Jeannie Lin (Lotus Palace Mysteries) | Forced Proximity Interview
Big dumb luck and sticker bribes
Last year, after two years toiling in the romance mines alone, I decided I needed two things: a refreshed academic focus on prose writing (since I’ve spent the last 10 years as a screenwriter) and a community of writers with a similar romance bent. So after doing some research, I decided to enroll in a UCLA Extension class about romance writing, led by author Jeannie Lin. Not only did I get both the academic support and community I sought, but I also found a new author to love! Y’all know how I feel about mysteries!
With that, I’m delighted to introduce you, if you aren’t already a fan, to Jeannie Lin!
Also, Jeannie is included in a book about romance that’s crowdfunding right now! Check out the Happily Ever After Society Kickstarter here!
Thanks so much for agreeing to doing an interview! Please introduce yourself, perhaps also including why you should be allowed to help solve a murder in Tang Dynasty China.
Jeannie Lin: Hello, I'm Jeannie! I'm an author/writing instructor/health IT executive. I write historical romances including the Lotus Palace mysteries. I'm the perfect asset to any murder mystery solving team due to my incessant need to find patterns and solve puzzles.
How would you explain your latest book to a non-romance reader?
My latest book (not yet scheduled for release) is part of the Lotus Palace Mystery series and is titled "Murder in the Pleasure Quarter". It's about a young couple who stumble upon a body while out on a night of misadventure. A historical romance and murder mystery set in the courtesan district of the imperial city in 9th century China.
How would you explain it to a regular reader of romance?
I think I would explain it the same, with perhaps one meet-cute addition. The two were betrothed to be married after only seeing each other once many years ago. He claimed it was love at first sight -- yet when their paths cross during a night of misadventure, he has no idea who she is.
What’s something you wish you knew at the beginning of your writing career?
Don't chase everything new that's shiny (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok!) and the best promotion is to write, write, write.
What has surprised you about writing professionally?
It's been 14 (soon to be 15) years since I published my first book, Butterfly Swords, to sales numbers that no one would write home about, yet people are still talking about it. A tiny book that literally was on the bookshelves for only a month. A lot of it is just staying in the game. The rest is big, dumb luck and the kindness of strangers.
What’s your writing routine, if you have one?
I'm a Fast Drafter. There was a time when I tried to write everyday. I wish I could now. My routine is to work on the first chapter of a new manuscript and then, no matter how ugly it is, plan out the rest of the book and then draft it during a massive 2-3 week crunch period during which I bribe myself with stickers and music and writing retreats. I psych myself up and put up vision boards and prep meals in advance. Then I wake up super early for those weeks and write before work. I stay up late and write after everyone goes to bed. I do this until my brain locks in deep into the story. Unfortunately this happens only towards the midpart to the end of the Fast Draft. So then I spend the next 4-5 months revising. When I revise, I do it with at least one critique partner, 2-3 passes of professional editing, several beta reads, and 1-2 proofreads.
The time I am most creative is after struggling with the story and the characters every day for a week. My mind clicks into a flow state. I start thinking about character and narrative and weaving the threads together every waking moment. When I write, suddenly the words make sense. The characters have voice and the world feels real. Until then, every word feels overwrought and wrong. The problem is, once the book is done, my lizard brain will forget everything I've just told you. My brain then refuses to write the next book because it doesn't like feeling overwrought and wrong, even though the strategic brain keeps on trying to convince the lizard brain that if it just started, things will get better -- so the whole cycle begins again.
What hobbies do you have outside of work that aren’t literature-related?
I'm a foodie and I love to bake. The way you know I'm stressed is I've decided to bake and decorate sugar cookies in the middle of the night.
Which of your protagonists would you least like to be forced into proximity with? Why?
JL: Aww...I love them all. Mingyu from Jade Temptress would probably be the least liked. She's so icy and perfect and manipulative. It takes a special person to be able to put up with her.
How do you find new authors and books to try? Are you a casual browser, or do you have a network of trusted recommenders?
I'm a casual browser and pick up what tickles my fancy, but there are ppl like my partner-in-crime, Bria Quinlan, who I know will not lead me astray.
Is there a romance trope that’s an auto-read for you? What about one you’re suspicious of unless a favorite author tries it out?
I love bookish heroines, especially ones in STEM. I'm a very open-arms sort of reader, but if I had to pick a trope to cast a wary eye at, it might be vampires. Just because I like them monstrous and mysterious and they've just been rehabilitated too much in contemporary settings. Scarlett St. Clair did a series that was darkly disturbing and sexy in a fantasy setting that I liked.
What’s a misconception about publishing that early career writers often have, and what’s the truth?
That you should spend a bunch of time building your platform and network. Sure, promotion does help, but the truth is the way to get eyes is to keep writing and putting out books that you feel good about. Because that's why most of us started doing this anyway.
Thank you so much, Jeannie, for joining us this week! More from Jeannie: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Next week, I’ll be recommending books about heroines with erstwhile husbands! Some are missing, some are presumed dead, and ALL of them have a reckoning once they return.
What should I be reading next? Let me know in the comments!
Follow me on social: Twitter | Instagram | Bluesky
Available now: my debut marriage of convenience romance Rehabbing the Billionaire! Buy your copy on Amazon, or snag it on Kindle Unlimited! Then, rate it on Goodreads to help more people discover it!