First, I have to ask…what first brought you to the U.S.?
A Boeing 747 first brought me to the US. He he, sorry, couldn't help it. A long distance romance is the reason I came to be here. They do actually work out sometimes, or at least, for a while :)
As a writer, who were some of your earliest inspirations, particular in the mystery genre?
I learned to read early, thanks to English author Enid Blyton and her magical children's books. My earliest inspirations in the mystery genre were Sidney Sheldon and Lawrence Sanders. Right after reading a Sidney Sheldon novel, full of twists and unexpected turns, I started on my own manuscript for Madness and Murder.
Madness and Murder is now available from Echelon Press. Care to tell us a little about it?
Madness and Murder, released first as an e-book, and now in paperback by Echelon Press, is an international mystery and follows the life of two main characters, both trying to escape dark pasts. Of course, nothing goes quite as planned and they soon find themselves in the middle of madness and murder.
What has the feedback been so far, both from readers and/or reviewers?
Feedback so far has been extremely positive, although people who know me expressed surprise over some of the darker elements. Hey, I can't help what pops into my head when I write. Quite a number of readers have asked for another Mac Jackson novel. I hadn't planned on a sequel, however, due to the number of requests, I will bring him back to solve another crime. Inspector Mac Jackson will be back. He's the homicide cop on the case in Hide and Seek. Older and wiser, and a little less patient.
From the first word to the final draft, how long did it take you to complete it, and when did you know you were done?
Madness and Murder took me eleven months to write from first draft to finish. Then came months of editing. I knew I was done when Echelon Press offered me the contract.
Is mystery a genre you plan to stick with, or do you see yourself branching out into other ones?
For now, I plan to stick with the mystery genre because it's what I love and what I do best. I have, however, been asked to write a real life story, set in the 1940's, and am going to do it while I work on my next mysteries. This story is about the tragedy of being away at war while suffering loss at home.
How has your experience working with Echelon been so far?
I owe my sincere thanks to Echelon Press for opening their publishing doors to me and taking my very first novel. They did not try to change my book in any way, and the editor(s) they've assigned me are wonderful.
Most of us have that unpublished first novel we ever wrote ducked away in a drawer. Do you have one, and if so, are you thankful it wasn’t your first sale?
I do not have an unpublished novel tucked away. I know I am incredibly fortunate to have both my first and second novels written under contract, both with Echelon Press. Currently, I am working on my third mystery, Hide and Seek, another chilling murder in San Francisco.
Thank you, Jenny, for taking the time to share your thoughts. Best of luck in your writing career.
Madness and Murder is now available:
http://www.omnilit.com/product-madnessandmurder-441904-243.html
http://astore.amazon.com/echelonpressp-20/detail/B003TLMX5C
Visit Jenny at: www.JFHilborne.com
