Friday, November 23, 2018

Interview with Jill Ramsower, THE FAE GAMES DUET

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
The Fae Games Duet is two books but essentially one story that didn’t fit in a single volume. I love all things romance and fantasy--I particularly enjoy legends and mythology so I decided to intertwine the Fae with Arthurian legends. The duet focuses on an American girl named Rebecca who moves to Ireland for a new job and discovers the world of the Fae. She has a sassy BFF who helps her along the way and encounters a couple of mysterious Fae men who complicate her life. (No love triangle, phew!)

Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
Yes! I don’t want to give anything away for anyone who hasn’t read the books, but one of the supporting characters in book 1 makes a reappearance in book 2 that wasn’t originally planned. A beta reader friend of mine insisted the character was crucial and needed to be brought back. I’m glad I listened because she was right!

Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?
Nope. I’m forty years-old and had no desire to jump through the hoops required by traditional publishing. I knew that I was competent enough to handle finding an editor and marketing my books on my own so I never really considered spending years getting rejections just to be able to say I had a publisher.

If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?
I use a wonderful woman by the name of Rena Hoberman who owns The Cover Quill. I am very involved in the process—when you put your heart and soul into a book, it feels vitally important that the cover accurately reflect the feel of the story. Not only that, but readers 100% judge a book by its cover so having an appealing cover is crucial to marketing a book.

Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?

I don’t have a critique group but man would that be nice! What I do have is an amazing support group of family and friends. My husband, parents, and best friend read my work first and give me loads of amazing advice on the basic story. Once I’m happy with the foundation, I send the book to my editor and let her do her thing. Then I make rewrites according to her suggestions, have my husband read the book AGAIN, make more tweaks, then send the book to my dad for a proofread. (We have an unspoken agreement not to discuss any of the steamy scenes in the books.) So far the system has worked out beautifully and I’m so grateful for all of their help!

Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?
I outline the outlines of my outlines. As far as I’m concerned, there is no such thing as too much outlining. I have no idea how the uber creative types free-form a book. I want to make sure there is consistency and flow in my stories and the only way I can do that is to have the whole thing fleshed out first before I start writing.

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?
Absolutely! As I’m writing this answer, I also need to be getting my ARC for my next book formatted, and I’ve got a fourth book in the writing process that I’m dying to work on, and a fifth book that came to me over the weekend that needs to be outlined. Not to mention social media posts, planning Amazon deals, and promotion company listings. Self-publishing is no part-time gig if you want to truly make a career in the business.

What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?
Reach out to individuals already in the business and ask for advice. There is so much to learn, and as much as I researched the field, what I learned was just the tip of the iceberg that is self-publishing. Every day I learn more and one of my best sources is my PA that I hired. She’s been working with authors for many years and is a wealth of information.

Some fun facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night?
I like both but probably prefer cats
CHOCOLATE
Neither, yucky
Text, dear Lord please don’t call me
Day—I’m all early to bed, early to rise!

What’s next for you?
Shades of Betrayal will be out December 1, 2018 and I’m super excited about it. I brainstormed and discussed the Duet with friends and family, but this book just took shape so quickly on its own that not a single person knew anything about it aside from myself. The book is set in The Fae Games world and tells Ashley’s story, basically picking up where Twilight Siege left off. Ashley is sarcasm and wine and everything fine—early readers are loving her character and I’m excited to share her with the world!


The Fae Games Duet
Jill Ramsower
(The Fae Games #1 & 2)
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

When Rebecca Peterson walks away from everything she knows to follow her dreams in Ireland, she never expects to be thrown into a world of vicious Fae and deadly secrets. On the dreary streets of Belfast, her terrifying nightmares are rekindled, and this time they aren’t confined to her imagination. Complicating her life further, Becca crosses paths with two mysterious strangers—both alluring in different ways, but are either of them to be trusted?
Her journey takes her deep into the treacherous Shadow Lands, where both her knowledge and courage will be tested. Navigating this new landscape of deceit and manipulation is paramount if she is to stop hordes of blood-thirsty Faeries from invading Earth. With time running out, will her limited training be enough to take on a centuries old enemy hell-bent on death and destruction? To keep those she loves safe, Becca is willing to risk it all.
In this captivating duet, Jill Ramsower takes her readers from the streets of Belfast on a harrowing journey to the most dangerous corners of Faery, where fear is a lethal enemy and trust is a luxury few can afford.

Author Bio:
Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she’s an attorney, travel junkie, and voracious reader.


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