An Interview with Melanie Jackson

Melanie Jackson is a top selling author of paranormal fiction. She is published by Dorchester Publishing and as of this date has some 20 odd works in print. Mrs. Jackson was gracious enough to provide us with a short interview for this issue

If you want to learn more about Melanie Jackson's books, please visit her home page at http://www.melaniejackson.com.

Q: So, just how many books have you published to date?
A: 20. And two more in the pipeline.

Q: You must be excited by that. Is the process still fresh?
A: There's always excitement when you see your new book. I don't think anyone can deal with the nuts and bolts of copy editing and still feel fresh after twenty books.

Q: As a veteran of the hardcopy press, what's you're opinion of online publishing and ebooks in general?
A: I think that for the sake of trees everywhere it would be a good thing to have more books available electronically. But for myself, I love the feel of a paper book in my hand.

Q: Do you enjoy being part of the writing community, or do you find the environment to be self serving and back stabbing?
A: My best freinds are writers. My worst enemies are writers. And then there's critics...

Q: Okay, maybe we should dial things down a notch.
A: Okay (smile).

Q: Whose are your favorite authors and why?
A: Mary Stewart becase she has the greatest sense of place and can make me believe that I'm living someplace else. Georgette Heyer because she is a master of social parody. And Stephen King because I think that technically he's just a great writer. Can I have a guilty pleasure? Richard Laymon.

Q: What do you hate in modern literature? I mean, what really drives you batshit?
A: Simplistic writing. Over explored themes. Too many imitators, not enough originators. Too many writers have run away from descriptive narrative.

Q: What do you hope to get out of writing? What is your professional goal?
A: To become a better writer. To remain independent enough to write about only things that interest me. And to be popular enough to remain published.

Q: Those are rather humble goals. You wouldn't want to be Stephen King yourself?
A: Nope. Fortunate would be okay, but not fame.

Q: What advice can you provide to the burgeoning writer regarding getting a carreer off the ground?
A: Be persistant. Its stubborness as much as talent that will get you to your goal. You also have to actually write (smile).

Q: What are your favorite monster movies?
A: Lake Placid, Constantine, Resident Evil, and 30 Days of Night.

Q: What's common to all these movies that you enjoy?
A: Good writing. Good acting.

Q: What do you think of the typical acadamy award winners?
A: About what I think of the Oprah Book Club selections. They're all very well done and almost always depressing.

Q: What's the favorite book of yours that you've written and why?
A: A Curious Affair. In this book I chose to use a natural voice. It's a small intimate story in which I sit down at a table with a pot of tea and talk to the reader.

Q: Thanks for talking with us. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
A: Yes. Thank you for not asking me where I get my ideas (laugh).