Interview with Julie Kenner
Interview by M. E. Wood
During my interview with Julie Kenner, I found we both have some things in
common-- particularly a "messy office" and the ongoing hope that we'll organize
it someday. Maybe you'll find something in common with her, too. Enjoy!
Where are you from?
I'm from Austin, Texas, though I live in a small town just outside of Austin
now. Austin's a great town, though it is growing way too fast for my taste! It's
the "Live Music Capital of the World" and is absolutely beautiful. O. Henry
described it as the city with the violet crown, and it was once featured in
National Geographic. Lots of celebrities live here or hang out here now. And
lately, the city's become known for both its tech and film industries.
What is your specialty?
Well, I'd have to say women's fiction, since I write across multiple genres.
Romance, suspense, chick lit.
Do you write full time?
Yup! Since June 15, 2004. I love it. I tend to start about 9:00 a.m. and work
until about 4:00 p.m. Depending on how much I've accomplished during the day,
I'll work in the evenings, too. Unfortunately, that's not straight writing, as
I'm horribly distracted by the Internet. I'm tempted by real estate sites (I
have house lust), e-mail loops, and websites. When I really get down to the wire
on a project, I take my Alphasmart and write someplace without an Internet
connection.
What was your previous career?
I used to work full time as an attorney, which is time-consuming enough without
doing that AND writing anywhere from three to five books each year! After
writing and practicing law for five years (and having a kiddo for two and a half of those
five years),
it's been a fabulous thrill to have a more leisurely schedule these last six
months. Possibly too leisurely, as I'm still relishing having "time" during the
day!
Do you get dressed to go to work?
Yes, but only because the staff at the day care my daughter attends would be offended if I
dropped her off in my flannel pajamas. I don't wear work clothes (my suits have
been retired), but I do wear "not embarrassed to answer the door clothes."
Describe your office.
Messy. Yup, that pretty much covers it. My constant goal is to get it cleaned
up. Thus far, I have not reached that goal. I tell myself the mess is part of
the creative process, but I don't really believe that (though I do still use
that excuse when my mother comes by and comments on it). And now that I've quit
my day job, I can't use the "I don't have time" excuse. (Well, actually, I do
use that excuse, too. I mean, I write during the day and play with my kid after
4:00 p.m. But somehow it doesn't sound as convincing without the lawyer job,
too.)
No inspirational quotes, though I love that kind of thing. I was designing a
banner with quotes for my office before we moved, but never finished it. I have
two desks that form an "L," one with my computer and the other (ostensibly) a
work table. It, however, is piled high with paper (at the moment it has the
manuscript of a friend's book, one of those alphabetical filing things shoved
full of paper, galleys for Carpe Demon (Berkley Trade, 2005), an
accordion file with 2004 receipts, a stack of wedding magazines for the book I'm
writing at this very moment, and a pile of miscellaneous and unanswered mail).
My color printer sits on two filing cabinets and my laser jet on a little table.
I have a dry erase board above my computer with pending projects, money that's
coming in (yay!), and contracts that are coming in.
Two walls covered with bookshelves (thus the lack of inspirational posters-- no
space), a closet filled with books, and a retro rocking chair that is supremely
uncomfortable, but which my mom had even before I was born. I'm going to store
it one of these days and get a recliner.
And, usually, there's a cat wandering around somewhere... most often on the
keyboard.
How does your living arrangement affect your
writing/work?
Interestingly enough, I think it was easier to be focused before I quit my day
job. Now, I'm living and working in the same place, and it's so easy to be
distracted by laundry that needs to be done, dishes that need to be put away,
and a gazillion other household things that just “have” to be done. Couple that with
the Internet, and the fact that I really try not to work after my kid gets
home... and, well, it's a nightmare for those of us who are natural
procrastinators. Mostly, though, I just need to get into a groove, and when it's
really tough, I leave the house altogether and head to Starbucks. So, I guess
you could say my living arrangement works fine... so long as I can get away
when I need to.
Where is the setting of most of your novels?
They're all over the place, but I have set several in Los Angeles and Manhattan,
two of my absolute favorite cities. My new series, beginning with Carpe Demon,
is set in a coastal California town that is a combination of Newport Beach
and Santa Barbara. I lived in both LA and Orange County for a while and love
them both (though I also love the much lower cost of living and proximity to the
grandparents that my home state of Texas provides!).
What made you decide to tackle the genre of novels you
write in?
I actually write in a lot of different genres: women's fiction, suspense,
paranormal, romance, action-adventure. Part of the reason I write in so many is
that I'm easily bored. Sad, but true! I started writing to entertain myself, and
I'm fortunate to have been able to sell in a lot of different genres, which
keeps my creative juices flowing!
What kind of research do you do to make your novels
realistic?
Library? Talking to people? It really depends on the book. For Carpe Demon,
I did a lot of research on the Internet (as to demons) and talked to the deacon
at my church about the architectural elements of the cathedral. For The
Givenchy Code (Downtown Press, 2005), I did extensive Internet and in-person
research on locations in New York and on various codes and online gaming
scenarios. I have to admit I prefer online research. I'm basically shy;
in-person and telephone research takes some working up to. I love that I live in
this era and can click over to Google and find pretty much anything!
Do your books have a specific and distinctive quality,
characteristic, or concern? If so, why is this important to your books?
Not on purpose, but I think that if you were to examine them all for a thesis
paper, you'd find that the common theme is something along the lines of "be true
to yourself." I've always tried to be true to what “I” wanted to do, taking
lesser paying legal jobs to find something more in-tune with what I wanted to
do, and ultimately quitting all together because what I really wanted to focus
on was my writing. I think some of that "follow your dream" mentality seeps
through into my books!
Tell us about your current release.
I have several projects in 2005. The first is a novella. In March it appeared in
The Hope Chest with Jacquie D'Allessandro and Susan Kearney. Lots of fun
to write because we each wrote in a different period, with Jacquie doing
historical, me doing contemporary, and Susan doing the future. The stories are
linked by a chest that only the women in this particular family can open. My
story touches on space travel, which was great fun for me as my parents used to
work at NASA.
Next is The Givenchy Code in June. This is the first in a trilogy from
Downtown Press. It's chick lit suspense, and I don't think it's an exaggeration
to say that this book is VERY fast-paced!
Following in July is Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom.
This is the first in a series from Berkley. The heroine, Kate Connor, is a stay
at home mom with a secret she keeps from her family: she used to be a demon
hunter. But when demons invade her laid-back little town, well, Kate's called
out of retirement. Think: What if Buffy grew up? (Note: Carpe Demon has
been optioned by Warner Brothers Pictures.)
That same month, I have a Blaze out called Night Moves. It was both fun
and challenging to write because the entire story takes place in 24 hours. Best
friends becoming lovers is the theme, and it is very hot! Blaze fans won't be
disappointed!
In September, I have First Love, the fourth in a series of romances from
Signet/NAL called The Bridesmaid Chronicles. The other three books are written
by Karen Kendall and Kylie Adams. After that, I'm turning to California Demon,
which is the sequel to Carpe Demon, and The Manolo Matrix, which
is the sequel to The Givenchy Code. I've got a few other projects
percolating, but being fearful of tempting fate, I don't want to lay them out
there on the Internet!
What methods have you found to be effective for
promoting your books?
Boy, do I wish I knew! I tend to make magnets to give away to fans and at
conferences for all my books; and I try to get excerpts to readers groups, and
advance copies to a wide group of reviewers and booksellers. I think the
Internet is the best promotional tool there is. Unfortunately for me, I think I
only utilize about 5% of its capabilities!
How do you find time to write, promote, and take care of everything else in your
life?
I don't! Seriously, things fall through the cracks all the time. My family and
the writing come first. The rest gets sloppy seconds. And, yeah, we hired a
housekeeper. I finally gave in and realized that not only do I procrastinate
housework, I'm also bad at it and don't like it.
But my maid payment goes on my Visa, so at least I'm earning airline miles!
Besides writing, what do you do for fun?
Oh, lots of stuff. Playing with my kiddo and husband. Going to movies.
Traveling. Visiting flea-markets and thrift shops. I used to scuba dive, but
haven't done that in a while (I miss it!). I also love musical theater and can't
wait until my daughter is old enough to enjoy it, too.
Visit Julie Kenner's website:
http://www.juliekenner.com.
M. E. Wood lives in Eastern Ontario. Visit
http://www.m-e-wood.com.
