FEATURED AUTHOR

JANET ELAINE SMITH

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Janet Elaine Smith spent 9 years as a missionary in Venezuela, SA before settling in the Red River Valley of MN/ND. She and her husband, Ivan now operate a HELPs charitable organization, which they have done for 30 years. They have 3 grown children. Janet's writing career began with writing for magazines. She is a contributing editor to the leading genealogy magazine, Heritage Quest, and the associate editor for MinnDakota Memories and Mysteries, writes a
column on genealogy for the local newspaper, the Grand Forks Herald, is a frequent contributor to BBW (Big Beautiful Woman) and has had several hundred articles published.

Janet has several books to her credit, Dunnottar, and it's sequel, Marylebone, My Dear Phebe (a young adult historical), House Call to the Past and Port Call to the Future (time travel romances), Recipe for Murder and In St. Patrick's Custody featuring the ametuer sleuths, Patrick and Grace. Her newest novel is Monday Knight and Monday has been having adventures all of her own. She's been on tour with the group Smashmouth, gets emails, has opened her own boutique and even has her own website at:

http://mondayknight0.tripod.com/

ABOUT THE BOOK MARYLEBONE:

One of Janet's newest books is Marylebone. It is the sequel to Dunnottar, which has been on several bestseller lists. (She's still waiting for the New York Times!) It is set in regency England and flits back and forth between London and Scotland. It deals largely with the hunt for the Scottish regalia, which has been missing for almost 150 years (since the end of Dunnottar). It does involve a romance, but also gets into a very complex situation between the main female character and King George III. It is enough to make the Inquirer jealous! A very famous Scottish writer also figures prominently in the book.

ABOUT THE BOOK MONDAY KNIGHT

International supermodel, Monday Knight, fears she has lost it all after she is severly disfigured in a car accident. Only one man can save her, renowned plastic surgeon, Dr. Stephen White. Feeling that her beauty was her only asset, she is surprised at how much interest the docotor takes in her and she worries when she begins to fall in love with him. Is what he feels for her only pity, for she would rather die than have anyone pity her...

When did you first start writing?
I have been writing for 20 years. I loved writing
fiction, but did a lot of magazine work on the road to
getting the books published. I write regularly for 7
magazines, newspapers, etc. and appear in them
regularly (every issue).

Why do you write?
I love to write. It is such fun to be able to
imagine people and situations, then let them just take
over and tell their own stories. I have so many ideas
in my head, I think I'd go crazy if I didn't write
them. I also write so people (readers) can enjoy them.
And I love being able to always make a happy ending.

What sort of books do you like to read?
I like to read a lot of different genres, which
is why I read them. Historical, mysteries, time
travel, romances, most everything. Nothing really
morbid.

Who is your favourite author or who has influenced your writing?
That's a hard one. I admire Mary Higgins Clark. We
have become (very infrequent) penpals, because she
wrote one book--Anastasia Syndrome--about my
ancestors!

If you could meet any character from a book, who would it be and why?
I thnk it would be Alice in Wonderland. I would
like to know what it was REALLY like to go through the
looking glass!

What are you currently working on?
I am doing an anthology for FirstPublish. Since I
write in different genres, this is a book of four
novellas, one in each of the genres I write. They are
Maiden Rock Mistress (a historical romance), Picture
Perfect (inspirational contemporary romance), Waxing
Old (mystery) and One Ringy Dingy (time travel).

What have you found to be the best way to promote your book(s)?
The internet has been a great help, as it is
basically free and you don't have to leave home. The
best way, however, is for somebody who reads it to
tell somebody else and so on. I have also become
totally shameless about my books. If I am in a
bookstore and I see somebody just browsing in the
section where my books are, I reach for one of them
and suggest it to them. Then I tell them "I know it's
good. I wrote it." A lot of times they will buy it
just so they can get it autographed.

And finally, what advice would you have for writers starting out?
The best thing a writer can do is write. If you
are going to wait "for the spirit to move you," you
will never make it. Don't expect your first writing to
be the great American novel. While you are writing
books, do a lot of magazine work, even if you don't
get paid for it. It builds credits, adds to your
writing expertise, and it gives you a great free
advertising forum once your books are out. Also, read.
There is nothing much more important than to know what
the public is reading. It also helps you know what to
do and what not to do in your own writing.


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