(Day 8) Dear love
of my life...
Go play you video
games, you deserve the break. Go kill some stuff, aliens, zombies,
whatever, with you friends...Christmas is about your friends. I
understand that, and I made a special one...
Her name is Jacy
Oliver, and her friendship and inspiration to me can not be measured
with gold. She is a romance writer who stole my heart while making me
envious, that green kind of envy you had pervading your persona that
flashes in neon lights.
Fifteen months
ago, I met this weirdo who now goes by the pen name Bryant James, aka
Brian. Weird, but a wonderful guy and we began to talk about all the
beliefs we had in writing, and how we wanted to create books that
were different. Books that rocked the reader. Books that reflected
our belief; shorter is better, it intensified the reading experience.
(Sort of like a movie being written as a book.)
I'm the first to
admit I'm weird gal, and I'd rather read paranormal romance over
anything. (I even read fan fiction, couldn't help myself.) Twilight,
yep, I loved it and hated it. Beautiful Creatures, the same. But this
guy, Bryant James, wrote a freaking novel where he took the A-team
and made them into into supernatural creatures; vampires, werwolves,
pseudo Frankenstein monsters and sent them on a mission to help save
the world. Pure guy stuff, like a video game come to life, but I was
hooked by the perverse violence of it. Hey, when an explicit sex
scene starts with the werewolf leader of this team biting into the
vampire's shoulder like a T-bone steak, that can hook you. Besides
horrifying you. We became fast friends, and agreed to create worlds
that crossed a little, interconnecting them. He was a huge help for
my Poison Heart series. Who knew that a broad sword can't be stabbed
through someone's neck? But hacking it down to to the juncture of
where the neck meets the shoulder works. He did. And surprisingly, he
also did book covers, so a collaboration was born. We became partners
in crime and remain so to this day.
But as I delved
off into my true love, paranormal romance, he couldn't help me. I
needed someone who understood things like the electric buzz myth of
romance, sudden attraction so sharp a woman is mesmerized. The crazy
thing out woman hormones cause us to do despite out logical
resistance. None of which Brian could help with.
Fate, which has
never been my best friend, delivered Jacy to me. Apparently we share
an editor (A heinous but loveable bitch who wields a cattle prod to
get the best out of us.) And that editor recommended Brian to Jacy as
a cover artist. And apparently, Brian saw something in her and
introduced us, which I am so grateful for. Our collaboration produced
my best book. Mermaid and the flier would not be what is without her
help. But most importantly she became the dear friend I needed, but
didn't realize I needed. I love her to death and hope the two us
continue to be friends. If she quit me, I don't what I would do.
But understand
this. Jacy Oliver wrote on heck of a book. The kind that truly shares
a piece of her soul in it. I have always said: I don't want to talk
about myself, but I could spend every waking hour of my time talking
about hers....Check it out....
Make darn sure you check out my fellow conspirators. You never know who you might catch doing what...
Very touching post, Emma! Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh Emma, thank you. You are so sweet. I hope this Holiday season is stacking up to better than your last one.
ReplyDeleteWriting has introduced me to some wonderful people. I'm glad you've been just as fortunate in your friendships in this tight knit community :)
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