Today's Darklight On is ... Delwyn Jenkins
Welcome, Delwyn
How did you come to write speculative fiction? What attracted you to the genre?
I’ve always had an overactive imagination. I blame Star Wars for changing my life as a kid and opening up a whole new world (or universe) of possibilities. Books are my adult cubby house, and I love hiding away somewhere truly exotic. In my teens I cut my teeth on epic fantasy, and when I rediscovered romance in my early thirties I gravitated towards the spec fic end of the scale. It made sense to follow that road when I started writing because that’s what I love to read.
Are you a plotter? Pantser? Or somewhere in-between?
In between. A Ploster, maybe. I need to have rough idea of where I’m going, but I don’t plot too far ahead because when I start writing my characters and my ideas often take me in a different direction. I liken it to driving at night. I need to see just as far as the headlights shine (so I can see the corners, dips and hills coming) but I don’t need to see the next forty kilometres. If I keep my attention on the lit area ahead, the rest of the road will take care of itself.
Do you have a favourite of your characters?
Yes. I’ve published nine books (though currently only two are available! Long story fit for another day), and in those nine, a character in the third book I wrote is still my favourite. He’s a (literally and figuratively) tortured warrior – what’s not to love?
What are you currently working on?
I’m beavering away getting four books from one series and three books from another ready for self publishing. One series I had with Momentum (PanMacmillanAus) and the other I had with Ellora’s Cave (and we all know what happened to them). I’ve had rights to both series returned to me, so I’m about to venture on the indie road.
What is your favourite part of the process of writing?
Having a completed first draft! I’m not kidding. Most authors love the act of writing, of seeing their story unfold on the page as they get to know there characters. That’s always the hard part for me. I’m more left brain than right brain, so the act of writing is easy, but getting the ideas is like pulling teeth. Once I have the ideas in my head, I write fast and clean – but getting those idea’s is torture.
What can we expect from Delwyn Jenkins in the future?
I’m hoping that the two series I’m releasing will be successful enough that I can explore those worlds further. I have a small-town contemporary done and dusted, but I’m putting that on the back burner for a while. For now, I’m sticking to the hot and spicy paranormal, sci-fi and fantasy sub-genres.
Who are your favourite authors?
Gah! I hate trying to choose.
In the spec fic realm I love Nalini Singh and Anne Bishop.
Erotic romance I love Cherise Sinclair (not for the faint hearted)
Historicals I love Elizabeth Hoyte (Maiden Lane series) and I’m currently devouring Grace Burrowes (after seeing her at RWNZ)
Contemporary I love Silvia Day’s Crossfire series.
What are you currently reading?
Grace Burrowes. I wanted to have a bit of her writing under my belt before I saw her at conference. Turn out, I love her writing and I’ve read ten on the trot! I’m onto the second incarnation of her Windham series.
Do you have a favourite spec fiction movie or TV series?
When it comes to TV, anything written by Joss Whedon. The guy is genius for character development and dialogue.
Also the original Star Wars series. Not because of great character development or dialogue (because George Lucas was terrible at both) but because that first movie changed my life. I was a little kid from the country, on a school excursion to Melbourne and in a surround sound theatre for the first time in my life. Cue the music, cue the looming spaceship – and my little heart jumped right out of my chest. (I also have a thing for big, strong and growly – I’m totally blaming Chewbacca for that?)
Do you have advice for emerging writers?
Finish the goddamn book. Don’t edit as you go, don’t phaff around with the whole ‘I can’t write the next chapter until this one is perfect’. Diddling around like that is rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Get the first draft done, then tweak.
Also, when you get given advice, listen to it, consider the source, take it to your ‘common sense’ corner, and work out if the advice is good for you. Does it serve your story? Does it fit with your lifestyle and commitments? Does it improve your writing? Your time management? Your voice?
Don’t be afraid to adopt new ideas. Try them on for a while, see if they fit (or if they chafe). Take what you like, and discard the rest.
Most of us don’t have lightbulb moments. We learn bit by bit, cherry picking ideas and modelling those who are where we’d like to be.
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Thanks, Delwyn
Breaking Ice
When Winter Nayar goes undercover to expose the Humans for Earth Coalition, she doesn’t expect to discover a kidnapped alien. Risking everything to help Kasim escape, she finds herself drawn into his world - despite knowing she should keep her distance.
Kasim Ta’nehr is desperate to get out of the hell-hole lab. He doesn’t trust the human, but he’s in no position to save himself. Guarding secrets no Jendari is permitted to share, he has no option but to join forces with Winter.
It’s not long before he realizes Winter is something special. Smart, sexy and generous – she’s everything Kasim longs for and knows he can never have. He’s fascinated by her, but his demons make it impossible for him to be close to anyone.
Then Winter’s undercover operation goes horribly wrong, and Kasim must put everything on the line if he has any hope of saving her.
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Thanks for sharing, Delwyn!
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