IndieView with J.R. Turner, author of, School’s Out 4-Ever

“I generally free write the first three chapters to see if an idea I have can sustain a full length novel, flesh out characters, and discover if this is something I’m excited enough about to pursue. If all those factors intrigue me, I stop and create an outline of events. In general, I leave character reactions for the first draft. This way, I’m dying to find out how they’ll react when they are confronted by the event.” – J. R. Turner 20 January 2011

The Back Flap

Skater girl Kaylee Hensler gave up her freedom to save a trapped soul, only to be imprisoned with dozens of dead children. To make matters worse, if she stops smiling, she might not live to see fifteen.

You can take a Barclay girl out of class, but you can’t take the class out of a Barclay girl.

The headmistress at Barclay Hall reformatory is gorgeous and the students are just as polished and beautiful. Beneath their proper etiquette lies a desperate fear and a dangerous secret. As one by one the students turn up dead, Kaylee will uncover an evil so ancient, only heaven can help her.

About the Book

What is the book about?

School’s Out 4-Ever opens where DFF: Dead Friends Forever left off. Kaylee, our heroine, has just been sentenced to Barclay Hall, a school for wayward girls, for grave robbing. Once there, she learns there have been a series of six murders every six years, only the kids who go missing are considered runaways or if a body is discovered, a victim of their illegal activities. Because the disappearances are spread so far apart and involve criminals, no one pays attention. Until Kaylee shows up and starts finding the ghosts everywhere.

When did you start writing the book?

After I completed the first book I took about a two month hiatus from the series to write other things and prepare for the release of DFF: Dead Friends Forever. Not long after though, the second book began to bug me and I started working on the opening scene. From there, the rest just flowed.

How long did it take you to write it?

Most of my books take between four and six months to write. I recall this book as a bit easier than many because as a sequel, the world it takes place in was already researched and created, and I had a great cast of fully developed characters to work with. At times, I can get caught up in the research of a story, but not so much this time.

Where did you get the idea from?

I’ve always been a huge fan of horror and personal interest stories. When I was a kid, I saw a movie called “Orphan Train” about a group of orphans who taken on a train ride and at every stop, the kids would go up for adoption to the townsfolk. The dynamic between these kids living with the threat of separation, the idea they could be adopted by abusers, and their struggle to maintain courage in the face of danger greatly influenced the atmosphere in School’s Out 4-Ever. There’s a bit of “The Little Princess” thrown in there, through Brianna and her struggle to find a new best friend. The Haunting of Hill House gave me a lot of great ideas for the architecture of the school as well. This may sound strange, but Sinbad the sailor, not the comedian, gave me the inspiration for the monster.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

This book contains a lot of references to biblical stories and insinuating the meaning of these passages was a struggle. I’m not sure if I got it across as clearly as I meant to, but the gist of it is there, I’m sure. Handling the hierarchy of the Catholic Church was difficult as well. I’m not Catholic and what may come naturally to someone of that faith, didn’t come naturally for me. I did my best, but it’s difficult to study the inner workings of such a global organization and how that would pertain to Duluth, MN.

What came easily?

The relationship between the girls, those who are popular and not so popular, were based on relationships I had when I was a girl. The rules and regulations, and the pair who enforced them was also easy for me. When I was fourteen I stayed for a few weeks in a place similar to this, and then again when I was sixteen, so understanding how the power these women held over the girls could be used to manipulate and abuse others was easy for me to show. There are sincere people who work in these fields, but unfortunately, they seem far less prevalent than the indifferent or those who get their kicks making up arbitrary rules simply for the pleasure of punishment.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Most of the characters are fictitious. Some are a conglomeration of teachers/guards I knew in my childhood, but more are based on actors or actresses I admire. Pastor Jim is based on Ron Howard, the headmistress Claire is loosely based on Greta Garbo, etc. Destiny, one of the students, is actually based on Destiney Moore from Rock of Love 2, starring Brett Michaels.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Dean Koontz always amazes me with his grasp of language. I love reading his stuff because I come away enriched as a writer. Robin Cook is great because he reminds me how story telling is so very important and keeps me grounded in characters that I enjoy. He reminds me it’s not just about the language, but the ‘people’ in the stories. I think Julie Garwood was a big influence on how we can laugh at our little quirks and can find them endearing as well. This generally shows up in my works as a lovable flaw of some sort. Mark Twain, believe it or not, taught me not to shy away from societal commentary in my books, especially if a character is confronted by a stereotype or has their own misled beliefs challenged. There are so many—Barbara Kingslover encouraged me to release my inner writer’s voice and let the story unfold the way it needed to, without cramming in a plot line that didn’t belong. She also taught me patience for a bigger pay-off on the emotional front.

Do you have a target reader?

For my Extreme Hauntings series, I’m picturing kids from about 10 and up. There are a lot of subtle elements the younger crowd might not understand, such as an allusion to rape, etc. When I wrote this series, I didn’t want to “dumb it down” for the younger reader because I believed once they were of the age appropriate for reading my book, they could grasp the meaning of a word through context, etc. I needed to stay true to the characters and in this type of writing, where there are a lot of activities and phrases not generally heard in regular life, the context is more important than anything.

About Writing:

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I generally write early in the mornings. 5am in the summer is especially nice because the children will usually sleep until around 9am and then fix themselves breakfast. By 1pm, I’ve had an 8hr day and we can go to the beach or on a picnic. In the winter, my mornings start a little later, just because it’s dark outside and hard to wake up fully. Plus, with school in session, I’m very busy in the mornings and can get more work done before the kids get home.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just Chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I use a Creative Outlining technique I put together years ago. The article is on my website if anyone’s interested. I generally free write the first three chapters to see if an idea I have can sustain a full length novel, flesh out characters, and discover if this is something I’m excited enough about to pursue. If all those factors intrigue me, I stop and create an outline of events. In general, I leave character reactions for the first draft. This way, I’m dying to find out how they’ll react when they are confronted by the event.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I definitely wait to edit until I finish. Many times, I’ll delete entire passages, even chapters, if I find a much better path for the plot, so editing as I go could waste valuable time.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I never hired a professional editor before I was published, and then once I was, I got them for free. I did enter a lot of contests with professional judges who gave feedback on each entry though. This was important for me in the beginning, to know where I was strong and where I need strengthening. They helped me a great deal.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Yes! I love listening to music as I write. I have a great playlist. There are a wide variety of songs on there. From Joe Cocker to Metallica and a load of very “fun” songs as well, like Harry Nilson’s “Coconut” song, “Day-O” by Harry Belafonte, Wild Cherry’s “Play that Funky Music.” Overall, I’d say it’s a lot of funky rock-and-roll with heavy beats and fun lyrics.

About Publishing:

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Yes. I’ve come so close to getting an agent, only to be declined later on. I think about twenty agents have had a full manuscript of mine and had many exchanges before they ultimately decided not to represent me. I’ve found publishers and editors to be far more receptive than agents. On the other hand, I’ve been publishing so much (I’ll have 12 books in 6 years)I really haven’t had much time to focus on finding an agent. I figure I’ll keep publishing and working hard and sooner or later, if it’s meant to be, it’ll come together.

What made you decide to go Indie? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I originally wrote Stark Knight for Silhouette’s Bombshell series. They said it had too much romance, so I tried Harlequin’s Intrigue series, and they said it didn’t have enough romance. Placing a category-length high-action romance with any of the major houses would be a difficult prospect. So I decided to go indie and because I was included in Crumbs in the Keyboard, a charity anthology on motherhood, I decided to go with Echelon. They had high-quality products and were wonderful to work with. They accepted Stark Knight and I’ve never looked back.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did it you do it yourself?

I’m lucky to be working with an indie press that has its own art department. Award winning artist Nathalie Moore heads the department and she’s done all my covers. She’s been an absolute dream.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

All Echelon/Quake/Explorations books have marketing plans. The publishing house facilitates this by distributing materials to help every author reach their target audience. Following the advice and using the opportunities offered is a simple, easy way to get the word out about your books. Plus, the more you work to schedule events and signings, the more Echelon promotes the author as well, often taking out ads and sending out targeted catalogs so by the time the author reaches a venue, they are far more likely to know about the book and author than before.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Don’t expect to become famous. Keep your feet grounded and your expectations directed at yourself. Indie houses are an excellent way to break into the industry and many of them are far more supportive. With major houses it can feel like you’re merely a number in their stable, but with indie houses, there’s a level of communication that often leads to life-long friendships. Be the best you can be and always, always, treat your writing like a business.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Stevens Point, WI. It’s a smaller university town in the center of the state. I spent my summers in the pool and sneaking into the back of classrooms in the art department of UWSP so listen in on the projects. I was so young (8 or 9) they were good to me, even offering some materials once in a while so I could give the project a try. In the winters, we skated and went sledding all the time.

Where do you live now?

I recently moved to Wisconsin Rapids, which is southwest from Stevens Point by a few miles. We bought our home in 2008 and we’ve made this mill town our home. I’ve lived in major cities like Milwaukee and Houston, TX, but I prefer the more laid back lifestyle of a mid-to small-sized town.

What would you like readers to know about you?

In every book there is a challenge for me. I create them this way so I’m always striving for a better read. If I’m weak on mystery, I’ll write a mystery to strengthen that weakness. My hope is that every book offers something new and fresh to the reader.

What are you working on now?

At the moment I’m completing the 3^rd book in the Extreme Hauntings series, Detour 2 Death. I’ll be working on edits for Redemption—an urban fantasy for adults, and Racing the Moon—a mainstream thriller/horror novel about werewolves in Alaska. These three books are set for release in 2011, with a fourth possible by the end of the year. Still Life in Death is a romantic suspense novel about an aspiring artist, her childhood sweetheart, and the stalker destroying her life.

Award-winning author J.R. Turner lives in Central Wisconsin with her husband and three children. She began writing in high school, and after a decade working as a commercial artist, started her first novel in 1999. Aside from crafts, camping and cooking, she loves holidays. A favorite is Halloween, a combination of spooky supernatural fun and chocolate.

End of Interview

You can buy School’s Out 4-Ever here.

And J.R’s website is here.