Please join me in welcoming Jannifer Hoffman to The Clog Blog. Welcome Jannifer, we are so happy to have you back! On to our questions…
Q: How long have you been writing?
I started Ceremony of Deception in 1974 (Yikes) after reading The Flame and the Flower and Sweet Savage Love. The 1972 Robert Redford movie Jeremiah Johnson inspired it. I did spend 15 years in there were I gave up writing. I started again in 1998 when I did Secrets of the Heart.
Q: To date which of your books was the hardest to write and why?
Definitely Ceremony of Deception. Writing historicals takes a lot of research. But more important after the first two or three drafts I realized I didn’t know anything about writing. I joined a writers group and started taking every writing class I could find. Did I mention Ceremony probably had 25 drafts!
Q: Which country would you most like to visit and why?
I’ve been on 26 cruises. So I’d have a hard time naming a country I haven’t been to. (Did I mention I love to cruise?) On second thought, I guess maybe Egypt. I haven’t seen the Pyramids. By the way, nearly all my trips were paid for by sewing.
Q: Which author would you most like to meet and why?
Going to writers conferences I’ve met a lot of authors. I loved meeting Jennifer Cruise and Bob Mayer who did a workshop together. I would like to meet Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I even like yellow books after reading “Nobody’s baby but Mine” I guess that’s what inspired Random Fire.
I think Bob Mayer is a genius when it comes to explainining the biz and how to plot.
Q: What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both? Do you use mood music, candles, no noise, when you write?
I can sit down and write in the middle of a wild party. I’m a pantser. I envy people who can do outlines. It just doesn’t work for me. I do have some goals I head toward but they don’t go too far in advance. I read a quote the other day that I love. “Writing is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as the headlights but you can make the whole trip that way.” That describes me perfectly. I don’t remember who said it.
Q: What do you feel is the most important aspect for all new authors to remember when writing or creating their own stories?
Patience and perseverance and don’t quite your day job. And don’t expect to become rich unless you can come up with a gimmick like Harry Potter. It could take a long time to get to where Sandra Brown, Nora Roberts, etc, etc. are. . I can’t believe myself I’ve written nine books. When people ask me how they should start writng I say, “One word at a time.”
Q: What do you think is the biggest misconception in erotic romance fiction?
Frankly, I don’t understand the popularity of the genre. They must be geared for people who are younger than I am. They do sell is all I know. I have one planned for that reason, but I won’t be publishing it under my own name.
I understand perfectly…it’s the reason I have a pseudonym. And I’m always happy the genre is popular. 🙂
Q: What is on tap for 2012?
I have one book due in February for a September release and another due in July for a December release.
Q: Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?
I have a website: www.janniferhoffman.com
Join me on Saturday when we read a Sexy Excerpt from Jannifer’s Book, Blood Crystal.
Until then…be Naughty,
Tina
The Clog Blog 