In The Hot Seat With HC: The talented author Jerri Drennen

 I'm excited! Joining me in the Hot Seat today is the talented  author,   Jerri Drennen,   

             

Bio:

Jerri Drennen was raised on a farm in a small town in Minnesota. She met her husband and moved to Southeastern Missouri where they live today with 3 of their 4 children, her precious grandchildren, and her kitties.

Q:  Can you tell our readers a little about your writing? What genres do you enjoy writing? 

I change genres all the time but my current series is paranormal romance.

Q:  Do you write on a schedule or when the Muse decides?

Lately, not at all, but usually when my muse strikes. I think she went into hiding.

Q: Can you tell us about your writing process, for example, do you write an outline first? 

I'm a seat of my pants writer. No outline. I tried to write one once and never finished the book.

Q:  What qualities do you instill in your heroes? 

I want them to be honest, strong and have convictions, though mine usually have major flaws in some aspect of their lives.

Q. Coffee or tea?

Coffee. Black!

Q. Beach or countryside?

Farm girl here so I'll take the countryside.

HC. I was a farm girl too for a long time now I'm a beach girl LOL.

Q. Do you write about the places you know or prefer to take your readers to exotic places?

A little of both.

Q: Where do you get your inspiration?

Everywhere. Mainly, TV. I can watch for hours. One of my stories came from a dream.

HC: I dream most of my plots too. I wonder why we do that?

Q: Would you change anything in your life to make writing easier.

Yes, but I'm not going to say what.

HC. O....kay.

Q: We have all suffered submission rejections. How do you cope? Do you have any advice to other writers on coping with rejection?

Since I've been self-publishing lately, I haven't had to deal with this. But I've learned to spend a day wallowing, then I move on.

HC. I've come to the conclusion that not everyone is going to like what we write, so I  take a rejection on the chin. What I don't like is form letter rejection. I think they are rude and soul destroying to authors not so thick-skinned as me. IMO if a published author takes the time to submit to a publisher, they are due the respect of a courteous personal reply with  a reason for rejection.

Q: What do you like to read and who are your favorite authors?

Anything contemporary. I have to say that Laurie Breton is my favorite author right now.

Q: Do you write one novel at a time or do you move between works in progress?

 I try to work on one at a time. I've tried working on more than one and didn't get to far before I went back to focusing on one book.

HC. Interesting,  I find the opposite, if I have more than one on the go, I tend to write more productively.

Q: Do you have times when the Muse is away on holiday?

Yes. Right now. Too bad there's no holiday.

HC. LOL, yes I find the Muse takes a hike the moment there's a family crisis. It's getting it to move back in that's the problem.

Q. What motivates you to write?

Readers.

HC. I have always said positive feedback from readers feeds the Muse, so yes I agree.

Q. What advice would you give to unpublished authors approaching an e publisher?

Do your research and ask questions.

Q: Is there anything you would like to share with us about upcoming releases?

 Just that Unearthed is the first book in my Specter, Inc., Ghost Hunter series.

 HC. How exciting. I can't wait to purchase a copy.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your current novel?

Blurb: Uncovering a ghostly secret, one skeleton at a time.

After years of investigating paranormal activity, lead ghost hunter, Jack Trader has little to show until, at an abandoned farm house in the boot-heels of Missouri, he and his partner record the presence of an angry specter. When the time approaches to show their proof, somehow it’s been erased, forcing them back to the house to try and re-film the footage.

Renovations at Lila Monclair’s successful bed & breakfast bring more than dust, noise and boot prints to the halls of the Inn. A ghostly figure, in the form of a mysterious, dark-haired woman in 40’s style dress keeps frightening off guests. As word spreads of the possible haunting, a number of reservations are canceled. Now Lila’s worried she could lose everything.

Jack and Lila are seduced by these star-crossed ghosts, each in search of the other. Together, they play out the nightmare that tore the two soul’s apart more than 70 years ago, while the budding romance between them is threatened by an indiscretion of Jack’s that has Lila questioning if he's even worthy of her love.

Excerpt:

“See anything, Jack?” The voice of his partner, Cody McCoy filled his left ear, the Bluetooth-type hardware transmitting with ease. The ultimate goal for his team was to catch sight of an orb of glowing energy, a sure indicator of paranormal activity.

“I’m in the last of the rooms. Give me a second.” Jack moved to the window, his eyes straining to make out anything that wasn’t illuminated by the light’s stream.

Nothing.

He glanced back toward the door.

Nope. Not a thing to indicate a ghost inhabited the house.

Maybe the reports of the old Martin place being haunted were merely rumor—blown out of proportion by a bunch of overzealous, trespassing kids. It’d hardly be the first time, or the last, for that matter. Jack was disappointed all the same. He needed something to film, or they’d have to write off this trip to the boot hills of Missouri as another wild goose chase. Specter, Inc. couldn’t afford many more of those, especially after losing their funding. A disaster he blamed on himself.

Heaving a sigh of frustration, he started for the door. In the middle of the room, a sudden chill engulfed him.

He stopped.

Was it an apparition or a simple draft?

“Cody,” he whispered, “I walked into a cold spot.” The temperature dipped lower, an arctic blast biting into his skin, and the hairs on his nape bristled.

A sharp, almost inaudible voice uttered, Get out.

 HC. Thank you for joining me today. Here is where you can buy Unearthed. 

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Unearthed-Specter-Hunter-Series-ebook/dp/B00E3APA6M/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1374504048&sr=8-10&keywords=Jerri+Drennen

Author’s links:

website: jerridrennen.com/

facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/jerri.drennen

twitter: @jerri47