April Spotlight with Jane Bierce

1. Tell us a bit about the writing organizations you have been involved
with. Your experiences, etc.

I am most proud of being Member #2 of EPIC–the Electronically Published
Inernet Connection, of which I have served one term as VP, and two terms as
President. In the formative days of EPIC I learned so much about the
Internet, the possibilities of new technologies, and how an organization must
function to be of the most benefit to its members.

I was almost a charter member of RWA, and served as the president of a
chapter, edited newsletters for three different chapters, and attended
several national conferences, but left that organization reluctantly in 2000.

2. I understand you have been published by Harlequin American. What
made you choose to do some publishing in e-books?

My first book, BUILDING PASSION, was published by Harlequin American — # 15
to be precise — when they were just starting the line. At the time they had
no idea that the more graphic level was going to sell as briskly as it did.
I was unable to acclimate to what they wanted so I went on to Silhouette and
Zebra. When I learned about epublishing in Orlando in 1997, I thought
seriously of going in that direction. In the three years previous to that, I
had had eye surgery on both eyes and had moved from Florida to Tennessee, and
had written a book — ONCE AGAIN A PRINCESS — that didn’t fit anyone’s line,
so I was ready for a new direction. E-publishing was it.

One of the greatest advantages of e-publishing is that if late at night a
reader wants to read ONCE AGAIN A PRINCESS or any other ebook, she can go to
a website and buy it, without getting dressed, leaving home, going into a
store, etc. She can read it on her computer, PDA — maybe her cell phone or
a handheld reader. In my case, I can make the font as large as it needs to
be!

3. If you could be one of your characters - Who would you choose? And
why?

I feel as though there is a varying degree on me in all my characters, and
the current one is always my favorite. My heroines are always more spunky
than I am, though.

4. What is your favorite reading and writing genre?

I’m stuck in the contemporary world. There are times I think of writing a
historical, but the furthest I’m comfortable going back in 1940, but that is
a very narrow market. My favorite reading is mainstream, and James Mitchner
is my favorite author, although I love to reread the old Silhouttes.

5. What would you like to share about yourself that many people
wouldn’t know?

Many people don’t know that I was legally blind for fifty years. I didn’t
really read until I was in seventh grade, and when everything clicked, I
started writing for myself and my classmates. I went to college, married,
raised three wonderful kids and sold five books before the problems stopped
me in my tracks.

6. What do you consider your greatest achievement in life?

It is a huge achievement to write and sell that first book. It moves a
person out of the ordinary into a place where one makes a difference in the
world — with other writers, artists and composers who touch others’ lives
beyond their own doorstep.

7. What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a
website? Email address? MySpace site? Blog? Message Board? Group?

I love email! My addie is jance@vic.com “Fan Mail” in the subject line will
get my immediate attention.