P.J. Alderman interview with giveaway!
November 12th, 2009 by Edie Ramer
I’m excited to welcome P.J. Alderman to Magical Musings. She’s a former RITA finalist for her first book, A KILLING TIDE. Her second book, HAUNTING JORDAN, is on the shelves now and getting reviews like this one:
“Blending a small measure of romance and a healthy dose of comedy into the suspenseful plot kept me up all night while I secretly attempted to figure out the ‘who-dun-it’. Haunting Jordan is a breath of fresh air!” –Shannon Raab, Suspense Magazine
You can read an excerpt of HAUNTING JORDAN here, and see for yourself how wonderful her writing is.
Enjoy the interview. The giveaway information is at the end.
Tell us how you got started as a writer. Did you always want to be an author?
I’ve been writing for most of my life, and I’ve always wanted to be a writer. Even back as early as junior high and high school, I was heavily involved in writing school skits and plays. I also wrote snarky columns for the school newspapers–that may be where my dark humor comes from, come to think of it! As I moved out into the corporate world after college, I used short stories as a safe method for killing off any business associates who really needed to die, lol. However, I didn’t get serious about becoming published until 2003.
How long did it take for you to get published once you had the first book done?
I was very lucky to have my first book published. I started writing A Killing Tide in 2003, and it took me 14 months to complete it. I entered AKT in numerous contests, several of which it won. On the strength of those contest wins, I acquired an agent and sold the book in late 2005, for late 2006 publication. So in total, the first book took roughly three years from writing the first chapter to publication.
What’s your writing schedule like?
I typically write 5-6 hours per day, six days per week. My goal is 5 pages per day, but the reality is somewhat different–some days I revise heavily and then add one or two pages, others, I write 8-10 pages, then revise the next day.
What has surprised you most about being an author?
I’ve been most surprised by two issues: first, the sheer volume of hard work writers must take on to meet deadlines, publicize, get that next proposal out there, and so on. I work much harder at my writing career than I ever did in corporate jobs. And second, I’ve been surprised by the chaos writers are currently dealing with in the industry, given the rise of eBooks, the poor economy, and the erosion of advances, royalties, and bookstore revenues. To manage a writing career these days, you must stay on top of a rapidly changing business model.
What advice can you give aspiring writers?
I always come back to saying what just about every published author says: If you want to be published, don’t give up–keep writing and improving your writing with each book. Keep submitting to agents and editors, keep entering those contests. Also, stay on top of trends in the market. You can write an excellent manuscript that is unquestionably publishable, but if no one is buying that type of story right now, it won’t sell.
Your first RITA-finaling book, A KILLING TIDE, is a romantic suspense. Your recent release, HAUNTING JORDAN, is humorous suspense novel with romance and ghosts. Which was more fun, and what’s your next subgenre?
Oooh, tough question! I doubt that I could choose between the two, because each book contains elements that I love to write. A Killing Tide was set in a geographic area–at the mouth of the Columbia River–that has always fascinated me. It’s beautiful, treacherous, and just perfect for a dark suspense novel. However, I couldn’t indulge my love of snarky humor very much in that kind of book, which is where Haunting Jordan came in–I was able to blend dark suspense, my love of Pacific Northwest port towns and their history, and snarky humor.
What are you working on now? Can you give us a favorite line or blurb from your current work in progress?
I’m currently writing the second Port Chatham mystery, which is about the 1893 murder of Michael Seavey, the ruthless shanghaiier who was first introduced in Haunting Jordan. Of course, he also makes an appearance as a pesky ghost in present day! This book, tentatively titled Ghost Ship, will be published by Bantam in 2010. I’m also working on a proposal for the romantic thriller market that I hope will sell in 2010.
Where can we find you on the web? (facebook, blog, website)
www.pjalderman.com. You can email me at pj@pjalderman.com; I always answer emails and love to hear from folks.
Reviewers love the dogs in both your books. Are you a dog person?
Absolutely! I’m a lunatic animal person in general, lol. Though I’m currently without a dog, I keep looking for the next one to adopt, and I’m not admitting to how many cats I’ve rescued in recent years!
What do you do when you’re not writing? Any Hobbies?
I take a lot of long walks through those wonderful port towns I mentioned above, and I always go overboard in the garden each year. And, of course, I spend waaay too much time talking to the animals in my life!
Thanks P.J.!
P.J. is giving away a copy of HAUNTING JORDAN. Leave a comment for your chance to win! Winner will be announced tomorrow in the comments!
17 Responses to “P.J. Alderman interview with giveaway!”
P.J., thank you for your interview with us. Your answers reminded me that writing is a business as well as a creative endeavor. I love your writing, your main characters and of course, the dog. And your cover is awesome! I hope to see many more Port Charles books.
P.J. I can’t read to read those books you spoke of, girl!
So nice having you at Magical too, and a terrific interview.
Your discussion brought warm memories of honing the craft, and the passion that keeps us plugging along. Thanks for that, since remembering always makes me smile and adds a dose of gratitude in the mix.
I wish you much success on your journey! Gorgeous cover, and that title is perfecto!
Haunting Jordan sounds like a fun read. Suspense with a nice dose of romance and quirky ghosts is a book after my own heart.
Please enter me in the drawing!
Wow PJ, Haunting Jordan sounds just like my kind of book. I love snarky humor and ghosts! Will for sure have to check this out. Good luck with your writing!
Beth
Hi P.J.
I’d read Edie *coming this week* post last weekend. Your books really interested me. At first because the settings for both books are area’s I’m very familiar with. Our family has vacationed in both places for years. The ports of Puget Sound have long been a favorite. My dad used to have a sailboat and we’d sail from port to port.
So last weekend I checked out your website and read the first chapter for each book. And OMG!! You sold me. Loved the writing. Loved the characters. Loved the dogs. (I’ve got four so call me dog crazy) Loved everything about those chapters. I called our local Hastings, but they didn’t have any in, so I ordered them both. They are supposed to be here by the weekend.
Can’t wait to read them.
So please don’t put my name in for the drawning, since I’ll be getting my copies shortly. Save the pleasure for someone else.
It’s great to see you here. Edie just hooked me up with a brand new Must Buy Author!
PJ–love your books. I’m one of the lucky ones who has read both already. Your commitment to the craft impresses the heck out of me, because as I writer I tend to analyze while I read. But your stories suck me right in! Keep at it!
Hi, All!
Thanks for such a warm welcome! I’m very glad to be here today and chatting with you. Theresa, I’m an absolute *nut* for the charm and lush history of Pacific Northwest port towns, as you can tell. Thanks for ordering my books! I hope to have AKT available soon as an eBook and as a special order printed book through a Northwest bookseller who has one of the new Espresso Book Machines. For now, though, you can hunt and find a few used copies floating around.
Please feel free to ask me any questions you’d like about writing mysteries versus romantic thrillers, my historical research for this area, writing in general, heck–even how many cats I’m refusing to tell you I have, lol. Hint: my latest rescue showed up a few months ago, starving and swiping angrily at anyone who tried to help him, but he’s currently hanging out on my desk, purring…
PJ
Great interview, PJ and thanx for joining us here at MagicalMusings. Both books sound like absolute winners and while I’m not normally a mystery/suspense fan, sounds like I shouldn’t miss out on “A Killing Tide”. “Haunting Jordan”, however, with its paranormal touches, is right up my alley.
Hi PJ,
Great interview. You’ve sold me on both books and I’ll add them to my TBR pile very soon. I noticed that you stated a couple of times the importance of entering contests. DId you enter with the hopes of landing a sale or just for feedback? Did you complete your book first and then enter?
Elle
Since I’m totally in the mood for a snark-humored ghost story, HAUNTING JORDAN has moved to the top of my To-Buy/Wishlist. Thanks so much for stopping by MM and sharing P.J.!
Hi, Elle–
In the very beginning, I entered a few contests just to see what kind of reaction the judges would have to my writing. I had had mixed reviews with my local critique group, but I also knew that a few of those writers didn’t read in the romantic suspense genre. To be frank, I was questioning some of their suggested revisions, and I wanted to see what readers of romantic suspense thought. I reasoned that the best way to hear from them was to enter a few RWA chapter contests. At that point, I admit it–I didn’t have my manuscript finished.
To my surprise, the partial of AKT finalled in the first contest I entered. I had to laugh at myself while I rushed to finish the book and send it to the requesting editor! Er, got caught with my pants down, as it were, lol! Though this seems to be a point of confusion in the contest rules, and though you can certainly get caught with a request from an editor before you’ve finished the book, I would probably do the same again unless the contest rules expressly forbid it. I believe it’s helpful to get feedback early on, before you’ve put all the work into finishing an entire book.
After the first few contests, and after I was more confident that my writing was appealing to readers, I entered the contests specifically to see if I might catch an editor’s eye. Or, at the very least, to try to rack up enough wins to catch the attention of an agent. At the time, the general consensus was that you had to have at least five contest wins before the agents paid much attention. I don’t know if that’s still true? Anyway, as soon as I had enough wins, I then targeted agents with queries rather than continue to enter contests.
Some published writers will tell you that contests never helped them; the consensus on the usefulness of contests is mixed. But in my case, those contest critiques and wins initially boosted my confidence in my writing and taught me a lot about the craft of writing. They then helped snag an agent, who ultimately helped me get published.
I hope I’ve answered your questions…
–PJ
Thanks PJ,
You definitely answered my questions and I found your answers to be quite helpful!
Elle
Great interview. I have not heard of your books before but I am glad I have now. They are in my favorite genres and I am looking forward to catching up with them.
Thanks!
PJ, thanks for visiting us here at MM. I absolutely ADORE your Haunting Jordan cover. Wow. That alone would make me pick it up, but I love the sound of the story, too. I’m sure this book will do really well!
Congratulations to Catie!!!!!! You won the autographed copy of HAUNTING JORDAN. I know you’ll love it.
Omigosh! WHEEE!!! I’m so looking forward to reading HAUNTING JORDAN. Thank you to all the Magical Musings ladies & PJ Alderman for your generosity!
Edie and LaDonna, and all who dropped by to chat–
It was a real pleasure to be here. Happy Holidays to everyone!
–PJ