Interview with Author Jill Cooper #Interview -

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Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Sure! I live in the burbs of Boston with my husband, daughter, and one completely white cat. In the warm months of the year (does that still happen?) we make reclaimed wood furniture, enjoy fire pits, and lots of BBQ food!

What do you do when you are not writing? If it's not fun, I don't believe in doing it. So we play hard, swim, bowl, hang out and just have a good time. Spending time with my daughter is my favorite way to do that.

Do you have a day job as well? Day jobs are not fun, so I don't have one. Just writing and taking care of the family. Does watching Buffy count as a day job? Probably not.

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book? I was 8 when I realized I loved writing. My first real book was finished in probably 2001. But as a pre-teen I wrote romance novels, and Swift Valley High fan fiction.

How did you choose the genre you write in? I'm pretty sure it chose me. I write a story and then figure which genre it goes in. I am mostly interested in telling stories with younger characters so I stick myself with YA most of the time.

Where do you get your ideas? That's a really good question and for the most part I have no idea. Some times I get ideas for my high concept stuff when watching movies. With 15 Minutes, it started with the first sentence ‘I have 15 Minutes to save my mother's life'. And I just took it and ran with it. It's been quite the journey!

Do you ever experience writer’s block? I don't believe in writer's block. I think writer's block is a quick way of saying ‘I've lost my way or I've lost confidence in myself. I've given into fear'. If I fall into this trap, I back track the plot and see where I got lost, and what it is that is scaring me. Then I give myself permission to fail and just go for it.

Do you work with an outline, or just write? I just write. An outline is the kiss of death for a project for me. I will write a short blurb to help like ‘Luke Skywalker meets an old man and along with some tin friends goes on a journey to free the princess' and that's pretty much it. I do think a lot between writing sessions, stare off into space, but I rarely will write down any notes.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult? Stephen King and Joyce Carol Oates are my two biggest influences. A strange combo, but they are what did it or me as a tween and teenager growing up. I could identify with something they both bring to the table. Stephen King writes these fantastic horror stories with real people, real situations, and real life problems alot of the times that I think is an amazing blend of elements that really sell a crazy situation. I like crazy.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published? Since I'm an Indie author, just trying to get my bearings on it all. I probably over paid for my first book in marketing, cover, editing, format, and all that. It took me alot longer to format and get things ready then it does now. It sure was exciting. I was probably over giddy in the entire process.

If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change? No, I can't imagine changing everything. I think it happens the way it is meant to and has made me who I am today.

What does your family think of your writing? My husband is very supportive and reads everything I write. He is my harshest critic, and a great beta reader. My extended family are supportive from a distance. They say good job, but don't actively support me and that's fine. It'd be nervous if my parents read what I wrote! My dad is not a genre fan.

What is coming out next?Most likely the next book in the 15 Minutes universe. Detached. It should wrap up the trilogy nicely and give us a peek at the future. But if that future comes to pass? Who knows. We'll have to wait and see!

Lara Crane is stuck in her mind, in an indefinite stream of timelines where her life is perfect, just the way she wants it to be. But it’s not real. It’s all made up to give those who want to use time travel for their own personal ambitions. To give time to finish their experiments and turn Lara into a deadly time travel assassin.

If Lara wants to survive and to stop them, she needs to risk her own mind and soul to get out of a prison so perfect it completes the one dream Lara has always had.

Family.

Preorder on Amazon for $2.99!

Read book 1 – 15 Minutes

About the Author:

I could write this in the third person. I could tell you what I like, where I was born, and what my favorite things are.

But instead, I’ll say I don’t want to write like everyone else. I don’t want to craft stories you’ve read a thousand times before. I want my novels to be a cinematic experience, blending themes, genres, and situations unlike any you’ve ever read.

I want to break the rules. I want you to break out in a cold sweat as you read my books out of fear, love, and excitement. I want my books to be an experience. When you finish, I want you to feel something. Good or bad.

If you do, then I’ll have succeeded. If not, I’ll keep trying.