JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Jannelle, author of Wild Cards
(Self-Published)
Wild Cards is about a tumultuous season in the life of a talented champion football team. The LA Predators are dealt a gamut of issues from drug use, sordid sex scandals and crime. These men deal with these issues as well as infighting rather publicly throughout the season.
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write Wild Cards?
Jannelle: The inspiration to write this book came from a day that I was sick in the bed, watching SportsCenter. I remember watching back to back blurbs about troubled football players. There were either in trouble with the law or causing controversy and division in the locker room.
Since I had all the time in the world that day (LOL), I decided to explore the idea of writing a short story about a loose cannon football team. I followed through and wrote until I got tired.
A few months passed, and I read that same story. I wondered if I could go the distance and extend the short story to a novel, and I just took it from there.
JP: What sets Wild Cards apart from other books in the same genre?
JM: What sets Wild Cards apart from other books in sports fiction is the fact that my book has elements of other genres in it, and they coincide with the whole vibe of the book. I have bits of romance, erotica and mystery in this novel.
Also, with my book, you don’t have to be a die-hard fan of football or sports at all to appreciate it because my book in actuality deals with the everyday trials of the human condition. The only difference is that the background of the story is in the gritty yet “glamorous” world of professional football.
There are people who can relate to addictions and vices. People can relate to having the desire of knocking the s**t out of co-workers. You don’t need to follow the game to relate to my characters.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to Wild Cards getting out to the public?
JM: Self-determination, faith and stubbornness. I know that sounds cliché, but it’s my truth. As a new author on the block, I knew that the odds of a traditional publisher taking a chance on me were not in my favor. So, I decided to do it own my own to gain an audience.
I had the attitude of ‘ this book will see the light of day one way or another and that’s the bottom line.’ That attitude carried me to my book being published and on sale at Amazon.
I also kept my mind open as well as researched the industry for myself. As a rookie, I have learned that you never, ever stop learning. I don’t care if you are just starting out or you have 15 books under your belt, you can and will always learn something new about this industry.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish Wild Cards?
JM: My writing process isn’t anything elaborate. I just keep a notebook and pen by my side incase inspiration strikes. That inspiration could come in form of a concept, a mere quote or even research. After jotting the ideas, I organize them in a storyboard.
As far as how long Wild Cards took from start to finish, I wrote everyday for three months straight to get it done and two extra months of editing. The revised version took me two months to complete. I had to change my cover, and I also wanted to add new content as well.
JP: What’s next for Jannelle?
JM: My next book is the sequel of Wild Cards titled “The Madhouse On Figueroa”. I’m already on Chapter 9 of it, and I can’t wait to share this one with you all. If you think that Wild Cards is full of drama, wait until the “Madhouse” drops! The plot twists in this thing are amazing.
I want my readers to expect the unexpected but be entertained none the less. Now I have a sports fiction book, but my next book may be a romance, a horror, or even a nonfiction! The imagination should be limitless, and I want the reader to see that in me!
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