Introducing CJ England
This interview is also posted at Rivendell Romance Spotlight, http://rivendaleromance.blogspot.com/
How very fitting that the very first interview here at Rivendell Romance Spotlight be with CJ England, author of the Mylari Chronicles! The Mylari Chronicles – The Soulmates is 419 pages long. It is a full length epic novel complete with elvish language translations. This is the first book in a series of at least six, that chronicle the love and lives of the Sáralondë family who are Elven Royalty.
Trista: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? Include any awards, certifications, or nominations. Also include other book titles and release dates.
CJ: I credit my passion for writing to my second grade sweetheart, Steven, a blond haired cutie with dimples, who dumped me for a girl who could swing on the monkey bars. I wrote my first story about love and loss after that tragic episode. I am married to a wonderful man who puts up with all my craziness, and doesn’t complain too much about the fact that his wife argues copiously with her computer. I have three kids, two cats, four ferrets, and a turtle, and they are all as “different” as I am. I was first published in Country magazine ten years ago, and have been writing ever since. Since I chose to home educate my kids, much of my writing was put on the back burner until recently.
Trista: I understand you have a new release coming soon to Silk’s Vault Publishing. Could you tell us a little bit about the book?
CJ: Scheduled to be released on March 25th, 2006 is The Mylari Chronicles – The Soulmates. An ancient prophecy comes to life in the erotic tale of the forbidden love between an Elven prince and a kidnapped human woman. When Talia, a human female, is captured and taken into the faerie world, she finds that her life is threatened, until Calion, a prince of the elves saves her. As they escape her captors, the desire between them rises, but it is a love that is sardai… taboo. As they struggle to understand the feelings that they have for each other, the choice is taken out of their hands when Talia is betrayed and she is once again stolen away from her prince.Will Calion finally understand what Talia means to him? Will he be in time to save her? Will the ancient prophecy be fulfilled, or will all that the gods intended be for naught?
Trista: What genre is this book?
CJ: I would say it is first and foremost a fantasy novel, but it is full of adventure and action as well… and of course yummy hot romance.
Trista: Could tell us more about Calion?
CJ: Calion Sáralondë, is the Prince of the Calen’taur Elves. They are just one of the races of faerie that live beyond a barrier of faerie mist that separates the human world from our own. He has been raised since birth to be king of his people some day, and is bound by those traditions and loyalties.
Tall, dark and handsome, with piercing sapphire eyes, he welds the most powerful eleven magic there is... the power of nature. He fights his attraction to Talia, because he knows that giving into it would change everything… forever.
Trista: How would you describe Talia?
CJ: Talia Jennings, is a dreamy, green eyed blond, whose diminutive form
belies her fiery nature. Originally from New Orleans, she has traveled through America looking for something she just can’t quite describe.
Misunderstood and estranged from her family because of her inability to settle down into a “normal” life, Talia is pleased when she meets Calion, seeing in him the answer to all those yearnings in her heart.
Trista: What is your favorite quote from The Mylari Chronicles – The Soulmates?
CJ: Wow! That is a hard one… There are so many grab at you type lines. I think my favorite one is made by Calion when he is fighting for Talia’s honor against Bradok, heir to the Orcan Throne. He says…”Never anger an elf… we have very long memories.” My husband says I’m kind of elfish myself in that way.
Trista: How does The Soulmates fit with the rest of The Mylari Chronicles series?
As I said this is the first of a series of at least six. The sequel, which I am working on now, is called… The Princess and the Paladin, and tells the story of Princess Eámanë, Calion’s little sister, and the human man who becomes her Paladin (protector). The third book is tentatively called… His Healing Hands. It is about the third sibling of the Sáralondë family who was banished from the kingdom. He returns to find things aren’t quite as he expected them to be.
There was only one other book planned, the finale that wrapped things up (and must remain a secret for now). But then a couple of the characters in The Soulmates said they wanted their own book. They refused to cooperate until I promised them, so now we will have at least six full length stories.
Trista: You really must tell us about Hot Tubs and Hot Hunks and any WIPs you're currently working on!
On February 11th, I released my first E-book from Silk’s Vault Publishing… Hot Tubs and Hot Hunks. It is a fast sexy romp about a woman who falls for the hot hunk who comes to install her hot tub.
Also, soon to be released from Silk’s Vault is The Peacekeeper Journals – The Joining. This is a sensual story about Kira, the Peacekeeper who has been sent to save the human world from evil. She joins with six supernatural leaders, and together the fight to save San Francisco. It is the first of a series of seven books.
In submission to Silk’s Vault at this time is the next book in the Peacekeeper Journals, called The Gates of Life, and an Easter story called Here Comes Peter…
I am collaborating with another Silk’s Vault author, Annemarie Ortega, on a vampire story, called Damned if you Do, Damned if you Don’t, and have several other books in the works as well. I am a very busy gal!
Trista: Wow! I'd say you're very busy, and working in many different genres too, from contemporary to fantasy and now to paranormal. Where do you get your inspiration?
CJ: The question to ask would be… where don’t I. I have so many ideas, I wish I could clone myself. They all roll around in my head demanding to get out, and they get very cranky when I don’t listen.
One of the things that I do… is I dream my stories. I have the special gift of choosing a topic before I go to sleep at night, and then I will dream up a story by the time I awaken in the morning. Sometimes it is completely done, and just needs to be written down, or I may have a dream that sparks an idea, and I go from there.
Hot Tubs and Hot Hunks was an idea that came to me in the shower, (appropriately enough) after my husband Jonathon, challenged me to write a short story. The Peacekeeper Series was a full fledged dream, complete with technicolor and sound, and was the first full length novel I ever wrote.
I wrote Mylari specifically for Silk’s Vault. My inspiration for that was of course, The Lord of the Rings. I wanted to create my own little world, just like Tolkein. Now my problem is… ever since I went beyond the faerie mist… it’s harder and harder to come back!
Thank you, so much for your time, CJ!
I plan to do a follow-up interview with this author in a few months. Please post any questions you may have for her.
In the meantime, CJ invites everyone to visit her Website. For the latest information about CJ England, please sign up for her Newsletter. Come chat with CJ at her Yahoo! Group.
CJs web address is http://www.cjengland.com
CJs chat group address is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams
CJs newsletter only is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsDreamtimeNewsletter
And, of course, Hot Tubs and Hot Hunks is available now at www.silksvault.com.
And, as always, CJ says, "Follow Your Dreams."
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