Jane Vollbrecht Interview

by Lynne Jamneck http://www.lynne-jamneck.blogspot.com/

Jane's first novel, Picture Perfect, was a finalist in the "Debut Author" category for the 2005 Golden Crown Literary Society Awards. Her short story, "Samhain" was included in Call of the Dark (Bella Books, July, 2005,) an anthology of supernatural tales; her short story, "My Favorite Mechanic," appeared in the Romance for LIFE anthology (Intaglio Publications, February, 2006.)

Jane was born and raised in a farming community in northwestern Minnesota, where she received her elementary education in a one-room country schoolhouse (obviously, more than just a few years ago.) She holds a Bachelors' degree from St. Cloud (Minnesota) State University and is a member of Lambda Iota Tau, an international literature honors society. In late 2005, she retired from Federal civil service after more than three decades with the same agency. She is now gleefully pursuing her new career as an author and editor.

She lives in the foothills of the north Georgia mountains with her many cats. In addition to spending time at the computer writing and editing books, Jane enjoys tending her gardens, feeding the wildlife on her property, and playing the piano.

First – congratulations on your GCLS Award nom for Debut Author (Picture Perfect)

Thank you. It was quite a thrill for this --- shall we say "somewhat more mature" --- woman to make the list of finalists.

You grew up on a family farm in northwestern Minnesota. Tell us a bit more about that; was it as idyllic as it sounds?

If "idyllic" means "without central heat or indoor plumbing, and lots of barnyard smells," then yes, it was infinitely idyllic. One of the real beauties of childhood is that we don't have any broader life experience against which to compare our situations. In hindsight, I know that, by today's standards, we did without a lot of things, but back then (shortly after dirt was invented,) I didn't know anything any different. Memories of my childhood are filled with animals, open fields, family, dirt roads, and more than just a little snow.

I see a strong parallel between farming and writing. Find a good seed, plant it in the right location, be patient while it germinates, pull out the weeds, prune away what doesn't belong, tend and nurture until it's ready for harvest, then reap what you've grown. Be sure to save something for the next season. Plow the residue under to renew and replenish. Remember that rest and dormancy are important for the coming cycle.

Was reading and writing always a part of your life?

Yes. As the youngest of six children, I was fortunate to have plenty of volunteers to read to me from the time I was very small. In my debut novel, Picture Perfect, I credit my two sisters for instilling a love of the magic and power of words in me.
The writing part --- at least serious writing, as in books and short stories ---- didn't come until I was in my late twenties.

Who are your literary heroes?

Every lesbian author brave enough to tell her stories.

Tell us a bit about your new book, Heart Trouble.

It's written in the first person, so I suspect there will be some who jump to the conclusion that it is autobiographical. For the record, it is not. There are a few scenes in the book which do have basis in personal fact, but that was merely a tactic for building a realistic, believable tale.
Heart Trouble is the story of a woman who, like most of us, makes some less-than-ideal choices when looking for love.

Were there any specific obstacles involved in the writing of the story?

You mean like lopping off some 30,000 words, changing the point of view from third to first person, and completely altering the way the storyline is resolved? I prefer to think of those actions as "improvements," not obstacles.

What is the attraction for you about the Romance genre?

Love is the single greatest force in the Universe. Love between two women -- well, need I say more??????

Would you like to try your hand at any other types of fiction in the future?

In a perfect world, we wouldn't categorize our books. Even though most of what I've written to date has the elements of girl-gets-girl, girl-loses-girl, girl-gets-girl-back, vine-covered cottage, music swells, fade to black, my books also (and, in my opinion, more importantly) deal with some of the harsh realities of life: parents' health issues, spousal abuse, substance abuse, abortion, adoption, race relations, life-altering illness, special needs children. That probably means I'm already trying my hand at other types of fiction . . .

What has been your experience of the publishing industry? Any specific highs and lows?

Because my books don't fit neatly into an established category, it was a slight challenge finding a publisher who would let me write love stories that break some of the rules. The good news is that the lesbian fiction industry is growing stronger with each passing year, and the options for finding a match are expanding.
Specific high: getting my first book contract. Specific low: severing my relationship with that publisher after my first novel was issued. New specific high: finding a new publisher and getting more books under contract.

What's next for you on the writing horizon?

2007 is shaping up to be a banner year for me. I have three novels under contract with Regal Crest Enterprises for release next year: Dykes in the Daylight will be issued in February, Close Enough is scheduled for May, and Second Verse is slated for November. Of course, if I don't get busy on my next book, 2008 will be as bleak as 2007 is promising.

How difficult (or not) was it for you to get your first book published?

At the risk of sounding like I have my rose-colored glasses welded to my face, it wasn't really difficult at all. It almost felt like a destiny -- a perfectly-timed confluence of circumstances. . . but I strongly suspect I had angels working behind the scenes on my behalf. That's a topic better left for another interview, though.

What was the last book you read?

Making a Literary Life by Carolyn See. It was a gift from Lori Lake, a talented author whom I'm fortunate enough to know as a colleague and a friend. And of course, I just attended the Golden Crown Literary Society Convention in Atlanta, so I have a stack of new books calling my name. Many of those books are by authors whose acquaintance I made at the convention. Who among us doesn't know the old cliché: so many books, so little time?

Who would you like to send to Room 101?

As a professional courtesy, I promised her I wouldn't name names. Sorry.

You've contributed short fiction to two anthologies to date; Call of The Dark and Romance for Life. Do you plan on writing more short stories?

I love writing short stories. They're a great way to make your point (preferably literary) and then move on to something else. However, they don't leave you any room to screw up and then redeem yourself. That makes writing short stories more difficult than writing full-length novels, but yes, I plan/hope to do more of them.

What do you consider to be your strongest and weakest points when it comes to writing?

Strongest: I never met an editor I didn't like. Otherwise said, I'm fairly receptive to hearing constructive criticism and using it to good advantage.

Weakest: What if no one likes this book? What if I never have another decent idea for a plotline? What if I use dangling participles and no one cares? Self-doubt can be a real saboteur to the creative process.

Do people ever ask you what it's like to be a writer? What do you say to them?

Who has time to answer them, what with all the decisions about how to invest those enormous royalty checks, scheduling the book tours, negotiating the product endorsements... So far, I'm just plain old Jane, former hog farmer's daughter and current full-time word whore. Fame has yet to overtake me. Maybe this interview will help the cause.

What are you reading, listening, and watching right now?

Because I edit for three publishing houses, my "recreational" reading these days is mostly confined to the books I'm critiquing. Fortunately, most of them are great reads. I could listen to Anne Murray's voice twenty-three-and-a-half hours a day. Her "I'll be Seeing You" CD is my current favorite.
I should be watching my weight, but that's still just a goal, not a reality. (On TV, give me a Golden Girls or Frasier rerun, and I'm more than happy.)

Tell us something about Jane Vollbrecht no-one else knows...

In my college days, right around the Pleistocene era, I was recruited to join the Roller Derby -- a sporting event (using the term loosely) wherein big-boned women moving really, really fast on roller skates do their best to inflict bodily harm on one another. I declined the offer.

What's the best advice you can give to aspiring writers?

Heed your instincts. If you feel you've been called to tell your truth through your writing, do it.

A happy writer is …

about as big a myth as alligators in the New York sewer system. I think nearly all of us who write do so as an avenue to healing. . . healing our own hurts and those we perceive in others. Writing brings peace of mind, a joyful soul, and if we're lucky, a sense of accomplishment, but "Happy?" -- that's just one of the dwarfs.

www.janevollbrecht.com/