PopSyndicate.com

Today Pop Syndicate Book Blog Editor Angela Wilson chats it up with Jeanne C. Stein, author of the richly wicked and deadly Anna Strong Chronicles.

Who is Jeanne Stein?

Jeanne Stein is a woman of a certain age who finds herself in the incredibly wonderful position of starting the career of her dreams at the time of life when most sane people are thinking of retiring. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.

How long have you been writing?

A very long time. Decades. It’s only been in the last four years that I found my niche.

What inspired you to write about protagonist Anna Strong?

I’ve always been attracted to the vampire genre. It’s sexy, romantic, thrilling, scary. It appeals to the part of us that wants to live forever. It appeals to the part of us that wants to be super strong and super smart and fearless. Anna Strong is all that. And she’s intensely loyal and protective of the ones she loves. It’s very easy to write about a protagonist you admire…and I admire Anna greatly.

How much of yourself do you see in Anna?

I wish I could say “ a lot.” The truth is, Anna is everything I would like to be. She may be impulsive at times, but her instincts are good.

Anna Strong is an amazing character who has incredible longevity in a genre that is flooded with similar serials. What makes her stand out from the plethora of other characters vying for readers’ attention?

I hope what makes Anna stand out is her desire to retain her humanity. She has ties to the human community—a family and a business partner—and her need to stay close to them motivates a lot of what she does. Hiding her true nature from them, however, is the downside to living a dual existence.

Give us the latest Anna Strong news.

I just accepted an offer from Berkley for two more books in the series—that will make six and seven. I’m excited because Anna has more stories to tell.

Why urban fantasy?

I love the tag. It tells the reader this will be a contemporary, edgy, urban story with lots of action, a kick-ass heroine and a strong storyline.  It also alerts them to the fact that these are different from paranormal romance in that there is no guaranteed happily-ever-after. Keeps readers from being disappointed.

Do you read a lot of your genre, or do you find that stifles the creativity?

I don’t read nearly as much as I’d like. I find writing full time cuts into reading time. But far from stifling creativity, there are so many talented, new writers in the genre, it motivates me to keep up.

How often to you work with other writers when your manuscripts are in the early stages?

I have a critique group composed of published and unpublished writers, so I work with them on a weekly basis from the beginning to the end of a book. I also have a couple of beta readers who are not writers.

Who are you reading?

I read a lot of different authors. Charlaine Harris with her Sookie books was     probably the first author after Anne Rice to capture my imagination with her original take on the vampire mythos. Then there’s LKH, of course, followed by anything Joss Whedon. More recently, I’ve added Richelle Mead, Jackie Kessler, Mark Henry, Mario Acevedo, Anthony Strout…I could go on and on.

What’s next for you?

I mentioned before that I’ve just had the immense good fortune to be offered a new contract. I’d like to expand my horizons and try something different, too, so I’m in the planning stages for another series in the UF world. This might involve a coven of witches or band of vampires or pack of werewolves hidden out in a small Colorado mountain town whose existence gets threatened when a high-level government official or well-meaning small town sheriff or some innocent teenaged traffic accident victim stumbles upon them and discovers their secret. Did I mention this is just in the planning stages? There’s also a trilogy I’m co-writing with Colorado author Susan Smith. That story takes place in World War I, where angels and demons are influencing what’s happening on earth. My agent has the proposal for that one and we’re hoping it finds a home.

Where can we find you on the Web?

My website is:  www.jeannestein.com

I share a blog with Mario Acevedo, The Biting Edge, at:
www.biting-edge.blogspot.com/