~ Author of the Month - Janice Sims ~

In 2000, LaShaunda Hoffman had the pleasure of interviewing Janice Sims when she was a mere little girl in writing. Today, Janice still writes for Arabesque under its new Kimani imprint.  I’ve know Janice for several years now, and I find her to be that same warm friendly individual.  With my own writing career, I don’t have time to read as much, but Janice is one of those authors who is still on my list to buy and read.

In September 1999, Janice’s FOR KEEPS received a rare 5-star rating and eventually a Romance in Color AWARD OF EXCELLENCE.   Melanie Schuster, a reviewer with RIC at that time, says of the story: “FOR KEEPS is a warm, well-written story with passion, humor and excitement; the very best kind of story; the kind that makes you hungry for more from the author.”

Romance in Color is honoured to feature Janice Sims as our Author of the Month for January 2008!

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Janice, tell us a bit about THREE WISHES?

It's a tale of redemption, Wayne.  Audra Kane is an Oscar-winning actress who gave up a child for adoption when she was very young.  She has, through detective agencies, kept an eye on her daughter but she felt she didn't deserve to interfere in her life.  She's dealing with a lot of guilt.  Then, a notorious biographer announces that her next gossip-mongering book is going to be about Audra.  Audra panics because she knows the writer will dig up the fact that she gave up a child for adoption.  She's not worried about the unfavorable impression the news will make on her fans.  She's worried about Sunny, her daughter.  She doesn't want Sunny to learn her identity from the media.  Therefore she asks her stepson, Jonas Blake, to go to the small town in Georgia where Sunny resides and break the news to her and ask her to come to her in Beverly Hills.  Sunny and Jonas are instantly attracted to each other.  But Sunny refuses to go anywhere because she's presently defending an old friend against a murder charge.  You see Sunny is a defense attorney, specializing in defending abused women.

In 2000,  when we interviewed you, you were a stay-at-home mom/full time author. Has that changed in the past seven years?

No, that hasn't changed, Wayne.  I'm still a stay-at-home mom who is lucky enough to be a full-time writer.  In fact, I'm working harder than I ever have.

This question is personal and one you told us in our first interview.  Are you still a stripper?

Don't I wish!!!  No, I haven't stripped in a long time.  LOL!  I should tell the readers of this interview that when I refer to stripping, I'm talking about the act of removing old paint from walls before putting new paint on.  I like working on my house.  Curt, my husband, and I are planning on doing a little refurbishing after the first of the year.  So, I may be stripping again soon.  :o)

It’s now 2007; your first book was in 1996.  Which of these is your favourite?

Ooh, now, how can I call one child pretty and leave the rest out?  I'm fond of them all for different reasons.  Writing is a cathartic experience for me.  Every time I finish a project, I feel as if I've learned something new about myself.  After finishing the Bryant Winery trilogy: WAITING FOR YOU, CONSTANT CRAVING, ONE FINE DAY, for example, I realized that I like a challenge.  Now I'm developing a new series about a family of adventurers and risk takers.  It'll be longer than a trilogy and I really want to delve into the characters so the readers will come to cherish them as much as I do.

How do you think you have changed as a writer over the past years? 

I'm more cognizant of the fact that what you put out there can last forever, so I try to give my very best every single time.  I think to myself, "What if someone a hundred years from now picks up one of my books, what will they say: She was a good writer or she was a hack?"  I prefer to be remembered as a good writer.  Therefore I try my very best to give the reader her money's worth.

What do you like most about being a published author?

Hearing the readers' reactions.  It's what we write for.  Did they get it?  Were we effective in translating a feeling, an emotion onto the page.  How did it leave the reader feeling?  I always say that I write feel-good book, life-affirming books.  I don't want the reader to come away from one of my books feeling down, but with a positive outlook.

And what do you like least?

Times have changed so much in the industry.  Now there is so much competition, it's hard to keep your nose above the water so to speak.  We struggle to keep the readers that we have.  We struggle to gain new ones.  All I can do is write the best book that I possibly can, and pray that it gets into the hands of an appreciative audience.

 What advice would you give an aspiring author?

If you truly have a calling to write, there is nothing that can stand in your way.  I honestly believe that.  Don't give up just because one editor didn't like your work.  There are hundreds of editors out there whom you haven't tried yet.  Hone your skills.  Never stop learning.  And read voraciously.  Read all kinds of books.  If you want to work for a particular editor, read some of the books she has purchased from other authors, but don't mimic their style.  Bring something new to the table.  Impress the editor with your unique talent.  They're always looking for new voices.  Readers are the same. 

Tell us a bit about the process you use when you write a novel.

I will usually get an idea for a story that keeps riding me, won't let me rest until I write it.   Most of the time the idea is about something I know practically nothing about.  Therefore I have to do research which is, surprisingly, the most enjoyable part of writing for me.  I love learning new things.  I know that sounds nerdy, but I'm actually kind of a nerd.  After I've done the research into whichever field my heroine will be working in, then the characters start coming alive for me.  A topic might emerge like the oil crisis, and I'll have my heroine be a geologist who works for a major oil company.  She goes all over the world looking for areas rich in oil.  Then the oil company comes and drills for it.  But she has mistakenly chosen a spot where hundreds of dolphins mate.  What will she choose to do, displace the dolphins or let the company drill there?  Of course, the man she is presently involved with is a honcho in the oil company, his job is on the line, and he prefers drilling.  She tries to talk him out of it.  He is insistent.  She takes him out to the spot in the ocean where she shows him the beautiful dolphins whose existence they may wipe out if they drill. He still isn't impressed.  They argue and he knocks her out and tosses her overboard.  Now we have conflict, raw emotions...to say nothing of attempted murder!  Of course, that's when the hero rides to the rescue, and we have an engrossing story.

Agent or not?

It took me a long time to decide to hire an agent.  I'm glad I did though.  Her name is Sha-Shana Crichton and she's wonderful.  I recommend an agent because they know the business much better than the average writer.  Plus, we should be free to create and leave the haggling with publishers to the agents.

Tell us a bit about your next great masterpiece. 

Oops, I already told you about it.  That was the scenario I described above, about the geologist who got thrown overboard by her lover.  I'm tentatively calling it LOVE OVERBOARD. 

You’re considered by many as one of Arabesque's successful authors.  What would you say has made you successful?  It's really difficult to answer that, Wayne.  I try to consistently write a good book, but it's been hard for me to get out and meet the readers.  Therefore I think a lot of my success is due to those loyal readers who have been with me from the start saying to other readers, "Hey, have you tried a Janice Sims book?  Give her a try, you might like her."  Word of mouth is a powerful thing.  One more thing I think has helped me is the fact that I have an editor, Evette Porter, who is supportive of her authors and is willing to help them build a following.

What is your opinion on the “segregation of African-American books?

I have had so many readers tell me that convenience is what counts with them.  They lead busy lives and knowing exactly where to find the books saves them time.  I would have to vote on the side of the readers in this case.  It is our goal, after all, to get the books into their hands. 

If there was one thing you could tell your readers what would it be?

Thank you so much for your support over the years.  I love you!

How can readers contact you?  They can visit my Web site at www.janicesims.com and leave a message either to me personally, or sign the guest book.  Or if they would like to they can join my readers group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JaniceSimsgroup/