Interview With Judi Fennell, Author of Catch Of A Lifetime

Author: Judi Fennell

Book 3 of the Tritone Trilogy
February, 2010
Publisher: Sourcebooks

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages

Excerpt


Back Cover Blurb:

She’s on a mission to save the planet…



Mermaid Angel Tritone has been researching humans from afar, hoping to find a way to convince them to stop polluting. When she jumps into a boat to escape a shark attack, it’s her chance to pursue her mission, but she has to keep her identity a total secret…



When he finds out what she really is, they’re both in mortal danger…



For Logan Hardington, finding a beautiful woman on his boat is surely not a problem—until he discovers she’s a mermaid, and suddenly his life is on the line.



Judi, it’s always a pleasure to have you here Over Coffee especially to talk about your wonderful books—which I’ve loved, by the way.

Aw, thanks, Sia. It never gets old that people love what you’ve written.

You just had a birthday a few days ago. You were almost a Valentines baby. Did you do anything special?

Actually, I did. I spent it with some of my favorite people – and, no, I don’t mean my family. (We’ve had umpteen snow days it seems like; I’ve spent enough time with them. LOL). I spent it with my fellow Valley Forge Romance Writer chaptermates. It was our monthly meeting and I was giving a presentation. Then we went out to lunch and then I had a book signing. Yes, it was a working day for me, but I love what I do and am feeling a bit shut in since the last event I went to was back in October. Maybe that’s why I’ve registered for 13 events so far in 2010.


Now, Let’s go back in time a bit.

Will you tell us briefly how you became an author?



I’ve always written, but it wasn’t until that fateful day when my youngest was in kindergarten and I woke up and thought, “I wonder what room I should clean today,” that I took a hard look at where I was in life. I love being a stay-at-home mom, but I did not like to clean. It was time to go back to being Judi – which is different from being Mom and Wife. I like all those parts but the “me” wasn’t getting out.

So I got a part time job AND I decided to get to work on getting published. Someone should have told me to do one or the other; but I probably wouldn’t have listened. I loved my part time job, but I love writing even more.



How difficult was it for you to get published?

As for how difficult, well, rejection is never easy. And I’ve had my share. I’ve also had my share of higher-profile exposure to feedback, in that I did three online contests, pre-publication, in the vein of American Idol-like contests. Talk about getting a thick skin quickly. Not everyone got my humor, or liked it. But others did.

Those contests gave me visibility and a writing resume. Other contests and critique groups helped with craft and story. And I went to a lot of writing conferences and workshops. Networking is as important in this career as in any other.

Four years after I joined Romance Writers of America, lightning struck and the perfect manuscript met the perfect editor at the perfect time.



I’ve heard you refer to the first in this series, In Over Her Head, as your talking fish story. How did you come up with this idea?

Originally, In Over Her Head, was part of another series – twists on fairy tales. I’d written Cinda Bella, Beauty and The Best, Fairest of Them All, and decided to “twist” The Little Mermaid. The easiest way to do that was to make him the Mer, and voila! In Over Her Head was born.

I’d finalled and won several contests with those stories; Beauty and The Best was in the third American Title contest sponsored by Dorchester Publishing and Romantic Times Magazine, as well as being the only romance to make the Top 20 finalists of the Gather.com/Simon & Schuster First Chapters Contest, but it hadn’t sold. Came pretty close once but then the editor I’d been working with left, and well, c’est la vie.


So, it wasn't your original thought to make In Over Her Head a Mer series?


No, it was only when In Over Her Head made the Top 5 of the Gather.com/Pocket Books First Chapters Romance Contest, I knew I wanted to focus on the Mer world I’d built and I came up with blurbs for two more stories in the series. That determined the direction of the series.

So, I’d written the first story with an eye toward one series, but then adjusted my focus according to the market. And the Mer series was the one that sold.


Catch of a Lifetime, features Angel Tritone. She’s not the typical Tritone. Tell me a bit about Angel and who she is? Was it her plan to find a human of her own to love?


Angel is the classic middle child. She’s stuck amid over-achievers and is feeling the need to make a name for herself. Humans have always fascinated her and she’s become a scientist in Humanology.

When her brother, Rod, the High Councilman, sets out to create a Mer-Human Coalition to facilitate interaction between the species in hopes of working toward bettering the planet, Angel sees a job description built just for her. Sadly, Rod won’t even let her apply.

But that doesn’t stop Angel. She wants to be somebody and she’s damn-well going to get the chance to do it.

She’d never planned to fall in love with a Human; she wasn’t planning on falling in love for a long time. She wanted to make her mark first. So when Logan comes into the picture, you could say she was feeling a bit like she’d been caught up in a whirlpool.


Which scene do you like the best in your story?

Are you really going to make me pick? I can’t. Each one has its highs and lows. Some were harder to write than others. Some have so much emotion that it makes me catch my breath, or makes me smile with happiness. And then there are the scenes that make me flat-out laugh out loud.

Nope, I can’t pick. Just like I can’t pick which character is my favorite, or which book is my favorite. Or which of my kids.

What was the hardest thing for you to write in this book or this series?

In this book, the story actually veered down a path that I hadn’t wanted it to go. There’s a young boy—Logan’s son Michael—who ended up being kidnapped by a man named Curtis. I write comedy; I couldn’t come up with any way to make that kidnapping humorous. And I’m a parent; inherently I shy away from thinking that situation could be humorous at all.

I had to reevaluate the story that I’d originally envisioned. Oh, I hadn’t thought of including a kidnapping, but the antagonist kept heading toward that no matter how many times I re-wrote it.

So, I ended up getting rid of him and finding another antagonist. This one a shark. Who, yes, does lure Michael into the ocean, but not with the intent to kidnap him like the original villain had done.

I have to say, it was an angst-y time, reworking the story, but I’m much happier with it in the end. And I had a heck of a good time with A.C., the shark.


You’re very involved with RWA. You are president of your Chapter and do quite a bit of travel. This year you’re doing some special things at the conferences, aren’t you?

I’ve been invited to speak at the first Velocicon conference in March, I’m doing a presentation at the Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference and my research workshop with authors Stephanie Julian and Melissa Mayhue has been selected for RWA National Conference.

This will be my busiest year yet with conferences. At present, I’m registered for 13 events. And looking forward to each one! There will be some meet-ups with long-time online friends, and catching up with those I only see at conferences. Plus all the writerly and readerly interactions. I love this job!


You’re wife, mother, a chapter president, and author. Good god, when do you have time to write?

It’s my job. I don’t get in the car and commute to an office, but I do go to my office. And I put earphones in. If a kid comes in, there better be blood trailing from some appendage. Otherwise, I’ll talk to them when they come home from school, but then I go back to work.

I also have the most supportive husband who tells me to head to my favorite bookstore when deadlines hit and I’m in my one-track mind mode. I’ll head there for 13 hours at a pop and he’ll handle the house and kids.

I couldn’t do this without him.

Given your writing schedule and deadlines, what do you do to relax and recharge?

I vegetate in front of reality television. It’s my guilty pleasure and I make no apologies for it. I need to watch something that I don’t have to concentrate on a story. I have a group of girlfriends who have been watching Survivor ever since the ending of the second season. We get together almost every Thursday night, even when the show is on hiatus. It keeps us sane.


You have a new series coming out about a society of Genies. I love how you write about mythical creatures co-existing with us. When will this series debut?

I Dream of Genies comes out January 2011. It was a blast to write and I could never have seen where that story would take me. I’ve pulled elements of Middle Eastern and Egyptian mythology in and combined with the pop culture references of I Dream of Jeannie. It was a lot of fun.


You've been a busy lady. I'd love to bottle your energy and drive, I'd make a fortune on the market. LOL

I will say, from what I've read of Genies, we're in for a treat. I love the premise and damn, you sure know how to tell an entetaining story.

I'm thinking, if I believed in reincarnation, Judi must be Queen Scheherazade, and I, like the King of old, am eagerly looking forward to her thousand and one tales of magic and adventure.

Thank you, Judi, for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with me.

• I have two copies of Catch Of A Lifetime to give out to two commenters today.
  

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Judi Fennell is an award-winning author. Her romance novels have been finalists in Gather.com’s First Chapters and First Chapters Romance contests, as well as the third American Title contest. She spends family vacations at the Jersey Shore, the setting for some of her paranormal romance series. She lives in suburban Philadelphia, PA.

Find Judi Fennell on her website, on twitter, on Facebook, on Goodreads

WHERE IS JUDI FENNELL?

Wednesday, Judi Fennell showed up in the Atlanta area, she was also in Northern California and I heard she was in New York too. Thursday she was in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and I heard rumors she was also in the LA area. I'm getting reports of Judi Fennell spottings from all over the country.

Now, how is this possible you might ask? Does she have her own Lear Jet? Perhaps she worked a deal with I Dream of Jeannie who crossed her arms and blinked Judi Fennell to all these places?

No Jet and I know for a fact, "Jeannie" is a favorite of hers but alas, no help from there either.

The truth is Judi Fennell's debut book, In Over Her Head, scheduled to be released June 1st, has been released early and is showing up in Barnes and Noble and Border's promotion towers across the country.

Have you spotted her yet? If you do, take a picture for me and post it to Facebook, Gather, MySpace, your website, or any social network and send me the link. Be sure to list the store, the state, and the date. The person with the most Judi Fennell sightings, will win a autographed copy of In Over Her Head and one lucky commenter will win a Mer cell phone charm. This Contest runs until June 16th.

You may send the link to me via facebook, or pop in here (this article will be archived but you can click on it anytime) on the comment section with the words: Judi Fennell sighting and the link. Be sure to leave me your name and a way to contact you. I will go to the link and copy the picture for my Where's Judi photo album. This photo album will be my gift to Judi. Let the hunt begin!

Yesterday, I was able to catch up with Judi in Barnes & Noble, in Philadelphia. While I had her ear, I asked her a few questions:

So tell me Judi, how did it feel when you saw your books up for the first time?

You know? I've imagined it for so long that it wasn't as surreal as I thought it'd be... at first. Then, as I stood there, and realized, hey, this is really happening... this isn't your imagination... then, it was verrrrrry surreal. Almost out-of-body. Especially when a woman in the aisle said, "That's your first book?" then BOUGHT ONE! Of course, I signed it for her, and THAT was awesome!

You knew they'd be part of Barnes and Noble's Promotional tower, but what was your reaction when you saw them up at Borders?

I had noooooooo idea about the Borders tower. I cried when my publisher told me about the B&N one; when I saw it there in Borders, I was just dumbstruck. I had to go outside and check the sign to make sure I was in a Borders. I'm just so honored that they liked my story enough to do that. Mind-blowing.

I have to say, seeing your books up brought tears to my eyes and it wasn't even my book, lol! You mentioned seeing it in Borders, was this the Borders you frequent when you were writing the long hours on these books?

Actually, no. This was the opposite direction from my house. There are more bookstores in that direction and since I wasn't feeling well, I wanted to maximize my time out. I have to go to "my" Borders and see it there. More photo ops! :)

Did you do any impromptu book signings while looking at the displays?

I have to say that the staff at all the stores was very helpful - before they knew I was an author. Not that I could keep it quiet once they asked, "Do you need help?" Once they found out I was the author, the "do you want to sign them" immediately followed. I brought my "Signed by Author" gold foil stickers with me, because Borders' store stickers go on the corner and would have covered either my name or Reel's chest. Couldn't have that. So, all the stock got signed and I did sign the one buyer's.

Any plans for a book signing Event?

I'll be signing 6/6 from 1-3 at the Borders in North Wales, PA, and 6/13 2-4 at the Barnes & Noble in Plymouth Meeting. And tomorrow I'll be calling the correct people for two more stores to set up more. My mom is having a very large book signing at her home, so they are happening. Plus, I'll be signing books at the Sourcebooks Publisher Signing at National on that Saturday, around 3 pm. I hope to see lots of familiar names/faces there!

Congratulations, Judi! I know how long and how hard you worked to see this day. I'm proud of you my friend!

Be sure to look for Judi's book, In Over Her Head in your local bookstore and send me the link. If you spot Judi Fennell do take her home and give her a resting place on your bookshelf or your TBR pile. Be sure to be on the lookout for the next two in this series.

***
I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I seemed to have followed writing contests around, being a finalist in such online contests as American Title III, sponsored by Romantic Times BOOKreview Magazine and Dorchester Publishing, and two First Chapters contests, sponsored by Gather.com and Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books.

I grew up watching Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie and The Addams Family--my mom looked like Elizabeth Montgomery and I had a special Barbie outfit that looked like Morticia Addams' dress. My favorite books are Bewitching by Jill Barnett and A Knight In Shining Armor, by Jude Devereaux, so it should come as no surprise that I like to write tongue-in-cheek lighthearted paranormals.

I love pop culture and manipulating language, so you'll find lots of puns, double entrendre, plays-on-words, alliteration, clichés, and twisting of phrases, as well as several one-liners in my stories that give me a few chuckles.

Now with kids, a husband, a house, a social life (Go Survivor Girls!), and two cocker spaniels named Vixen and Raven, I get to live my dream of being a writer!

Website: http://www.judifennell.com/

How Important Is Cover Art?

~Sia McKye~


"Despite what people say, people do judge a book by its cover" Nightline interview.

A Book cover is a marketing tool. They need to catch the eye. So I'm firmly in the camp that says, yes, what's on the cover is important.

Not all book covers completely reflect what’s in the story line. A savvy publisher is going to observe what is the current style of artwork and utilize it. They’d be stupid not to. As far as I'm concerned, a professional looking cover is vital. There is no excuse for a poorly executed one.

If I’m looking at books to buy—unless if have a particular author in mind—what’s on the cover is what induces me to pick it up. What’s on the back as far as the blurb will decide whether I buy it. A good cover includes a good blurb. Yes, I’m attracted to color but more attracted to a well-executed visual. I never have been attracted to cutesy covers. I usually skip over those that scream amateur.

Regardless of the method of publishing, covers are important. Even Print On Demand books can and should look professional. I saw one recently called Sun Singer, by Malcolm Campbell. It was simple but gorgeous in shades of blue. Recently I saw one that was stunning, called In Her Name, Empire, by Michael Hicks. I had no idea it was produced by a small Indie publisher using Print On Demand Technology, from the cover. If it’s done right, you should HAVE no idea that it’s different from mass-market paperbacks—except for the size. Unfortunately, most of the Print On Demand books are obvious because of their covers or lack of good cover art.

Each genre of books has a cover style. Suspense/mystery are generally darker colors, Romance genre usually have faces or figures, a hunky chest or something to draw the eye. Paranormals can have both or have a rather ethereal effect.

Cover Art is big business in Romance. Harlequin recently had a spot on Nightline regarding their cover art, where they said, “Despite what people say, people do judge a book by its cover. [Harlequin] puts an enormous amount of work and fun into these covers.”

You can see the interview at youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJGLA0UdqIY

Talking to various authors from both publishing methods, many will submit some sort of pictures, or description of what they see for the covers, be it a face, a body, landscape, a market scene, a city skyline. Give them all the help you can, I figure. Some authors will talk with the design departments but ultimately the design is what the publisher thinks will sell the book. Here's two example of romance book covers I personally like. Both draw me for different reasons. Judi Fennell's, In Over Her Head, because of the rich colors in keeping with a Mer storyline, a hunky chest, and I love the font used. Anna Campbell's, Tempt The Devil, because of the expression of challenge and sex appeal apparent in the man's face. I admit I have quite a favorites of covers but not enough space to show all.

Does Cover Art matter? You'd better believe it does!

What are some of your favorite covers out there and why? What draws you to them? Feel free to give us a link.

***
Sia McKye has spent over twenty years in marketing and promotion. She's written and published various articles on writing, marketing, and promotion. She's a Marketing Rep by profession and also writes fiction. Sia has completed a single title romance trilogy and is busy at work on a fun paranormal series.

DEADLINES AND STUBBORN BEGINNINGS.

Today my guest is Romance writer, Judi Fennell, author of In Over Her Head, the first in the Mer-Trilogy, available June 1, 2009.



Reality comes crashing down along with the high of a publishing contract when deadlines arrive fast and furious, life intervenes, holidays show up sooner than they should, and the dang story doesn't want to be written.

Normally when I write a story, I fashion it. I picture the setting, get a feel for where the story is going, and then let the characters out of the starting gate. Add a bit here, tweak this, move that, write the words.

Until the most recent one—the first story written to deadline, under contract.

I liken the writing of this story to a sculptor who tries to bring the piece out of a block of marble. It's in there and up to him/her to bring it forth, as opposed to a builder who crafts the piece.

This story would not let me write it. This story wanted to emerge. I knew the middle, and fashioned the ending, but that beginning... I think I have two dozen different starts-no exaggeration.

Where to start, how much the reader needs, what is the story... questions I never had to deal with before. In other stories, the beginning was always there. The black moment was there. The character arcs were there.

This time?

Nope.

This time, I had the middle of the story. No sagging middle for this baby—which is great, as sagging middles can be problematic. But the beginning, where you meet the characters, like them, find something about them to root for...I had nothing.

Well, I had something—it just wasn't the right something. It was everything I needed to know and none of what the reader needed.

So, like a sculptor, I pared it down, layer by layer, rounding the curves, smoothing the edges, and, slowly (slower than I liked), the piece emerge, the story unfolded.

And became the piece of art I knew was in there.



Judi Fennell
Mer-Trilogy
In Over Her Head, Wild Blue Under, & Catch of a Lifetime
Published by Sourcebooks

Win a Romantic Get Away
Contest details found at:
http://www.judifennell.com/