from the vault: Jayne Ann Krentz is the prolific author of dozens of romance bestsellers, including her latest, TRUTH OR DARE, and also LIGHT IN SHADOW, SMOKE IN MIRRORS, and SUMMER IN ECLIPSE BAY. Writing as Amanda Quick, her newest is the excellent THE PAID COMPANION, an historical romance also on audio from Brilliance. And if two pseudonyms are not enough, Krentz also writes as Jayne Castle for Jove Books!
JONATHAN LOWE: Welcome, Jayne. Can you tell us, what led you into writing? What is your background?
JAYNE ANN KRENTZ: I started writing the day I realized I couldn't find enough books in the stores or in libraries that would give me the hit that I wanted from a novel. I decided to try writing the story I wanted to read. I'm still doing that. My plots and characters have changed over the years, just as I've changed, but the basic themes haven't. When I look at the books I'm writing today I can still see a lot of the same elements in my work that have been there right from the beginning . . . a focus on the importance of honor, trust and family. As for my background, I grew up in a couple of very, very small towns. I have a degree in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and an MA in librarianship from San Jose State University. I worked as a librarian for a few years before I turned to writing full time.
LOWE: Writers like Nora Roberts now tend to mix genres, and I've noticed that in "Truth or Dare" you feature a protagonist who has psychic gifts. Besides adding suspense to romance in order to avoid sentimentality, I'm wondering which genres work best for this mix, and which you prefer to read or write?
KRENTZ: In hindsight it's easy to see the literary influences of my youth. I started out on horse stories, became addicted to Nancy Drew, and then discovered Andre Norton. To this day, my favorite plots involve a combination of romance, suspense, animals and the paranormal.
LOWE: What kind of research did you do on "Truth or Dare"?
KRENTZ: Research is one of the most fascinating aspects of the writing process for me. Perhaps, in part, because of my librarian background. In the course of plotting "Truth or Dare," I learned a lot about feng shui, the ancient Chinese theory of interior design. I also learned more than I really wanted to know about how easy it is to accidentally electrocute yourself in a backyard pool! On a more positive note, the book provided a perfect excuse to spend a few days in Sedona, Arizona. The town in the book is fictional, but I had the red rock country around Sedona in mind when I wrote the story.
LOWE: Have you heard Joyce Bean read your work, and if so, what did you think of her performance? Did she capture the characters the way you imagined them?
KRENTZ: I think the best answer I can give is to tell you about my brother's reaction to the book. My brother never developed the habit of reading for pleasure. He certainly knows how to read -- he reads magazines, newspapers, tech manuals, etc. But he never discovered the joys of reading fiction. "Truth or Dare" was the first audio book he had ever heard. The only reason he listened to it was because it was dedicated to him. You should have seen the email he sent to me raving about Joyce Bean's performance! He said she made him laugh, made him cry, and she made him want to go right out and buy another audio book! He has since become a huge fan, not only of her work, but of audio books in general. And now I finally know what to give him for Christmas.
LOWE: Audiobooks are reportedly going up in sales while hardcovers are declining, I'm told.
KRENTZ: I don't know how to interpret the statistics, but I do know that we often forget that reading fiction for pleasure is a relatively recent development in the course of human history. Printed novels have only been around for the past couple of hundred years and they were not widely available until the last century. But we have always known how to listen to a good story. The talent is in our genes because it's a survival skill. For untold thousands of years our ancestors handed down information, wisdom, warnings and advice through stories told around fires built in dark caves. The oral tradition is the oldest tradition of all. It is no surprise to me that audio books are enormously popular today. Audio books also take advantage of another truly remarkable human talent, one that we often take for granted--the ability to walk and chew gum at the same time. You can drive a truck, hop on a treadmill, clean house, or plant bulbs, all while listening to a book.
LOWE: What is your next novel about?
KRENTZ: My next hardcover will be out in November. The title is "Falling Awake." It is a novel of suspense set against the backdrop of modern dream research. It involves all of my favorite ingredients. . .suspense, romance, a bit of paranormal stuff and, yes, a cat.
LOWE: Do you go on book tour, and if so, what's that like for you? Who makes up your audience?
KRENTZ: Yes, I've been out on several tours. They're hard work but always rewarding. It's great to meet other people who love the same kind of books that I love. Books provide an instant bond. I think that, if you truly enjoy my stories, it probably means that you and I have similar world views and share similar values. It doesn't surprise me that I have a great time chatting with the people who show up for my signings. We're friends before I even pick up the microphone.
LOWE: What do you do for fun?
KRENTZ: Anyone who reads or listens to my books has probably already guessed that I love to cook. I am also very interested in nutrition. My husband and I eat a largely vegetarian diet with some fish added. Cooking is the way I relax after a day of writing. Oh, yeah, I also love to shop at Nordstroms.
LOWE: If you have time to read, what have are reading now?
KRENTZ: I am always reading. . .always looking for another good story. Right now I'm enjoying Elizabeth Lowell's "Die in Plain Sight." Great suspense and romance, plus a lot of really interesting stuff about the art world.
LOWE: What is the strangest or most funny thing that ever happened to you?
KRENTZ: Getting published. Never thought it would happen and still can't quite believe that it did. The whole concept of actually getting paid for doing something I love still blows me away.
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