“Could
I maybe get a dance, Miss Haydenshire?” Rainer quizzed
flirtatiously.
Emily
giggled.
“I
thought you’d never ask.” Rainer led her onto the dance floor and
spun her into his arms. The slow sultry tones of the island band, the
lanai lit by Tiki torches, and strung orbed lights, that Nathan had
set to glow different colors, gave the entire evening a warm island
feel.
Rainer
twirled Emily around the dance floor and whispered how much he loved
her as he slid his hand further down her back.
“Watch
your hands there, Mr. Lawson.” Governor Haydenshire teased as he
danced Mrs. Haydenshire beside Rainer and Emily.
“Yes
sir,” Rainer moved his hand back up instantly which made everyone
laugh. Logan cut in, and Rainer danced with Adeline. He took a break
and got he and Emily some punch, while Governor Haydenshire danced
with Emily. He set the punch back at their table as the song neared
its end. Rainer edged back onto the dance floor towards Emily and her
father.
“Can
I cut in?”
“No,”
Governor Haydenshire quipped. Emily laughed heartily.
“Aww,
please Daddy. He’s really cute.” Governor Haydenshire shook his
head with a wistful grin.
“I never have been very good at telling you ‘no.’” He kissed
Emily’s cheek and handed her back to Rainer.
A
slight breeze picked up as the night wore on, and Rainer felt a chill
as the hair on the back of his neck stood. He took in the guests as
they laughed, danced, and all enjoyed the party,
Suddenly
everything shifted. Emily froze on the dance floor. She shivered and
clung to Rainer.
“Em,
what’s wrong?” Rainer panicked. He searched the area frantically
as Emily’s hands flew to her head. She shook her head. The black
energy was too close. She could hardly breathe. One of the wait staff
was handing Mrs. Haydenshire a cup of punch.
Then
as Emily hushed, “Rainer there’s someone here that’s not
supposed to be. I feel them.” Rainer watched as Vindico’s eyes
goggled and he shoved two men out of his way. He knocked the glass
from Mrs. Haydenshire’s hand just as she’d taken a small sip. It
shattered on the tiled floor.
“That’s,
Vasquez!” He shouted to Rainer and Logan. He threw his arm out to
the member of the wait staff that was fleeing the scene. They hadn’t
recognized him in the catering disguise complete with hat and
glasses."
Interview
with Jillian Neal
Can
you tell us a little bit about your series and what inspired it?
“The Gifted Realm”
is based around the concept that there are people living among us
that can draw on and use the energies of the earth and of their own
bodies. I love the concept that these people are hidden among us,
seen but unseen. I have no idea what inspired it, honestly. I woke up
one day with Rainer in my mind, and I couldn’t stop thinking about
him. This guy that had a really rough life and how he would cope with
all that had happened to him and around him. My books are also a take
on what happens after a revolution. What happens to the people left
behind when their loved ones give their lives for a cause? What would
drive them? What would they do to make certain that no one’s life
had been given in vain? Every part of their lives deeply intrigues
me, and I wanted to show all of that in my story. I honestly feel
like these fantastic beings walked into my living room, sat down on
my couch, and told me every detail of their story. What would Rainer
and Emily’s first time have been like? I wanted to capture those
moments in “Within the Realm.” In “Lessons Learned,” we amp
it up a little, ok maybe more than a little. I also wanted to know
how different couples do things differently. Guys make love, fight
criminals, and do everyday things differently. I try to let their
personalities show through in every scene. That’s why I enjoy
writing from different perspectives. I like showing what’s going on
in all of their minds.
When
you are writing a book, where do you get your main ideas? Do you
outline? Do you have the full story planned out before you start
writing?
I really don’t think
that there is any one way to write a novel. I personally do not
outline. I kind of feel like it cramps my creativity and my style. I
do; however, always carry around a notebook with me and scribble down
idea after idea as they come to me. When I began “The Gifted Realm”
series, I had a very, very lose idea where we were going, but I had
no idea how exactly we were going to get there. I had to write it to
find out myself. I love that about my job! Everyday it’s like I get
to dive in see what’s going to happen.
There
are so many children in the Haydenshire family. Does this parallel
your own family?
My parents are divorced
so that is certainly not like the Haydenshires. I have one brother,
two step-brothers, and one step sister. That’s from both of my
parent’s re-marriages. So, I would have to say no the Haydenshires
are not a reflection of my own family, but oh how I would’ve loved
to visit the farm for a day when all of the Haydenshire boys were
little just to take all of that in.
What
are some things you do to give depth to your characters?
My characters are very
real to me. They have birthdays and favorite things. They have real
personalities. Logan would never react to something the way that
Garrett would or even Rainer would. I try to constantly remain true
to each of my characters and what drives them. I already know all of
their backstories (yes they are written down and some will appear in
upcoming books). But, where they’ve been and what they’ve been
through often dictates where they’re going and how they’re going
to act when they get there. I keep all of that in my mind when I’m
writing, and I try to represent all of that in their interactions.
You
write about some seriously “swoon worthy” guys, and on your blog
you often discuss how much you adore your husband. So, how did you
two meet?
My DH and I met on a
ski trip with the church youth group in high school. We were sitting
in the common room of the chalet, surrounded by other people, and we
started talking. He was a senior and I was a freshman so I kept
telling myself that he was too old for me, but I just always wanted
to talk to him. He called me a few nights after we came home and then
every night for the next three years. He left for college and we
stayed together. I lived for eight o’clock every night when he
would call, and I could just talk to him. I honestly think that God
sort of stepped in on my behalf and said, “Here you go Jillian.
This is the one for you.” We married two months after I graduated
from high school. (I can hear you gasping!) I’ve never looked
back, and I never want to. I never want to go one single day without
talking to him!!
Before
you and your husband married, would you say you were like Rainer and
Emily?
Hmm, let me think. No,
not really. Emily has infinitely more spunk than I had at her age. I
would say we were and are as committed to one another as Rainer and
Emily, but they are not us.
Are
there “lessons” in your novels that you most want your readers to
grasp?
So, many lessons! I
want my readers to ask “why?” Why is this person doing this? Why
did he or she react that way? Then when we put the puzzles together I
want them to understand that people are not all good or all bad and
that most people do have a reason for doing what they do.
I want my readers to
see that marriage can still be hot! I love that the Haydenshires are
still “very active.” I love the passions that course through the
relationships I craft. I want women to find their own passions and to
put passion back into their marriages or relationships.
I wanted to show that
women are beautiful despite the stereotypes we’re bombarded with
day in and day out, and I wanted to show that men are not morons. You
will see several of my female characters self esteem falter due to
societal pressures to be a certain way or have a certain look, but
then you’ll also see their partners expressing how beautiful they
think that they are. On the other hand, it infuriates me when I see a
television show where the father or husband is portrayed as imbecilic
and that is too dumb to get in out of the rain. Stop that! So, my
female characters are not double zeros with triple DDD’s, and my
guys are intelligent, caring, strong, men. I’m also not a big fan
of a very passive female character. My girls have personalities, and
thoughts, and ideas all their own and they aren’t afraid to let you
know that.
Did
you learn any “lessons” from writing your books, and what were
they?
Where to begin? I would
say that first my writing has given me a great deal of confidence. I
believe in my story. I believe in my characters. Everyone is a
critic, certainly, and some people may not like my writing, but I
love what I do. I had to decide to do it for me, because my
characters have a story to tell and I just feel so privileged to be
the one that gets to tell it. On that note, telling my family what
I’d been doing for the last few years and that I was going to be
published, as a romance writer, was another time that I had to cling
to my own belief in myself. I come from a very conservative family,
and my love scenes certainly are far from conservative. I had to
decide to let the world see me and my beliefs. It was a very scary
thing to do.
Which
question are you most sick of answering in interviews?
Are you kidding me? I’m
a mom. The mere fact that someone, anyone cares what I have to say is
astonishing to me! I’ll answer anything (well just about anything)
because that means that somewhere out there someone cares about my
opinion. LOL – Actually, if I were being completely truthful
probably the “Who’s your favorite character” question. I just
cannot answer that. I have no idea. I love them all. I could never
choose!
Which
of your characters do you think is this most misunderstood and why?
Oh, that would have to
be Dan Vindico. He’s so intense and driven, and he rubs a lot of
people the wrong way. There is a method to his madness and when we
get to his story hold on tight it is hot, hot, hot and then brutal
all at the very same moment.
A
number of characters in your books have tattoos. Do you have any, and
if so what/where? If not, would you ever consider getting one?
I do not currently have
any tattoos. I would love to get one (or more) but honestly I’m
scared of the pain. I’m a wimp. I know. I have said that maybe,
possibly if I sell ten thousand books that I would get a “Alis
volat propriis” tattoo done with either a dove or a butterfly. It
means “she flies with wings all her own.” I love that! I would
also like DH’s initials done somewhere, not sure where. Have to
think about that.
There
are a lot of different types of elements in Lessons Learned. Chases,
tender moments, battles, and steamy love scenes. Which type of scenes
are your favorite to write, and which are the most difficult?
Wow! Good Question! I
would say that the “battle” moments or when one of my characters
has been hurt or is about to be hurt are by far the hardest to write.
It wounds me to write about them being hurt. When Adeline and Logan
break up in this book (That was in the scene at the end of “Within
the Realm” so I’m not giving much away here.) I hurt for Logan
and for Adeline. It made me physically sick. You’ll have to read to
find out what happens to them.
I do love to write a
love scene. I love the intricacies of it and to really think about
what would be going on in their minds at that moment.
I also love writing
what I call an “advice” scene from one of my older characters. I
love to stretch my own mind into that of someone who has lived so
much more than any of my characters. What would they really say at
this moment? How would they feel? What would they wish someone had
told them in a similar situation?
You
write from the male perspective. Do you find this hard to do, and how
do you make sure it sounds authentic and believable?
Well, I am completely
surrounded by men in my life
I’m obviously married, I have two boys of my own, I grew up with a
little brother and all of his friends hanging around constantly. I
have a dad and a step-dad. So, I kind of think that I “get” guys
as much as any girl can “get” guys. They are people after all
even if what they say occasionally sounds alien. I always read what
I’ve written that day to DH, and more than once he’ll stop me and
say either “wow how did you know we talk like that or think like
that?” He also occasionally says, “ok no guy would say or do
this…” So, he’s my go to source for all things “male.” I
also peruse quite a few websites and Men’s Health and other men’s
magazines (no not porn) to get a few ideas here and there.
