Interview with Jan DeLima, author of Celtic Moon (Celtic Wolves 1) - September 26, 2013

Please welcome Jan DeLima to The Qwillery as part of the 2013 Debut Author Challenge Interviews. Celtic Moon was published on September 24, 2013.

TQ:  Welcome to The Qwillery.

Jan:  Thank you for inviting me.



TQ:  When and why did you start writing?

Jan:  I have always been a prolific reader with an overactive imagination. Becoming a writer was inevitable, although it took me longer than most authors to realize it. The idea to write my own story didn’t come to mind until my college years. Children and work required my time for a while. Family has always come first in my life, so it wasn’t until my children started school that I began to pen my first novel and found the perfect creative outlet. Five books later I wrote Celtic Moon.



TQ:  What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Jan:  I’m not sure if I’m all that quirky, although my family may have a different opinion. J If I get bored with a scene that I’m writing I will toss it without regret. I figure that if I’m bored writing it, readers will be bored reading it. I like to keep the story moving forward. Also, I can't write on a cluttered desk. My area needs to be organized.



TQ:  Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Jan:  I am a plotter, but my characters tend to have personalities of their own and don’t necessarily follow the path that I have chosen for them, naughty creatures that they are.



TQ:  What is the most challenging thing for you about writing?

Jan:  Not letting ideas for future books distract me from my current project. I have an entire romantic suspense series plotted out with very pushy characters who want to be heard, but they are just going to have to wait until I’m finished with the third book in this series!



TQ:  Describe Celtic Moon (Celtic Wolves 1) in 140 characters or less.

Jan:  A fantasy romance of Celtic lore that is set in modern day, where honor and love prevails over evil but not without consequences.



TQ:  What inspired you to write Celtic Moon?

Jan:  At the time I worked in the cataloging department of my library when a book on Celtic artifacts came across my desk. It reviewed findings and theories of Celtic beliefs from Celtic art, with depictions of men shifting into wolves. Intrigued, I dove into researching Celtic mythology and found more material than I could possibly imagine on wolves and shape shifting. Let's just say my paranormal writer's radar was dinging loudly. Once the research started my characters demanded a place in this magical world.



TQ:  What sort of research did you do for Celtic Moon?

Jan:  I have been very fortunate with this aspect because I have worked in an amazing library for over a decade, so my research material was literally at my fingertips—and it was extensive. My series is based on actual human history and their folklore, with some terminology derived from medieval manuscripts. However, I worked very hard to weave the history into my character’s voices and actions, and not to inundate my story with historical references. I am a character driven writer, and I can assure you that my characters quickly took control of this ride.



TQ:  Who was the easiest character to write and why? The hardest and why?

Jan:  My easiest character to write was Sophie, my heroine, because she's a mother of a teenager, something that I have personal experience with. The most difficult would be the Guardians, my antagonists, because they are truly cruel and their actions were not easy to write.



TQ:  Without giving anything away, what is/are your favorite scene(s) in Celtic Moon?

Jan:  The first scene that comes to mind is when my heroine returns to her son’s father. Dylan and Sophie are married but have been separated due to some brutal circumstances. They are forced to reunite for the sake of their son, and the scene where they see each other again for the first time in fifteen years was so much fun to write.



TQ:  What's next?

Jan:  My Celtic Wolves series has a pretty strong romance theme. Each book in the series focuses on the love story between a new set of characters, but the fantasy story is continual. I am currently finishing up the second book in the Celtic Wolves series, which is Luc and Rosa’s story. Luc is Dylan’s younger brother, also known as the Beast of Merin. Readers get to meet Luc throughout Celtic Moon, and Rosa makes a brief but significant appearance toward the end. I knew who Rosa was, and what her motivations were going to be, but I fell in love with her voice in the very first chapter of book two. I will be starting Elen and Cormack’s story soon, which will be the third book in the Celtic Wolves series. Elen and Cormack are major characters throughout the series. Their personal journeys were interesting to write in the earlier books and I cannot wait to finally get these two characters together!



TQ:  Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.

Jan:  Thank you for having me.

Celtic Wolves

Celtic Moon
Celtic Wolves 1
Ace, September 24, 2013
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 304 pages

Like father, like son…

Sophie Thibodeau has been on the run from the father of her son for more than fifteen years. Now her son, Joshua, is changing, and her greatest fears are about to be realized. He’s going to end up being just like his father—a man who can change into a wolf.

Dylan Black has been hunting for Sophie since the night she ran from him—an obsession he cannot afford in the midst of an impending war. Dylan controls Rhuddin Village, an isolated town in Maine where he lives with an ancient Celtic tribe. One of the few of his clan who can still shift into a wolf, he must protect his people from the Guardians, vicious warriors who seek to destroy them.

When Sophie and Dylan come together for the sake of their son, their reunion reignites the fierce passion they once shared. For the first time in years, Dylan’s lost family is within his grasp. But will he lose them all over again? Are Joshua and Sophie strong enough to fight alongside Dylan in battle? Nothing less than the fate of his tribe depends on it…

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About Jan

Jan lives in Maine with her husband of twenty years and their two teenage sons. Unlike many authors, Jan didn't pen stories at an early age but has always been a dedicated reader. She loves stories and storytelling. It wasn't until after her children entered school that she began writing. Raised in a military family, she lived in different countries such as Thailand and Germany, but home base has always been Maine. She brought a mixture of all her experiences to her first published novel, blending castles and Celtic lore with the wild nature of her home.



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The Giveaway

What:  One commenter will win a signed copy of Celtic Moon (Celtic Wolves 1) from Jan.

How:  Leave a comment.

Who and When:  The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59 PM US Eastern Time on October 5, 2013. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.


*Giveaway rules and duration are subject to change.