SERESSIA GLASS
Affaire de Coeur's May/June, 2010 Author of the Month

AdC: When did you start writing and why?
SG:I’ve been writing since I was a child. Back then, I read anything I could get my hands on—comics, library books, newspapers, cereal boxes. When I ran out of stuff to read, I started to write.

AdC: What is your favorite book?
SG: Hmm, there are so many! But I think I’d have to go with A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. That story has stayed with me through nearly three decades, so it’s obviously made an impression.

AdC: You write paranormal. How did you get involved in that genre?
SG: The paranormal and the unexplained have always held a fascination for me, from way back when In Search Of… was on TV. Some of my earliest attempts at writing involved the paranormal—sisters who served as guardians of another world, a young girl discovering her destiny to save or destroy the world, the autobiography of a piece of bubble gum—and I’ve always wanted to write paranormal. Now I get paid for it!
I write for Pocket/Juno, which is an urban fantasy (UF) imprint.

AdC: Isn’t it a little weird that your hero and/or heroine change from a bear or a wolf into human form? How about: “Isn’t it a little weird to have your hero and heroine live in a world where demons and gods and goddesses act like regular people?
SG: No, I don’t think it’s weird at all. The whole concept of my Shadowchasers universe is that the hybrids that live among humans want the same things humans want for the most part—to live their lives as best they can while they can. There are some, just like there are some humans, who want more—power, money, control. When they get out of hand, that’s where my heroine steps in. She gets help from an assortment of people, including the demigod Anansi who enjoys being around people.

AdC: Is it harder to write sex scenes with shifters? Where is your focus when writing…on the paranormal aspect or the erotic aspect?
SG: I try to ensure that the paranormal is prevalent in the story. Of course, there is an intimate relationship, but because I write UF, I’m able to build the sexual tension and let the relationship progress almost naturally. It was a little hard to do that coming from a romance writing background, but I think I’ve managed well.

AdC: What is your idea of a perfect day?
SG: A perfect day for me is when my family gives me time to write, a scene comes together perfectly on paper or my screen, my agent calls with a new deal, I get a positive email from a reader, and I have money to take the family out to dinner. Chilling with my sweetie while catching a sunset or an episode of Mythbusters doesn’t hurt either!

AdC: Do you have any hobbies?
SG: When I’m not writing, I enjoy belly dancing and making jewelry, watching anime, and playing online games.

AdC: What authors do you admire, both within and outside the paranormal realm?
SG: Quite a few. Patricia Briggs, Octavia Butler, Anne McCaffrey, David Eddings, Stephen King, L.A. Banks, Isaac Asimov. Inside romance there are simply too many good writers to name!

AdC: What is the worst thing about being an author? The best thing?
SG: I’d have to say the worst thing about being a writer is having to worry about the business of writing. Knowing and being proficient in the business end of writing is vitally necessary, especially if one wants to write full time or have a long career. But worrying over print runs, piracy, contract clauses and promotion can be a serious drain from the fun and work of crafting a story.
The best thing about writing is, of course, crafting and writing a story, being immersed in a world I’ve created, and discovering that there are people out there who like the way I put words together!

AdC: What do you expect to be doing 10 years from now?
SG: If I’m lucky, I’d like to be writing fiction full time, having published a number of books that I loved creating and that readers and critics have enjoyed and want more of.

AdC: What can we expect from you next? That is, after your July release of Shadow Chase? Do you intend to remain in the urban fantasy genre, or are you branching out?
SG: The majority of my ideas continue to be paranormal romance or urban fantasy. There’s so much that fascinates me about our world and our universe, about where we’ve been and what we’ve believed, that I itch to weave those myths and beliefs into my stories. Yet, at the core of all of my stories, no matter the genre, will be the relationships of the people who populate them.

AdC: Pass on some words of wisdom, please, to aspiring authors.
SG: Winston Churchill said it best: “Never give up.” Read, study, hone your craft. Your first work isn’t necessarily your best work. Writers are solitary, but we need critique groups and networking with others who “get” what we do and why we need to do it. Above all, believe in your words and yourself.

PREVIOUS AUTHORS OF THE MONTH

• Dakota Cassidy - June 2009

• Betina Krahn - July/August 2009

• Tracy McNish - September/October 2009

• Shelly Laurenston - November 2009

• Terri Brisbin - December 2009

• Julie Kenner - January/February 2010

• Patty Briggs - March/April 2010