Jan Mau Hill's books feature smart, sassy heroines. The genres are: YA Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.
What got you into writing your own stories?
I had a story inside me that needed to be told. My first series is YA coming of age in a parallel USA. There are no guns, copious amounts of magic and of course a world to save.
How would you describe your writing style?
Action-oriented - my heroines are always involved in crafting their own HEA.
What comes more easily, plot or characters?
Characters are easiest for me. I let them drive the story, if which I have a loosely woven plot.
How do you write your characters?
First is age- that will shape the mind set of the characters. YA MCs make vastly different choices than adults. Next is family - how did they grow up (poor, only child, etc.) What drives them toward change - the story is the change part but what is the set up? Then misc: job, ethnicity, etc. it’s how they relate in their world.
Have you written any animal characters?
My paranormal romance has pets (with quirky personalities) as well as Shifters who have animal spirits inside them with their own pov on the world
What is your "writer's den" like?
It’s part of the dining room table at my mom’s house as I’m also her caretaker. L
How do you get into the flow for writing? Do you have any rituals?
I get up early and go on video chat with a group of writer friends - they are my accountability buddies and we motivate each other. From there I write, efit, format, as much as I can daily.
How do you do research for your writing?
As I write I think of things my character’s can do and look things up on the fly. My search history is very random and may land me in trouble with the FBI some day😀
Do you have examples of minority representation in your writing?
I do have minorities as MCs in my new series and as friends of my MC in my YA book series. I write them all with respect and love. Homosexuality is normalized in my books, though all my MCs are straight via personal preference of what I feel most comfortable writing.
What is your personally most significant achievement as a writer, and why?
Finishing my YA series was such a huge accomplishment for me. It’s four books and a complete story. I’m very proud of how it turned out.
What would be the greatest achievement for you to aim for as a writer if anything were possible?
I’d love to see people enjoy my books - money is great - but for me “fame” is a group of folks who love what I write as much as I enjoy writing it.
What are you most grateful for as a writer?
The time and space in my life I have to do this for a career.
Has a real-life experience informed your writing? Share the scene it inspired.
In my YA series my MC often must make hard choices to do the right thing - I did that a lot growing up - spoke truth to power which wasn’t the easiest thing to do with peer pressure, etc.
Do you read fellow indie authors' works?
I do. Mainly for support as it’s hard making a living as an Indie writer. But also because most are very, very good and have interesting twists on different tropes.
Is there an author who inspires you?
YA: Susanne Collins. Paranormal Romance: Patricia Briggs - both are so nuanced and fun.
Give us three fun facts about yourself.
Born and raised in New Orleans. Lived in the Pacific NW for a few decades. Was in Corporate Marketing for years and years until I broke free to write fulltime.
What's one of your funniest experiences?
The time I was tasked with getting a hooker for a client. Making contact with the gal and setting up the “date” was hysterical.
What is something about you that few people know?
I was voted wittiest by my senior class in high school - made the yearbook and everything.
Do you have any hobbies?
I’m a big gamer - story/role playing games are my jam.
What's your favorite holiday?
Halloween- love the spooky vibe, costumes, parties, etc.
What's your favorite season?
Fall - neither too hot nor cold. The anticipation of another year ending and fresh beginnings ahead.
What's your favorite book?
Pride & Prejudice - it’s a fabulous tale of misconceptions and redemption of both MCs
What's your favorite movie?
Blades of Glory - two male ice skaters must team up as a couple for the Olympics- it’s laugh out loud funny
Connect with jan Mau Hill here.
Featured Book: Rock - book one of the Rock, Paper, Scissors series
Samara Yancy is nobody’s fool, and I’ll do what it takes to prove it.
Who was your favorite character to write?
Loved Bo in my YA series - he’s the one who says what everyone else is thinking but is too polite to say aloud. He’s irreverent and occasionally tasteless but he’s a fierce friend and usually right.
What was the spark that started this book?
I felt the need to write about a young woman who has odds stacked against her and has to use her wit and marginal physical skills to save her world.
What was the most interesting random fact you researched for this book?
So many: The distance one can fall without dying. Martial arts weapons and damage they do. Opossums. The list goes on for days.
What's the message you worked into this book?
Mental Health Therapy should be normalized.
What an unexpected adventure! I am so impressed with this world Jan has created for us. If you're a fan of Harry Potter, Shadow & Bone, Hunger Games, and a touch of coming-of-age romance, you will absolutely love these books. I'm 40 years old and I loved getting swept up in the fantasy of this cleverly depicted world of magic. I think it's made even more interesting because of the fighting skills and weaponry used by various characters in this universe. I already have book two because I want to know what happens next! Thank you Jan for a fun, riveting, cleverly crafted novel I can get lost in whenever I want a bit of an escape. Bravo!
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