Character Interview: Luke Rainer

Okay.  I’m finally getting around to giving Luke, the lead investigator of the oh so popular ghost-hunting show, Cemetery Tours, the opportunity to interview me.  It’s been a long time coming, since I haven’t posted a character interview since the one I did with Kate: https://jackiesmith114.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/character-interview-kate-avery/

That being said, let’s get started!

Jackie Smith (JS):  Welcome, Luke!

Luke Rainer (LR):  Thanks, Sweetheart.  Good to be here.  I gather you’re a fan?

JS:  Probably one of your biggest.

LR:  Awesome.  That’s what I like to hear.

JS:  So, what questions do you have for me?

LR:  Here’s one.  How come I don’t have a girlfriend?

JS:  Do you want a girlfriend?  You don’t really strike me as a “relationship” kind of guy.

LR:  Not really.  I’m just wondering.  I mean, I’m gorgeous.  I have a great personality.  What gives?  Why am I still single?

JS:  Well, aside from the fact that you just confirmed that you don’t want one, I’m kind of of the mindset that you’re too focused on your career to have time for a serious girlfriend.  You might find one eventually.  But for now, you’re kind of man candy for my readers.  You know what I mean?

LR:  You’re using me as bait.

JS:  Yeah, sort of.  But really attractive bait.

LR:  Fair enough.  Okay, here’s another question.  I’ve been chasing ghosts for a while now, yes?

JS:  Yes.  Basically your whole life.

LR:  And that’s awesome.  But when do I get to hunt something a little more sinister?  You know, go after some demonic entities or evil spirits?

JS:  Never.

LR:  What?!  Why not?!

JS:  I mean, if you really want to go hunting demons, knock yourself out.  Go for it.  I’m just not going to write about it.

LR:  That’s not cool.

JS:  Too bad.  I’m the author.  You have to do what I tell you.

LR:  Not necessarily.

JS:  Okay, you’ve got me there.  Sure, when you’re not in my books, you can hunt as many demons and evil spirits as you want, but they scare me, so I’m not going to write about them.  Besides, these are ghost stories.  Not demonic entities stories.

LR:  But you believe there are demonic entities out there.

JS:  Enough to not want to mess with them, even in fiction, so yeah.  Besides, I don’t think Michael can see those, and these really are his stories.

LR:  Yeah, yeah, I know.  Everyone loves Mikey.  He’s the main character.  Whatever.  When are we getting a Luke Rainer series?

JS:  That’s a good question.  If I ever feel so inclined, I might write you one.

LR:  Really?

JS:  I never rule anything out.  Except demons.

LR:  Drat.

JS:  Sorry.

LR:  You never let me have any fun.

JS:  You’ll have fun in the next book.

LR:  Really?

JS:  Well, I hope so.  I’m kind of rewriting it.  But you’re a lot better off in this new version.  I promise.

LR:  Okay, good.  I don’t know why, but I trust you.

JS:  You really don’t have a choice.

LR:  I have one more question.

JS:  Shoot.

LR:  Can I be in the new Ghostbusters movie?

JS:  Probably not.

LR:  Why not?

JS:  Because I’m not associated with that franchise in any way whatsoever.  But if I was, I’d totally write you in.

LR:  Aw, really?

JS:  Promise.

Read Cemetery Tours: http://www.amazon.com/Jacqueline-E.-Smith/e/B00F7BPXX6/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1427829800&sr=8-1

Let the Good Times Roll!

This will be my last update before Monday, and it’s going to be a short one because I still have so much to do!

This weekend, I’ll be participating in IndieVengeance Day, which includes readings and book signings.  I think it’s going to be awesome.  If you’re in the Dallas area, you should definitely check it out! http://indievengeanceday.com

I have a lot of other stuff I’m working on also, but I’ll tell you about that later.

While I’m gone, keep in mind and spread the word that there are still a few days to enter my GoodReads Giveaway!  I’m giving away 2 signed copies of BOTH of my books in honor of Halloween and I want you to win!  Yes, YOU!

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/109579-between-worlds

Characterization Exploration

I’m in the middle of writing the first draft of the third installment of the Cemetery Tours series.  I’ve come to really love these characters.  I’ve been with them for a while now, and they feel like friends to me.  In the past few years, I’ve probably spent more time with them than with my living, breathing friends.

Characters have always been the absolute most important element of any story for me.  If I don’t like the characters, I’m not going to like the book.  It’s that simple.  I read one book last year (I will not mention it because I don’t want to trash another author’s work on my blog) with such horrible, selfish, whiny characters, I could hardly stand it.  None of the characters had any redeeming qualities whatsoever.  If I succeed at nothing else, I want my characters to be likable.  Well, except for the ones that you’re not supposed to like.  They’re actually a LOT of fun to write, but I digress.

As the first book in the series, Cemetery Tours served as sort of an introductory book.  We met the characters, learned their names, the basics.  Between Worlds delved more into developing relationships and adjustments after the events of the first book.

This third book, however, takes place five months after Between Worlds, and the characters have developed a lot since then.  They’ve had more time to get to know each other and I’ve had more time to get to know them as well.  Now, instead of watching them react to certain situations, I’m exploring what exactly makes them that way.

Of my three main characters, Michael, Kate, and Luke, Michael remains the most stubborn.  Kate and Luke are a lot alike in that they’re both happy characters.  They’re both easily amused and easily fascinated.  Michael is more reserved, which stems from a lifetime of trying to remain unnoticed by ghosts and spirits.  Since he met Kate and Luke, he’s become more outgoing, but those twenty-eight years of hiding within himself I think really took a toll, and I think he’s always going to be a little reserved, and that’s okay.  That’s why Kate likes him, and that’s why I like him.

Last night, I tried to imagine what Michael what be like, what he might have done, if he didn’t have the ghosts.  I realized I feel a little sorry for him, because being surrounded by the spirits and trying at all costs to avoid them and not draw attention to himself really inhibited him from developing a real sense of self.  Unlike Kate and Luke, who have real interests that they discovered by themselves, Michael’s entire character evolved from a desire to be something he’s not.  He didn’t have time for self discovery because he was too obsessed with self denial, if that makes any sense at all.  That’s why I’m glad he has Kate, Brink, and even Luke.  I think they really bring out the best in him.

Friendly Reminder that you only have ONE WEEK LEFT to enter my GoodReads Giveaway! Win signed copies of BOTH Cemetery Tours and Between Worlds just in time for Halloween!

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/109579-between-worlds

October in Photographs

Self-Explanatory.

I also had a little fun with my books because why not?

10 Reasons Why Cemetery Tours is the Perfect October Book

Okay, it’s officially October.  It’s definitely one of my favorite months of the year.  In fact, it might be my absolute favorite.  Last year, however, it also became my most marketable month.  That’s right.  As the author of ghost stories, I take full advantage of October and all it’s ghosts and spookiness.  Ergo (my favorite word), I have come up with this little list of reasons why October should be the month that everyone reads Cemetery Tours and/or Between Worlds.

And when I say and/or, I mean please only read Between Worlds if you’ve already read Cemetery Tours.  There are too many spoilers and you will not enjoy it and I will not enjoy you not enjoying it.

So, without further ado or crazy writer rants, I present to you…

10 Reasons Why Cemetery Tours is the Perfect October Book (Featuring Quotes from Amazon Reviews)

1.  It’s fast-paced and a pretty easy read (or so I’ve been told).  October is a month for state fairs and homecomings and celebration.  It’s a fun month.  No one wants to read a long, boring, and depressing novel that requires a lot of thought and concentration during one of the funnest months of the year.

“I still can’t get over how addicted I became to this book just needing the next fix (turn of the page) so I can see what was going to happen next or how everything connected together. ” – Amazon Reviewer Starange13

2.  It’s a great book to read in Starbucks while you drink your favorite seasonal pumpkin spiced latte.  You’ll find that the ghosts and mystery really compliment the October atmosphere.

“I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the writing, the plot and the unexpected ending. I couldn’t stop reading it!” – Paula Walker Baker

3. Come on, it’s a ghost story.  Ghost stories are fun all year round, but especially in October when all the Haunted History specials are on television and you and friends are off adventuring in haunted houses.

“Grabs you by the throat and scares the hell out of you. This well-written story will keep you looking for ghosts for a long time.” – Amazon Reviewer J.C.D.

4. Furthermore, it’s a ghost story for the nonbeliever.  Me?  I’m a believer.  But several of my readers aren’t, and that’s okay.  Cemetery Tours is for everyone!

“If I believed that ghosts existed, then Jacqueline Smith’s portrayal is exactly how I would imagine them to be. Cemetery Tours is filled with a realism that merges seamlessly with the supernatural, and I obsessed over this book until I finished reading it.”  – Amazon Reviewer L

5. Michael Sinclair is the perfect October book boyfriend.  When I wrote Michael, I knew I wanted him to be dreamy, but not in the typical book hero sense.  He’s tall and skinny, a little shy, a little awkward, he has a dry sense of humor, and he loves Kate with all his heart.  Who hasn’t dreamed of a boyfriend like that?

“The hero of the novel, Michael Sinclair, isn’t dreamy, broody, or mysterious, but rather sweet, albeit a little dorky, and truly searching for his identity. Of course, everything about Michael isn’t what meets the eye, and that’s what I absolute adore about him.” – Monica Britten 

“This author has a brilliant future. I loved this story. I loved these characters.
Michael Sinclair is my new book boyfriend (sorry Jamie Fraser). 😉
Thank you Jacqueline for reminding me how much I love ghost stories.” – Kelly Mc “bookworm”

6. The second book, Between Worlds, is actually set in October, and in an old haunted mansion in Maine.

“When the wonderfully  irrepressible Luke enlists the help of Michael, Kate and Gavin for his popular ghost hunter show, they travel out to the gorgeous Stanton hall manor – Loved this location for the creepy and mysterious goings on!” – Amazon Reviewer L

7.  Along with being a ghost and a suspense story, it’s also a love story.  Perfect for those evenings you want to curl up in a blanket, in your favorite pajamas and socks, light a fire, and read.

“Spooky and heartwarming. Is such a thing possible at the same time? Definitely. And Jacqueline Smith nails it! The characters are wonderful and you can’t help but fall in love with them; no matter where they “live.”” – Amazon Customer “irishfaery” 

8.  It’s great for readers of all ages, young teens and adults alike!  Kind of like Scooby Doo, but with real ghosts and not a creeper in a mask.

“Jacqueline has successfully combined ghosts, mystery, and adventure in a book that will make you want to read till the end. The plot thickens and the roads twist in this exciting and captivating mystery.” – Author James W. Peercy

9.  My main female character, Kate, enjoys eating junk food, so you can totally chow down on as much Halloween candy as you want without thinking about how this lame female character in the book you’re reading only likes veggie burgers and tofu.

“Michael is torn in every way shape and form, especially when his star-struck love interest goes off to dinner with Mr.Cool Hand Luke—and I’m with Michael on that one!—not Kate, but ladies and gentleman, I’m here to tell you that there is a lot of unfolding to be done in this here plot and, furthermore, these are people that you are going to want to be hanging around with, believe me! Wish it didn’t have to end so soon. You’ve really got something going there, Ms. Smith. Kate is my fave! C’mon, give it another whirl of the dice! We want more!” – Steve Lund

10.  Both books will (hopefully) keep you guessing right up until the very end, and what is October without a touch of the unknown?

“I developed a couple of theories about how it would end as I read along, but I couldn’t be sure, and it turns out none of them were quite right. The book kept me on my toes the whole time, wondering what would happen next.” – Hannah Alvarez 

Happy October, everyone!

http://www.amazon.com/Cemetery-Tours-Jacqueline-Smith-ebook/dp/B00F7CHQ08/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=17R3ZCF331VM00P8PXNG

http://www.amazon.com/Between-Worlds-Cemetery-Tours-Book-ebook/dp/B00LDZQ1WW/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=19HPBR72ZR1MV89SHTHS

The Second Annual Cemetery Tours Halloween Giveaway

Tis the Season to be Spooky!

In honor of Halloween, I’ve decided to do another giveaway!  This year, I am giving away two signed copies of BOTH of my books, Cemetery Tours and Between Worlds.  To enter, please visit GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/109579-between-worlds

You can sign up to enter until October 21!  I’m ending it then in the hopes that the two winners will receive their books by Halloween.

Let the festivities begin!

New Story, New Characters

I’ve mentioned before that I currently have two WIPs or Works in Progress.  One is the third installment of the Cemetery Tours series.  This work includes familiar characters, ones that I know and love and are still evolving and growing, mystery, twists and turns (some of which have surprised even me), and of course, ghosts.  I love writing ghost stories.  Even when we were little, my sister would ask me to make up scary stories for her.  We were twisted little kids.

I am loving that I get to continue the story of Michael, Kate, Luke, and everyone’s favorite, Brink, and I really love the new ghosts and the new adventures.

However, as much as I love Cemetery Tours, I have to say the new story/series I’m working on is so much fun.  A whole new setting (one that is really, really awesome and I kind of wish I lived there), brand new characters, and no dead people.  Again, I love my ghost stories, but I’m also loving how this new story is so much more light-hearted and not nearly as dark.  Not that Cemetery Tours is all that dark.  Still, there is the whole matter of death and loss and whatnot.  You won’t find much of that in this new series.

The new book is also more YA than Cemetery Tours and in 1st person instead of 3rd person.  In some ways, that presents new challenges, but in other ways, it’s a lot easier.  It’s more like dialogue, which has always been my favorite part of writing any story.

At this point, I’m farther along in this new book than I am in CT3.  I’m not going to lie, it’s been difficult writing two books at once, and it’s crossed my mind more than once that maybe I should focus wholeheartedly, 100% on just one of them.  But I’m enjoying writing both, and I’m making progress, so I think I’m just going to keep after it and see where it leads me.  I’ve been operating under the assumption that I’ll publish CT3 before this new one… but you never know!

On that note, keep writing and keep reading, everyone!

Happy Birthday Cemetery Tours!

It’s been exactly one year since I first published Cemetery Tours, so I thought I’d take a little time to celebrate the book, the characters, and the readers that have come to mean the world to me.  I was a junior in college the first time I seriously considered writing a book.  This year has far exceeded anything and everything that I could have imagined in that moment and I have all of you to thank for that!

So now, for a little bit of fun, please enjoy…

The Unofficial Cemetery Tours Soundtrack: https://jackiesmith114.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/soundtrack/

My Dream Cast: https://jackiesmith114.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/dream-cast/ 

Cemetery Tours on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/windtrailpub/cemetery-tours/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18470430-cemetery-tours

Fun Facts and Trivia:

The only character who did not undergo a drastic name/personality change throughout the entire four years of developing and writing the story is Brink.

Luke Rainer was originally a character in a different story.  He was going to be the main love interest.

The Bible verse quoted in Chapter 19, Phillipians 4: 6-7, was my class’s senior verse in high school.

I use the British spelling “woah” as opposed to “whoa” throughout this entire book. I think I’ve spent too much time reading Harry Potter because I didn’t even realize I was doing it.

Kate and Gavin’s parents, Terri and Rex, are named after my mom’s best friend and her husband, both of whom passed away while I was in high school.

I despise female characters who don’t eat anything except salads and veggie burgers, so I make a point in every book to show Kate eating pizza or fast food or chocolate.

My dad came up with the title Cemetery Tours before I even considered becoming a writer. We were on a day trip to San Antonio and we stopped at a Dairy Queen in a small town, right across the street from an old cemetery.  He said, “You should write a book about a group of kids who travel around to different cemeteries.  You could call it Cemetery Tours.”  The name stuck.

Cemetery Tours on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CemeteryToursSeries

Thanks for an awesome year, y’all! Here’s to you!