Questions and Answers What are you currently working on? An erotic short story. It's a take off on a Grimm's fairy tale for Ellora's Cave. It's a science fiction twist on The Frog Prince, and is called The Frog Prince from Planet Marécage. It features a prim spaceship, a princess who's never seen a real male, and a talking frog. Otherwise, I'm finishing edits for the sequel to Time for Alexander, (Jacobyte books) I'm editing Virtual Murder (Novel Books, Inc.), and I'm getting ready to edit an as yet untitled novel for Ellora's Cave. I write under a pen name for Ellora's Cave. Not because I'm embarrassed about anything, but because I've always wanted to be called Samantha! Who (Fact or Fiction) would you most like to meet, and what would you ask them? Alexander the Great. I'd like to see if he's anything like how I've imagined him to be. I'd ask him how he liked my book. Is there a book or story you wish you had written? Hyperion. That book amazed me. I loved it. And also, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I read that and cried, I was laughing so hard. Is writing your full time occupation, if not what is? I write part time and illustrate part time. It's nice having two jobs I can juggle with, but sometimes the deadlines get crazy. What was your first professional sale? How did it feel when you received he acceptance? I sold a humorous article to Polo Magazine. Everything was by fax, (way) back then. I kept the fax with the acceptance until the writing faded to nothing. There's still an old, blank piece of fax sheet in my file drawer. Who is you favorite author? I can only pick ONE? All right, if you insist. Ray Bradbury. If you could give one piece of advice to a would-be author, what would it e? Don't give up. Trite but true. When did you first decide that you wanted to be an author? When I was five. I decided the world needed an animal encyclopedia. I started with the rabit. (Excuse the spelling, I was five.) Mr. Rabit. Nible, nible gose he on the berys. (Then Mr. Bear.) Bears sleepe all winter becaus thayr pads are thin. When did you first feel that you were an author? When my mother stapled my animal encyclopedia together with a cardboard over. Are you for or against e-books? For, definitely. I live in France and books are expensive. E-books are inexpensive, instant gratification. (I see one I want, I buy it, I download it, I read it!) And I get this smug feeling that I've helped save several trees from an untimely demise. Are you a music fan? If so, what? I love music. I listen to anything, really. Here are what's on my CD player right now. Train, Nickleback, Abba, Staind, Kate Campbell, Mozart and De Palmas - J'en Rêve Encore. SF, Skiffy or Sci-Fi? What is the correct shortening of Science Fiction and does it matter? Anything but Skiffy. Do you have a favourite place to write? In my living room. My computer is there, and it keeps me social. Do you enjoy book signings/conventions? Haven't had those pleasures. But book signings would be tough. I'm very dyslexic and my handwriting is atrocious. Why do you like SF/F/H? I love to travel. Voyages to other places, other worlds, meeting new people, going where no one has gone before... What book are you reading at the moment? 'Horse Latitudes' by Robert Ferringo. Oh. My. God. Is there anything else that can be done with Alien Invasion, Time Travel or Robots? Time traveling robots stop alien invasion. Of course there is! Look at Harry Potter - book publishing companies had specific orders in their guidelines: No More 'Schools for Witches' Stories! And see what happened. Great characters and a solid plot can carry any theme. Do you prefer writing about the near future or the far distant future? It doesn't matter to me - the future is the future, and anything can happen. As a reader do you prefer Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror? In this order : Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror. Short Story, Single Novel or Novel Series - which do you think is the best medium for Science Fiction? The Best? They're all superb. I don't believe there is a best medium here. It's like asking, "What's the best medium for a landscape, oils, pastel or water color?" Do you have a scientific background? Other than an 'A' in high school biology, no. But I read my son's "Science and Future" magazines. They're in French and very interesting. Do you get inspiration from recent scientific discoveries and theories? Yes. What are your thoughts on writing for shared world series such as Dragonlance and Star Trek? I'd rather not think about that, if you don't mind. Do you enjoy collaborating? I have a hard enough time collaborating with my editors. That said, I've never tried a direct collaboration, so maybe it would work out just fine. Got anyone in mind? Do You Always know a Story's Ending When You Begin Writing? Well, I try to have a vague idea of where I'm going, but it's often a surprise when I get there. I use outlines, but they are fluid and subject to change. Mostly it depends on whether the story is plot driven or character driven. Some characters take over. That's what happened in Time for Alexander. It was supposed to be a short story, and turned into a seven book series of epic proportions. Alexander just took control, and the outline went into the trashcan after three chapters. Virtual Murder was half plot, half character driven, so the outline changed a bit. Angels on Crusade was plotted out following the eighth Crusade with St. Louis, so that was an inflexible framework. Why do you think SF gets a bad press? Well, I didn't know it got bad press, actually, but I'm not into reading critiques. I suppose Science Fiction is like any other style book. There are very good and very bad ones out there. I think that a lot of people don't have the imagination to read Science Fiction - it takes imagination and you have to be open-minded, so there is bound to be bad press. What's the most memorable thing said in a review of your work? (Excuse me while I go look this up...) Actually, this was the letter the reviewer sent me with the review: "Three things you should know about me: I rarely give five 'stars', I hate reading books on the computer, and I never write authors to tell them, effusively, how much I liked their book. I Sat down last night to read your book, figuring I'd just read until my eyes got tired, then quit. (I get eye strain) I read your book, stopping only twice for necessities, and could not quit. It didn't want to. I absolutely Loved your book. I almost wrote you a silly fan girl letter last night after I finished, but restrained myself. I must at least attempt to act like a pro. :D Thank you for sending this to me!" (Cindy Lynn Speer, GWN Book Reviewer) Otherwise, I loved the review that started off : "This book is fantastic!" (Of course I would like that!) Have you won any awards for your writing? I was thrilled to win the 3 am / Harper Collins prize for flash fiction this July (2002). One of my short stories was nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and that blew me away too. Is there something you are particularly proud of? Finishing Time for Alexander, and having it published. That was pretty exciting. I was proud of myself because it was not an easy book to place. When you read it, you realize that it doesn't fit into any slot. It's the proverbial square peg, and nobody wanted to touch it. It is not politically, morally or 'publishing guidelines' correct. None of the characters fit into any "hero" mold. Alexander is resolutely determined to conquer Persia, Ashley his time-traveling wife is not faithful to him (Well, why should she be? She's wife number three.) and Plexis, better known as Hephaistian, is madly in love with Alexander. Plus it's so well-researched the details make it very much a historical novel, but the scientific approach to the time-travel element makes it science fiction. There is a love story - between three people, so that removes it from the realm of category romance <G>. Most editors loved it but were afraid to take the chance on publishing it. Now it's becoming something if an underground best seller. There are reviews and interviews popping up in such varied places as The Literary Potpourri, PQ International Magazine, A Romance Review, SFR online, and Ebook Fanfare. Actress Andie MacDowell has a copy. It's been described as campy and fun, evocative, enthralling, and mesmerizing. (I liked that one.) And a playwright friend in California is looking at it to turn it into a screenplay for a mini series. Plug away - what do you have coming out? Virtual Murder, a science fiction book set half in a computer generated world, half in our near future, will be coming out March 3, 2003. I'm in the middle of editing it right now. In October 2003 there is another sci-fi historical called Angels on Crusade. Both will be published by NovelBooks, Inc. and will be available in electronic as well as in trade paperback format in all major bookstores. Many Thanks, Jennifer! Relevant Links Jennifier Macaire Main Bibliography Jennifier Macaire's Website Jacobyte Books NovelBooks, Inc.