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Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
Rebel One is the first book in the Melkin Series. The series follows Travis and Lacey from when they meet at seventeen years old until their early twenties. It is Rapunzel and Hades/Persephone inspired. Lacey lives a very sheltered life with her severely protective, sometimes neglectful, father. She meets Travis, who is a member of the Casey gang based in the fictional town of Melkin. When they meet, Travis has left Melkin and is working on turning his life around. Travis asks Lacey to help him keep a low profile and blend in. Travis suggests they should start dating so they have an excuse to be around each other so much (but really, it’s because he just thinks she’s pretty). Lacey will only agree if he agrees to help her explore the world outside of her father’s watchful eye. Later, her association with Travis gets her kidnapped, taken to Melkin, and exposed to a world she hadn’t imagined ever being a part of. The Melkin Series follows the two of them as they navigate obstacles, violence, and trauma on their way to their happily ever after.
Do you have a favorite character?
No. Or at least not yet. I write in multiple point of views and try to really immerse myself in the character I’m writing for at the time. Whichever point of view I’m writing for at the time is usually my favorite character. I will say, the more angst a character has to deal with, the more I generally like them. I love watching a character go from Point A (typically broken – whether or not they know it) to Point B (healing from the trauma or on the road to recovery).
Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all? Did the character become the hero/heroine of their own book?
Yes – The main male character of Rebel One (Travis) was actually a side character in my debut novel, Sparked. Travis barely had a role in Sparked, I wouldn’t even call him a side character. His character and personality formed immediately. When I was thinking about the scene I needed him in, a character yelled his name and Travis happened to pop out in my head without thinking about it in advance and that was how he was named. I kept thinking about him and worked him into a few more scenes and found myself thinking about him. I decided to write Rebel One just for fun and to see where it went. It has turned into a soon-to-be trilogy with prequels and novellas either being written or waiting to be written.
What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?
I have to write to music. I have playlists for books and individual characters. Without music, it’s hard to find the voice that I’m writing for.
Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?
I’ve tried multiple times to outline a story and just can’t do it. The outline never gets finished and the story usually ends up going in a completely different direction from what I outlined. I definitely make it up as I go along but I cannot write a story without knowing the ending. The ending is always planned in advance as my end destination and there may be a few planned pit stops along the way that feature a scene that I thought about before starting. While I’m writing, I usually have the general idea for the next 2-3 chapters.
What have you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?
It takes time, patience, dedication, and a belief in yourself. Success isn’t instant and you have to keep trying, keep going, and keep writing. You have to wear many different hats depending on what stage of the process you’re at and you’re probably going to make mistakes but it won’t be the end of the world.
Is your book(s) in Kindle Unlimited or is it wide? What percentage of royalties does page reads represent if in KU?
My books are in Kindle Unlimited and make up about 20%.
Besides writing, do you have any other passions?
I like to pretend I enjoy running.
Some fun facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night?
Cats. Vanilla. Coffee or yerba mate tea. Texting. Night.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently editing Stung, the sequel to my debut novel, Sparked. After that, I will be working on releasing the rest of the books in the Melkin Series.
Rebel One
J.S. Christine
(Melkin Series, #1)
Publication date: May 13th 2022
Genres: New Adult, Romance
Lacey Carson dreams of experiencing the world outside of the mundane town her father limits her to. “Go big or go home”? Lacey is already wrapped up in her comforter before that question can be finished. Her fight or flight instinct falls hard in one direction only.
Insert Travis Miller. He’s a little too loud, a little too violent, a little too focused on Lacey. He only knows how to go big.
When the opportunity presents itself for more adventure, Lacey jumps in head first before Travis can say no. It may be a little more than she bargained for as she learns about the ups and downs of independence, her own strength, and the crime world she quickly becomes immersed into.
Author Bio:
J.S. Christine has been writing novels since 2011 and graduated with a degree in Creative Writing. She strives to give readers worlds they can relax in with characters they can call their friends. Her novels typically travel down the obstacle-ridden roads of self-discovery with music blasting in the car’s speakers and the occasional explosion off to the side. Her first novel, Sparked, was self-published in 2016. When she isn’t writing, she can be found binge reading books, burning cookies, attempting to run, or teaching her three cats how great popcorn is.
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