Jenny Lykins is the author of more of the brilliant Time Passages series than any other author.  Her time travel romances have captured the imagination of readers and have found a place in the hearts of those of us who have had the pleasure of reading them.  And today I have the pleasure of introducing her to you for an interview for the Magical Romance Reading Website.
 

LB    First of all could you tell us a little about yourself as an introduction to the visitors to my site.

JL    I live near Memphis, Tennessee.  Home of The King, thankyouverymuch.  And, yes, I've been to Graceland enough times to be an honorary tour guide.

Everyone who comes to visit us has Graceland on the top of their list of things to see.  And for those of you too young to know what Graceland is...I hate you. :D

I live there with my husband of 22 years, our twelve year old Samoyed "puppy," and my son and daughter when they're home from college.
 

LB    You have written quite a few Time Travel Romance novels for the Time Passages series.  Other than your short story in the Christmas Spirits Anthology you appear to have been sticking to the time travel genre.  Do you see yourself branching out into other genres in the future or do you intend to stick to time travel?

JL    Time travel is my first love, and aside from the ghost anthology, which just wrote itself because of a little trip I'd been on and an experience I'd had, it seems like every plot I start working on turns into a time travel.

Every idea, every "what if," every time I think of something that would be a great storyline ALWAYS ends up as a time travel.  So, yes, I plan to stick with my first love, but if I come up with a plot that I love that doesn't have the time travel element, I'll write it.

Regardless of what I write, though, I think I'll probably always have some paranormal element, just because it opens up so many more avenues for great twists and turns in a story.
 

LB    Your next release, RIVER OF DREAMS, is scheduled for release this Spring.  Could you tell us a little about this novel?

JL    RIVER OF DREAMS is a "related" book to DISTANT DREAMS, meaning it's not really a sequel, but it has recurring characters.  RIVER is Griffin's story, who was Alec's best friend from DISTANT DREAMS.  It's set outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which is Griffin's home.  Of course, Alec and Shaelyn show up in RIVER, as well as Alec's sister, Molly, whose story I hope to tell soon. RIVER OF DREAMS is scheduled for release in July of this year, which means it should be hitting the shelves by mid-June.  Here's the back cover copy, for a little teaser.....

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1999.  Brianne Davis had a busy life- so when a friend asked her to go to a seance, she agreed- she was dying for a little fun.  Then, within the circle, a voice from the distant past called out to her.

For days this spirit haunted Brianne, beckoning her with words of love- until a brutal thunderstorm knocked her down...

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1832.  Suddenly Brianne found herself in another time- and in the body of a woman named Amily.  The spirit from the seance is now a handsome, flesh-and-blood man named Griffin - married to Amily's first cousin.

As Brianne struggles to behave like a lady-and get used to both a new body and a new time-she finds her heart turning irresistibly to the man of the house.

Although both separately struggle to keep their feelings secret, the passion between them is powerful.  Then tragedy strikes, forcing them to be true to their love, and to each other.  But when Brianne faces the chance to return to her own time, she must struggle to hold onto her newfound happiness...
 

LB    What projects are you working on now and what can be expect to see on the shelves in the coming months?

JL    As for what to expect on the shelves in the coming months...the only thing I have scheduled right now is RIVER OF DREAMS.  I'm working on a book now that I'm having loads of fun with.  It's set near Natchez, Mississippi, at a real setting off the Natchez Trace.  I have to admit that I've taken lots of "literary license" with the actual history of the setting, and, of course, the characters are purely fictional, but the minute I saw the setting, all those "voices" in my head started telling me the story that needed telling.  I know I'm being mysterious about the setting, but I don't want to give anything away.  At this point, though, I haven't even shown the work to my editor, so I have no release date for it.
 

LB    Of all the time travels you have written so far, which have you enjoyed working on the most and why?

JL    I know this sounds like a cop-out, but my favorite is usually always the one I'm working on, because it's new and fresh to me, and I'm always surprising myself with what happens next.  Asking for my favorite is sort of like asking a mother which of her children is her favorite. :D

If I absolutely HAD to pick one, though, I suppose I'd have to pick ECHOES OF TOMORROW, because that was the first thing I ever wrote.  I had no time constraints and no pre-conceived notions, so I just wrote whatever I wanted without worrying about
whether anyone else would like it.  Also, Reed, the hero, is actually...er...my husband {evil grin}, and everything sweet and romantic Reed says to Elise, my husband said to me first.  When he read it and recognized all those little "moments," I just had to laugh and say, "You didn't realize I was taking notes, did you?"  Now I think he keeps trying to top those! :D
 

LB    What do you like to read for inspiration?

JL    That just depends on the mood I'm in.  Needless to say, I read romance, but I also love to read the Amelia Peabody mysteries by Elizabeth Peters, some of Anne Rice's work (I LOVED her book The Mummy, Ramses the Damned).  I keep waiting for a sequel to that, but I've been waiting a long, long time.

I actually get more inspiration out of music than reading.  When I really need some creative recharging, I get in the car, fill up my CD player, and just drive out into the country and listen to music.  Collin Raye is my all-time favorite singer, and he can give me a creative boost faster than anyone. In fact, when I first started working on the book I'm working on now, I was absolutely stuck with where I wanted to take it.  Then I saw his video for "I Can Still Feel You" and I said, "YES!!!!  That's what I want to do!"  (I'm being mysterious again. :D)  In fact, I'm in the process of getting permission to use the first few verses of that song as a sort of prologue to this new book, because it perfectly sets the atmosphere.
 

LB    What is the biggest challenge you have had to face in your writing career?

JL    Writers are notorious for having no self-confidence in their work.  We write something, reread it, decide it sucks swamp water, rewrite it, etc.  My biggest challenge is to keep reminding myself that I don't love everything everyone writes, and I can't expect everyone to love what I write.
 

LB    Do you have any tips for all the would be romance novelists out there?

JL    First tip:  Write what you would want to read.  Period.

Second tip:  Find other writers so you have a support group and you know you're not the only one hearing voices in your head. :D

Third tip:  If you want to write, REALLY want to write, then you just have to park the ol' derriere and write.  Editors have a funny way of NOT knocking on your door and saying, "Would you write a book for us?"  Really, the hardest part of writing for some people is just sitting down and doing it.
 

LB    What do you feel has been the highlight of your career so far?

JL    There have been a couple of really great moments.  One was being awarded Waldenbooks Best-selling Debut Author in my genre for 1997 for my first book.

That was a surprise out of the blue.  But probably the most mind-blowing was the first time a fan came up to me (very cautious and wide-eyed) and asked if she could have her picture taken with me.  After looking behind me to see who she was REALLY talking to, I just wanted to laugh and tell her, "Darlin', I do the laundry and clean the bathrooms just like you do, so don't be too impressed!"
 

LB    And finally....Do you have a message for all your readers out there?

JL    Just a huge hug and a thank you for all the support.  The letters and emails mean soooo much, because writing is definitely NOT an instant gratification kind of work.  From the time I finish the last word of a book, it's usually well over a year before readers get to see it, so there's always that stomach-churning worry when the book starts hitting the shelves.  The letters and emails always seem to come with perfect timing, too, just when I need that little pat on the back.  And my philosophy is, if people are willing to spend their hard-earned money on something I wrote, I want to give them the absolute best story I can tell.
 

I would like to thank Ms Lykins for taking the time out of her schedule to do this interview for us.  It has been a great pleasure and we are all now looking forward to RIVER OF DREAMS.

I personally just loved the insight into all those little things "Reed" said in ECHOES and can only say that if he does manage to top them remember to take those notes ;-)
 

Books by Jenny Lykins:   Lost Yesterday, Echoes of Tomorrow,  Waiting for Yesterday, and Distant Dreams.

Visit Jenny Lykins  homepage
 

http://louisabrown.net