Hello everyone! We have J.C. Wilder with visiting with us today. She is here to discuss the first book in The Coven series, Winter’s Daughter. Let me tell you folks, this is one book that is definitely a spellbinding read.
Liadan – J.C. I noticed on your website you list Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books the Little House on The Prairie series and the Chronicles of Narnia as the reasons you write. How old were you when you read those books and did you know then that you were going to be a writer?
JC – Man, that was lifetimes ago. Let’s see, I was eight or nine when I received the box set of Laura Ingalls novels and I devoured them. I still have those original copies and they are well-read. As for the Chronicles of Narnia, I was in sixth grade so I was eleven or twelve when I read those. Yet another series that I absolutely swallowed alive.
I’ve always had a vivid imagination and those two series really set my fantasies to flight. I used to rewrite books I’d read to include myself as a character and I’ve lost count of the number of books I retyped on my little portable typewriter. I think that’s when I really began learning my craft.
Liadan – Winter’s Daughter takes place in Salem, Ohio. I found the description of the city to be very vivid. Have you traveled there and did you use actual landmarks for the locations in the book?
JC – Actually, the Salem in Winter’s Daughter doesn’t exist. I realize there is a Salem, Ohio but that isn’t the city I used. My Salem is a combination of the city I live in and Cambridge, Ohio.
Liadan – Synnamon is the daughter of a witch and seems to finally have her life back on the right track. You described her childhood and later years as being very tough and she did some things that she now regrets. Have you known someone like her and based her character on them?
JC – Oh yes. Show me someone who says they had a picturesque childhood and I’ll show you someone who is mistaken or is telling fibs. Everyone I’ve ever met can tell the story of a traumatic incident in their childhood and Syn is no different. Yes, her circumstances are more extreme then most but we all have something we need to overcome from adolescence. It’s par for the course.
Liadan – I so enjoyed this book, I love how sarcastic Synnamon is and the way Matt Whitefeather handles her. Will we see more of Matt and Synnamon in the books to come?
JC – Yes, both will appear in the next three books. They were fun weren’t they?
Liadan – Oh and the question I’m dying to ask… will we find out more about Itsy?
JC – Of course! The next book is Chloe’s and she is the one who can communicate and control Itsy so she will feature largely in the next book.
Liadan – I was fascinated by the information you did give on Itsy and it seemed that Synnamon was fine when she went into Itsy’s room. Does this mean that maybe Synn will be able to control Itsy?
JC – No, Syn doesn’t have that ability.
Liadan – Did you base the characters of Synn and Matt on people you know or are they characters that finally bugged you long enough that you had to write them?
JC – Syn is a character I’ve been wanting to write for some time. I have been dying to get a chance to write some really complex, dark characters and she is the first. I love the mix of tough woman and minx that she represents. She’s sexy, confident yet aware of her short comings and embraces that dark, twisty side of her personality.
As for Matt, he is the twin brother of a character in my Men of SWAT books. I always knew Micah (TACTICAL PLEASURE) had a twin but I didn’t have a clear picture of him. When I started writing Winter’s Daughter, BAM – he appeared fully formed and talking…a lot. <g>
Liadan – Edina was downright out there, but one of the best characters, I thought, of the book. Was she tough for you to get on paper?
JC – Not really. I’ve known many women like her, they are your neighbors.
Liadan – Did you find it difficult to write about witchcraft and did you do a lot of research?
JC – I started doing research on witchcraft in 1996 when I wrote ONE WITH THE HUNGER. As a card-carrying, tree-hugging Pagan, I didn’t have to do a lot of research, I just pulled out my notes.
Liadan – When will the book, Winter’s Daughter, be released and do you have a release date for the second book?
JC – Winter’s Daughter will be available in ebook on 12/7/07 from Samhain Publishing (www.samhainpublishing.com) and the paperback will be available in October 2008. The second book, The Rites of Spring (working title), should be out next year. (crossing fingers)
Now for the fun stuff…
Liadan – If you could be a witch, vampire or werewolf, which would you be and why?
JC – Witch – It would be the best of all worlds. I can live forever, but still eat food – and if I want to turn into a wolf, I can do it at will, not when the moon dictates.
Liadan – Which character from the Chronicles of Narnia would you choose to be and why?
JC – Prince Caspian – he had the best adventures.
Liadan – If you could meet one actor/actress of your choosing who would you want to meet?
JC – Johnny Depp – I grew up watching him and I like how his mind works.
Liadan – Do you have any appearances, internet wise or in person, coming up anytime soon?
JC – No, I’m actually done for the year. (wild screams of pleasure) It’s time for me to kick back and rediscover my couch!
I’d like to thank you for taking the time to be with us today and I really enjoyed getting to know about the characters and a little bit about you.
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