Hi Everyone,
Please welcome J.E. Taylor to the blog today!
J. E., Tell us about your latest release.
Assistant D.A. Carolyn Hastings has an uncanny knack for putting away criminals. With one of the best prosecution records in recent history, her future as Manhattan’s next District Attorney looks certain. But her sixth sense for winning cases threatens to work against her when she starts seeing a string of murders through the eyes of the killer.
With suspects piling up as fast as bodies, and the motives of those closest to her questionable, Carolyn doesn’t know who to trust. When the FBI assigns Special Agent Steve Williams to the case, Carolyn discloses her deepest fear – that the man she loves may be the one responsible for the city’s latest crime spree.
The only thing Steve knows for sure is Carolyn has an inexplicable psychic connection with the killer, and all the victims have one thing in common…a striking resemblance to Carolyn Hastings.
And he knows it’s only a matter of time before this psychopath knocks on her door.
What inspired you to write this book?
I started Crystal Illusions when I was in high school and had an outline with characters and where I wanted the book to go and I found it a few years ago and thought some of it could be salvaged. Characters names stayed the same as well as the general serial killer plot, however, that’s about all that could be mapped back to that outline. I chose the New York City setting because of the sheer size of the city and the fact that it would take a little longer to catch a killer than in a small town where after the second murder, they would know it’s a serial killing. I know with technology they’d connect the dots pretty fast, but because it’s happening under different police districts, it isn’t as fast as if it was all in one shop.
How did you choose the title for this book?
This title remained from that old outline and it’s derived from the fact Carolyn can see out of the eyes of the killer. However, she’s seeing the killer as some sort of beast and not another human, so thus an illusion of some sort. At least that’s the thought process I had at the time.
Can you share an excerpt from the book with us?
Randy turned his head in her direction, the hot shower had done nothing to quell his aggravation and he carefully examined his response. How do I explain a black eye and the blood on my clothing to the assistant D.A? It was almost laughable, but the earlier events had dampened his mood. The truth would land him in a shitload of trouble, but he couldn’t brush it off either. “I went to meet a client and got mugged on the way back.”
Carolyn’s eyes grew hard as she took a step back. “I had another vision.” She took another step toward the bathroom door.
Randy’s eyebrows drew together at the question in her eyes. A vision, shit. She thinks I’m responsible? The sudden realization of her thought process burned through him like a ravaged wild fire. “You think I…”
Carolyn bolted out of the room.
“Fuck!” Randy cursed and grabbed a towel, sliding on the tile floor as he made a bid to catch her. Her hands shook as she tried to navigate the dead bolt on the front door and he grabbed her arm before she figured out how to unlatch it. He had to stop her, to convince her it wasn’t him and he spun her toward him. “I didn’t kill anyone.”
“But you weren’t mugged either!”
Randy’s shoulders slumped and his gaze traveled to the balcony and the bloody shoes. “No, I wasn’t mugged. But I’m not the Scarlet Psychopath either.” He brought his gaze back to hers.
“You were covered with blood when you came in, what the hell am I supposed to think?” She yanked her arm from his grasp. “And your face, that’s where she hit him with her purse.” Carolyn’s voice trembled as she pressed her back to the door.
The fear in her eyes churned his desperation into raging fury. She believed he was capable of murder, of killing innocent women—women that looked like her. “Go ahead, test the blood.” Randy pointed at the balcony, his anger bleeding from between his clenched teeth. “It’s beef and pork blood, from my family’s meat packing plant.” He turned and stormed back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
He drew on a pair of jeans and returned to the living room “How the hell can you think I’m capable of that!” Anger radiated in waves.
Tears brimmed and slid down her cheeks. “Your trench coat, now this…”
“Jesus, Carolyn.” Randy ran his hand through his wet hair, her accusation stewing, stirring his anger into a tizzy.
“I couldn’t reach you the other night after the nightmare and tonight you weren’t here. Do you have an alibi for the other murders?”
Randy couldn’t believe her audacity, her ability to believe he was capable of such things. “If it happened at night, I was here. During the day I’m working.”
“Can anyone vouch for you?”
Randy’s jaw tightened, his teeth aching from the pressure. “I don’t know.”
Her head dropped to her chest and her lips pressed together. “I have to go.”
Of course she’s going to run. That’s what she does when things get tough. “I’ll take you home.” He turned before she could argue coming back moments later fully dressed. He grabbed his trench coat and ripped open the front door.
“Randy.” The glare he sent her stopped her in her tracks.
“You think I’m a murderer. What else can I say?” he snapped. “This…” He pointed between the two of them. “Is over.” He stabbed the down button and waited for the elevator.
Now can you please tell us a little about yourself?
I’m a writer, a publisher, an editor, a manuscript formatter, a mother, a wife and a business analyst, not necessarily in that order. I first sat down to seriously write in February of 2007 after my daughter asked:
“Mom, if you could do anything, what would you do?”
From that moment on, I haven’t looked back and now I’ve got eight novels published along with two short story anthologies.
In addition to being co-owner of Novel Concept Publishing (www.novelconceptpublishing), I also moonlight as a Senior Editor of Allegory (www.allegoryezine.com), an online venue for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.
I live in Connecticut with my husband and two children and during the summer months enjoy my weekends on the shore in southern Maine.
Visit me at www.jetaylor75.com
What publishers do you write for?
My own label – Novel Concept Publishing.
How long have you been writing?
Since 2007. Before that it was at least 20 years since I wrote something in the creative vein.
What made you decide you wanted to write?
I’ve always wanted to write, I just got sidetracked with a career and family and it wasn’t until my daughter asked if I could do anything what would it be. When I said write a novel, she said why don’t you? It was a simple statement out of a eleven year old’s mouth and I didn’t have an answer – so I did and reached for a dream.
What do you think is the most important to remember when writing romance?
The relationship needs to be realistic no matter what the timeframe. If you’ve ever felt that spark when you first meet someone – capturing that initial jolt of energy is essential to building a romance on the page.
How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
I’d say you can find a little of my personality in my characters. A little here, a little there and it’s not all within one character. Life experiences, not so much. I’ve never been a police officer, although I have worked in television, so I’ve interviewed officers and been in a courtroom as a member of the press.
What are you working on now?
Don’t Fear The Reaper – book one in The Death Chronicles. It’s my son’s brainchild and we’re writing it together. It’s a young adult thriller in the same vein as some of Rick Riordon’s Percy Jackson series. We are targeting the summer timeframe for release and my son is uber excited to have a book published.
Do you have any events coming up?
Beyond this blog tour, no.
Where can readers learn more about your books?
Website: www.JETaylor75.com
My blog: http://JETaylor75.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/JETaylor/190872939774
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JETaylor75
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3153969.J_E_Taylor
Do you have any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
Learn your craft and understand what passive voice is and stay far away from it. If you haven’t taken a writing course, try out Margie Lawson’s online classes (www.margielawson.com). She teaches some fantastic editing courses that helps you see the gaps in your own prose.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
Check out Crystal Illusions and look for Saving Face (the next in the series) this fall!
Thanks for swinging into this stop on my Blog Tour!
Ciao,
JET
Thanks for joining us today J.E. Good luck with your new release!
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