FAR would like to welcome author Jennifer DiCamillo. Jennifer is the author of Price of Peace as well as a number of poems and short stories.

Since everybody needs a break, even when doing something they love, how do you like to spend your time away from writing?

Traveling. I’ve been on the road seventeen weeks this year. It’s great, too, that my family likes to go places with me. We like eating out and seeing the countryside, and complaining about motel rooms.

Of all things you have accomplished, is there one accomplishment you are most proud of?

My five kids? They’ve turned out pretty well, in spite of me. I’m very proud of them. That and my marriage. I work pretty hard at keeping all that in balance with my writing. I never want to forget what is important in my life. As much as I love to write, I love to spend time with my family more than anything.

What is a typical day like for you?

I get up early and go straight from the bed to turn on the computer. Then, I hang out there most of the day…between email, Google, and my WORD program.

Can you tell us about your play-writing?

There’s not a lot to tell about that. I wrote six mini-plays that were performed in the late eighties, early nineties—in Las Vegas, Nevada—with full costume and musicale. They all won awards. I directed most of them. Even designed a lot of the sets and costumes--which were very simple, by the way.

Oh, and I wrote another full length play about a year ago. It was performed in Springfield, Missouri with costumes and music. It went over pretty well, I think—although it wasn’t advertised very well. And it had a religious theme (sort of a mini-passion play)--so it wasn't in competition.

You write, poetry, plays and novels, do you have a style of writing that you prefer to express yourself in?

I love purple prose—pretty and poetic description. And emotional stuff. Honestly, if you read my work and don’t get a gut reaction of some sort—I think I’m slacking. I want my readers to care—good or bad, I want to stimulate emotion above all else.

I've been seeing a number of discussions on the Yahoo groups about Happily-Ever-After. Do you feel that HEA is necessary to a romance novel?

I guess I would say, uh, no.

I, for one, am tired of knowing that a book is gonna end up all rosy and unrealistic. I mean, sometimes I need that, and want that. And so, sometimes I write that. But mostly I think a book should leave you feeling like you’ve come to a believable conclusion for whatever adventure you’ve just put yourself/the reader through.

Sometimes I like a romance book to end up with people together—but the future uncertain. Like…we’re gonna grab the happiness we can right now.

Your book, Price of Peace, was nominated for Best Historical Romance through CAPA. Can you tell us how it felt to be nominated?

That felt like the greatest honor I’ve ever gotten. I’ve won over 70 awards in the last two years, but that is the one I brag about most.

Can you tell us about Price of Peace?

That’s a great book—if you’ll forgive me for saying so. It’s won a couple of awards, actually. And I just re-read it myself about a month ago. I still love the story. I think the literary issues beneath the tale of clan warfare, romance and mystery are thought-provoking. I mean…how timeless is a story that makes you think about what you would do for peace, and whether or not you believe in a higher power?

You have a book in process called Courting Disaster, can you tell us a little bit about it?

That is my second novel and it will be out by April 2006, I believe, through Zumaya Publications. It's won a couple awards, too.

It is a really fun story set in a fantasy kingdom with an old England flavor. And it's about two couples: one is a cold relationship that needs heated up, a marriage that never quite got a great start--and another relationship that starts out sizzling and only gets hotter. One rubs off the other creating what I think is a farce about misinterpreting the moves the opposite sex makes—throw in a lesson or two in jealousy--and I think it comes out quite clever.

Imagine one cool woman who doesn't think her husband loves her, who desperately wants nothing more than his hand on her--but has such a protective front up that he can't make a move to get past it. Of course, everything that happens between them is one misunderstanding after another.

And on the other end, a man who absolutely doesn't want to give in to his burning desire to throw the sassy redhead down and teach her some manners...

In short, four very frustrated people who need to learn to communicate. How many ways can lips get a point across?

Do you have anything else in the works at this time?

Yes. My third novel, Dead Line, will be released by Zumaya Publications in 2007. That's won an award, too, by the way. It's a contemporary romantic suspense with some good twists.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Oh, yes. I am looking forward to the release of my first poetry collection: Passing Thoughts—that should be out very soon and I hope that readers will watch my website: http://www.jenniferdicamillo.com/ for that. It’s a great sample of poetry about living, loving, and leaving—and would make a super gift for just about anyone. It also has some simple examples of basic poetry terms, so it’s a good thing for aspiring poets to check out, too.

I want to thank you, Serena, for interviewing me.

Interviewed by: Serena