Novels Alive and Be My Bard.com would love for you to join us in welcoming New York Times and USA Today Bestselling “Multi-Genre” author, Sophie Jordan!
We’ve all pondered the age old question of which came first the CHICKEN or the EGG? As a writer, when creating a new story, which tends to come first for you—the CHARACTERS or the PLOT?
For me it’s always the characters, usually just the protagonist … and then the plot derives from WHO/WHAT that character is.
It’s inevitable that small bits and pieces of a writer’s own personality will make their way into the characters they create. But if you had to write yourself into one of your books, would your character most likely be the hero/heroine, the steadfast best friend, the comedy relief or the villainous mastermind?
Oh, that’s tough. Like you said, I’m sprinkled throughout. I can’t tell you how many characters I’ve written with a penchant for Tex-Mex food!
Speaking of villains…do you prefer writing characters that are clearly evil from the second they appear on the page or the surprise villain that no one would ever expect?
Most of the major “villains” I write are complex… never all bad. They’re colored by the gray in life, not black and white. You might think they’re one thing from your first glimpse of them, but they are usually more layered after closer inspection.
If you had the power to step inside the pages of any book for 24 hours, which one would you choose and why?
Probably FIRELIGHT … for the fantasy aspect. The world of the draki would be a magical and wonderful place to visit.
If you could use that same power to jump through the screen into the world of your favorite television show or movie, which would it be and why?
Oh, probably HARRY POTTER … again for all the magic and fantasy aspect.
Over the last few years, books of an erotic nature or with taboo subject matter have become more acceptable—even popular—in the mainstream marketplace. How, if at all, has this change affected the way that you write your own “love scenes”?
Hm. Well, I definitely don’t worry that I’m going too far! Truly, inhibitions have been lowered, and I don’t worry about taboo subjects in my own writing. I just write the story I want to write and that is the most authentic.
There was once a time when authors had to rely almost solely on mainstream media like newspapers and magazines to find reviews written on their latest book. Now that the internet has made it possible for anyone with a keyboard to become an armchair critic, has the sheer number of reviews available for your books made it easier or harder to deal with criticism?
Like you said there are so many reviews available. Sometimes I read them (positive and negative), but for the most part I’m too busy. It’s not anything I really feel that I have to “deal” with.
Many authors have branched out into multiple genres over the years. Is there a particular genre of fiction that you have always wanted to tackle but, haven’t tried yet?
I’m already very varied across genres. I’ve pretty much covered all the ones I want to write in — I write historical, paranormal, contemporary, thriller and near-future, YA, Romance. Hm, fantasy is one I haven’t tackled… so maybe. That’s a possibility.
If you could choose one historical/contemporary romance from your own or another author’s library of work to be made into a feature film which would it be and why?
I’d want my own FIRELIGHT to be adapted, of course. It’s the most cinematic of my work.
Tell us a little bit about the project you are working on now or share something about your newest or upcoming release(s).
I’m working on a new “secret” YA proposal. Something new and different for me that I plan to submit soon. I’m also working on the third book in my new adult trilogy.
Thanks so much, Sophie for stopping by!
Be sure to check out Sophie’s newest historical release, A GOOD DEBUTANTE’S GUIDE TO RUIN (The Debutante Files #1) when it arrives in book stores July 29th, 2014!
The last woman on earth he would ever touch . . .
Declan, the Duke of Banbury, has no interest in ushering Rosalie Hughes, his stepsister, into society.Dumped on him with nowhere else to go, he’s determined to rid himself of the headstrong debutante by bestowing on her an obscenely large dowry . . . making her the most sought-after heiress of the Season.
. . . is about to become the only one he wants
But Rosalie isn’t about to go along with Declan’s plans. Surrounded by fortune hunters, how is she supposed to find a man who truly wants her? Taking control of her fate, Rosalie dons a disguise and sneaks into Sodom, a private club host to all manner of illicit activity—and frequented by her infuriatingly handsome stepbrother.
In a shadowed alcove, Declan can’t resist the masked temptress who sets his blood afire … any more than Rosalie can deny her longing for a man who will send her into ruin.
Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she’s also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler.
