PNR Interview
Romance Junkies Interview

PNR Interview, by Dee Gentle at paranormalromance.org

Welcome to an interview with Jenna McKnight, the award-winning, bestselling author of a dozen romantic comedies. Her books have been selections for Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs, launch titles for Avon’s venture into romance novels in Great Britain, and published in 14 countries.

An Interview with Jenna McKnight

PNR: Have you always wanted to be a writer, what led you to pursue writing as a career?

Jenna M.: I’ve always wanted to write, as far back as elementary school, way back when I was too young to know I was supposed to grow up “to be” something. Too young to know about careers, earning money, and supporting myself. As soon as Sr. Marie taught me that letters make words, I was off and running, penciling little stories that interested me, experimenting with tales that I had no background for--but that didn’t stop me. School work was easy for me, so I had plenty of free time.

PNR: How do you manage to balance your writing and personal time? What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

Jenna M.: One of the things I enjoy most is the local CERT program. Readers from California probably know what this is, or anyone else who’s stumbled onto it, but for everyone else, CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team. I’ve been with the program from the beginning, and sometimes get called into the St. Louis County Emergency Operations Center to help out during local emergencies, like when 500,000 residences were without power twice this year following storms. On a smaller scale, CERT is great education for teaching all of us how to be safer in our homes, to be prepared to take care of ourselves for a few days in case help doesn’t arrive. There is a core group of us who like to play victim for the new classes. We’ve had some training from a professional moulage expert, and we get all dressed up in ripped clothing, moulage some great wounds, chemical burns, impalements, spurting blood. Then we position ourselves in an empty building, and let the class find, treat, and evacuate us. By special request, we’ve also done this for a multi-jurisdictional fire/police HazMat exercise, after hours in a shopping mall.

PNR: Who or what has been your biggest influence as a writer?

Jenna M.: My friends. Honestly, it’s true. My friends have been reading my stories since high school. It was such a heady feeling to have them come to school in the morning and clamor for the current installment of my work-in-progress, to actually fight for who’d get to read it first. I never forget that. With novels and readers, the feedback isn’t so obvious, so I still rely on my friends, plus all the new ones I’ve made from fan mail.

Note: as for the fight, please, I went to a Catholic high school, so it’s a relative term. Blood was drawn only once in 4 years. J

PNR: Your books put your heroines in challenging positions that provide plenty of sparks with the heroes; where do you get the ideas for your books? Do you outline or “go with the flow” when writing?

Jenna M.: I used to outline to death. Now I know the story arc, outline a few scenes at a time, and try to go with the flow.

Story ideas come from everyday challenges, but I escalate the conflict to put my heroines in more challenging positions. The whole plot gets larger, the conflict more intense, the outcome more important, and that allows for more sparks.

In Love in the Fast Lane, Maggie is climbing the corporate ladder, not unlike millions of other women (everyday challenge). But I put her in a time crunch, with an important interview coming up and a situtation at home with the hero that she can’t leave (escalate!). And of course I give her Scott, a hero whom she doesn’t want to leave, as much as she has to.

PNR: After being very successful writing contemporary romance for the Harlequin American line you made your paranormal debut in 1998 with THE WEDDING KNIGHT, a well received time travel romance. What made you decide to add paranormal elements to your writing, was it a natural progression?

Jenna M.: Actually, I wrote A Greek God at the Ladies’ Club even before The Wedding Knight, but as much as my editor at H. American loved it, the powers that be felt it wasn’t right for that line. So I wrote The Wedding Knight for the now defunct Harlequin Love & Laughter line and shelved Greek God for several years.

I’m an author with a wide variety of interests, who thrives on variety. I need to write different things, not just one genre. Look for me to move around again. First, though, a series of three witch books. The first one is titled A Witch in the House. Do you know that authors have working titles on their books? I’ll always think of this one as Light My Fire.

PNR: Your recent release, LOVE IN THE FAST LANE from Avon, features a conservative heroine, a sexy racecar driver and a ghost; can you give us a sneak peek?

Jenna M.: Would you like a first meeting? Here we go, then:

"You're afraid of her?" Scott whispered to the ghost.

"I ain't afraid of nobody," Cooper snarled, but his gaze shifted away to the
tree line.

Shiny, shoulder-lenth hair bounced with agitation as the delectable Miss
Cooper darted between bumpers on impossibly high heels. Her suit flowed with
every inch of her body as she charged across the narrow lawn. Worry creased
the delicate features of her face. To think Cooper could have sired someone
so pretty, so utterly enticing, was beyond comprehension.

"You," she said with recognition.

Fame had many benefits. The fact that she already knew who he was would make
getting to know her a whole lot easier.

"Nice to meet you," Scott said.

The fire didn't leave her eyes. She didn't even hesitate as she topped the
last step and advanced on him. "You owe me five hundred dollars."

A lesser man would have run. Not Scott Templeton. He'd stared death in the
face more than once. No way a little slip of a woman like this could back
him against the wall . . .

PNR: You write wonderfully witty characters that readers have fallen in love with. Could you tell us a little about the development of your heroines? Their heroes? Who has been you favorite character to write?

Jenna M.: Darius the Greek god was my favorite hero until Scott Templeton, race car driver. Interestingly enough, they are of the same ilk. Both Leo-like, with big egos, both used to adulation of the masses and a little stumped that the heroine isn’t falling at their feet. I love it when heroes realize they’re not going to get their way and then have to figure out a whole new perspective on life. It’s a journey for them, and it makes the story more interesting.

My heroines are equally strong, so it’s a good match. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have their own problems, their own internal conflicts, their softer side. I mean, we’re women, right? We know how complex we are. I don’t let my heroines off without sharing their vulnerabilities. Maggie, in Love in the Fast Lane, isn’t even aware she has them until the hero shows up. That’s when her boyfriend tips his hand. (Oh, a boyfriend—did I mention internal conflict?)

PNR: You are known for the humor you infuse in your writing; does this approach come naturally to you? Do you enjoy using humor in your writing?

Jenna M.: I’m laughing at this question, because I find that people think my normal way of thinking is funny, when I think it’s just, well, normal. It comes as naturally for me as breathing, though I often go back and tweak it for maximum punch. Do I enjoy it?—absolutely! Which maybe is why I’m successful with it; I enjoy it, and it shows.

PNR: Do you feel your writing is character driven or plot driven? Do you find it challenging to balance these elements?

Jenna M.: Used to be I could say my writing was plot driven, without question. But over the last few books, I feel I’ve imbued my characters with much more emotion. I’ve slowed my writing pace a bit, and actually give my characters time to steer the plot their way from time to time. I hope I’ve achieved a nice balance. I’m sure it’s subjective, from reader to reader. Even from day to day, given a reader’s mood or frame of mind.

PNR: You have written contemporary and several paranormal sub-genres, which is your favorite to write, and why? Is there a genre you haven’t written but would like to try?

Jenna M.: I like both paranormal and non-paranormal. My goal is to continue with both, writing whichever moves me at the moment, whichever type of story begs to be told, in the best way to tell it. I’ve also penned a psycho-suspense that allowed me to get down and dirty, mean and rotten, and still write a sympathetic heroine. Don’t look for it yet; when it sells, I’ll announce it on the website and in my newsletter, Messages from McKnight.

PNR: In your opinion, what do you believe accounts for the sudden interest in all things paranormal in movies, books and television?

Jenna M.: Remember the song? Could be the dawning of the Age of Aquarius… Besides which, people love a mystery, and with the internet and cell phones, how much mystery is left in this world?

PNR: Could you tell us about your current projects, what can readers expect to see in the coming months?

Jenna M.: Well, I’ve finished Witch in the House, as I mentioned, the first of three witch books. In this series, the husbands of three women (Jade, Annie, and Courtney) all go missing together. In the first, a romantic comedy, Jade Delarue is a hereditary witch, hiding her secret in a small town in the midwest, where she runs Mystic Manor Bed & Breakfast. When she casts a spell for a new love in her life, who shows up but undercover private eye Mason Kincaid, hired by the insurance company to look for signs of fraud before they pay out the enormous benefit. Jade tries to get rid of Mason before he discovers her secret, but all of sudden, her spells aren’t working so well. And the deeper he digs, Mason just gets more and more intrigued by the many layers of Jade.

PNR: Thank you Jenna, for taking time out to speak with us; where can readers find out more about your work?

Jenna M.: The best place is my web site, www.jennamcknight.com. There’s a form there for anyone who wants to receive my infrequent but informative newsletter, Messages from McKnight. Throughout the month of January, I’ll pop in at the Avon Authors chat room on Monday nights. That’s at www.avonauthors.com (go to Discussion and click on Sigma Chat), beginning at 8 pm ET.

Thanks for the opportunity to share some of my thoughts with readers. It’s always nice to make a more personal connection.

 

Romance Junkies Interview, by By Kim Atchue-Cusella at romancejunkies.com

RJ: Hi Jenna, and welcome to RomanceJunkies. First, can you let us know what projects you are currently working on?

Jenna: The first book of my WITCHES OF WEST BLUFF trilogy will be out in October. It’s called WITCH IN THE HOUSE. I’m currently working on Annie’s story, the second in the contemporary series about three witches whose husbands disappeared without a trace.

RJ: What does your writing space look like? How do you fit writing into your schedule?

Jenna: My writing space was pathetic until last fall. Two firefiles with an old laminate desk top stretched across them. Ugh. With the family expanding, I needed to rotate some spaces in the house, so I moved out of my “office” and into the unused study. It’s huge, it’s paneled in cherry, and don’t you know, I just had to have a grown-up desk to go with it. J One with a real keyboard tray and regular drawers. Some style!

How do I fit writing into my schedule? Writing is my schedule. It’s my job, day in and day out. I try to fit everything else in around it, but once in a while (too often), life rears its head and insists writing take a backseat. That leaves two options. Either take a short one-day break, or just write off a whole week, get all those annoying little things out of the way, and then jump back into the story.

RJ: How long does it take you to write a book? Do you write one book at a time or do you have a few going at once?

Jenna: One at a time! No way I can handle more than one set of characters in my head. If I were to work on another book at the same time as my romantic comedies, it would be a suspense, a sure recipe for killing off the wrong people.

RJ: Has your environment/upbringing colored your writing at all?

Jenna: Fortunately, my very literate parents believed in taking their kids out of school to travel, so I really got around and experienced a lot at an early age. And though it doesn’t always seem fortunate, I also come from a typical dysfunctional family, which in turn enriches my understanding of others. How could all that (and more) do anything but color my writing?

RJ: Have you ever written about life’s experiences?

Jenna: Sure. I tend to shy away from a couple that would cause my family some heartache, but other than that, anything’s fair game.

RJ: Do you do any research for your books? What is the most interesting thing you have learned?

Jenna: Research - my favorite! I love love love to research, to learn new things. It gets me excited about a project. If I get bogged down and lose interest, I just pick up one of my research books, and just like that, ideas are fermenting and I’m off and running on the next scene. The last thing I learned is the most interesting. This series, it’s witchcraft. The book before that, auto racing. Before that, ham radio (I’m now licensed). And so on.

RJ: Who was your most challenging character to write? Why was he/she so challenging?

Jenna: Probably Darius, in THE GREEK GOD AT THE LADIES’ CLUB. He’d been out of circulation for 3000 years. It also made him a lot of fun to write, because I could show discovery of things that are “everyday” to us through his eyes and experiences.

RJ: At what point in your career did you put up your website? Do you find it a useful tool in promoting your books?

Jenna: Gosh, that’s going back a lot of years. Early on, I knew it was important to get a presence on the web, to get a domain in my name, so I registered www.jennamcknight.com. It’s a great promotional tool. I try to put something on there to appeal to a good cross-section of readers, with some pages to brag about my great reviews and many awards, others for fun contests, and still more where I hope to help others, like with writing tips and links. Just recently, I added a link to my astrology site. Thought it was time to come out of the closet, as they say. J I’m revamping it toward writers, so it’s gone from a professional resource for my clients to a work in progress.

RJ: Have you always wanted to write? Did you have a different career choice as a child?

Jenna: I can’t say I’ve always wanted to write, if by that you mean get published. What I can say is that I’ve always written, except for a few years when I was studying to be, and working as, a physical therapist. That lasted until I realized that while I liked helping people help themselves, it didn’t provide the creative outlet I need.

RJ: How did you meet your husband?

Jenna: A blind date - no fooling! My best friend and his best friend were dating, and they fixed us up. They didn’t last; we did. The really scary part is that I got cold feet and tried to cancel out the night before, but my girlfriend told me no way. Thank heavens!

RJ: What kinds of hobbies do you have?

Jenna: As writing has gotten more time consuming, astrology has turned into a hobby. And while I wouldn’t call the local CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program a hobby, it is getting less of my time than it used to.

RJ: Is there something that you would love to learn but haven’t had a chance to yet?

Jenna: Don’t tempt me! I have two more witch books to write before I can think about that.

RJ: What are you reading now?

Jenna: Just finished IRRESISTIBLE by Susan Mallery. Soooo good.

RJ: MORE FUN…What kinds of music do you listen to? Do you have a favorite artist or band?

Jenna: Yanni. (Am I boring? I just love driving along winding roads with the windows open and wind in my hair, to Yanni.) Other than that, old Country Western - Milsap, Rogers, Travis - stuff I can sing along with in the privacy of my car.

RJ: If you could stock your house with only one of your favorite snack foods, which one would you pick?

Jenna: Dark, dark chocolate. Or a homemade mix of M&Ms, peanuts, and raisins. Then there’s Cheezits, the original. Yes, I notice this is more than one. You can’t make me pick just one. :)

RJ: When vacationing, do you prefer to camp, stay in a hotel or hit the all-inclusive resorts?

Jenna: Camp - never again. I haven’t tried an inclusive resort yet. There’s talk about that among my traveling buddies for next year. Any tried-and-true suggestions will be appreciated.

RJ: What is your favorite part of Valentine’s Day? What is your best memory?

Jenna: Forget the cards, candy, and all that retail-driven brouhaha. Memories are made every day - the look in his eyes, the touch of his hand, a shared laugh over a movie, pride in our family. Why save the good stuff for one day a year? Around here, every day is Valentine’s Day.

RJ: Thank you so much for spending time with us. It has been fun. Good luck in the future with your writing.

 

"Falling in love has never been so fun and crazy!...one of the funniest, sexiest and imaginative romances...sparks just keep flying...“can’t put it down” read...wonderful dialog...savvy, smart and oh, so brilliant...This is one you won’t want to miss." ~ Tracy Zappala, a Contemporary Romance Writer Official Reviewer at contemporaryromancewriters.com "Love In The Fast Lane keeps you racing though the pages...Buckle yourself in and let Jenna McKnight get you ready for Love In The Fast Lane." ~ Lydia Funneman, Writers Unlimited, Reviewer "Love in the Fast Lane is a thrilling read...on the edge of the seat exciting...memorable characters that really make this story incredible...crisp, witty, dialogue that keeps the story sizzling." ~ Awarded "5 Cups" by Coffee Time Romance "LOVE IN THE FAST LANE is an enjoyable tale with thoroughly likeable characters...a delightful story...sure to bring a smile to any reader’s face." ~ romrevtoday.com LOVE IN THE FAST LANE is a heartwarming tale of the power of love. McKnight is sure to be a real force in the genre...easily recommended! ~ ck2skwipsandkritiques.com More to come!

 

Back to top.