10 Questions With Vera Jane Cook



So, this week we move from Annie down under to NYC, from Annie's beach ideal to glamour. Meet Vera Jane Cook, writer of award winning Women's Fiction.  Jane worked in the professional theatre for over a decade until a bizarre mid-life crisis forced her into corporate life at the age of 45. Jane is presently an account manager at Triumph Learning and manages the great states of California and Kansas. Triumph Learning publishes Coach products, as well as Buckle Down and Options.  She lives on the Upper West side of Manhattan with her long term partner, her Basenji/Chihuahua mix, Roxie and her two pussy cats, Sassy and Sweetie Pie.

1.     First the easy one. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I live in New York City, which I'm sure explains my paranoia. My first published novel, Dancing Backward in Paradise won an Eric Hoffer Award and an Indie Excellence Award in 2007 for notable new fiction. I have three novels published with Musa and a re-release of my first book in November of this year, also with Musa. I began writing novels later in life and now it's a passion, must write to exist. My dream is to buy a house in the country- a very literary cottage with intense gardens, retire there and write all day. Oh, of course, my books will be selling so I can afford the dog food, cat food, my own food and the mortgage.

2.     If you were a superhero, what would be your power?

 I'd be able to travel in time.

3.     Would you wear a cape and tights? Describe your costume and give yourself a cool super name.

Cape and tights? Heavens, no. I'd have on a long beautiful flesh colored gown designed by Dolce & Gabbana. My name? Oh, something like Vanessa the Valliant

4.     Pimp it if you’ve got it. What’s new or next for you?

I have just completed my third southern fiction novel, my second women's fiction novel, my first spec fiction and beginning the sequel to Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem. Hoping this year's marketing plan will light a fire under my books.

5.     What evil villain would be your arch nemesis?

Count Dracula, he's evil but there is something very sexy about him as well.

6.     Would he have a cape and tights?

 My arch nemesis would just wear a cape, tights are for nerds. He'd definitely dress in Victorian attire. I like ruffled colors on men.

7.     What author or book influenced you the most as a writer?

 There are so many, and I mean many but I love Anne Rice, Nelson DeMille, Anita Shreve, the Bronte's, Nabokov, Oscar Wilde, Tennessee Williams, The Well of Loneliness, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Caleb Carr, A Tale of Two Cities, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, and I could go on and on until I turn another year older……..

8.     What was your favorite meal as a child? Do you still like it?  

Chicken Soup, still love it but it's never been as good as since I was a child.

 

9.     Your arch nemesis has attacked your city, oh noes! You are in Marrakesh putting down a zombie uprising . The fastest way to travel is this:

Does your city die while waiting for you to hop a commercial flight?

I'm afraid so, you won't find me with ten miles of that baby.

*Interviewer's note* But if your super power is time travel, you can go back and fix it! Awesomeness! 

10.  Instead of truth or dare, we are just going to jump right to the rejection haiku. I enjoyed reading them so much that I’m making them a regular feature. Hey, rejection is one of the great universal commonalities as a writer. So, write us a rejection haiku. Please? (see that last part was a question. Sneaky, right?)  

I never really understood haiku nor think I can write it, but here goes:

rejection settles in backyard puddles

and dries away.

welcome sun



You can learn more about Vera Jane Cook's fascinating (and stylish!) journey to becoming a novelist at her website, http://www.verajanecook.com. She also blogs at Reading Out Loud. You can find her novels everywhere quality ebooks are sold including at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and of course the Musa Publishing store.