An Interview With
Janet Marie Mills

How did you get started?

As the youngest of four children, I wanted to be just like my brothers and sisters. When they were at the kitchen table doing homework, my parents would assign me little reports and stories to keep me occupied. In fifth grade I had a very influential teacher who praised my writing and encouraged me to read challenging books and keep a journal.
      Since then, writing has always been an important part of my life. I knew I wanted to be a writer, but pragmatically I thought I wouldn't have large blocks of time to devote to the craft until I retired from my "real" career.
      When my son, Alex, was born, I decided to stay home with him. While he was napping, I had time to write. More importantly, I'm a person who constantly needs a project to work on. I started writing articles for trade magazines to earn some extra money and give my days a little more structure. I enjoy researching and breaking down complex technical subjects for a more general audience, but I was constantly nagged by this little idea for a novel. I decided to take one month off from my freelance work and get The Synergy of Avintia down on paper and out of my system. I had to write over two thousands words each day, which is a lot for me, but I finished the book on schedule. I enjoyed the process so much that I started brainstorming for my sophomore effort right away.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?

I plan out the broad elements of my plot before I start writing, then I fill in the fine points once my characters start coming to life. I have found that's it's useful to keep a binder with sections for each chapter. That way I can file away relationship notes, issues I want to address and any tidbits I don't want to forget. Whether I'm working on an article, a short story or a novel, I generate about three pages of notes for every page of text I write. With that much paper, it's easy to lose critical details unless you have an efficient organization system.

Do you write best at a certain time of the day?

I write best anytime there is tea at hand.

What type of writing schedule do you have?

My writing schedule is very dependent on my family's schedule. Right now my son is really fond of video games. I let him play on the family computer for an hour or so while I complete whatever research I need to for the day. Later in the afternoon, after I finish some "Mommy activities", Alex likes to play by himself for a while which gives me an opportunity to write a few pages. Bedtime for my little boy is eight o'clock, which gives me two or three hours to revise what I wrote early and type out a page or so more. Although my husband is not a writer, we share an office. I curl up in a chair with my feet up on an ottoman and work on my laptop while he uses the desk. It's a nice setup because we can spend time together, toss ideas off of each other and still complete our work.

How do you handle life interruptions?

I handle interruptions rather poorly, I'm afraid. I'm a worrier, a whiner and a complainer when a day doesn't go exactly according to plan. I'm trying to learn to relax and take obstacles in stride.

Do you get blocked? Any hints how to stave it off?

I often get small blocks. It is very frustrating to stare at a computer screen for hours with nothing to say. I've found that the worst thing to do is to let myself wonder if I'm burned out - if I'll never have another spark. For me, that's a sure way to encourage a small block to blossom into weeks of inactivity. Instead, I flip through the notebook of whatever project I'm working on and try to fill in the background for another section. I might work on a minor character and fill up pages and pages about her relationships with her parents, first boyfriend and classmates. Very little of that will end up in the story or novel, but it gives me insight into her behavior and decisions and usually jars me out of a block.

What authors do you look to as a role model and inspiration?

One of my favorite authors is W. Somerset Maugham. I envy how he was able to use background details and imagery to set the tone of scenes. Some of Maeve Binchy's novels are wonderful examples of character development. For imaginative plots, in my mind you can't beat Robert Heinlein.

What's the best advice you ever received?

Some of the best pieces of advice are the old clichés: show it don't tell it, write about what you know, research your market. I think the most helpful advice I received was to act professionally. In other words, always turn in your very best, most polished work and always meet deadlines. A good reputation can be very valuable and a bad one is difficult to overcome.

What sparks a story?

Any event or situation, mulled about in your head long enough, can spark a story. I have found inspiration at dinner parties, in the classroom and after reading other books.

What was it about your genre that interested you enough to choose to write in it and not in another genre?

The Synergy of Avintia has science-fiction, fantasy and paranormal elements. Growing up in Appalachia, I was surrounded by stories about ghosts, disappearances and other unexplained phenomena. There are always scientific explanations offered for these folk tales: natural gas, consumption of ergo-infected grain, a tad too much moon shine. I was drawn to the idea that there was another explanation - one scientifically grounded but which we were not yet able to conceive and would label paranormal.

Have you seen an evolution in your writing? What steps did it take?

My writing is constantly evolving. I struggle everyday to write grammatically correct, flowing prose with finely woven plot lines and well-developed characters. I think the biggest step in my development was recognizing my many, many weaknesses.

What have you always dreamed of writing, but haven't yet?

I would love to write a social commentary using futuristic incarnations of Jungian archetypes. I have an outline and a few character sketches, but I'm not quite brave enough to tackle that project yet.

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?

I love the freedom of writing. You can take a laptop or a notebook with you anywhere and work whenever the urge and opportunity connect. Likewise, writing can take you anywhere. You can explore familiar mountains or undiscovered moons. Writing can be a lonely occupation, though. Sometimes I miss the camaraderie of working in an office.

What is your next project?

I'm currently working on another novel. This time I'm leaving the paranormal genre for a more mainstream look at relationships, love, money and ambition.

What advice would you pass along at this point in your career?

When you've written a novel, article or short story, put your finished product away for a few days before revising it. Writing is a very personal means of creation and you are apt to overlook obvious mistakes if you don't give your brain a chance to reboot and put some distance between you and the work.

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