BookZone welcomes first time author, Jayne Fordham who hails from Australia. Jayne has graciously answered a few questions for us about her process, motivation and characters. We invite you to join us on our journey of discovery.
Title: A Season of Transformation
Author: Jayne Fordham
Publisher: Jayne Fordham
Release Date: March 31, 2011
ISBN 10: 1447548434
ISBN 13: 978-1-4475-4843-0
Genre: Paranormal (YA)
Paperback: 229 pages
List Price: $15.99
Kindle: $2.99
Description:
A Season of Transformation is a young adult fantasy/romance novel set in the contemporary world. It is the story of five young people drawn together to complete a Quest, to protect their town from destruction. In order to defeat the story’s villain, Maxvale, the five virtual strangers must come together and not only forge a bond of trust but become proficient with the ‘abilities’ temporarily bestowed upon them.
In the midst of the lead up to the battle each of the young people has their own personal struggles they are trying to deal with. Lucas, an adopted and bitter teenager struggles to become the person he wants to be whilst developing feelings for Makenna, a rich kid who doesn’t like his attitude. Bonnie is a ‘gothic’ that is dealing with an alcoholic father, Ben the school nerd and Adam the class clown are trying to break free from their high school stereotypes. Can these five teens put their differences aside to defeat Maxvale and save their town?
INTERVIEW
BOOKZONE: Hi Jayne, thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for BookZone and our readers.
1) Why do you write? (Yes, I know writers get asked that all the time…lol. I do believe it’s a legitimate question.)
JAYNE: You know, I don’t think I have been asked this question yet! I suppose there are many reasons that I write, but the main thing is probably a sense of satisfaction, of accomplishment. I often question my writing ability, but it is such a nice feeling when I pick up a short story from a couple of years ago or an unfinished novel that I hadn’t gotten back to and I actually enjoy what I am reading. It’s nice to think, this isn’t all that bad. As a child and teenager I kept diaries so writing was an escape sometimes, a way to get my thoughts out of my head and make sense of them. Now I enjoy creating characters and figuring out what lies ahead for them.
BOOKZONE: I was a diary scribbler for the exact same reason. I am sure that the readers out there will be happy you moved past journaling to book publishing.
2) How did you come up with the title? (Do you find a title first then write or as your writing evolves, the title emerges?)
JAYNE: The title emerged from the storyline. I wanted something that represented the true essence of the story. I think the title, A Season Of Transformation and the cover does reflect that the teenagers undertake changes during the month of autumn.
BOOKZONE: I thought that was just me? Lol
3) As a psychologist, how do you stop yourself from psycho-analyzing your characters? Or is that not a bad thing?
JAYNE: That’s a good question. I don’t think I psycho-analyze my characters but I do try to give them realistic inner conflicts which is understandable in the context of their earlier experiences. The problem I have is actually giving my character’s conflict! I work with people who have problems all the time and so I sometimes am reluctant to do this to my characters. If I could just write the ‘happily ever after’ scene then my job would be a lot easier!
BOOKZONE: I totally get that. For years reading was my form of escapism so my criteria for buying a book was a happy ending. If I read the last few pages and there was no happy ending, no matter how interesting the blurb or the cover photo, the book got reshelved and I tried another.
4) I’m in the USA and originally from the island of Trinidad & Tobago, I found that meanings changed with location and spelling of some words as well. For e.g. a bonnet was no longer the front part of a car but headgear for a woman or baby. Are there any of those changes readers should look out for?
JAYNE: I’m sure there are many words and phrases that people outside of Australia will not quite get. But I think that’s what gives the story a unique feel. I read books and watch movies written and acted in by Americans all the time and have just gotten used to the different use of language! I suppose one that may come up in my book is what American’s call ‘cell phones,’ over here we call them ‘mobile phones.’
BOOKZONE: Great point. Now that I think about it, reading books by Enid Blyton as a child certainly did broaden my horizons and those that I didn’t get, the dictionary was a great help…lol.
5) What would you like the reader to come away with after reading A Season of Transformation?
JAYNE: I hope that readers will feel good about the changes the teenagers undergo in the story. The underlying message is for adolescents to think before judging their peers as they could be missing out on a valuable friendship.
BOOKZONE: Well I’m still reading it myself, so I’ll let you know what I come away with.
It’s been a pleasure chatting with you, thanks for the intriguing peek into the mind of Jayne Fordham, author, and the background information about A Season of Transformation.
JAYNE: Thank you so much for having me Dee. I hope that if your followers are interested in my novel they will stop by my blogs and say hi!
BOOKZONE: I’m sure they will because stopping by one of your locations and posting a comment will be a part of the criteria for entering the giveaway for a copy of A Season of Transformation which will be posted with the review.
There you have it folks!
Jayne Fordham is a psychologist, freelance writer and debut author of A Season of Transformation. She resides in South-West Sydney with her boyfriend and loveable cocker spaniel, Buddy. To Visit Jane:
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