Today we have JamieLynn Boothe in the hot seat, discussing her debut novel, Nightmares and Dreams. I hope you'll enjoy!
~Mia
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Interview questions for JamieLynn Boothe
Quick round:
Coffee, tea or…what’s your vice? Definitely coffee, I probably drink way too
much of it.
Favorite Movie: Wow, this is hard because there’s so
many to choose from. As far as horror goes, definitely The Exorcist, romance
would have to be Return to Me
Favorite Color: Purple all the way
Favorite book/author: I have a few favorites but I
will say The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks
How do you feel about bacon? Ohhhh, I love it J
What comes first, plot or characters?
For me, I have
to say Characters. I enjoy building my story around them and what they go
through, good and bad.
Pantser, plotter, or hybrid?
I create the characters
and start with a general idea of what it will be about, but I actually just
allow my imagination flow. I never really know exactly how it’s going to go
until I’m about half way into it.
Oddest thing on your desk? A picture of Betty Boop J
What’s your most interesting writing quirk?
Not sure
that I have one unless you want to consider the fact that sometimes I have a
hard time sitting still for too long.
What’s your favorite thing about the genre you write
in?
I love gripping the readers emotions. To me that’s the most important
thing. If I can make every emotion come alive, then I did my job well. If I
didn’t make them cry, then I didn’t do it well enough.
What is the hardest thing about being an author?
Patience
and the horrible times when writers block sets in and sometimes having enough
time in a day to meet your goal and do lifes bidding.
What’s under your bed?
I would have to say shoes. A girl can never have too many shoes J
What’s the easiest thing about being an author?
For
me, when it flows really good, when the story flows from my fingertips and it
just keeps going and going and going.
What is one of
the best rewards you have gotten so far from your writing?
I find it extremely
rewarding to hear or read from a fan how my story has touched them. How much
they loved it and when I have had a few tell me it should be made into a movie.
Tell us about your latest release!
Nightmares and
Dreams is a special book for me. Not only because it’s my first novel, but
because of what it’s about. It is something that will grab hold of every
emotion you have and more. It’s focused towards the GLBT community and the
hatred so many still have for them, but reflects on the deepest kind of love
two women have for each other that is more powerful than any obstacle they
face.
Blurb for Nightmares and Dreams…
Nightmares of being raped as a teenager haunted
Christy for years and she had tried to run and hide from them to no avail. The
pain over the years took enough of a toll to where she finally had enough and
moved back home to her hometown of Moneta, Virginia to be with the woman she loved.
After being away for six years from the small country town where she grew up,
facing her fears and finally being in
Heathers arms again gave her hope for normality in her life.
Once she
realized that running was only getting away from the physical aspect of it and
she had to deal with the mental fears as well, everything started to fall into
place. Seeking professional help, being
with Heather and doing what she loved most,
teaching, Christy had reason to smile again.
Being home
a short while, things are going smoothly and happiness has entered her life
once again, until a horrendous hate crime was committed, targeted specifically
towards homosexuals. The roller coaster ride that Christy and Heather
were unwillingly having to experience was nothing like they have ever
encountered in their lives before.
Men
nothing short of being monsters continued their rage by kidnapping Christy and
taking her off into the hills. Being kept hidden in an old hunting cabin where
her earlier nightmares dwindled in
comparison to what they had in store for her, Christy was faced with a life or
death situation. With feeling overwhelmed with her fears becoming real life and
being helpless in a secluded cabin, could Christy overcome the odds stacked against her and escape somehow, or would the
monsters who tormented her kill her before she was able to get away and back
into Heathers loving embrace?
Available at Amazon
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Excerpt for Nightmares and Dreams...
Christy’s body convulsed and her brain was
in overdrive as she jerked awake from her nightmare and realized she was lying
in a large patch of sand. She sat up on one hand and hip, looking around,
trying to peer into the darkness. She saw a swing set with an adjoining slide,
too small for adults, a merry-go-round and a surrounding wire fence. Beyond the
fence she saw yellow school buses and she knew where she was. She was in the
playground behind the elementary school, in her pajamas.
Somewhat nauseated and dizzy, Christy sat still in
the cold sand for a few minutes, shivering and hoping to get clearheaded before
she stood to begin her journey home. Grateful that she didn’t live too far from
the school, she was still a little upset that she had to even worry about it at
all. She should be where most others were, wrapped in a warm blanket, in her
comfortable bed, safe and with no fear. Shaking, she looked around at her
surroundings and her head began to slowly clear little by little. Her breathing
slowed down to a more normal pace, so she slowly started the process of rising
to her feet. Getting on one knee, then the other and shifting her weight, she
slowly stood, trying not to lose her balance because of dizziness.
On her feet, standing straight, she put her hands
out in front of her to balance herself as she shivered from the cold sweat and
terror still coursing through her. Her fear from the nightmare wasn’t as bad as
it had been. The horror was slowly subsiding, but the memories of them were
still fresh in her mind. Usually, when a person has a dream they don't remember
much, if any of it, but not her, she remembered her nightmares vividly.
Feeling more balanced after standing in place for a
couple minutes, she took a deep breath and started walking toward the chain
link fence that surrounded the playground, feeling the sand between her toes
with every step. Her eyes began to become more focused. The streetlamps in the
parking lot helped and she was grateful for their light.
Reaching the fence, Christy placed one hand on it.
Being closer to the parking lot where the buses were and where there was more
light to see by, she looked herself over. Her feet were bare, and she had
nothing on her cold shivering body except her pink flannel Betty Boop pajamas,
which were now covered in wet sand. Her entire front, from where she was lying
down, was completely covered with sand. She brushed as much of it off of her as
she could, hoping they wouldn’t be stained, when she washed them. Christy loved
these pajamas, and right now she was very grateful they were flannel, providing
some warmth, although not much.
Having no idea what time it was, she told herself
she needed to get moving. She was cold, dirty and she wanted a hot shower and
some clean clothes. Thankfully, her house was right down the road on Lottie
Lane. But being without shoes, it would take a little longer for her to get
there. Opening the gate on the fence, she began her trek home. Taking her first
step out of the sand onto the hard surface of the parking lot, she felt the
pebbles and gravel press into the soft soles of her feet. She accepted the fact
that this might not be a really long walk, but it certainly wouldn’t be a
pleasurable one.
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More about JamieLynn Boothe
Well, let’s see. I’m a Transgender Woman so I am a
southern girl. Born and raised in the small town of Moneta, Virginia. I love
writing obviously but I was a late bloomer. I didn’t write my first novel,
Nightmares and Dreams until 2012. I am writing the second and third book to it
now. I believe for me the best things to write will come from the heart. Either
from my experiences or whatever but they will always ring true. I love movies,
reading, writing, music, art, cooking, cats and spending time with friends, oh
and naps. I love naps.
Connect with JamieLynn on the Web!
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