EtS Welcomes Jacqueline Paige!

Posted by Suzanne Rock on September 30, 2010 · 7 Comments 

Hi everyone! Today we are continuing our guest author series. Jacqueline Paige is with us today. She’s going to be sharing a little about herself and telling us about our new paranormal romance from Class Act Books. Welcome Jacqueline!

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1)What inspired you to write paranormal romance?

I don’t like to follow rules mostly.  With paranormal romance your characters can do almost anything you want them to do – and get away with it.  I love taking a seemingly normal character and adding a little bit of ‘what if’ to them.

2) Name one of your all time favorite paranormal romances.

I love so many, but I’m going to pick the first one that came to my mind when I read the question.  The third story in Nora Roberts Circle Trilogy – Valley of Silence.  The whole trilogy was amazing as she took all the different paranormal characters and tossed them into the mix together, but the last story still stays with me – it was a page turner and one that I could read over and over.
3) Kick ass or not? (Otherwise known as Team Buffy or Team Bella?)

Kick ass all the way for me!

4) Your perfect paranormal hero is…

I don’t have a particular one in mind.  There are far too many types out there.  I do know it’s not the superman type – they have too much of ‘do gooder’ in them.  My perfect idea of a paranormal hero has to a bit of rebel and badass in him if he’s going to keep my attention.

5) What’s at the top of your TBR pile?

My TBR pile is constantly growing and the top is ever changing.  I do have a series sitting there that someday I am going to get to read is Cassandra Clares’ The Mortal Instruments.

6) What was the toughest part about writing your story?

With Mystic Perceptions I would have to say it was bringing the characters closer together without going against the boundaries Jacinda’s abilities force her to live within.  It took me hours of brain storming to come up with the male character that could overcome those boundaries and I think the readers will agree that Reid fits that roll perfectly.

7) Share with us your favorite scene.

I’d love to!

Reid walked back into the office and stopped as soon as

he saw the expression on Jacinda’s face. She was standing
behind his desk and it only took one glance at her face to
know he hadn’t closed the file open on his desktop.

Brent walked over to him, wincing, and quickly took

one mug from him. “I’ll—uh–be back.”

He watched Brent almost run from the room. Coward.
“I’m researching–trying to find a lead for you–and
you’re researching my past?”

Okay, so it sounded bad when she put it like that. “I like

to know who I’m working with.” He set the cups down on
the table, safely away from the angry woman, and she was
definitely angry–there was no guarding that emotion from
showing.

Stepping around his desk, she glared at him. “Then

ask!”

She stood there glaring up at him with her hands on her
hips, almost daring him to push her further. And the part he
had trouble swallowing was she looked so appealing like
that he wanted to go over and hug her. Appealing? Where
had that insane thought come from? Here she was looking

like she was going to rip his head off and hand it to him and
his mind was tossing stuff like that at him. His own thoughts

jolted him into action. He walked with long strides over
behind his desk. “Why did you move away?”

Flinging a hand towards the computer monitor, she
hissed. “Can’t you read? I’d helped convict the son of a very
powerful man and didn’t want to spend the rest of my life
looking over my shoulder.”

He frowned at the article on his screen briefly before he

looked over at her. Asking was making her angrier. “Is that
why you changed your last name?”

Putting her hands back on her hips, she dropped he
head down to look at the floor and took a deep breath before
answering. “Partially. Brown is a very common name and
looks much neater on a business card than Brown-Straton.”
Every word she spoke came out in a clipped, controlled

voice. He was sinking here. “Why do you avoid people?”

Her head popped up and brown eyes burned into him.
“I do what?”

“Avoid people; you walk through a room making sure
you’re close to no one.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Do you like being close to
strangers, Detective?”

He jammed both hands into his pockets and shook his

head.

“Are we finished?” When he nodded she spun and
grabbed her purse, heading towards the door Brent was just
stepping through. “I’m going to get some air!” she hissed as
she moved past him.

Brent rolled his head towards his stupefied-looking
partner. “That went well.”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe–you should go try to fix it?”

Reid blew out a breath.

Grinning, Brent walked over to stand in front of him.

“Okay, setting aside that whole pride thing–which you seem
to have gotten more than anyone’s share of–she has gotten
us further with this case in two days then we’ve gotten in a
month.” Reid just stood there and looked at him. “And the
Captain will hit the ceiling if she walks out when the chief,
mayor and all those other big guys find out she quit because
you’re an ass.”

“Well, they all know that, so that shouldn’t be too
shocking.” Grinning, he shrugged. Guilt stabbed at him; he
let out a deep breath. “I’ll go talk to her.” Unclipping his
gun, he set it on the desk.

Brent smirked. “Is that so you don’t shoot her or so she
doesn’t beat you with it?”

Giving him an annoyed look, Reid walked towards the
door. “Bit of both,” he mumbled to himself.

8) What is in your purse right now?

Oh, what a question!  I carry one of those gigantic purses…

Lets see, wallet, brush and the normal “quick fix” items.   I’m a manager at a cafe, so I have several rings of keys and the schedule (so I know who is working when in case someone calls in sick) … a note book, various pens, date book … and today my netbook is even in there.  Tylenol, my iron pills (that I never remember to take) arnica gel (because I hurt myself at least once a day)… all of my kids health cards, SIN cards, birth certificates are in their own little wallet.  A pouch of bookmarks for all of my published books. My glasses (which I should be wearing right now). And at the very bottom I’ve just discovered my favourite hair clip that I thought was lost forever and roughly six more pens.

9) What sets your books apart from all of the other paranormal books out there?

With the present trend, the quick answer would be: I don’t write vampire stories.  That alone sets me apart from the largest portion of paranormal books out right now.  The more lengthy answer is that I try to come up with ideas that haven’t been done too many times.  I prefer witches and magic more than not, or abilities that aren’t the norm as far as characters that have abilities go.

Recently though it was brought to my attention that my books either have murders or curses … and I hadn’t even realized I was doing that but they were right!  Mystic Perceptions would fall into the ‘murder’ area and my next release Salvation is about a cursed pirate ghost …  In one of my releases next year I have witches, magic and a curse …

Hmm, I may have to take my banner “all things paranormal” and change it to “queen of curses” if I keep plotting cursed characters.

J

10) Any advice for new authors?

Keep writing!  Don’t pause and wait for answers and opinions once you’ve submitted something, just keep writing.  I have discovered the waiting (acceptance, edits, covers, galley’s, release dates…) will bog you down and then you have a hard time getting back to the keyboard and getting some work done.  I have at least two stories on the go all the time.  As soon as I finish one I begin another before I even go back and polish the last.  The ideas flow more easily if I don’t allow everything else to keep me away from writing for too long.

Blurb:

Jacinda Brown keeps to her safe existence doing investigative research, avoiding people and places with people. To most, it appears she has a normal life; blending completely undetected in her lonely continuation. She doesn’t investigate people; she can’t get that close. Through her hand she can feel emotions, thoughts.  With a touch she can see what has been.

Unfortunately fate tosses her into a situation where her carefully guarded secret and her own conscience are at war when she finds herself working with detectives to find a killer.  Jacinda clashes with the very strongly grounded detective, Reid Merritt, destiny has forced her to work with.  At some point he begins to matter, making her decision harder. Will he look at her with abhorrence, like she’s some sort of freak when she’s through?

When the fifth murder happens, Jacinda makes the decision to use her gift to find the killer.  She doesn’t let herself think of how she’s going to suffer afterward, the consequences that will curse her again, the chance she’ll be giving up everything and starting all over.  She just thinks of finding some justice and stopping a killer.

What will be the price, this time, for the ability she doesn’t want?

Excerpt:

Brent just sat there and looked at her. Reid stifled a sigh. They were pulling his leg right? This was a joke of some kind. When she continued to stand there, without so much as a smirk he frowned over at his partner. Reid shook his head in disbelief.

“It can’t be paper or clothing.” Jac said quietly.

Brent reached into his shirt, pulling out his chain and pendant. Lifting it over his head, he handed it to the crazy woman standing there, patiently holding her hand out at him.

Reid gave her a “you’ve got to be kidding” look when she stepped in front of him. When she continued to stand there, looking at him impatiently, he leaned back and pulled his keys out of his pocket. Working the pendant off the ring, he handed it to her and leaned back again. He knew his blood pressure was going to spike shortly if they didn’t stop screwing around, then he was going to start yelling.

Sandy sat down behind Jac. “Ready?”

“Yeah.” Jac held up her hand, palm up. When the doctor lowered Brent’s chain into it, Jac closed her hand around it and she took a few deep breaths as if she was trying to find some focus.

He knew Brent was waiting for them to say “Gotcha!” too. When he heard Jac laugh softly, he figured it was now.

Jac shook her head. “Really Sandy – next time please specify something they weren’t wearing during sex.” She grinned. “Cute blonde though Brent, love the lady bug tattoo.”

Filed under Guest, Suzanne Rock · Tagged with Author Interview, Class Act Books, Guest Author, Jacqueline Paige, Mystic Perceptions