Interview with Linda Wisdom

I'm sure you all were very tempted by Fifty Ways to Hex Your Lover. Now, it's time to hear from the lady who put Jazz in our lives.

Put your hands together for Linda Wisdom.

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> 1.. You've been published by the easily recognizable names in the trade, now your latest is from a much smaller house. Is there a reason you're comfortable in sharing?

When you've written category for so long--my last single title was out in the early 1990's--it can harder for a category author to prove their worth. Sourcebooks loved the idea from the get go and I loved their vision for the series. There's a more personal touch there, they work very closely with the authors and even offer a lot to help us promote our books.


> 2.. How in the world did you invent Irma and the attack slippers?

LOL! I figured Jazz couldn't have it too easy and a ghost haunting her car would truly make her miserable at times. I thought of a cranky ghost who'd been dead for over 50 years, tried to rule Jazz's life and was the irasicible grandmother no one would want. Jazz would love her out of the car but nothing works. And Fluff and Puff are just plain fun. You think of bunny slippers as comforting, cute and these little guys are, but they have these razor sharp teeth, protected by magick and get into trouble without a second thought. But they're also very loyal to Jazz since she'd rescued them from an abusive wizard. At the same time, that doesn't mean they don't create trouble for her. Plus, what doesn't look more fun than a witch wearing bunny slippers?


> 3.. I've seen this come up on a list; what do you think it the most overdone element of paranormal/fantasy fiction?

You know, everyone says something different, but I don't know if anything is overdone because every author can have a different spin on the same thing. To me,that's the best part. I think it's always going to be the readers who decide what's overdone. But same thing there. One will complain there's too many vampires out there while another wants more and complains too many witches.


> 4.. Do you write to suit you, the publishers, or the reader?

The publishers do have their input, but I tend to write what I love to read and just hope the readers will like it as much. There's times I'll write a scene and literally wonder where it came from.


> 5.. If you were given absolutely free reign to write whatever you wanted and guaranteed no matter what, it would be a success, what would it be?

Easy. What I'm writing now. I created Jazz about three years ago and sold the first book 18 months ago. This is all me.


> 6.. How often do friends and family members see themselves reflected in your work? How often do you see yourself there?

I've used friends as in something that's happened to them that works in a book. And I'm told that they see me in my characters, especially in Jazz.


> 7.. What question are you most sick of being asked in interviews or at fan gatherings?

I don't think there's one I'm most sick of. The one I hear the most is where do my ideas come from.


> 8.. What question would you love to be asked and what would the answer be?

Hm. That's a toughie. I honestly can't think of one!
> 9.. I know this is an over used question, but fans do want to know. I want to know! What do we have to look forward to next from you?

Hex Appeal will be out in November and picks up a few months after 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover ends. And Wicked By Any Other Name will be out in spring of 2009 and Wishing You A Hexy Christmas in fall of 2009. The last two books are about two of the other witches.


> 10.. How do you think of names for your characters?

They name themselves. Jazz because she loved the Jazz Age. Irma because I wanted a name that was familiar in the earlier 1900s. She was in her 50s when she died. Fluff and Puff because who would feel threatened by bunny slippers with cute names. Nick because his original name was Nikolai.


> 11.. If Hollywood wanted to turn any of your books into a movie, who would be in the ideal cast?

I'd say Kiera Knightley with red hair would make a good Jazz, Hugh Jackman for Nick (let's go for the gusto, shall we?), Vicki Lawrence as Irma the way she played Mama and when I wrote The Librarian I thought of Rene Auberjonois or Robert Picardo.
> 12.. Free reign here; what would you like to say to your fans that hasn't been covered?

Just that I really hope they love the book and become eager for more, because I have all these witches talking to me and wanting their stories also told. And the only way they'll behave is if they know I'm working on their story.



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I Hex Better In Bunny Slippers
50 Ways to Hex Your Lover Out Now!
Hex Appeal November 2008
Wicked By Any Other Name Spring 2009
Wishing You A Hexy Christmas Fall 2009
http://witchychicks.blogspot.com
http://myspace.com/lindawisdombooks
Join My Newsgroup LindaWisdom-Newsgroup-Subscribe@Yahoogroups.com


Thank you, Linda, for taking the time here and for writing such a FANTASTIC story.