Author Interview with Jan Sikes

Title: Jagged Feathers
Series: The White Rune Series Book 2
Author: Jan Sikes
Genre: Military Romance, Suspense
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc
Release Date: January 31. 2022
Pages: 334 pages

Author Interview with Jan Sikes

Interview by Sherry Perkins

 

1. Jagged Feather, Book 2, of The White Rune Series is here! Could you talk about what ties the series together and the inspiration for it? Please tell me it involves runes. The thread that ties each book together in The White Rune Series, is a single White Rune with the Wunjo symbol carved into it. It came into the story in Ghostly Interference (book 1), in a final letter from Rena Jett’s brother, Sam, who died in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan. The Wunjo symbol signifies a “happy-ever-after,” and what better symbol to use for a romance? The rune is passed to Vann Noble, the main character in Jagged Feathers, and then at the end of that story, he passes it to the next one. I enjoyed reacquainting myself with the runes to write this series. It has been gratifying and fun!
2. You have a nice feature on your Amazon Author page — some tarot card readings and a morning meditation. Maybe an obvious question, but how does being centered help in managing your professional life? That’s right. My blog is linked to my Amazon Author Page, so each time I put up a new post, it automatically shows up there. I was inspired to start the Monday Motivational posts in January of 2021, and they have been very well received. I began my practice of meditation back in the 70s (and yes, I’m telling my age), but I can easily say it is a practice that has helped me to stay grounded with a positive outlook through hard times. Whether you are spiritual or not, meditation has been proven to provide many mental and physical benefits. Those quiet moments of turning inward and focusing on the breath flowing effortlessly in and out of your body are rejuvenating. What advice about meditation or guidance could you share with readers and authors? I highly recommend a regular meditation routine for everyone. It doesn’t matter the time of day, week or month, anytime you turn inward and tune into the life force that resides inside each of us, the benefits are immeasurable. I also find that regular meditation helps keep the creative flow going and for us writers, that is super important!
3. Looking through your backlist, there’s a catchy cover on your short story, “Voodoo or Destiny, You Decide.” It’s a great cover but what I really want to know is, what was the inspiration for this one? The inspiration for this story came from a real-life situation that happened to someone I distantly know. The Voodoo part came into the story from my love of New Orleans and Marie Laveau. It was super fun to include that aspect in the story. The way the story ends leaves the reader to make their own decision about the magic of Voodoo. It was super fun to write and appeals to a lot of different readers.
4. It appears that your muse influences several creative efforts including novels, poetry, and music. Do you have a preference for one or are they each an extension of the other? They are all extensions of each other. Whether writing a poem, a song, short story, or novel, the goal is all the same—to tell a story in a compelling and entertaining way. Writing short stories has allowed me to dabble in many different genres, from sci-fi to an 1800s western. I find it is a great way to stretch the writing muscle, and I’m so proud of the awards several of my short stories have garnered. If a writer is trying to find their ‘voice,’ short stories are a great way to do that. I have several more short stories planned for the years ahead.
5. Happily-ever-after. Do you feel a story is incomplete without an HEA? Is life incomplete without it? As an avid reader, I don’t always require a HAE ending to the story, but I do need a satisfying ending of some sort. A good example of a story I wrote without a HEA is “Brother’s Keeper.” So, no, a story does not have to end with everyone riding off into the sunset to live their happy lives, but as I said, it needs to provide some sort of satisfaction to the reader. That is always my goal, as an author.

 

 

JAN’S BRIEF BIO:

I’ve been an avid reader all my life. I can still remember the excitement that surged through me the first time I realized I could decipher words. Many summers, I won the highest award possible from the Hobbs, NM Public Library for reading the most books.

There’s nothing I love more than losing myself in a story.

Oddly enough, I never had any ambition to be a writer. But I wound up in mid-life with a story that begged to be told. Not just any story, but a true story that rivaled any fiction creation. Through fictitious characters, the tale came to life in an intricately woven tale that encompasses four books. Not satisfied to stop with the books, I released music CDs of original music to match the time period of each story segment.

In conclusion, to bring the story full circle, I published a book of poetry and art. I was done.

Wrong!

The story ideas keep coming, and I don’t intend to turn off the creative fountain.

I am a member of the Author’s Marketing Guild, The Writer’s League of Texas, Romance Writers of America, and the Paranormal Writer’s Guild. I am an avid fan of Texas music and grandmother of five beautiful souls. I reside in North Texas.

 

CONTACT JAN AT:

Website: https://www.jansikes.com

Blog: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jansikes/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks

Twitter Page: https://www.twitter.com/jansikes3

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC__OEL3TxJ2MV5eYkUdz_7w

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Sikes/e/B00CS9K8DK

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jks0851/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jansikes/