Welcome Author Gail R. Delaney!
Welcome
Gail, to Makenwords. I'm so glad you could drop by for a visit. First, tell us
a bit about yourself. Where you're from?
I was raised in a small town in central Maine called
Sebec. We didn't have our own post office, school, or library. J When I say small, I mean
it. But I loved living there. Sebec was where my father's family had lived for
six generations, and I lived in the house built by the son of the first Hughes
to come to America. I lived on the East Coast my entire life until three years
ago when I moved to California. It was a huge change, but I don't regret it.
I
know you write in several genre's romance and contemporary romance. Your latest
book is the second in a sci-fi/fantasy series called the Phoenix Universe. What
inspired this series?
Phoenix Rising came from a desire not to let the
characters go I fell in love with when writing The Phoenix Rebellion. I knew
the story of humanity's fight for survival didn't end when they won the war
against the Sorracchi. It took me years to get the ideas fully formed in my
head, in as much as I form ideas and plots before I begin, but now that I've
returned to the future I feel like I've come home.
Were
you/are you a fan of science fiction movies? Here goes: Star Trek or Star Wars?
Oh, that is a topic of much, much debate. In truth? Both.
All. Give me a star, and I like it. Stargate. Star Wars. Star Trek. I love them
all. My first exposure to science fiction was Star Wars, and I only watched it
because I had a crush on a boy named Peter who liked it. J I got over Peter, but never
over Han Solo. I started watching Star Trek in syndication when I was in
elementary school, and the new series in junior high. In the years since, I've
watched many movies and television shows and love them all (Pssstt... by far,
Farscape is my all time favorite, though).
Would
you share one detail from your current release with readers the maybe didn't
make it into the book?
Throughout their run for their lives, John Smith is
insistent to keep his hands on a backpack. The contents, other than a jar of
peanut butter and an Areth device that saves their backside, are never actually
revealed. Other than those two items, John carries two other items he holds
close. One is a photograph of his adoptive son's mother. He barely knew Silas'
mother, but for the sake of his son he carries the photo so his son won't
forget her. The second is a Bible. It may seem strange for an alien from a
world across the galaxy to carry a holy book from a completely different
culture. But, there is a reason... which will be revealed in time.
Who
has been the most difficult character for you to write?
Many of my characters have been challenging, and perhaps
this book felt the most difficult because it's the one I just finished, but I'd
say John and Jenifer of Janus were the toughest. Writing a man who was
influenced entirely by alien races and worlds we have no concept of was a
challenge because I had to consider every response and how it would have been
otherwise influenced. And with Jenifer, I had to consider a past that literally
created the woman she is, but no more than half a page in the entire book is
dedicated to explaining. Hers is a story that will unfold with time. And
Jenifer changes through the book. Making that change true and authentic was a
challenge.
What
do you find is the hardest part of writing?
Finding time to do it. J
If
you could be one of your characters for a day which character would it be? Why?
It's not this book, but Andi Parker in Something Better.
I liked the woman she was. She was strong, confident... but ultimately, because
she ended up with David Bishop and next to my answer for the next question,
David Bishop is by far my favorite hero I've ever written.
Who
is your favorite hero that you've written? Why?
My favorite hero is Michael Tanner of the Phoenix books.
Michael is... precious. Not in a cute way, but in a way that makes you want to
live better. He has such a unique perspective on life, on learning, on love,
and on every moment of every day. It was an amazing experience to live through
his eyes. And he became the glue and driving force of the entire series in a
way I hadn't expected.
Thanks so much for visiting today! The books sound great, and I love Sci-Fi; but I have to admit, I'm a Trekkie!! Here's a blurb and excerpt from Janus, Phoenix Rising Book One.
Blurb:
It's been a year since
Humanity rose up against their alien oppressors and took back Earth from the
Sorracchi. The war left Earth devastated, crippled, but not beaten. Under the
leadership of President Nick Tanner and in collaboration with their new Areth
and Umani allies, the Earth seeks stable ground again.
John Smith of the Areth
was a soldier before his queen asked him to serve as ambassador to Earth, and
he is out of his element. Restricted in his position from carrying a weapon, he
has no way of defensing himself or his adopted son when the Xenos -- a group of
Humans wishing to purge the Earth of all alien influence -- decide they want
him dead.
Jenifer is a soldier
for hire, and answers to no one but her own common sense. She first refused the
"job" of serving as John's bodyguard, but a glimpse at the heart of
the man convinces her to accept the responsibility.
John has two faces: a
soldier and an ambassador of peace. Jenifer has two faces: the steel-skinned
warrior and the forgotten person she once was. Too many people hide behind
masks, and it's those hiding who want John dead.
Excerpt
John
wasn't sure which of them -- himself, Nick or Captain Phelps -- was the most
stunned to see the woman stretched out at Nick's desk. Completely unapologetic,
she dropped the candies from her hand into her mouth, biting down with a crunch
for emphasis, he was quite sure.
She
brought her legs down from the edge of the desk, letting the chair tip forward.
Each movement was smooth, graceful, and calculated as she set the jar on the
desktop.
"It's
a wonder you both weren't dead a long time ago."
"I'll
call security--" Phelps began, but Nick's hand shot up, silencing him.
"Ever
heard the phrase 'shutting the barn door after the cows got out', Captain?"
she said, while coming to her feet. She kept her hands flat on the desk,
leaning forward with a sarcastic smirk. "Your security is a joke. I didn't even have to work at getting into the building, let alone your office, Mr. President."
Thus
far, Jenifer -- because there was really no doubt this woman was the expert Jackie had so adamantly recommended was Jenifer
-- was nothing like John had imagined. The description of her skills and
qualifications had rendered a much different image; perhaps an Amazon or, at the
least, a woman of broad shoulders, deep voice, and prominent adam's apple.
Neither
description fit this woman. She was tall, and that was the last comparison he
would make between Jenifer and any Amazon. He had met and fought with many
women in his career, and recognized in Jenifer the lean, powerful body of a
soldier; or at the least, someone who lived
as a soldier. Slightly longer than shoulder length dark hair framed her face at
chin length, accentuating the refined lines of her features. Blue eyes -- pale
enough to almost be called grey -- dared any of them to contradict her.
The
most fascinating thing of all was he felt nothing
from her. Even now, he was aware of Nick's surprise mingled with a touch of
annoyance, and Captain Phelp's outright terror -- probably fear of retribution
for allowing this woman access to the president's office -- but nothing from
the woman leaning over Nick's desk, scolding him like an errant school boy.
"Security
protocol is inadequate, pathetic and weak. If we're gonna do this, we're gonna
do it my way."
She
punctuated her speech by falling back in the chair with just the smallest touch
of a flourish, banging her boots onto the desk edge again. Watching them all,
she dumped the last few candies into her hand and held it out in a silent offer
to share. When no one immediately took her up on it, she tossed them into her
mouth with a self-satisfied smirk.
Silence
settled in the room, and John shifted his attention from Nick to Jenifer,
waiting to see who would break the silence. Finally, Nick took a step forward.
"Do
you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff?" he
demanded with a boom.
To her
credit, Jenifer just smiled wider. "Then I suggest we discuss security, so
we can protect your black market contraband candy, Mr. President."
Gail
R. Delaney has been actively writing 'for publication' since 1996. The first
novel she ever wrote is still sitting on her computer, waiting for the major
rewrite that will make it acceptable. She says she has learned a great deal
since writing that book, and it shows when she looks back at that rough draft.
Gail
has had several novels published in the genres of contemporary romance,
romantic suspense and futuristic romance. Her novels have received several
nominations and awards since she was first published in 2005.
Gail
and her family recently moved from the cold and blustery east coast to Southern
California, and is loving every moment of sunshine she can soak in -- without
risking a sun burn.
