Silke Juppenlatz
Meet Silke Juppenlatz!
Silke grew up in Germany and is used to things going bump in the night — and it wasn’t always the acrophobic cat, or someone hitting their head on a low beam on the ceiling. She writes paranormal romance, usually at night, but it’s not all ghosts and ghouls — the occasional alien also makes an appearance in her stories.
These days the only thing going bump at “oh-dark-thirty” is when she smacks into the sofa while creeping to the kitchen for another cup of coffee.
When she’s not writing, or driving her partner crazy, she can be found on the back of her dapple gray Paso Fino gelding, Oscuro, getting lost somewhere in the Surrey countryside.
Silke likes to hear from her readers. Feel free to contact her via her blog at http://www.evilauthor.com, follow her on Twitter, look her up on Goodreads or become a friend on Facebook and G+
First question:
Eggnog or Mimosas? Are you old enough to drink?
Yuck. Neither. I won’t say no to a pint of Guinness, but if you really want to make my day, you offer me a dram of Laphroaig (That’s Scotch, for you heathens out there), served hand warmed, in a full bellied glass, with one drop of water.
We’re also taking pictures with Santa, did you bring a gift for him? (Maybe a new release or a pretty book cover…)
Santa gets to ogle Jo, on the Smitten cover. Maybe I should have left that one at home. Not sure she’s into being ogled, but it’ll probably make his day. *eyes the very hunky Santa and slings the cover in the fire* Oops. Do I get to sit on his knee anyway?
Blurb:
Reserved and shy Jo Button is tired of being the talk of the town. Enough is enough. Time to put her plans in motion, but a mishap forces her to seek out veterinarian Ash Delaney—the one man she has always wanted.
Ex-Guardian Angel Ashriel isn’t too happy when the reason for his de-haloed state shows up and requests his help. He has avoided Jo Button for ten years, and could quite happily go another ten without seeing her—until he realizes her battered reputation was his fault.
Can Ashriel save Jo, even if it means redemption is beyond his grasp, or will he lose his halo permanently along with the woman he’s come to care for?
Please enter. Drinks are served by the elves in the corner.
*eyes the elves* Laphroaig. Neat. NO ice. *glares when one tries to sneak a cube into the glass* Don’t even think about it. You kill a Scotsman every time you put ice in Scotch.
What’s your favorite holiday and why?
Halloween. For one thing, it’s in autumn, which is my favorite season, for another, I write paranormal romance. Halloween (Samhain) appeals to me.
Did you ask Santa for anything good?
I not only asked — I got. My Christmas and Birthday present combined, for the next ten years, is a 9 year old, dapple gray Paso Fino gelding named Oscuro del Gavilan. Or Oz, for short.
He’s beautiful, the smoothest ride you can imagine, and I still don’t believe he’s mine. J
What’s your favorite place to spend the holidays?
Snuggled up with my partner Paul. Where doesn’t really matter. And if I can’t have that…it’ll be on Oscuro’s back. Again…where doesn’t matter. I’m happy anywhere, as long as I can be with the people (or horse) I care about.
What is your favorite Christmas memory?
The moment the door opened to reveal the lit Christmas tree on Christmas Eve (the traditional day of Christmas in Germany.)
Do you have personal resolutions for the New Years? Anything interesting?
Stopping smoking. Again. Write more. Not really a New Year’s resolution, but something I want to do. I don’t really make resolutions, because I think they are just a way to frustrate yourself.
Actually, I lie. I do have one resolution: I’m going to keep a handwritten diary next year.
Why do you write romance?
Because whenever I try to write anything else, it turns into a romance anyway lol. I just can’t help myself.
How long have you been writing for? And how would you describe your publication journey?
I’ve written since I could drag a crayon across wallpaper. (My dad is really handy when it comes to redecorating. I’d like to think I had a hand in developing that skill in him.) I don’t remember a time when stories — told, or written down — didn’t factor in some way. I’ve amassed a huge amount of manuscripts. You seriously do not want to know exactly how many are sitting on my harddrive, in Lever Arch files, folders, notebooks and what have you. Handwritten, typewritten, or computer typed. I think it must be close to 600 or so. Most will never see the light of day, but I will not get rid of them either. They are practice. J As for publication…Every time I got talked into submitting a story, I backpedaled. Then one day, in a fit of madness…I sent one off.
Hey presto, here I am. Two books published, the third coming next year.
Are you a plotter or pantser? What is your routine?
I’m a serial pantser. I don’t have a routine as such, except one. “What if…” That’s all I need to get going. There is always a what if. My partner and I sat in the pub once and he asked me how quickly I can come up with a story. I said give me a key word. He said “Prawn Cocktail.” The words were barely out of his mouth, when I said “Got it.”
He made me tell him, and I did. He stared at me in disbelief the entire time I spun a tale for him.
And all it took was: “What if…”
What characteristics do all your heroes/heroines have in all your stories?
Oh wow. All of them? I don’t think they have all that much in common. Or if they do, then I don’t see it because I’m too close to the stories.
What writing resources do you abide by as a writer?
None. Rules are there to be broken. There is no single resource I use, and I pick and choose what I want to apply. “You can’t” will result in me going “Watch me.”
I enjoyed reading “The Art of War for Writers”, but I don’t adhere to it as my bible.
The only rule I obey is “Do, or do not. There is no try.” (Yoda)
What advice would you give aspiring authors?
If someone gives you feedback, pay attention. You won’t necessarily agree with what you’re told, but pay attention anyway. It’s the only way you’ll grow as a writer. You need to know what you do WELL, just like you need to know what you suck at. We all suck at something, just like we’re all good at something. Read the good as thoroughly as you do the bad, and build on it.
It’s okay to argue your corner, but if six people tell you not to kill your hero in Chapter 2 because it ruins the story — then don’t kill your hero in Chapter 2.
What are you working on right now?
The third installment to Howl. And a Sci-Fi romance. And the introduction story of a series I’ve started to write a long time ago.
What news would you like to share with your readers?
“Watch me”, the sequel to Howl, is scheduled for release in August 2012. It’s Tiffy’s story, and just like in Howl, there will be some unexpected twists and turns.
Where can readers find you?
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/Evil_Author/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/silke.juppenlatz1
- Website: http://www.evilauthor.com
- Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4506024.Silke_Juppenlatz
- Google+: https://plus.google.com/106116011046480009163/posts?hl=en
List other books you have out:
Howl (Lyrical Press)
Thank you so much for joining us at Romance Author Hotspot!
Thank you for having me!
*kidnaps Santa*
Prize: Two books from DP’s backlist
Tweet
December 24th, 2011 at 1:23 am
A girl after my own heart! *Joins Silke with a Guinness*
Love the interview. Very fun person to be around. Your heroes are pretty freaking hot too! Stop hoarding them!
December 24th, 2011 at 3:27 am
Smitten sounds like a sweet story and it’s even better that the hero is a veterinarian. I adore animals in stories so a person who takes care of them definitely brings the cute factor up a notch.
December 24th, 2011 at 9:21 am
Love the cover for SMITTEN! I haven’t read any of your work yet but it sounds like stuff I would enjoy! happy Holidays!
December 24th, 2011 at 9:55 am
Brilliant Christmas present Silke! Hope you both have a fantastic day tomorrow(have you got Oz a present?)
December 24th, 2011 at 11:16 am
Merry Christmas:) Sounds wonderful, thank you for sharing with us!
December 24th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Merry Christmas!! I just love to snuggle up with a good book on a dull dark day . Especially while stuck inside during a snow storm in Alaska.
December 24th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Merry Christmas! Can not wait to get my hands on your books…Love being able to come across a new author thru the contests and blogs..Marie
December 24th, 2011 at 5:16 pm
I have read Smitten and loved it. I would love to read Howl. Merry Christmas!
tabithablake at ymail dot com
December 24th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Merry Xmas! Maybe Santa will be bringing me one of your books!!!
December 24th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
I love the term de-haloed.
December 25th, 2011 at 2:03 am
I enjoyed the interview. Thanks for sharing. Love the excerpt. Sounds like a great read.
December 25th, 2011 at 9:53 am
The covers are awesome. I liked the excerpt for Smitten very much and would love to read that and Howl. Nice cover ..sigh.. Happy Holidays.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
December 25th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Your covers are great and enjoyed the blurb. With you on having a great glass of Scotch. Happy Holidays.
December 25th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
great cover and blurb. thanks for sharing. happy holidays.
December 25th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
I love the decorations this time of year and that’s what makes a great memory to me. I love the sound of the Howl series with its to die for cover and happy to know there’s more to come. Thanks for being here.
joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com
December 25th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
Hi Silke! Loved your interview!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
kscathy@yahoo.com
December 25th, 2011 at 8:22 pm
Oh, you want to stop smoking. Well, I’m rooting for you! Enjoy your time with Paul…or Oscuro.
December 26th, 2011 at 3:28 am
Thank you everyone!
I hope you all had a lovely Christmas Day!
We tend to have a double celebration. Once (a little) on Christmas Eve (because I’m German and that’s when we celebrate) and once on Christmas Day (when the Brits have Christmas)
Even the piggies at the yard luck out this year — they’ll get all the veggy scraps lol.
Oz got carrots for Christmas…and he really didn’t like his hat lol.
December 26th, 2011 at 7:29 am
Great post, thanks for sharing! Hope you had a Merry Christmas, Silke.
December 26th, 2011 at 9:55 am
Merry Christmas, Silke!! Hope you got to ride Oz today and survived the Nerf gun!
December 26th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
Glad you had a lovely Christmas, Silke! I’ve got one of yours on my TBR–looking forward to relaxing this holiday season and enjoying it!
f dot chen at comcast dot net
December 26th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
i hope everyone had a great Christmas and has a fun new year!!
terri_dion@hotmail.com
December 26th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
You are a new to me author, Silke, but I love the book covers and the blurb! So I’m definitely going to check your books out!
I hope 2012 brings you blessings and prosperity!
December 26th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Brilliant love stories. Love the veterinarian n animal feature love stories . Merry xmas everyone!
December 26th, 2011 at 7:27 pm
Sounds like a great book.
December 26th, 2011 at 10:54 pm
My Mom’s family is German and I’ve always loved the name Silke. I think it beautiful.
Your books are new to me, but they definitely sound like the type of book I like. I am looking forward to checking them out.
I wish you much continued success in 2012.
mcv111 at hotmail.com
December 27th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
I had Quarter horses, but I had a neighbor with Pasos wonderful animals. Nice meeting you! Happy Holidays!
sugerlady@aol.com
December 27th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Thanks for sharing, great blurb.
Happy Holidays
December 27th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Love that blurb, de-haloed state. LOL.
December 27th, 2011 at 4:37 pm
thanks you for this interview, i’m really to discover you
isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com
December 27th, 2011 at 4:52 pm
Howl sounds wonderful as does Smitten. Can’t wait to read them. Would love to win them {wink, wink} LOL.
Please don’t throw out anything you’ve written. I’ve recently read how two of my favorite authors have pulled out stories they wrote 8-10 years ago and stuck in a drawer thinking they didn’t work. The decided to try re-writing now and bam! Great new books are the outcome.
Happy New Year!
December 27th, 2011 at 8:33 pm
Oooooooh congrats on the Paso Fino!
I’m a horsey girl with 4 of my own. And I’m puuullllling myself away now from filling this comment with 50 lines of horse babble lol
December 27th, 2011 at 8:56 pm
LOL Olivia, I know just what you mean. I can’t seem to shut up about the “new man” in my life.
4 of them! Oh my! I look after mine and a friends atm, and boy, I am knackered when I get home! I can’t imagine doing 4. (Well, I used to look after 30 of them, but that’s when I worked full time as a groom.)
Chelle — I survived the Nerf Gun, but I still get shot if I comment too much on some TV program hehe.
Wild — I’m Swabian (a region in southern Germany), we are the worst hoarders you could ever meet. We don’t throw out anything. Over here they say the Scots are tightwads and hoarders…well, we say they are Swabians who were banished for being wasteful…
Monica — thank you.
I used to hate my name, but I kinda like it now. 
Tamara, I used to ride a Quarter Horse and an Appaloosa in Germany. (I’ve ridden western most of my life) They were both awesome and very responsive horses. (The Appy had a thing for Mars bars…go figure.)
And yeah…Ash isn’t just de-haloed, he had his wings clipped too. He is NOT.HAPPY. LOL
December 27th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
Smitten sounds great .Looking forward to picking it up.Happy Holidays everyone
flanagan@mebtel.net
December 27th, 2011 at 11:25 pm
Howl sounds so fantastic. I have it on my must read list. Thanks for the chance!
Mary
mary_reiss @ hotmail.com
December 27th, 2011 at 11:33 pm
I have never read about a Guardian angel.
December 28th, 2011 at 12:33 am
Hey Silkie!! You have to bring Santa back…its my turn!! LOL!! Loved the interview!!
viajeradelmar@aol.com
December 28th, 2011 at 3:04 am
Gotta love those wolves. Getting to know you is great.
December 28th, 2011 at 3:50 am
But..but..Nikki! He’s really happy where he is! *shoves Santa back in the closet*
*listens to threats about making Oscuro a reindeer*
Whoa.
Okay, okay!
*opens closet door and smiles sweetly*
Hi Santa. Nikki said to stop by. I wouldn’t want her to be disappointed or anything…
December 28th, 2011 at 10:06 am
You’re my kind of girl–drink your liquor straight up, no ice, no chaser. LOL
Great idea about keeping a handwritten diary. I wrote in a diary every day for years but I’ve changed over the years. Now I make an entry when I have something important to convey and I don’t often write words–I draw my feelings. I found that, being a writer, I talked too much and created too much drama so I started drawing how I felt (I’m no artist) and I find it very helpful. I keep a writer’s journal, too–a bit different than a diary though.
I like that your advice was to listen to what others say about your writing and take note of it. It keeps you on your toes.
I enjoyed your interview and wish you great success and happiness.
December 28th, 2011 at 12:59 pm
“De-haloed state” cracked me up. I like the tone of the blurb. On my list it goes.
December 28th, 2011 at 1:14 pm
Can’t wait to read smitten, love angel stories
Happy new year
brandon_savannah@yahoo.com
December 28th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Sarah, I went up to Edinburgh and ran into our local rep there. I dared to say “I don’t like Whiskey.” (I didn’t.)
He took me to a pub he frequents and said I’m going to give you a “Dram” (that’s the amount, rather than the glass) of Whiskey. When you’ve tasted it the way it is meant to be tasted — you’ll be a convert.
I didn’t know the whiskey he and the barman wrestled out of some dark dusty place.
They put it in a glass very much like a cognac glass (Big body, thin wall). Put a single drop of water into the whiskey. Made me hold it in my hands until the glass was warm.
THEN I was allowed a sip.
Believe me, I was drinking smoke in a glass. Stunning. And — as I later found out — bloody expensive Whiskey lol.
But yes, do not put ice in Scotch and serve it warm. And for you writers around here…if you write a Scotsman who puts ice in his whiskey… it ruins the taste. They would never, never do it.
I also often make little drawings in journals. I have a moleskine I keep just for writing inspiration. I make notes when I visit places. I “borrow” menus *cough* in foreign countries. But mostly I just scribble everything down. (A great place is the airport while you wait for boarding. Make a note of the shops, the layout etc. You never know when you need to send a character through that airport.)
Savannah & Arwen — Ash is a slightly unconventional angel. *grin* He swears and has fights with the old biddy who keeps winding him up… lol. (Edna. The bane of his life…)
December 31st, 2011 at 12:19 am
I love that you use your time stuck at an airport to take notes for a future book. Very clever!
December 28th, 2011 at 4:36 pm
Silke, Smitten is still one of my favorite covers.
Your whiskey story is fab. First time I had a dram was at a Highland Games in San Deigo and one of the burly clansmen handed me a shot of his favorite from his personal flask. Took my breath away, but the fact that I didn’t cough a lung through my nose or pass out impressed him enough to propose marriage. LOL
Heather Bennett
December 28th, 2011 at 5:42 pm
Great interview & advise! Thank you for sharing
Also best of luck on your resolution. I’m a smoker for too many years to count but have never tried quitting :/
Best wishes for the Happiest New Year!
December 28th, 2011 at 11:43 pm
Your books sound marvelous! Going to check them out now!
December 29th, 2011 at 1:18 am
Now you have me looking forward to reading Howl. Wishing you a fabulous new year.
caity_mack at yahoo dot com
December 29th, 2011 at 10:52 pm
I bet that prawn cocktail story is pretty good!
catherinelee100[at]gmail[dot]com
December 30th, 2011 at 4:45 am
LOL Catherine, I’ve never written it. (Started to, but something else popped up and well…)
I’ve got a rotten cold at the moment, and I’m absolutely hating it. My body’s temperature sensor is out of whack. Woke up (in my warm bed) shaking like a leaf and ran for the nearest radiator because my body went “Cold! COLD!!” (It wasn’t.) An hour later… “Hot. HOT!”
So here I am, 10 days off, which I wanted to spend riding and writing — and I’ve been in bed for 3 days so far. Poor Oz probably feels totally neglected.
I have three books to finish, darnit!
Hope everyone feels great and is minus a cold.
December 30th, 2011 at 9:39 pm
Love your name, Silke! Have heard great things about HOWL and can’t wait to read it!
Have a great 2012!
books4me67 at ymail dot com
December 30th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
GREAT interview! LOVE Howl’s cover…would love to read it and it’s August sequel! Have a safe and Happy New Year!
December 31st, 2011 at 7:40 pm
Good luck with your new years resolutions- they’re both worthy of keeping!
January 1st, 2012 at 2:07 am
Hi, I really loved reading your interview! You sound like so much fun!! And I’m definitely getting ‘Howl’! Thanks for your advice to us hungry writers! A fabulous New Year to your and your family!!
Patti
January 1st, 2012 at 3:58 pm
Happy New Year everyone!!
January 1st, 2012 at 8:49 pm
Both Howl & Smitten sound like great reads. I love that no matter what you start trying to write, it ends up being a romance.
drainbamaged.gzymo at gmail.com
January 1st, 2012 at 9:35 pm
Happy New Year! Love the cover of Howl going to have to check it out.
January 1st, 2012 at 11:22 pm
Gotta say I loved the saying about killing a Scotsman every time you add ice to Scotch. I hadn’t heard that one. The cover of HOWL is Yummy! And since I love paranormals, I will be checking into it.
Happy New Year
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
January 2nd, 2012 at 2:52 am
Great interview! Love the sound of your book and great covers! Thank you for sharing! Happy new year!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com