Interview With Janet G Ross

I'm thrilled to be chatting to Janet G Ross, author of Jumping Ship.

Welcome to my blog, Janice. Please can you describe Jumping Ship in twenty words?

Thanks for interviewing me, Georgina. Jumping Ship is a novella that sets the framework for a journey of romance, mystery, and culture throughout the Caribbean.

What is your writing process, are you a plotter, or do you start with an idea and see where the story takes you as you write?

I typically start out with an idea and take it from there. This was not entirely the case with Jumping Ship or several other stories that I’ve been working on. As my writing gets more complex and I venture into mysteries, I am forced to become a plotter. With Jumping Ship, there are twists, turns and details that needed to be as precise as possible. This novella takes place at different times and different countries even. That is just a sample of what is to come, as I continue on in the series. But this method is enjoyable for me.

Jumping Ship is a pre-release novella to the Island Hopping Series, I presume based in the Caribbean, an incredibly beautiful part of the world that I was lucky enough to visit last year. What is your favourite place that you’ve used for a scene in this book?

The most beautiful place that I’ve used so far in the series is the Seawalls of Guyana. One day, as I was out shopping, I heard a worker rambling on and on about her home country. I didn’t immediately know the country that she was referring to; however, she started referring to a place that she went to “fly kite” during Easter time. She spoke about the wind and the feel of the breeze. I smiled and had a hunch. I went up to this woman and asked what country she was referring to in her lament. Her response was, “Only the most beautiful country in the world, Guyana.” I felt pride and love for my place of birth and my beautiful Seawalls. It’s more that just a physical love, it’s a permanent connection with the land.

How many books will there be in the series?

There are 7 additional books: Island Hopping Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique, Antigua and Guyana.

The book is based in nineteen seventy-five, why did you choose to set Jumping Ship at that time?

Actually, the Island Hopping series will travel as far back as the 40s through the late 90s. As for Jumping Ship, I had a decision to make about how much detail to give and what time period would be most crucial. Two of the main characters, Pet and Mikey, embark on their journey in 1975. I wanted to feel a connection to their brief time together in Guyana. This was the year after I was born and, although I was an infant at the time, I feel like I existed during their encounter.

Can you tell us a little about your journey to being a published author?

The journey of being a published author has been an unimaginable experience. As naïve as this might sound, I never thought about the marketing and relationship building that would be necessary ahead of time. I just knew that my number one priority would be to write and publish. What an eye opener! But in all honesty. I’ve met and developed some remarkable relationships, gathered as much knowledge as I can, extended myself to others, and continue to grow. Being a published author has developed into a way of life for me.

What’s the most important advice you would give to someone who might be considering writing their own book?

The best advice that I can offer to someone that is considering publishing a book is to be committed. There will be days that they might get frustrated, feel depressed, and want to give up when things don’t appear to be taking off they way that they’d expected. When that happens, try not to focus on everything that is not going their way. Look for opportunities to build relationships with others and support each other. It will not only take their mind off of the problems, it will help to refocus and place them in the presence of like-minded people.

What are you working on at the moment?

Currently, I am finalizing my Damaged Girls series and fine tuning the details in Island Hopping: Trinidad & Tobago.

Jumping Ship is currently available through Amazon:

US: http://www.amazon.com/Jumping-Ship-Island-Hopping-Series-ebook/dp/B00EMCLFC4/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jumping-Ship-Island-Hopping-Series-ebook/dp/B00EMCLFC4/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_2

Press Kit

Jumping Ship

A pre-release novella to the Island Hopping Series

66 pages

The year was nineteen seventy-five. Pregnant seamstress, Petrina Dugal, became a runaway at the age of twenty-six. She ran away from a brutish husband, Roger, and a well-loved South American home in Georgetown, Guyana; at the heart of her rebellion – an enigmatic lover named Michael Chen. Pet and Mikey allowed love to blossom in front of her police officer husband and an intrusive community. Were they not aware of the dangers? Or did the pursuit of love trump obligations?

Pet and Mikey’s journey to their new life took them through a multitude of the Caribbean’s treasure trove of islands – Antigua, Martinique, Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago, and Saint Lucia. More than a month later their voyage landed them at JFK airport, in New York USA. And they disappeared, as though their existence was a myth. During this time, barren couple, Pearl and Edward Bailey stumbled upon a newborn baby girl. Her cries could only be heard by a true mother, which Pearl immediately became. Bundled up with their new child, they discovered a parcel of artifacts and a scribbled note that read: Sakkara.

Sakkara Riley grew up with two loving parents – adoptive parents to be exact. She never knew the circumstances surrounding her discovery, until the age of sixteen. The personal artifacts that were handed over had haunted her from that point on. After eight more years, including much research and probing, she was given the opportunity to begin her journey of self-discovery.

“Jumping Ship” provides the introduction to Sakkara’s attempts to commune with her true heritage.

About the Author

Janice was born in Guyana, South America and migrated to the USA in 1980. Although her citizenship certificate now reads the United States of America, she considers herself a citizen of the world. Sure she has not physically been around the world and back, she’s travelled in her mind and dreams.

Janice is an author. She enjoys writing about social issues and personal experiences. Her latest release, Jumping Ship is a dedication to her country of birth and an introductory novella to the Island Hopping Series – due out in 2014. It’s poised to be a colorful and emotional experience of life, love and family.

Janice enjoys reading. And is drawn to stories with distinct characters that she can love or hate - characters she can form alliances with or characters that she can swear off and despise. She is also weak for a good cultural tale, preferably in the form of historical fiction - whether present day or in the past. Janice love to be taken off guard by clever language or settings.

Janice is also a devout supporter and promoter of other authors through social media. She hosts a weekly show, Cultural Cocktails, on the largest social radio network, Blog Talk Radio.

Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter @JGRWriter

Cultural Cocktails Blog Talk Radio