Jaclyn Reding's Frequently Asked Questions

"Your latest releases, The Secret Gift, and The Second Chance are contemporary sequels to your historical novel, The Adventurer. What made you decide to write a contemporary? And please don't tell us you will no longer be writing historicals!"
I'm happy to know you've enjoyed reading my historicals :-) The Secret Gift came to me as a sequel to The Adventurer, a generations later story that brings the family of the characters from one story into the 21st century. It's all part of growth as an author, a stretching of wings, so to speak. I enjoyed writing the story very much, so much so that it has sparked ideas for additional contemporary stories, all connected to the same fictional Scottish village. That does not mean I will no longer be writing historicals by any means. I left the younger Drayton sisters' (from The Pretender and The Adventurer) with their stories untold. So now I find myself in the unique position of having many stories to tell, both historical and contemporary. The difficult part is deciding which story needs telling first. But don't worry, I'll get to them all...eventually.

"When can we expect your latest on the shelves?"
In February 2007, Spellstruck will be released, a contemporary romance with a hint of magic, and sequel to The Second Chance which was released in 2006.

"How long does it take you to write a book?"
Generally, about six to nine months, depending on the story and the amount of research I do for it.

"Where do you get your story ideas?"
Everywhere, through my research, in the newspaper, on television, even in the grocery store. The idea for my novel White Heather came about from a lyric in a song.

"What is your favorite of the books you've written?"
I hesitate to name one; I love them all. Each character is special in his/her own way and thus a "favorite" for many different reasons.

"What book that you have read has had the most influence on you?"
Without a doubt, Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. From the time I read it when I was eight, that book made me want to be a writer.

"You obviously put much time and effort into researching your stories—are you from Scotland?"
I do put a lot into researching my stories, but for me, that is half the joy of being an author. In fact, sometimes I have to tell myself to stop the research and write the story! No, I'm not from Scotland. I was born here in America, but I have a connection to the country and that connection only grows stronger with each book I set there. It is an incredible place.

"Some of your books have a very strong element of mystery in them, such as a crime that needs to be solved. Do you have any favorite mystery writers who have influenced you, outside of the romance field, and do you think you could ever write a "mystery" novel?"
Yes, I do like adding an element of adventure or mystery to my novels for an added touch of excitement. Some of my favorite mystery authors are Elizabeth George, Stephanie Barron, Karen Harper, and Margaret Lawrence. And, yes, I can definitely see myself writing a mystery novel someday, in fact I've had a story idea for one floating about for some time, so don't be too surprised if I should follow it.

You've published the final book in the "White" series, but there are still characters from the series we'd like to read about. Will you ever revisit this series? And what comes next?
I'm a firm believer in the adage "Never say never," so don't be surprised if I should decide to return to the "White" series and tell the stories of some of the other characters. I've already had requests for Richard's story, Juliana's story, Amelia's and Sarah's. And I must admit I've already begun thinking of at least two of them for future books.

"How is the cover art selected?"
Good question! Every book is different. Earlier in my career, I would fill out character description sheets and then wait to see what the artist created. Now, I have more and more input with my covers, and I submit ideas for the graphics, colors, concepts, most every aspect. Sometimes the cover looks exactly as I imagined it; most times, it is a collaboration of both my ideas as well as the Art Director at my publisher, and the end result is better than I had imagined it.