Welcome to our New Faces interview column, where you can meet brand-new romance authors and find out about their books. This time we're visiting with Jean Johnson,, whose first fantasy romance is The Sword, a February release from Berkley Sensation.

Jean, welcome to TRR! Tell us about yourself.

Born and bred in the Pacific Northwest, to a typical family of two parents and two daughters, I had the typical nerdy-smart-kid habit of retreating into books. I did this because, for most of my school-aged childhood, we lived in a little patch of rurality in the midst of suburbia, there weren't any neighbor kids my age that I could play with, and my big sister didn't want to play with me. One day, while reading a story at the age of about 10 or so, I didn't like the ending, so I sat down and wrote my own version of What Should Have Happened. Of course, as an attempted work of grand literature, it stunk...but I was hooked on the whole writing-thing from that moment onward. (It should be noted that this was long before the days when "fanfic" was a word, and I certainly never showed anyone my alternate story-ending.) It wasn't until I was 15 that I decided I wanted to be a writer as a career, however. So, when I went on to college, I majored in English for the most part since writing is my first and foremost love in life, with a minor in Music, which is my second love in life....and somehow wound up with a couple of degrees in Religion while I wasn't looking. (But that's a story for another day.)

Are you coming to romance writing from another job?

After college, I spent my time as housekeeper for my family, cooking and cleaning and such, while trying to improve my skills as a writer and looking for various jobs here and there. One of the things I did during this time was work as a freelance editor. When my father fell ill, I was able to give more support to my family because I didn't have a traditional job, but thankfully I still had time for my writing. So, I'm still a dutiful housedaughter--one who is really looking forward to moving out soon, now that I can afford to do so; as much as I love my family, it's been too many years--and now I'm getting paid to do what I love most of all in the world.

What led you to write romance?

There are three categories I love to both read and write in the most: science-fiction, fantasy, and romance. Preferably in some sort of combination with the lattermost, as I am a terminal romantic at heart, though I have written stand-alones in each category. I'm sure it'll be the death of me, some day. I started reading fantasy and science-fiction at an early age, then romance novels while I was a young teenager, about 14 or so. At first, the romances were the mild contemporary ones wherein the hero and heroine might share a kiss, then slowly moved into racier ones, such as the historicals, then...well, let's just say that by the time I was old enough to be, I was happily corrupted. (And yes, I had my mother's permission. Nyah.)

Tell us about your road to publication.

I haven't bothered to keep my rejection form-letters. There weren't many over the last two decades, no more than half a dozen or so, but when the last three were all along the lines of, "You're not published, so we don't know who you are or how good your writing is; why don't you go get published, and then we'll think about publishing you?"...well, there are only so many times one can beat their head against a brick wall before you just stop doing it. That's when I had the brilliant idea of posting some of my writing on the internet. I'd post my stories, collect what I hoped would be positive reviews, and then print 'em out, MAIL them in bulk to the next publisher I'd consider approaching, and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that my work was good enough to garner an interested fan-base, and thus a purchaser-base, making me worth the risk of publishing.

It worked fairly well, to an extent; my writing did get noticed by the online community. I received first-runner-up at one website (including a small cash prize for an original story of mine, yay!), several nominations and a couple of awards at another, nominations at yet other sites...and somewhere in there, I got sucked into the world of fanfic. [I would like to state at this point in time that I have never received money for my fanfics, nor would I ever. They're works of parody, not of profit. Of course, I expect the same courtesy from those who wish to play around in my own universes...] It was through one of these fanfic endeavors that I was noticed by one of the editors at The Berkley Group, Cindy; she had read my writings, really liked my style, and contacted me to make an offer: if I had any original works in the realm of women's fiction that I was thinking of submitting, would I be interested in submitting it to her for her perusal?

After getting over the initial skepticism of who-the-heck-is-this-person-anyway, I dusted off the manuscript for The Sword and submitted it, along with a synopsis of the second book, The Wolf (half-completed at the time), and a comment that this was part of a series of books. Cindy loved it, and offered me a three-book contract on the spot in our phone conversation a short while later. At that point, I had the awkward task of telling her, "But, um, the first four books are plot-integrated; if you only ask for the first three, there will be major plot-threads left dangling all over the place at the end of book 3. So if it's at all possible to make it a four book contract, it might a better idea..." The editor paused for about a second and a half (I could almost hear her popping the clutch and shifting it back into gear), and then Cindy said, "Well, I don't actually have the numbers worked up for a four book deal, but if you'll give me a moment, I can fix that..."

This was me: Totally Gobsmacked. I mean, I was expecting to hear an explanation that, as a newbie author, I shouldn't expect to get away with such hubris, and that I should actually be flattered that I was being offered a 3 book contract at all, nevermind the lowly one book contract most of us unpublished peons should be squeeing with joy to receive. And she only hesitated because she didn't have the numbers worked up for an extra book's worth?

Much squeeing, rejoicing, and hyperventilating later, I had the contracts signed and the remaining two and a half books underway. The fourth manuscript has now been delivered to my editor, after having been lovingly polished by my beta-editors, Stormi, NotSoSaintly, AlexandraLynch, and Alienor (accidentally mistyped in the acknowledgment page of The Sword as "Alienator", which thankfully amuses her). Of these four ladies, I have only met Stormi in person so far, which was during a trip last year, but I have plans to meet with Alexandra this spring, and hope to travel to meet the other two of these lovely ladies some day soon. They are jewels, each with different strengths as beta-editors, and without their assistance in polishing my prose, it would definitely be a bit duller.

What kind of research was involved for your first book?

The Sword has already received some rather interesting, and in some cases mixed, reviews. I'm not afraid to speak the words of my detractors; I've had some people complain to me that no single female could possibly know about proper, safe gun use, AND know about bobbin-lace construction. I kindly refer them to my friend Arnora: she used to be a member of the Bothell, WA, City Police, and is currently practicing the fine art of lace-making in her spare time. (In fact, I hope to be taking a class from her in that subject this weekend.) I myself have taken lessons in gun safety, martial arts, archery, sewing (which I do mostly by machine, as I personally loathe hand-sewing and embroidery), cooking, pottery, weaving, leatherworking...a wide variety of subjects. Mainly because I am a terminal student as well as a terminal romantic. As Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) once said to a young Jack London, "Write what you know." ...I try my best to write what I know.

Tell us about your debut book.

So, as far as The Sword goes, I have some of the same knowledges and interests as my heroine, Kelly, though not quite the same fiery temperament, thankfully. Of course, her situation is different from my own: she lives on her own in a small Midwestern town, she makes her living through sewing and other small crafts...and she's being picked upon by her superstitious neighbors, who are trying to drive her away. But she does have that sense of persecution in common with the hero, Saber; he and his seven brothers were driven out of their home by their government because of a foretold Disaster that is believed to be linked to them, and so they were sentenced to exile on the remote, abandoned island of Nightfall...in another universe. Which Kelly didn't even knew existed until the youngest of the brothers saved her from her own tormentors, namely by pulling her out of her burning house and into that other universe.

Naturally, she's rather shocked and alarmed by suddenly being Someplace Else, and as a rather independent soul, tries her best to regain control of her situation. This brings her into conflict with the equally strong-willed, strong-minded Saber, who considers her presence the very threat his government feared would manifest if he and his brothers were allowed any contact with females. Of course, I could tell you how they eventually learn to get along with each other...but that would be cheating.

I will say, however, that while The Sword is a romance novel in and of itself, it is only 50% romance novel. The other 50% is fantasy novel...and while each book in the series is a self-contained romance, it is the fantasy half that binds the series together. Things happen in book one that set up the plots for books 2 and 3 (The Master, due to be released in early September, 2007). Book 2 resolves some of those plot-questions, but sets up more for 3 and 4 (The Song, due to be released in early February, 2008). Book 3 answers many of the remaining questions, but there are some waiting for book 4, and book 4 resolves...well, all of the previous questions, but a new one will be raised at the end of it. (This is how I explained it to Cindy when I said, maybe we should aim for a 4 book contract; it's tidier, that way...)

Who are your influences as a writer?

If you want to know how I can come up with such massive, complex plotlines, I say in my defense that I am a huge Babylon 5 fan, I was reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy at the age of 15, and, well, I'm just that twisted. Some of my favorite authors include: Mercedes Lackey, Dara Joy, Alan Dean Foster, Randall Garrett & Vicki Ann Heydron (I totally recommend their 7-book series, The Gandalara Cycle), Deborah Simmons, Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick (whose books I have on my shelves, and you could've knocked me over with a proverbial feather when I saw the review quote from her!), Anne McCaffrey, Anne Logston, Andre Norton, Tad Williams, C.J.Cherryh...I literally own hundreds of novels, and read voraciously in my spare time.

I also subscribe to Science News Weekly, which keeps me abreast of the latest scientific findings in virtually every field of study available--while I'm more of a story-teller than a hard-science type, I try to make the science in my science-fiction at least somewhat believable...which lends itself equally well to the historical sciences I try to include in my fantasy novels.

What does your family think of having a published romance author in their midst?

My family, thankfully, puts up with my many eccentricities. They've bought me subscriptions to science journals for years, they have put up with my being a member of the SCA (medieval society) for nearly two decades, and they are usually willing guinea pigs whenever I want to experiment with a new dish for dinner. The worst of my flaws as a housemate is that I am a confirmed, dedicated night-owl. There is a debate ranging as to whether I'm awake in the smallest hours of the morning by personal choice, by natural inclination (it was scientifically proven in a study that, in tribal societies, someone is always awake at any given hour, to either tend the hearthfire or watch for predators), or because it's the only time when I'm left alone and can have huge blocks of uninterrupted time in which to compose my stories. Either way, I'm grateful they put up with it. As for readership among my family members...while my sister is eagerly anticipating my next book, my father is into non-fiction, and my mother won't read anything racier than a kiss. But that's alright; I don't expect everyone to love my writing.

Tell us about plans for future books.

And yes, I am working on books 5 through 8 in the Sons of Destiny series. Each of the eight brothers will be given their due time in the romantic spotlight, and the whole double-arc of the fantasy story will be resolved by the end of book 8. While I do not have a contract for books 5-8, I admit freely it is not for lack of my editor's prodding. She has politely prodded me, and more than once. I simply want to get most of books 5 & 6 finished first, as they have the most complex plotting of all the novels, and as a result of that complexity, I don't know how long it'll take. But books 2 through 4 will be out within the year. The Wolf is being released at the start of April, The Master at the start of September (the delay was not my idea), and The Song at the start of February, next year.

I also was invited to write two short stories for fantasy-romance anthologies. In the Christmas anthology, An Enchanted Season, which comes out at the start of October, 2007, I have written "Gifts of the Magi", a tale about the potential trials and troubles of what-happens-next in one's romantic life.

In the anthology Elemental Magic, which is due to be released the very next month in November, 2007, and covers the four Greek elements of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth, I have another short story, "Birthright". (I was assigned the element of Earth, and had a lot of fun coming up with that one.)

As for other works...well, you don't write for decades without coming up with at least one or two good plotlines a year, so we'll see how many I can polish up and present for potential publication. But first, I must finish the Sons of Destiny series; it wouldn't do to leave my readers dangling for too long. Some of them belong to the Mob of Irate Torch-Wielding Fans, after all...and some of those know where I live...

How can readers get in touch with you?

If anyone wishes to contact me, they can go to my website, http://www.jeanjohnson.net which has a forum board, and a 'Contact the Author' option for those who prefer email.

Jean, thanks for joining us, and best of luck! Readers, we have a review of The Sword here at TRR.

March 31, 2007

Please tell us what you think! Back Home