Author Interview: Jamie Marchant

Today I have an author on the blog so Welcome to Author Jamie Marchant. 

1. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Yes, I started writing short stories about the Man  from Mars for my older sister when I was about six. I wrote my first fantasy novel in high school. I got sidetracked with a Ph.D. in literature and writing literary criticism for a few years, but I’m back to my passion of writing fiction.

2.    Tell us three things you did not like about writing and what do you do to get over writer's block?

Description, fight scenes, and description. My writers’ group makes fun of me because my early draft are full of phrases, such as “Insert fight scene here” and “They went into a room that needs describing.” For writer’s block, I try to have more than one project going at a time so if I’m blocked on one, I can always write on the other.

3. Since your novel is fairy tale retelling, what do you think of Disney version? Should children read only happy fairy tales? Why or why not?

Overall, I loathe Disney. They tend to create weak women who depend upon men for their identity. I’d hate Disney to make a version of “The Princess and the Glass Hill,” the fairy tale my novel is based on. I’ve remade the princess into a strong and powerful heroine. But whether children should read only happy stories is a tough question, but overall, I’m in favor of happy endings for everyone. Life contains enough sadness and tragedy without needing to create fictional tragedy.

4. What are you currently reading right now? or what was the last book that you read?

Last night, I just finished Altors by Natasha Peters.

5. If you could have one fictional character come to live, who would it be and why?

Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files. I’m in love with him, and since he has such a difficult time with women, I might have an excellent chance with him.

6. Anything else you would like to add.

Try my book The Goddess’s Choice. It is based on a Norwegian fairy tale, “The Princess and the Glass Hill.” Though my favorite fairy tale as a child, it disturbed me that the female character has no name and no role other than being handed off as a prize. My novel remakes the crown princess of Korthlundia into a strong heroine who is every bit as likely to be the rescuer as the one rescued. It’s available on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble as well as directly from the publisher at Reliquarypress.com.
 

This or That
 

1. coffee or tea herbal:
    tea herbal

2. happy ending or tragic ending:
    happy ending

3. morning person or night owl:
    night owl

4. summer or winter:
    summer

5. read or write: 
    both

About the author:

Jamie Marchant lives in Auburn, Alabama, with her husband, son, and four cats, which (or so she’s been told) officially makes her a cat lady. She teaches writing and literature at Auburn University. Her first novel The Goddess's Choice was released in April 2012 from Reliquary Press. She released Demons in the Big Easy in January 2013. She is hard at work on the sequel to The Goddess’s Choice, tentatively titled The Soul Stone. Her short fiction has been published in Bards & Sages, The World of Myth, and Short-story.me.

You can also find her at: Website |  Goodreads | Facebook






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Thanks Jamie for the awesome interview.