
Me: Anything else you'd like to add?
Jennifer: Should I tickle your fancy, please visit me at the following places on the World Wide Web.
www.jbrayweber.com.
https://www.facebook.com/jbrayweber
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Bray-Weber-Author/172485736149726
http://twitter.com/@jbrayweber
Thank you, Jennifer Bray-Weber for dropping by! You can get a copy of Blood And Treasure (which is really, really good by the way) on Amazon Kindle and Amazon in Paperback, as well as on Barnes & Noble Nook.
Have A Fantastical Friday!
As promised, today is the day I'm posting my August Author Interview. I know every author I'm always excited about (I must sound like a broken record LOL). But I always have a reason for being excited about whoever I interview.
This particular interview is with Jennifer Bray-Weber, who, besides being an incredibly talented author, is a really cool person. She also has a great sense of humor and is a lot of fun to hang out with; so, without further ado, I give you the awesome Jennifer Bray-Weber...
Jennifer: Thank you for having me, Bethany.
I started out writing dark stories set in various times throughout history. The Roman Empire, Salem Witch Trials, and the Civil War have been the backdrop to most of these tales. The common thread to these stories is the tragic endings. Hardly anyone gets out alive! My favorite is about a Civil War veteran battling deep depression. The final word in this short story is ‘Bang’. I still get goose bumps. Some might suggest I see a professional. I say mwuahahaha….
Me: How many books do you plan to have in the Romancing The Pirate series and do you have an idea when the next one will be released?
Jennifer: There are 5 total in the "Romancing The Pirate" series. Each story is an adventure for the pirate ship Rissa and her crew. The pirate captains in "Blood And Treasure", "A Kiss In The Wind", and "The Bruised Sky" get more than they bargain for in the lasses they encounter. Sea battles, vicious enemies, and the testy sea aren’t nearly as dangerous as these captains losing their hearts. "In Clash Of The Tides", the pirate captain is a woman who buys her hero off the auction block. The last novel, yet to be titled, is a dual love story between modern day treasure hunters seeking the mystery behind the sunken Rissa and the pirate captain and his heroine on the doomed vessel.
My next novel, "A Kiss In The Wind", is scheduled for release in spring 2012 with Carina Press.
Me: For Fun: What music puts you in a good mood?
Jennifer: Everything from Metallica and Def Leppard to Breaking Benjamin and Shinedown. Yep – I’m a heavy beats and hard rockin’, loud music kind of girl.
Me: What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
Jennifer: Listen to those who speak of hard work, writing the best story you can, perseverance, growing the proverbial thick skin, and finding great critique partners. It’s all great advice. But I’m all about opportunities. Never, EVER let opportunity pass you by. My career has been enriched because I tackled opportunity, put it in a strangle hold, and held it for ransom within an inch of its life.
Me: You recently went to the RWA National Conference in New York City. What do you find is the most helpful about conferences like that?
Jennifer: Networking. There is so much value in attending writing conferences. Workshops, meetings, book signings, awards ceremonies, and parties all provide the opportunity (BUZZ WORD!!) to meet others, learn from industry pros, exchange and absorb knowledge, and forge new friendships.
Me: Do you have a favorite character who you've written, and if so, who is it and why are they are you favorite?
Jennifer: Captain Blade Tyburn of "A Kiss In The Wind". He’s an infamous libertine with devilish good looks, quick wit, and insatiable desire for women. That is, until he meets his match in knife-wielding, pick-pocket Marisol.
Henri, the small (don’t call him a dwarf! ) curmudgeonly cook, runs a very close second. The only thing he fancies more than the little bows in his beard is his rum.
Me: For Fun: What's your favorite Holiday and why?
Jennifer: It’s a tie between Christmas and Halloween. Christmas is magical. Family traditions, good will, twinkling lights, yummy food, festive decorations and lots of parties makes for an enchanting holiday. I like Halloween for many of the same reasons, except Halloween is mischievous. I love mischief. Lots of mischief.
Me: What's something you learned about pirates that you found really fascinating?
Jennifer: Pirates were democratic and lived by codes. Captains were elected by the crew and often split power with the quartermaster. Articles were drawn up by the crew and signed by the crew. These articles were detailed and included rules of behavior, care of weaponry, punishments, treatment of women, and the division of shares.
Me: Do you find that pirate legends are close to the truth or not at all?
Jennifer: All legends are based on some sort of truth. I will say that the "Pirates Of The Caribbean" franchise does depict pirates, shipboard terminology, and pirate superstitions with a lot of elemental authenticity. But just so you know, the Kraken, half-sea-creature-half-man pirates, and giant goddesses are not real. Not sure about zombies, the Flying Dutchman, or man-eating mermaids.
Me: Are you planning to stick with pirates or do you have other series ideas in mind?
Jennifer: In my future I see more pirates, serial killers, Confederate spies, fire-breathing dragons, and a paranormal world built around the 7 virtues and 7 sins. Thankfully, not all in the same book.
Me: Anything else you'd like to add?
Jennifer: Should I tickle your fancy, please visit me at the following places on the World Wide Web.
www.jbrayweber.com.
https://www.facebook.com/jbrayweber
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Bray-Weber-Author/172485736149726
http://twitter.com/@jbrayweber
Thank you, Jennifer Bray-Weber for dropping by! You can get a copy of Blood And Treasure (which is really, really good by the way) on Amazon Kindle and Amazon in Paperback, as well as on Barnes & Noble Nook.
Have A Fantastical Friday!
Comments
Ruth
Okay, Jenn, you've "tickled my fancy".
BTW in all my reading and all the pirate movies I saw as a kid, it always seemed to me the pirate captains were quite autocratic. I knew the rank & file pirates rec'd shares of the spoils, but never though it was democratic like you explained. You've obviously done some research of primary sources.
You are funny, talented, and freakishly energetic...oh, and you write great books too!
Congratulations on the success of Blood and Treasure!
Ruth~ Oddly enough, you are not the first person to say I remind them of Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie. I wonder if it's the hair. LOL. Thanks, lady!
Jenn!
Missy! I LOVE that Blade does that to you. He is something special, isn't he? And Henri, well he's just too fun. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me.
Yes, a pirate captain could lose his position in an instant should the crew feel he was no longer worthy, and they'd vote on someone else to take up the role. But for the sake of entertainment, that little detail is often overlooked. It's easy to take the liberties when a character is larger than life.
As with shares of the spoils, those, too, are written in the articles. They agree on who gets how many shares and under what conditions. one example includes the pirate who spots the prize first, and the ship is taken, that pirate gets an extra share. They even get more if they lose a limb. It's all very fascinating.
Jenn!
Tess~ Thanks so much. I truly appreciate you showing me (and Bethany) the love.
Did I mention blogger hates me?
Jenn, I am looking forward to your next release..I read Blood and Treasure and loved it!
Hey, thanks for dropping by and supporting Jennifer! Henri does rock :-)
Thank you for dropping by and supporting Jennifer :-)
Thank you for dropping by and supporting Jennifer! I actually did know about pirates having a whole code of conduct before the interview (some time ago I did some research). It's really fascinating stuff. They're not the disorganized lot we thought they were :-)
Thank you for dropping by and supporting Jennifer! I'm looking forward to the next, book, too :-)
Thank you for dropping by and supporting Jennifer! I agree with you...whenever I know the people involved in an article or interview, I always feel like such an "insider"--it's such a cool feeling :-)
Thank you for dropping by and supporting Jennifer! I agree...she's one cool lady :-)
Thank you for dropping by and supporting Jennifer! I had a lot of fun reading her responses to the interview questions :-)
Awwww, thanks for the compliment! You're great, too :-)
Your comment was so much fun to read--loved it! Thank you so much for dropping by and supporting Jennifer :-)
Thank you for dropping by and supporting Jennifer! I appreciate the comment about the interviews. I love doing them...every month I post one. I'm working on the September one--Novemember is already booked if you can believe that! So exciting :-)
"I enjoyed reading this Jenn. It shared a very good insight into the mentality and code of pirates.
I don't normally write about them, but I have one (Jean LaFitte)in a novella I'm working on. I found the research fascinating...I can see why you're drawn to these pirate boyo's!:)
Great interview, Bethany:)"
Thank you for coming by and supporting Jennifer! I'm sorry you have trouble posting on this blog.
Thanks for the compliment :-)