It’s been a while since the original
Kickin’ The Willy Bobo interview with Valjeanne so I thought it about time we
caught up with what she’s all about and what she’s doing 17 MONTHS LATER…
Derrick Ferguson: Have there been any major changes
in your life since we last talked?
Valjeanne Jeffers: Actually, yes. I’m pleased to
announce that my new grand-baby, Kyle Toussaint will arrive in December of
2013. My first grand-baby, Logan Alexander, turned four this year; and he is a
continual source of joy in my journey.
I’ve
been published in two anthologies, which were just released this year: Griots: Sisters of the Spear,
and Genesis: An Anthology of Black
Science Fiction Volume II.
And I’m
releasing two new novels, Colony:
Ascension, An Erotic Space
Opera and Mona Livelong:
Paranormal Detective.
Colony:
Ascension, is a
spin-off of my earlier short stories, “Colony” and “Probe.” It is
a full-length novel about an apocalyptic, dying Earth. . .and what becomes of
it. In the year 2045, Earth’s
leaders are hell-bent on colonizing new planets. But an alien species has its
own agenda, its own ideas, about what the future of Earth should hold. Here’s a short
excerpt from Colony: Ascension.
Earth’s
atmosphere was polluted. The weather was a miasma of storms, heat waves and
solar flares; shifting from twenty to ninety degrees within the space of a day.
Mutated animals roamed the streets. Those without jobs, panhandled and squatted
in alleys and deserted building. When their rationed water was gone, they used
homemade filters. They ate rats, insects, dogs—anything they could find. Some
had even become cannibals. Those with jobs lived under the Domes.
I thought I’d
be finished with both novels by the end of the year, but they won’t be ready
until sometime in 2014. Quinton Veal, my cover artist and fiancée, is releasing
his fourth book, Fire and Desire,
in 2014—which
is also a very big deal for me.
I have
two audio books, too, which are coming out soon (both narrated by voice actress
Darla Middlebrook). The audio book of my first novel, Immortal, will be released on December 31, 2013. The
audio of the second novel of my series, Immortal
II: The Time of Legend, will be out in March 2014.
DF: How
do you feel your writing has developed since we last talked?
VJ: As writers
we are always developing, always growing. When I wrote my first novel, it was
more fun than work. I would slip into my characters’ world during the day, like
a beautiful waking dream. Even when I wasn’t writing, my characters were never
far from my mind.
Now, as a more
seasoned author, I’m still just as consumed with my writing. But I have to
remind myself to have fun. Writing is hard work. But authors also have
to enjoy themselves. That’s a lot more difficult than it sounds. Especially
when you have self-imposed deadlines and quotas to meet.
I have to
remind myself, too, to slip into my characters’ skin; to let let them evolve
emotionally and connect with them emotionally. In this way my characters
become “spirits who walk across the page,” rather than chess pieces I’m pushing
across a book. I enjoy them, love them, and so do my readers.
DF: In
what direction do you think your work is heading now as opposed to seventeen
months ago? Or is it heading in the same direction?
VJ: I believe
that in last year or so, I’ve learned to take my time—to not rush my writing.
I’d venture to say that I’ve actually developed more patience, which is no mean
feat for me. Anyone who knows me well, will tell you patience is not my strong
suit. But I am learning.
DF: Tell
us about Mona Livelong.
VJ: Mona Livelong: Paranormal
Detective is
a new series, in which I introduce Mona Livelong, a seasoned detective who is
takes on a case, “The Case of the Angry Ghost”, of a family haunted by
an angry poltergeist, an evil spirit if you will. Mona grudgingly takes the job, and
finds herself swept up into a dangerous plot to turn North America on its head.
But she’s “sharp as a
mosquito’s tweeter,” as one of my characters describes her, and gifted
with preternatural abilities.
In “The Case
of the Angry Ghost” the first novel of the Mona Livelong series, I
introduce my readers to a whole new cast of characters: Mona, the darkly
beautiful sorceress and sleuth; her on-again/off-again lover, Curtis Dubois, a
Haitian detective; his partner and best friend, Harold Polanski. And a charming Southern gambler, who also
happens to be a ghost, “Larry Junebug Walker.”
Here’s a short
excerpt:
Mona
turned the crank on her steam-powered auto and
trailed Bouvier, traveling east to Bourbon
one of her town, Clearwater’s, Black
communities. The home was a freshly painted, two-story, bone-white house with a
wraparound porch complete with swing, and roses blooming in the yard.
The
moment she stepped out of her auto, she felt it. Negative energy
surrounded the house. In the second-story window, Mona saw the
silhouette of woman. And she knew she wasn’t
human. Broke as she
was, Mona was starting to think this was a bad idea. Vengeful spirits were
among her least favorite preternatural beings. They couldn’t be trusted.
Sneaky,
unreliable hants. Like this one, being quiet until these folks moved in and
then raising all this hell. She’d known them to lay low for
weeks at a time, sometimes years, lulling folks into a false sense of security.
Only to attack the new owners of the house later.
This is a new
series I hope my readers will love, as much as they love my Immortal series. But it is
detour off the beaten path for me. Mona
Livelong is a detective novel, and a horror/steamfunk book, with shades
of Voudon.
In writing a
horror novel, I deliberately steered away from my comfort zone. Those who are
familiar with my writing will tell you that I like to mix genres. But this was
the first time that I’ve gone out my way to scare my readers. I hope they enjoy
it.
DF: You’ve
got a story in Griots II. Tell us about it.
VJ: Griots: Sisters of the
Spear (edited
by Charles Saunders and Milton Davis) is the second volume of the Griots Anthology series; and my
short story, “The Sickness” is included in it. In “The Sickness”,
the journey of Nandi, a young West African woman, continues. Nandi is also the
heroine of “Awakening”, my story which was published in Griots: A Sword and Sword Anthology.
She is a warrior who has taken control of her own destiny— with a little
supernatural help from her friends.
This anthology
features some exceptional writers; including the man himself, Charles Saunders,
Carole McDonnell, Ronald Jones, and Joe Bonadonna. It is a pleasure and an
honor to be listed among them.
DF: Tell
us about Steamfunk and your place in the genre.
VJ: Steamfunk
is a sub-genre in which Steampunk is written from an
African American’s, really any person of color’s worldview. This genre gives me an opportunity to be
creative with gizmos and gadgets, as well as to tie them to other plot
mechanisms; such as (as one of readers described it) environmental racism. And
when writing within this genre the author is automatically creating an
alternative universe—which I love.
I found my
niche in Steamfunk back in 2011, when I wrote The Switch. In the beginning, The Switch was an open-ended short story that I
really enjoyed writing, but had no intentions of continuing. But, at the urging
of my oldest son, Toussaint, I revisited it and developed it into a full novel:
The Switch II: Clockwork: which includes The Switch as a Prologue and The Switch II as the Conclusion.
The Switch: Book I, was later published in the Steamfunk! anthology. It was also nominated the 2013
E-festival of Words for Best Novella Award. Since 2011, I’ve become
very comfortable with Steamfunk. I’ve written two more short stories, “Mocha
Faeryland” and “Outcasts”, a story of an alternate Haiti and
Toussaint L’Overture’s revolution. And then, of course, there’s Mona
Livelong.
DF: Where
do you see Valjeanne Jeffers in five years?
VJ: In five
years, Quinton and I plan to edit and release at least one SF/Fantasy
anthology. I also plan to write four more novels, and connect with more of my
wonderful readers, so that I go on to become a bestselling author.
DF: Hollywood
calls and says that they’re going to give you 500 million dollars to make a
movie out of one of your books and let you pick the director. Which book do you
let them have and which director do you choose?
VJ: I don’t
even have to think about it. Immortal.
Not only is the first novel, of my first series, very near and dear to my
heart, I believe that Immortal
would make a dynamite movie. The special effects alone would be off the chain.
The director? Also
a no-brainer. I’d pick filmmaker/director M. Asli Dukan, who is writing and
directing a film documentary of Black Speculative Fiction, entitled “Invisible Universe”. I’m very, very honored to be listed
among the authors of the “Invisible Universe.”
DF: Recommend
a movie, a book and a TV show.
VJ: I’d
recommend “Sugar Hill”, a Blaxploitation Horror classic about a young
woman, Diane Hill, who avenges her lover’s death with the help of a powerful Voudon
Loa. For books, how could I pass up a chance to recommend The Switch II: Clockwork? It’s got science fiction, time-travel, Steamfunk and even a
little erotica. What’s not to love?
For TV shows,
my all-time favorite is “Supernatural”—a horror series. This show
features deep, subtle commentary about life, from some very likable characters.
It even manages to be funny. “Supernatural” also has one of the best
rock soundtracks I’ve had the pleasure of listening too.
Derrick
Ferguson: Anything else we should know?
Valjeanne
Jeffers: Readers can preview or publish my books at: www.vjeffersandqveal.com
I’d like to
thank Derrick Ferguson, Author Extraordinaire, for taking the time to interview
me.
