Welcome to Jill Myles' guest blog

Did you always want to become a writer?

I've always written but I didn't really think about writing a novel until I was about 22 years old. It just never occurred to me! Now I can't imagine not having a project simmering -- it makes me terribly antsy.


What is the most, and the least interesting fact about writing?

The most interesting fact about writing? Gosh. I guess for me the most interesting thing is to take an idea and run with it, all the way to execution. There's something amazing about that. The least interesting thing about writing is the rewriting and clean-up. Not very glamorous.



How did you celebrate your first release? What was it like to see your book in a bookstore? Do you have a special ritual for celebrating a book release?

My first release came out at a massive deadline at my day job, so I really didn't get to celebrate. It's sad, I know - but when you're working 70 hours a week at the day job and have a writing deadline as well, the last thing you want to do is go out and party! I think we might have ordered pizza, heh.
Seeing my book in the bookstore itself was surreal, but seeing it at Wal-Mart made me giddy. I saw it, took a picture, counted copies, cried, took another picture, and cried some more. The guy trying to shop next to me kept looking at me strangely.
As far as celebrating a book release - lots of clicking refresh on my Amazon ranking. I know! I'm so boring.



How did your family react to fact that you write romance novels? Have your family read your book?

My family was super excited that I was going to be published - sometimes I think they were more excited than I was! My mother and my sister are my biggest supporters and my first readers. They love my books, and they love reading them early.



Most authors are also avid readers. Is this the case with you? If so, who are some of your favorites? Have any influenced your writing?

Oh heck yes. I read about 150 books a year and I love reading paranormal romance, not just writing it. Some of my favorite authors are Kresley Cole, Ilona Andrews, Larissa Ione, Nalini Singh and Meljean Brook. Outside of paranormal romance, I love Julie Garwood, Judith McNaught, Lisa Kleypas, Eloisa James, and Kristan Higgins. I don't know if they have influenced my writing, though. I tend to strike out on my own, heh.



Do you feel each of your characters live with you as you write? Do their lives sometimes take over a part of your life? Can you name an example? Do you have living role models for your characters?

Not really - I guess I'm a weird author in that I'm kind of mentally detached from my characters. I joked once that I treat them like Barbies that I'm trying to get to make out. I'm afraid that's pretty true - they're not real people to me as much as they're objects in my imagination to be manipulated. They don't really 'talk' to me as much as I dictate to them how things are going to be. ;)
Living role models? Yes and no - there are actors and actresses I pick out that I think might have a good 'look' for the characters or a good personality, but those are just to inspire more than anything else.

Where do you get the inspirations for your books?

Everywhere. It could be a movie, a poem, a joke, a fairy tale, or a dream. Usually it's tiny bits of something or other that I like, and I mentally add it to a list in my head. Eventually the list forms into a plot idea.

Do you find it difficult at times to write love scenes?

Only when someone is looking over my shoulder!

Do you have a problem with deadlines and have you ever suffered a writers block?

My problem with deadlines is that I'm anal retentive about hitting them. I'm one of those people that would rather show up to a meeting a half hour early than be 5 minutes late, and that's kind of how I treat my deadlines. I'd rather be ridiculously early than late, so I press myself really hard to make sure that I hit that deadline.
I don't hit writer's block except at the beginning of the story - I have to have a good idea how it's going to begin or else I can't start. After that, I can move forward.

Do you prefer stand-alone books or series (As a reader or a writer) ?

That's tough - I'm going to say that it depends on the books. There are some that are perfect as a stand-alone, and some that are so amazing that you can't wait to dig into the next book and see those characters again.



If you could change places with one character from your book, who would it be and why?

Oh yikes! I don't know - I think all of them have kind of crappy aspects to their lives. Let's go with Bathsheba Ward - she's a heroine for a novel that comes out August of 2011.

What is your favorite book from the books that you have written so far? Who are your favorite hero and heroine, and why?

It's hard to pick a favorite. Usually the one I like the most is the one I'm working on at the moment. I just finished book 3 in my Succubus Diaries series and I'm feeling pretty good about it. For hero and heroine, I'll say Zane and Jackie...but that's probably because I just finished writing about them, too. :)

Would you like to give another genre a try?

Absolutely! My trunk is full of books of various genres. I love YA, historical romance, and some urban fantasy. I really love fantasy romance, too, and would love to write that someday.

Which book was the hardest to write and which the easiest?

Book 2 was the easiest to write (SUCCUBI LIKE IT HOT). I'm not sure why - I think I was fired up after signing my book contract and feeling pretty badass. Book 3 (which doesn't have a title yet) almost killed my brain with how difficult it was. I think it was due to the fact that both book 1 and book 2 released while I was writing it, and I had a lot of stress at the day job, and then I would come home and try to write.

If you could choose of your books for a movie, which one would it be and who would you as the cast?

I'd choose GENTLEMEN PREFER SUCCUBI, but I think it'd make a better HBO series than a movie. I'd love to see Christina Hendricks as the heroine, and Charlie Hunnam and Chris Pine as the heroes - yum!

If you could travel through time to visit a special time period or famous person, what or who would it be and why?

I love reading about ancient history, but oddly enough, have never felt the desire to visit it (or anyone in particular). I think it would have to be a really short trip. And if it is, we'll go with medieval England.

Do you listen to music while you are writing and if so what music is it?

No -- music totally derails me! I have to have relative silence so I can concentrate.

Big congrats to your latest release, Succubi like it hot, can you please tell us something about the book?

SUCCUBI LIKE IT HOT features Jackie Brighton and her two immortal lovers again. They're settling into the relationship but both men are fighting over who gets to spend time with Jackie and who doesn't. Which sounds painful enough, but then Jackie discovers that she's cursed and she's only got a few days to live. Solution? Road trip to New Orleans, to visit the oldest succubus in the land and get her help. And naturally, everything on the road trip goes bad...

Are you working on anything right now, and can you tell us a teaser about these projects?

I just wrapped up Book 3 and turned it in to my editor. It's more adventures of Jackie, Remy, Zane and Noah. I don't want to say too much about the plot except that Zane fans will be very happy, I think.