... and happy to be here! {waving to you in the best Horton fashion}
I'm J L Wilson and I write mysteries, romantic suspense, time travel, and paranormal novels. I've been published with the Wild Rose Press, Resplendence, and Cerridwen and lately I've taken some of my older books, edited them, and self-published them.
Let's see, what else to tell you? Vonnie and I may come to blows, because I went to school at Pitt (boo, PSU!) Actually, I went to school a lot of places. I worked at several different universities and got a degree from each one -- hey, they paid tuition! It made sense to rack up those college degrees. I have 2 degrees in English Literature, 2 in Computer Science, and one in Horticulture (just for the heck of it).
I've been very quiet on the Yahoo loops lately because my hubs and I just moved. This was my 29th move in about 40 years, so it wasn't too traumatic, but it's still a big hassle just getting phones set up, internet connections, finding the grocery store -- all while working full-time. Yep, I write fiction almost full-time and I write technical documentation full-time (Vonnie, I'm not copying you, I promise!) I work for a multi-national gigantic software company that is not Microsoft, and I can telecommute, which is one reason we moved -- I don't have to be chained to an office.
That's good, and bad. Good because the view out my "office" window is woods and the occasional deer who wanders by. But it's bad because I am always at work. I try to cut myself off from the computer by 6 at night, but I keep my cell phone handy in case I'm needed. The work-life balance thing is skewed right now because we're in the middle of deadlines. I hope once that deadline passes in October I can get a bit more balance in my life. I hope by then we've unpacked and found everything, too!
Enough about mundane junk like work. On to fun stuff: publishing. I read my first romance novel in 2004. Wrote my first one in 2005. Signed my first contract in 2006. And now I have about 20 books out. I have 3 more ready for next year, and two more in progress. Most of my books feature older heroes and heroines (folks in their 50s), because, hey, I write what I know {wink}. I like to envision typical, everyday situations that suddenly go awry, throwing people into adventures they never anticipated.
Most of my mysteries are first-person (the "I" voice), and my other books are third-person. I really enjoy writing in 1st POV because I truly get into the heroine's head that way. For the time it takes me to write the book, I almost "am" that other person. And that can be kind of fun! I like to write series, too, and I have 2 series with the Wild Rose Press: the Fatal Writers' Conference series (starting with Autographs, Abductions, and A-List Authors), and the Deadly Landscaping Romances (starting with Lilacs, Litigation, and Lethal Love Affairs).
For more information about me, my genres, the other spots where I blog (3 or 4 places), and current info, check my web slog (a blog/web site combination) at jayellwilson.com.
15 comments:
Hi JL,
Nice blog. Boy are you prolific. I thought I was doing well with 9 books published. Deer walking past your window, now that does sound lovely. It would certainly give me inspiration
Regards
Margaret
JL,
Love your web/slog. So much great information, along with your books. Everyone should check it out! Interesting how your mysteries are in 1st person and your others are in third. Which do you find easier to write?
Jerri
So far it's been nice, Margaret -- the house we left was truly "in the woods" and this one actually has neighbors in the distance, so we're getting urbanized!
Jerri, I find 1st person easier to write for a mystery. It's tricky to get the clues inserted where only the main character can see them, but that's what makes it interesting.
My current WIP is 1st person male, so that's fun. I've done 2 other 1st POV male, and I really need to keep my focus when I'm writing, far more than when I write my female POV. I find it to be a good writing exercise.
Think I need to take one of your writing courses. I don't believe I could ever do a 1st POV male. Great job!
Good morning, JL. You're off and running. We've got a bit in common - moving for the twenty-something time, like older heroines, like writing first person best, don't stick to one genre - but you're more prolific and certainly can handle more on you plate. I'm wowed by your education.
I enjoyed every college degree I got -- all were fun and challenging, especially since I worked full-time while going to school! It was fun being the "older kid" in my later degree programs.
I still take classes: Community Education, the occasional college course here and there. And I enjoy teaching writing, something I want to pursue again now that we've moved.
So glad to hear that you sold your house -- I know how worried you were. WE're experiencing some woes regarding our "easy" sale: sounds like our buyer has buyer's remorse and she's slinging accusations at us about "deceptive selling". {insert rude noise here} It's a long and annoying story best told over drinks in a bar someday. Needless to say, I hope your experience will be far smoother than ours!
Ugh, selling problems. Sorry to hear. Yes, let's have those drinks as soon as I'm in my temp home - another couple of weeks.
I'll be back in the Cities in a couple of weeks for a visit, so we'll try to touch base then, or in October when I'm back there -- it's an ugly tale!
Battle scar comparisons! Sounds like a two drink night.
JL, sounds like you've got the perfect spot for writing. I hope you end up loving your new neighborhood! But we will miss you at the MFW meetings.
Sounds to me like you'd make a good juggler, JL! I've never tried writing 1st person POV, but I do like writing from the hero's perspective. I don't have deer, but we get bears all the time. One hibernated under our deck all winter and didn't come out until the snow melted. Afterward, I imagined his stomach growling as I barbequed over his head!
Loved your post, JL. PITT!!?? I have a story about finding Pitt while I was frantically searching for Duquesne to see my son wrestle in a tourny there. It's one of those long, goofy personal experiences of mine--also best told over drinks. Moving is the pits. But I have to tell you, I'm so envious over all those college degrees. College was probably the best time of my life; learning at an older age is such a joy.
You're one of the most productive people I know, JL! I'm mystified, and more than a little jealous, of all you manage to stuff into a day. I'm sure you're glad to be moved - hope the rest of the settling in goes smoothly.
Thanks, all -- we finished the last of the move today. My Mom died last year, and we had some of her things in storage near here (our new home). So we "brought Mom home" today. A dear family friend helped. Now I have some of Mom's furniture sprinkled amongst our stuff. Feels great.
I hope to stay as productive in this new place. Now if we can get that pesky buyer settled and if I can meet a few deadlines in the next month, I'll feel settled!
Post a Comment