Judi Fennell Interview & Giveaway

Today I am pleased to have Judi Fennell here with us. Judi's newest release is I Dream of Genies, you can read my review here. Please leave Judi a question or comment to be entered to win a copy of I Dream of Genies. There will be two winners. Sorry this giveaway is only open to USA and Canada residents. Contest ends January 30th at 11:59pm EST.

To start would you mind telling the readers a little about yourself?

I’ve always loved to read and I’ve always loved magic, fantasy, and animals. My imaginary friend growing up was Casper the Friendly Ghost, and my favorite series of books to check out from the elementary school library were Dodie Smith’s books (101 Dalmatians, Starlight Barking), and the Hugh Lofting Dr. Doolittle books. Then Disney movies fired my imagination and I’ve dreamed of princesses, wizards and magic ever since. It was a no-brainer to see which genre I’d write in.

Could you tell us a little about I Dream of Genies and what we can expect from it?

This story came to me, first of all, because I wanted to write about a paranormal being that a lot of people weren’t writing about. And I loved the television show. Put the two ideas together, and the story idea started to germinate. As it germinated, I heard the theme from the Indiana Jones movies. I had no idea how the two would come together until I started writing the story, but it starts out with Eden, the genie, accidentally being freed from her bottle that she’d been sentenced to spend 3000 years in. The adventure that comes after really could be an Indiana Jones movie. I even have a nod to Harrison Ford in the book.

Besides your new book, I Dream of Genies, you have another series which is about life under the sea. Can you please tell us more about this interesting series.

The Mer series (In Over Her Head, Wild Blue Under and Catch of a Lifetime) started because I was working on a series of “twists” to fairy tales, and I needed another fairy tale to twist. The Little Mermaid came to mind, and off I went, making him the Mer. Once I started writing the story, I found out the hero, Reel, had a brother named Rod who was in charge of the South Atlantic and I knew that this was no longer part of my twist on fairy tales series; this was a series all on its own. Toss in 3 sisters, and a whole underwater world, and the stories were born. Essentially, Rod, Reel, Marianna, Angel and Pearl are all part of the royal Tritone family who rule the undersea world from Atlantis. Which just happens to be beneath Bermuda. A couple of disgruntled sea creatures/monsters stir up a heap of trouble and humans are getting caught in the mix. Efforts to save the humans end up in happily-ever-afters, but not until a whole bunch of danger and adventure has gone down. Hmmm… maybe these could be Indiana Jones movies as well.

What interested you in writing about fantasy characters, and what type of research, if any did you have to do before writing the books?

For all that my stories are fantasy, I try to ground them in as much reality as possible to make the suspension of disbelief that much easier. If that makes any sense… But I do do a lot of research to set up the world, to pull enough reality to give you the “what if” experience. For instance, in I Dream of Genies, I modeled the magical city of Al-Jannah after old Sevilla in the south of Spain, and pulled in as much of the Moorish influences that are really in that city. I did a lot of research on gemstones and flowers. I was presently surprised when I found a flower known as “djinn’s eggs.” Research; it’s a good thing.

When did you know that you wanted to be a writer? Were your family and friends supportive?

I don’t know that it’s something you decide; the stories just kind of don’t stop. It’s gotten to the point where I have to keep a notebook beside my bed or a story idea won’t let me go back to sleep. I started writing as soon as I learned to write, won Honorable Mention in a Caldecott Award contest in elementary school, challenged a friend to write a romance novel in junior high, and had an anecdote published in Readers’ Digest in the 90s. Once the kids were in school, the stories started coming fast and furious and my husband encouraged me to join Romance Writers of America. He’s been massively supportive ever since. My kids, on the other hand, don’t know any better, so as far as supportive… they don’t see the need because this is just the way Mom is. They go along with the flow.

What or who influenced you the most in your writing career?

I’d have to say my husband, mainly because of his support and encouragement. I did find Katie MacAlister’s and MaryJanice Davidson’s work inspiring, in that, they write like I wanted to write, so I figured if they could do it, so could I.

Many of our viewers are aspiring writers; do you have any writing tips to pass along?

Keep writing. There’s no better way to develop your voice and style than by continuously practicing it by writing more stories. Plus, not all first stories are going to sell. Or second. Or third. You have to keep writing to find the one that resonates with industry professions. And don’t be afraid to submit your work to critique groups and also to editors and agents. You’ll never get published if you don’t submit your work. I’m continually amazed at the people who want to be published and who have written a (many) book(s) and don’t send it in.

What is the writing process like for you? Do you have a particular writing process or any writing rituals?

The only real ritual is that I need background noise. I prefer music that I can’t sing to so I usually have instrumental or classical playing on my laptop. As for the process… it varies. Some stories come to me linearly; others are more episodic that I then have to pull together. Sometimes a scene will come to me, at other times it’ll be the characters speaking to me, so, no, I can’t say I have any set process.

What is next for you? Can you share anything regarding your current work in progress?

I’m working on the third book in the series, Leave It To Genie, which is Zane and Vana’s story. Vana, short for Nirvana. Nirvana Aphrodite, and, yes, she knows exactly what she has to live up to with a name like that. It’s just as bad for her twin, Aphrodite Nirvana, who is her polar opposite (read overachiever to Vana’s unfortunate talent of not having the hang of this magic thing). DeeDee, hopefully, will get her own book, but nothing’s been decided upon yet.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I can’t say enough thank yous to everyone who has given a new author a chance and then let me know how much you enjoyed the stories. My editor gave me a chance to have a career; my readers gave me that career. And I remember it every time I sit down to write a story: will they like these characters? Is the story humorous enough? Does it give them the same ride they’ve come to expect? Thank you all for reading!


I DREAM OF GENIES BY JUDI FENNELL – IN STORES JANUARY 2011

“The nonstop cinematic gee-whiz results will keep the reader enraptured. Fennell also tosses in sultry sex scenes, a bubble-gum-sweet but passionate romance, quick-moving action, and a variety of puns and riddle-making beasts.” —Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

He needs to change his luck, and fast!

Matt Ewing would gladly hunt down a fortune in lucky pennies if he thought it would help save his business. But for all his hoping, Matt’s clueless when his long-awaited lucky charm falls in his lap in the form of a beguiling genie. He just can’t believe that this beautiful woman could be the answer to his prayers…

She’s been bottled up for far too long!

Spending 2,000 years in a bottle would make any woman a little stir-crazy. So when Matt releases Eden from her luxurious captivity, she’s thrilled to repay him by giving him the magical boost he needs…

But for all her good intentions, Eden’s magical prowess is a little rusty and her magical mistakes become more than embarrassing. And though Eden knows falling in love will end her magic and immortality, she can’t help but be drawn to the one man who wants her just for herself…

About the Author
Judi Fennell is an award-winning author and writes what she calls “fairy tales with a twist.” Her romance novels have been finalists in Gather.com's First Chapters and First Chapters Romance contests, and have won numerous RWA Chapter Awards, including the FF&P Prism Award, and the New Jersey Golden Leaf Award. Judi lives with her family in suburban Philadelphia, PA, where she is working on the next book in the Genie Trilogy, Genie Knows Best, set for release in November 2011. For more information, please visit http://www.judifennell.com/