When I first started writing on a regular basis I asked myself ´why?´ Well, Christine Feehan has answered that perfectly when she wrote this for her "About the Author" section of her website, www.christinefeehan.com.
"I´ve been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me..."
Writing is such a personal experience, and yet when we share our thoughts and stories we can touch so many. Christine has no doubt touched many hearts and prompted countless imaginations with her writing.
Over the years Christine has written over 30 novels including four series. Her novel ´Dark Prince´ earned her 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature in 1999. She´s been published by Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and is currently writing for Berkley/Jove. She has also earned 7 more PEARL awards and made the bestseller lists with New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Bookscan, B. Dalton, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Waldenbooks, ingrams, Borders, Rhapsody Book Club, Sirenbooks, and Walmart´s book list.
C. L. Vaughn: Christine, welcome to Author-2-Author. It is a real honor for me to interview someone who has accomplished so much in their writing career. I know that there are a lot of other authors out there like myself who are just getting started, so I´d like to take you back in time to when you published your first book.
What was your experience like getting your first book published? How does that experience differ now that you´ve earned such a strong literary presence?
Christine Feehan: My first sale was a huge shock to me. I´d been writing all of my life and played with the idea of trying to get published, but didn´t really pursue it whole-heartedly because, quite frankly, I had another career and loved it. Martial Arts was my world. When I retired, a friend insisted I send Dark Prince to an agent and I did to show her a sale would never really happen. At that time no one was taking vampire stories. I was very shocked when I got the call. Now, at the end of a contract, we´re already in negotiations for the next, so the books can be published in a timely manner.
C. L. Vaughn: While I was preparing for this interview I took the liberty of reading some of the other interviews you´ve conducted and stumbled across two bits of trivia I found really interesting. Do you really hold a third degree black belt in Korean style martial arts? If so, Wow! I guess the pen is mightier than the sword.
Also, I read that you are the mother of eleven children? Anther big accomplishment, I´m surprised that you didn´t turn to writing children´s books.
Christine Feehan: I taught Tang So Do and women´s self defense classes for twenty-five years. I hold rank in several of the arts. And yes, we have a large family. I´ve always told the children stories, and now I tell my grandchildren stories, but for some reason I could never write them. I admire people who can.
C. L. Vaughn: With all of the different genres that you could write in, what made you gravitate to the Romance/Paranormal realm of story telling?
Christine Feehan: Quite frankly, I love happy endings. I want to be fulfilled emotionally and I also love to have a wider scope to work in. Paranormal romance allows me to have it all.
C. L. Vaughn: I started writing my first full length novel about two years ago and I´ve watched the plot morph and the characters grow, so much so that I have started a spin-off micro-adventure series featuring the main characters. When you first sit down with a fresh story idea, does it tend to stay within that mold, or are you as surprised about the story´s ending as your readers?
Christine Feehan: Don´t you really love the way writing a story ends up being an adventure? Once I breathe life into my characters, they take over completely and dictate the story. I´m always surprised by what happens. A few times I´ve received letters telling me they knew the killer immediately and I laughed, because I didn´t.
C. L. Vaughn: Can you explain your process in creating new characters? Are any of them modeled after real people in your life?
Christine Feehan: I can´t say that my characters are modeled after a particular person, but certainly character traits are, and a character might be a composite of several people.
C. L. Vaughn: I read that during the editing process of your first book, Dark Prince, you had to cut almost 100 pages from the story. You mentioned that you´d have done it differently now. Can you explain what you would have done differently now? What are your suggests for other authors regarding the editing process?
Christine Feehan: I really knew nothing of editing out that many pages and they wanted to keep the romance. I had to take out entire threads of characters and many action scenes. I would have left most of the action scenes if I could have gotten away with it.
C. L. Vaughn: For all of the aspiring authors out there (myself included) what are some of the essentials we NEED to know about the publishing end of writing? Are there really any secrets to becoming traditionally published?
Christine Feehan: I don´t know any secrets. Write the best book you can, be passionate and disciplined about what you do and never give up. Editors are always looking for a fresh voice and an innovative idea. Believe in yourself and keep honing your craft. Remember, if you don´t actually submit, you´ll never get published.
C. L. Vaughn: Speaking of Traditionally Published. What are your opinions on writers pursuing self publishing and print-on-demand options? Do you feel that self publishing in a viable way for authors to sell their work, or would you suggest sticking with hunting for agents/publishers?
Christine Feehan: I don´t have any experience with self publishing, but I think, like most things, that under the right circumstances self publishing has its place.
C. L. Vaughn: Do you read the same types of books that you write? What are some of your favorite authors?
Christine Feehan: I read most everything. Jayne Ann Krentz will always be my favorite. I love JD Robb. CL Wilson is an absolute must read for me. Nalini Singh is wonderful. There are so many amazing authors and I love to read, no, I need to read.
C. L. Vaughn: So, the rooster announces a new dawn and Christine Feehan stretches out of bed… what´s next in the everyday life of Christine Feehan?
Christine Feehan: I have dogs that love to go out and run. I don´t run, but I watch them! Actually I check email, have tea with my husband and then start work. I write until noon, work out on the treadmill, work until about three and take the dogs for a walk. By six I try to wrap it up so I can spend the evening with my husband and daughter.
C. L. Vaughn: I think one of the things that set you apart from the other authors in your genre of writing is the use of book trailers in your marketing. Whose idea was it to use book trailers to help market your books, yours or the publisher´s? How involved are you in making the trailers?
Christine Feehan: The idea of book trailers came from COS Productions, the CEO, Sheila Clover English. She wanted to find a way to market books in today´s visual world that was affordable to authors and could be used in a variety of ways. She actually has the term trademarked. She´s very innovative and is always thinking ahead, looking for the newest possible markets. When I have time, I´m involved, but sometimes, I just can´t keep my hand in. I´m excited about the new one we´re doing for Turbulent Sea, though, and have spent a great deal of time with Sheila asking all sorts of questions and generally getting in her way!
C. L. Vaughn: I was intrigued by your Christmas stories. Personally, Christmas is one of my favorite holidays… with the exception of how commercial it is these days. Have you thought about writing any stories for other holidays? It seems that Halloween would be right up your alley.
Christine Feehan: I absolutely love Christmas. For me it´s such a magical time. I love everything about it including giving gifts. I think it´s a perfect opportunity to work with your children on giving to others, going to the local Lion´s Club tree and choosing names to make someone´s Christmas remarkable. Finding a single mother and her family and giving what you can to pay their bills for a month, buying groceries, making Christmas magical for a child, doing something special for the elderly or homeless. Showing your children how to put together dinners for stay-ins. I love the decorations, the look on a child´s face when they see the trees, and lights. And because I love Christmas, I often want to tell Christmas magic or write it for others. Halloween was always a huge draw for the neighborhood children at out house, because we set up spooky scenes all over the yard and covered out gazebo in spider webs, but I´ve never thought to set a book around that theme. Now I just scare the grandchildren with spiders coming down the windows and out of the trees.
C. L. Vaughn: One final question for the readers. With such a large literary presence ´aka fame and fortune_´ does it effect your normal day to day life? Ever have a crazy fan moment? Anything you´d like to add to the interview for the readers?
Christine Feehan: I live a very quiet life in my hometown. One of the most memorable and wonderful moments was recently, I was in the local bookstore, it was packed and I had my hair up in a ponytail, looking like I do everyday with no make-up and buying tons of books because I´m so addicted when this woman looked up and shouted across several aisle. "OMG!!! You´re…." she hesitated and I remember thinking, oh, no, don´t say it, and she finished, "You´re CC´s mom! She rocks at basketball!" I was thrilled. I´m not the author, I´m CC´s mom. And seriously, that´s the best compliment anyone could ever give me. I am CC´s mom and proud of it.
C. L. Vaughn: Again, thank you Christine for the chance to give this interview. I wish you the best with your writing and nothing but happy trails for your family. I hope we can do this again.
Christine Feehan Thank you, I really appreciate the opportunity to touch base with my readers.
For further information about author Christine Feehan and her books, please visit: www.christinefeehan.com
"I´ve been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me..."
Writing is such a personal experience, and yet when we share our thoughts and stories we can touch so many. Christine has no doubt touched many hearts and prompted countless imaginations with her writing.
Over the years Christine has written over 30 novels including four series. Her novel ´Dark Prince´ earned her 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature in 1999. She´s been published by Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and is currently writing for Berkley/Jove. She has also earned 7 more PEARL awards and made the bestseller lists with New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Bookscan, B. Dalton, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Waldenbooks, ingrams, Borders, Rhapsody Book Club, Sirenbooks, and Walmart´s book list.
C. L. Vaughn: Christine, welcome to Author-2-Author. It is a real honor for me to interview someone who has accomplished so much in their writing career. I know that there are a lot of other authors out there like myself who are just getting started, so I´d like to take you back in time to when you published your first book.
What was your experience like getting your first book published? How does that experience differ now that you´ve earned such a strong literary presence?
Christine Feehan: My first sale was a huge shock to me. I´d been writing all of my life and played with the idea of trying to get published, but didn´t really pursue it whole-heartedly because, quite frankly, I had another career and loved it. Martial Arts was my world. When I retired, a friend insisted I send Dark Prince to an agent and I did to show her a sale would never really happen. At that time no one was taking vampire stories. I was very shocked when I got the call. Now, at the end of a contract, we´re already in negotiations for the next, so the books can be published in a timely manner.
C. L. Vaughn: While I was preparing for this interview I took the liberty of reading some of the other interviews you´ve conducted and stumbled across two bits of trivia I found really interesting. Do you really hold a third degree black belt in Korean style martial arts? If so, Wow! I guess the pen is mightier than the sword.
Also, I read that you are the mother of eleven children? Anther big accomplishment, I´m surprised that you didn´t turn to writing children´s books.
Christine Feehan: I taught Tang So Do and women´s self defense classes for twenty-five years. I hold rank in several of the arts. And yes, we have a large family. I´ve always told the children stories, and now I tell my grandchildren stories, but for some reason I could never write them. I admire people who can.
C. L. Vaughn: With all of the different genres that you could write in, what made you gravitate to the Romance/Paranormal realm of story telling?
Christine Feehan: Quite frankly, I love happy endings. I want to be fulfilled emotionally and I also love to have a wider scope to work in. Paranormal romance allows me to have it all.
C. L. Vaughn: I started writing my first full length novel about two years ago and I´ve watched the plot morph and the characters grow, so much so that I have started a spin-off micro-adventure series featuring the main characters. When you first sit down with a fresh story idea, does it tend to stay within that mold, or are you as surprised about the story´s ending as your readers?
Christine Feehan: Don´t you really love the way writing a story ends up being an adventure? Once I breathe life into my characters, they take over completely and dictate the story. I´m always surprised by what happens. A few times I´ve received letters telling me they knew the killer immediately and I laughed, because I didn´t.
C. L. Vaughn: Can you explain your process in creating new characters? Are any of them modeled after real people in your life?
Christine Feehan: I can´t say that my characters are modeled after a particular person, but certainly character traits are, and a character might be a composite of several people.
C. L. Vaughn: I read that during the editing process of your first book, Dark Prince, you had to cut almost 100 pages from the story. You mentioned that you´d have done it differently now. Can you explain what you would have done differently now? What are your suggests for other authors regarding the editing process?
Christine Feehan: I really knew nothing of editing out that many pages and they wanted to keep the romance. I had to take out entire threads of characters and many action scenes. I would have left most of the action scenes if I could have gotten away with it.
C. L. Vaughn: For all of the aspiring authors out there (myself included) what are some of the essentials we NEED to know about the publishing end of writing? Are there really any secrets to becoming traditionally published?
Christine Feehan: I don´t know any secrets. Write the best book you can, be passionate and disciplined about what you do and never give up. Editors are always looking for a fresh voice and an innovative idea. Believe in yourself and keep honing your craft. Remember, if you don´t actually submit, you´ll never get published.
C. L. Vaughn: Speaking of Traditionally Published. What are your opinions on writers pursuing self publishing and print-on-demand options? Do you feel that self publishing in a viable way for authors to sell their work, or would you suggest sticking with hunting for agents/publishers?
Christine Feehan: I don´t have any experience with self publishing, but I think, like most things, that under the right circumstances self publishing has its place.
C. L. Vaughn: Do you read the same types of books that you write? What are some of your favorite authors?
Christine Feehan: I read most everything. Jayne Ann Krentz will always be my favorite. I love JD Robb. CL Wilson is an absolute must read for me. Nalini Singh is wonderful. There are so many amazing authors and I love to read, no, I need to read.
C. L. Vaughn: So, the rooster announces a new dawn and Christine Feehan stretches out of bed… what´s next in the everyday life of Christine Feehan?
Christine Feehan: I have dogs that love to go out and run. I don´t run, but I watch them! Actually I check email, have tea with my husband and then start work. I write until noon, work out on the treadmill, work until about three and take the dogs for a walk. By six I try to wrap it up so I can spend the evening with my husband and daughter.
C. L. Vaughn: I think one of the things that set you apart from the other authors in your genre of writing is the use of book trailers in your marketing. Whose idea was it to use book trailers to help market your books, yours or the publisher´s? How involved are you in making the trailers?
Christine Feehan: The idea of book trailers came from COS Productions, the CEO, Sheila Clover English. She wanted to find a way to market books in today´s visual world that was affordable to authors and could be used in a variety of ways. She actually has the term trademarked. She´s very innovative and is always thinking ahead, looking for the newest possible markets. When I have time, I´m involved, but sometimes, I just can´t keep my hand in. I´m excited about the new one we´re doing for Turbulent Sea, though, and have spent a great deal of time with Sheila asking all sorts of questions and generally getting in her way!
C. L. Vaughn: I was intrigued by your Christmas stories. Personally, Christmas is one of my favorite holidays… with the exception of how commercial it is these days. Have you thought about writing any stories for other holidays? It seems that Halloween would be right up your alley.
Christine Feehan: I absolutely love Christmas. For me it´s such a magical time. I love everything about it including giving gifts. I think it´s a perfect opportunity to work with your children on giving to others, going to the local Lion´s Club tree and choosing names to make someone´s Christmas remarkable. Finding a single mother and her family and giving what you can to pay their bills for a month, buying groceries, making Christmas magical for a child, doing something special for the elderly or homeless. Showing your children how to put together dinners for stay-ins. I love the decorations, the look on a child´s face when they see the trees, and lights. And because I love Christmas, I often want to tell Christmas magic or write it for others. Halloween was always a huge draw for the neighborhood children at out house, because we set up spooky scenes all over the yard and covered out gazebo in spider webs, but I´ve never thought to set a book around that theme. Now I just scare the grandchildren with spiders coming down the windows and out of the trees.
C. L. Vaughn: One final question for the readers. With such a large literary presence ´aka fame and fortune_´ does it effect your normal day to day life? Ever have a crazy fan moment? Anything you´d like to add to the interview for the readers?
Christine Feehan: I live a very quiet life in my hometown. One of the most memorable and wonderful moments was recently, I was in the local bookstore, it was packed and I had my hair up in a ponytail, looking like I do everyday with no make-up and buying tons of books because I´m so addicted when this woman looked up and shouted across several aisle. "OMG!!! You´re…." she hesitated and I remember thinking, oh, no, don´t say it, and she finished, "You´re CC´s mom! She rocks at basketball!" I was thrilled. I´m not the author, I´m CC´s mom. And seriously, that´s the best compliment anyone could ever give me. I am CC´s mom and proud of it.
C. L. Vaughn: Again, thank you Christine for the chance to give this interview. I wish you the best with your writing and nothing but happy trails for your family. I hope we can do this again.
Christine Feehan Thank you, I really appreciate the opportunity to touch base with my readers.
For further information about author Christine Feehan and her books, please visit: www.christinefeehan.com
