Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Interview with Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor


I'm delighted to welcome my fellow MFRW author and dragon collector, Janet Lane Walters, to my blog. Be sure to read her interview as well as her excerpt from The Amber Chronicles.

Interview with Janet Lane Walters


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Why do you write  romance?

Romance is just one of the genres I write in but the reason I enjoy writing romances is watching the developing relationship between two characters who have come together. I do like to write those with a past and a reason they’ve been driven apart and figuring how to make the relationship work when they write again. Actually looking at this again, other than the YA stories I’ve written and the non-fiction, there is a hint of romance in all I write.



What romance subgenres do you write in? Why?

Subgenres include paranormal, fantasy, contemporary, mystery, suspense. Why do I write in so many? That’s because I enjoy reading many kind of books and I like writing what I enjoy. I also have a twisted mind that takes me on many tracks.



Are you aware of any themes that run through your stories? If so, what are they?

Themes are for the literary critic. I write stories and don’t look for themes unless you look at rather general ones like love conquers all, or good vs evil with good winning. Had a hard time while obtaining my degree in English for the teachers were always harping about find the theme in the story. Was not my thing and though I passed with flying colors, I never could find the theme in other people’s stories or in my own. Now I do have some symbols that occur in many of my stories like jewels and Astrology, and all kinds of healing.



What would you like readers to take away from your stories?

Perhaps hope but also escape from the daily grind. I have no themes to push or anything but having people find a new world to spend some time with and hopefully characters that make them realize love is possible.



What inspires your stories?

Hard question to answer since inspiration comes from so many things. Usually a plot idea pops into my head. May be triggered by  something I read or something I hear. Seldom inspired by something I see.

 


 What is your writing schedule?

Since I’m long retired I write by bits and pieces but I write every day. I handwrite out the first few drafts of a story since I’m a draft writer and have planned my stories before I begin. When I type, I put in notes to myself so I can go back and expand scenes or look up research material. Some people consider me a fast writer but I don’t think so. The length of time to finish a book depends on how long the book or story is.



Do you have any other passions besides writing? If yes, what are they? Why?

I’d say my grandchildren. They range from six to 26 and there are 7 of them. Four, the oldest ones are black. We adopted their biracial mother when she was nearly four. The other four are adopted from China. The great age range is fun to deal with. They keep me young in thought though not in body.

Another passion is collecting dragons. I have about 40 of different varieties. Why dragons? I’ve always loved fantasy and dragons mean fantasy to me.



Where is your favorite place to write? Why?

I have a study that’s off the living room of the Dutch Colonial house where I live. There’s a recliner since I write be hand on a clipboard. There’s also a desk with a computer and printer plus a shelf of dragons above. I took this place over when we moved into the house and would hate to give it up. One of the great reasons is I could keep an eye on the children when they were younger and create messe when doing research.



If you have/had another career, what was it?

For many years I was a nurse. In fact my nursing and writing careers were divided. I worked as a nurse, then left to be with my children. I began to write and had a small success until the market for short stories dried up. I began writing novels and interrupted that when the children became college age. Once that was done I returned to writing.


 

If you could have one wish, what would it be?

To rid the world of all the ugliness that seems to be cropping up lately.

If you could describe yourself in only one word, what would it be? Why?


Eclectic. That’s the way I write and the way I live my life by not being bogged down with anything, other than writing.


Are you a cat or dog person? Do you have any pets and if so, please tell us about them.

I’m a cat person who no longer has one. My Maine Coon cat, Robespierre died and I had no urge to have another. He’s memorialized in the Katherine Miller mystery series. He came to the house as a stray kitten found in the wire rims of my car. Robespierre was so small we had to feed him with a baby doll bottle. He spent much time sitting on my shoulder until he became too large. At top weight he was 25 pounds and all of that was muscle. My favorite memory of him was when he taught my oldest granddaughter how to crawl by bumping her rear when she was rocking.



Please tell us about your most recent release and where we can purchase it.

My latest release is Amber Chronicles. The story begins when Emme, a witch and the herir of her kingdom acts in a nasty way. She is banished until she learns how to love. When her first attempt to charm a prince into loving her on her demand, she curses the family. What follows is a group of stories of how the princes of Rivand enter the amber orb and their adventures. Emme finally figures out that love is selfless and sacrifices herself to become the Woman Cast In Amber. Will she ever escape the amber orb and find the love that will free her?
Amber Chronicles                                         


 

 

Please give us your urls and your publisher’s url.

Twitter JanetL717



Facebook https://www.facebook.com



Publishers:

Books We Love  http://bookswelove.net/




 

 

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Blurb:


Amber Chronicles Collection: Emme, a witch and the heir to the throne of the world called Amber is banished from her home to find love. She believes she can command a man to love her but this does not work. Angry at being told no by the crown prince of Rivand she casts a spell on the Riva family. Every hundred years when the moon is full at the summer solstice she will call the crown prince. If he refuses to cede his love to her he will enter the amber orb and vanish. Four times she fails and the princes find adventure on other worlds. One turns an enchanted amber dragon into a princess. The second is imprisoned in an amber tower and must select a bride. The third must free the heroine from an amber cage. Emme slowly learns her lesson and returns to spend her childhood with the fourth prince. Hoping knowing each other will help. She has fallen in love with the crown prince and enters the amber orb in his place. Can Emme who is Cast in Amber be freed and gain the love she has sought for all those years?

 

 

Excerpt:

 

Strains of music wafted from the ball room of the Amber Palace into the garden. Emme tapped her foot against the flagstone walk in an angry counterpoint to the dulcet tones. With each passing moment, the realization of another failure strengthened. Four times a prince had appeared at the palace seeking her hand in marriage. Four times the prince had chosen one of her younger sisters. Tonight the last prince would name her youngest as his chosen bride.

With great effort Emme capped her anger. Lysanda would pay just as her other sisters had. As the oldest, she should have been the first to find a bridegroom. Envy twisted with jealousy to form a rope binding her thoughts. This prince should be here for he was the last of the eligible ones in this world called Amber suited for training as a wizard and destined to sit on the amber throne beside Emme’s.

The scent of roses, jasmine and bluet filled the air with their sweet breath. The heavy aroma pressed against her forcing Emme to gasp.

She heard light tapping of slippers on the stones and knew Lysanda approached. Her sister expected to find Prince, what was his name, waiting to declare his love. Then amber lights would radiate across the night sky announcing Emme had failed again. That would not happen.

Lysanda came into view. Her hair, a few shades darker than Emme’s pure amber tones, hung in ringlets down her back. “Where is Rendel?” she asked.

“Looking for you,” Emme said. “I sent him to the Tower of Sighs.”

“Why?”

Emme stepped toward her sister. She smiled at the alarm in Lysanda’s pale blue eyes. Only Emme’s matched the blue of a summer sky. “You stole him. He was to be my prince.”

Lysanda asked. “He fell in love with me. His heart once given can never change.” She stepped closer. Don’t think to take him from me. That is impossible.”

Emme fisted her hand on her hips. “I have no desire for a man who chose another over me. I’m sure he believes he will be able to rule you for your power is small and you can never sit on the amber throne. You have taken my last chance for love and rulership. I will take from you.”

Lysanda tore her gaze from Emme’s face. “What do you mean?”

“Face me, sister. Power against power or are you afraid?”

“I fear no one. I am a witch with power equal to yours.”

Emme heard a slight tremor in her sister’s voice. Knowledge filled her. She would drain Lysanda and leave her week. Three times before she had faced a sister and won.

She drew the wind to eddy around Lysanda in wispy bands and sped and tightened them. One by one Lysanda broke the restraints. With each snap, Emme absorbed the power of the breaking.

Emme set the torches of the garden blazing. Tendrils of fire flowed toward her sister.

Lysanda gathered the flames and sent burning orbs toward Emme. “You will not win.”

Emme pulled water from the fountain. Fire and water met turning to steam shrouding the air with sizzling vapor. With slow steps Emme moved through the mist. The earth shook beneath her feet. Lysanda’s body wove in an attempt to remain standing.

Emme grasped her sister’s wrist. “Cede to me.” She drained the essence of magic from her sister’s cells.

“A curse I cry.” Lysanda’s shrill voice pierced Emme’s concentration. “Long will you search. Until you can give with forcing and demanding you will be alone.”

Those words forced Emme to release her sister. Lysanda slumped to the ground. Four times one of her sisters had said the same curse. Four times a sister had survived. She raised her hand and released all she’d taken from Lysanda. Brilliant flashes of light colored the night sky with all the colors possible except for amber.

She heard the sound of pounding boots. The prince stepped into view. “What have you done?”

“What I had to. Lysanda remains a witch and in a hundred years or so she will recover. You will never become a wizard. You will never rule the world called Amber.

The prince drew his sword and stalked toward her. “Why have you done this to my beloved?”

“You chose the wrong sister as those before you have done. Take her. Announce your betrothal. You can’t defeat me. You are the last to try.”

The sword slipped from his hands. Lysanda stirred. He lifted her to her feet. “My love.” He glared at Emme. “You will never find love until you love another more than you love yourself.”

 

 

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