Getting to know you: Zan

I've been working on the follow up story to my December release, No Limits. No Mercy is Zan the space pirate's book. I knew from the second this 6'6 golden-eyed hunk of trouble popped into my head that I needed to write his story. He's the anti hero, shameless and oozes sensual heat. His heroine is just as snazzy, Stinger pilot Gia, a real woman of the future. She takes no shit, wants nothing but a warm body in her bed and maybe a glass of good scotch. And to fly her awesome ship to the far reaches of the galaxy.

One of the things I like to do when sussing out a new hero and heroine is find each of them a theme song.That way, when reality yanks me out of my writerly bubble I have a tether to my characters. But not just any old song will do. And some characters just don't have theme songs, they are more creations of the story  than creations of my mind.

But this book, oh man, from the second I finished the synopsis I knew the soundtrack would blow me away. Gia sauntered up and selected Dido's I'm No Angel for her theme song. Following that hypnotic tune, I selected Enigma's The Principles of Lust for the over arching background music.

Zan though, was a tough one. I was out for a walk the other day, scrolling through the options. My husband is a chronic audiophile and we have a iTunes account that could choke a donkey or play nonstop until the Sun implodes. Zan was with me, basically scoffing as I fumbled through the choices. Here's how it went down.

Jenna: Kay talk to me big guy. Tell me who you are.

Zan: You know who I am, you created me.

Jenna: True, but I need a little insight into the inner workings of your mind. What are your goals, your ambitions. What has scarred you for life?

Zan: Laser pistols and a really big knife. 

Jenna: Stop being so literal. scrolling through the artists section. I'm envisioning something metal, or maybe hardcore rap sans the let's kick the bitch vibe.

Zan: Kicks his feet up on my desk and closes his eyes. 

Jenna: Fists on hips. Am I boring you?

Zan: Well,  what do I get out of this?

Jenna: The chance to star in the best novel I've ever written. Are you old school, or new age? Come on now, help me narrow it down to a decade. Are we talking hairbands? Emo? Throw me a fricking bone here, man.

Zan: Raises eyebrow. That sounds like a mighty fine idea.

Jenna: Billy Squire's Everybody Wants You.

Zan: You're over thinking it. I'm a simple creature.

Jenna: I could just go with Elton John's I'm Still Standing.

Zan: Leans forward, scrolls down to P. There you go.

Jenna: Scowling. Primus?  The Police? Poison?

And there's the smirk I love oh so much. Selecting Poison, one of the most underrated bands of all time, I check out the selection. Though Zan is not an Every Rose Has Its Thorn kinda guy, I play the song because I love it. And then there it is, practically shaking me by the lapels.

Well Zan is a Sexual Thing. He's right. As in all things, a kiss makes it all better.

Keep It Simple, Stupid

Guest Spotlight Jennifer L Hart and Redeeming Characters Blog Tour!

LL: Okay, so as you may or may not know, I'm actually the other side of an already established author. Please welcome my stick-in-the-mud half, Jennifer L Hart

Jenn: The milk of human kindness flows through your veins, Lusha. Is it any wonder I hide you like a dirty secret?

LL: Kay, so what do you suppose is the fundamental difference between your persona and mine?

Jenn: Several things.  You write fantasy erotica to my more reality based romances and mysteries.

LL: You once swore up down and sideways that you would never have a pen name. What changed your mind?

Jenn: Honestly, I was pretty ignorant about why having a pseudonym might be important. I wrote contemporary romance and mystery as myself for years, sweet and steamy. But the pen name has more to do with my readers than with me.  You're not for everyone and I can't write with the same level of freedom and intensity as you do. You're the specialist to my general practitioner.

LL:*snicker* So am I the gyno or the proctologist?

Jenn: Next question.

LL: Let's talk about sex, baby.

Jenn: With myself? Sounds like a typical Thursday morning.

LL: Why do some of your books have no open door love scenes and others, like Redeeming Characters  have several?



Jenn: The story and the characters dictate the amount of intimacy that needs to be revealed. In my Laundry Hag mysteries, the primary couple is married and already emotionally connected. Doing an open door love scene for them would just be the equivalent of writing porn. Sometimes what you don't say is just as important as what you do.


Redeeming Characters is different because I believed the reader needed to witness the emotional bonding between Drue and Dakota.And then my editor got a hold of it and said it could use even more! The encounter on the balcony scene was not in the original draft, but I absolutely love it.

LL: You've mentioned that it took you three years to write this book. Did you work on it exclusively?

Jenn: Nope. I started it in April of '06. We moved in May of the same year and I abandoned it while I wrote the first Misadventures of the Laundry Hag book.  Then came "Worth the Wait", River Rats and Hag 2, plus a little dabbling with other stories. If my mind went in a straight line instead of whirling around the infinity symbol, I'd be dangerous.

LL: You're claiming Stellar Timing, even though outer space is clearly my domain. Any thoughts on handing it over?

Jenn: Nope, even though its fantasy, it's my break out sci-fi fantasy.The sexual tension adds to the story but it isn't the foundation for it like it your stuff. Deal is you get one book and one short story a year while I get the hag mysteries and the stellarverse.

LL*pouts* I want to play with Talenforth.

Jenn: Maybe I'll let you do a guest short, but you need to cooperate.

LL: So back to Redeeming Characters. Where did the name come from?

Jenn: The dark orifice where all my story titles come from. ;-) Granted this one took longer to work its way out than most. I had to consider themes within the story and narrowed it down to two. The decision was made the way all m tough calls are made. 

"Hey, Scott. Which do you like better, Redeeming Characters or Character Redemption?"
"Character Redemption."
"Redeeming Characters it is."

LL:You did something sneaky with the story, making it a contemporary romance about writers creating a sci-fi/futuristic world. Did you plan on heading into outer space from the start?

Jenn: Nope. I've always loved science fiction but I never thought I could write it, Honestly I didn't believe I was that creative. 

LL: What are some of your favorite science fiction stories?

Jenn: Star Trek TNG, Star Wars, Farscape, LEXX, but my all time favorite is Firefly and Serenity. It's how Sci Fi should be done, with the setting and special effects enhancing the story, not carrying it.  

LL: Well, this talking to myself business has gone on long enough, so any final statements?

Jenn: Giving away a PDF copy of one of my stories to a random commenter. Read up on the choices here:

http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-L.-Hart/e/B003MAFV4A/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

And I'm giving away a fifty dollar Amazon.com giftcard to the faithful on Saturday. For full details please visit www.jenniferlhart.com.

LL: Oh I got a great way to pick the winner! Eniy meany miney mick, catch a shifter by the--

Jenn: And I'm out!