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Book Tour: Virtual Sitdown with Jean Hackensmith

Today critic Angela Wilson sits down with the author of the hot romantic suspense, Checkmate.

Who is Jean Hackensmith?
I am the published author of 12 books, all in the romance genre.  More importantly, though, I am married to the love of my life and my biggest supporter, Ron.  I’m also the proud mother of three, the stepmother of two, and the grandmother of ten.  I’m also very active in our local community theatre.  In fact, I founded the theatre troupe back in 1992 and still direct 2-3 shows a year.  I’m also a big country music fan; and a lover of camping, bowling, and Canasta!  First and foremost, though, I’m a people watcher.  I enjoy nothing more than sitting out in my yard watching the world go by—especially at times when I don’t feel like being a part of it.

How did your writing career begin?
I actually started writing nearly 30 years ago.  I was talking to my mother on the phone one day and, always being a doodler, this…line just kind of came out on the page.  Hmmm…I thought.  That would make a great first line for a book! I still remember the line: “Jenny McCall awoke with a scream on her lips.” Since I had always been an avid romance reader, it was natural that that’s what I chose to write.  The manuscript—a whopping 900 page monstrosity—was done about a year later, and it was awful!  I realize that now. I didn’t then, of course.  Heck, I thought I was the next Kathleen Woodiwiss!  The manuscript was never published, and didn’t deserve to be, but it served its purpose.  It infected me with the writing bug.  After that, I got my hands on every “How To” book on writing I could find and began polishing my work. I joined writer’s groups and had them critique my stories.  I had an agent who worked with me one on one to improve my writing.  All of that combined led to the professionalism that I hope readers see in my work today.

Tell us about your latest work.
Checkmate tells the story of Caryn Deaver, who was a victim of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her ex-husband, Dan Hamilton.  Eighteen years before the story begins, Dan tied up Caryn and their children, locked them in the bathroom and set the house on fire.  Caryn and the children managed to escape with their lives, and Dan was sentenced to eighteen years in prison for the crime.  He’s out now, though, and is playing a twisted game, with each new move more violent than the last. Caryn’s new live-in boyfriend, Zach Riker, is also the object of Dan’s rage.  He’ll do about anything, including installing a panic room in their house and buying a protection dog, to assure her safety.  It still doesn’t seem to be enough, though.  Dan continues the sadistic stalking, and the game—a game that includes a countdown to the day when Dan is determined that Caryn will die. 

What compelled you to write it?
The impetus behind Checkmate was, in fact, an episode of Forensic Files on Court TV.  There actually was a guy who tied up his wife and children, locked them in the pantry (he puts them in a bathroom in the book) and set the house on fire.  They all died.  I got to thinking, though, about what might have happened if the family had lived, and the abusive husband went to prison for the crime—and then eventually got out.  Consequently, Checkmate was born.

What type of research did you have to perform for this novel?
A lot!  I researched everything from street maps of Cheyenne, WY; to a Fire Chief’s responsibilities and income (Zach’s the Fire Chief in Cheyenne); to
stalker methods and mentalities.  The most enjoyable research went into finding out about protection dogs. Mika is an integral character in the story,
and I wanted to be accurate in my representation of her abilities. Consequently, I enlisted the help of Chris Byrne from Stonehill Kennel Connecticut, who actually trains protection dogs.  Chris even agreed to be a character in the book.  His help and insight were invaluable.  In his own words, Mika is “a good man’s best friend, and a bad man’s worst enemy.” You can check out Chris’ company web site at www.k9one.com.

Checkmate is the first in a series featuring Brian Koski.  Who is Brian?  What should readers expect from the next book?
In Checkmate, Brian is Zach’s best friend.  He’s also a police captain. Events at the end of Checkmate prompt him to leave the police force and become a private investigator who specializes in stalkers.  In subsequent books, Brian will team up, however reluctantly, with a psychic. Plot ideas include a judge or prosecuting attorney being stalked by a juror; a “famous” singer or actor stalking an “everyday, average” person; and a college professor stalking a student.  Obviously, my main goal in this series will be to present situations totally opposite from what one would expect.  For example, we’ve seen many cases in the news where actors are being stalked by a fan—not the other way around.  Some of the stalking incidents will end in murder, some won’t.  In most cases, Brian will be called in to stop the stalking incidents while they’re on-going.  If the victims die, he won’t be very good at what he does!

Who is your greatest champion?
Kathleen Woodiwiss, hands down.  She is and always will be my idol.  She passed away recently and will be sorely missed—at least by me.  Kathleen’s books take the reader to far off, exotic places; places where the reader can forget their own problems for a time and enter another world.  Her characters are realistic, believable and down-to-earth.  I strive to do the same in my own writing.  If I do only half as well in creating that “alternate world” for my readers, I will have accomplished my goal.

Who inspires you?
My family and friends.  I like nothing better than discussing plot ideas for my books, and my family and friends are always more than willing to be sounding boards, as well as contributors to my creative muse.  I can’t count the times either my friends or family members have sat in a restaurant with me until the wee hours of the morning helping me plot a book.  The finished product doesn’t always turn out the way it was originally envisioned, but the initial plot is always in there somewhere!  I am also fortunate to live on the shores of Lake Superior, fondly called the “Inland Sea.” I have spent many days sitting on the beach (or a bench) overlooking the endless expanse of water with a notebook in hand.  In such a peaceful setting, the ideas flow.

What are you reading?
Odd Hours, by Dean Koontz.  I absolutely LOVE Dean Koontz, and have read virtually everything he’s written.

What’s next for you?
Checkmate was the start of my break from romance fiction.  My current manuscript, We The People takes me completely out of the genre.  The story follows a common “Joe Blow” who gets tired of all the bureaucratic horse puckey in Washington D.C. and decides to run for President.  He runs a grassroots campaign—very grassroots.  In fact, he travels the country in an old RV and does his campaign rallies in AmeriMart parking lots!  (I recently contacted Wal-Mart to ask their permission to use their stores—and parking lots—in the book. Until I receive their approval, the store chain will remain fictional—AmeriMart. I’m not saying that I will never write another romance, especially time travel.  It’s my favorite romance genre, and I have too many readers out there who would be extremely upset if I never wrote another one.  I just felt the need to try something new, and We The People is it.

Where can we find you on the Web?
Readers are invited to visit my web site at www.jeanhackensmith.com.  All of my books are also available at Amazon.com and HerOrbit.com, as well as other on-line retailers.