Saturday, August 17, 2013

Featured Author: Christina Jean Michaels

Often, you hear people say, "I knew you when you were little." Well, that's true with Christina Jean Michaels' new adult/romantic suspense novel, Epiphany. I was fortunate to read it early on in a writers' group, and I'm happy to feature it and Christina Jean today.

About the book:

“I had my first psychic dream when I was nine. Psychic implied power, and powerful wasn’t a word I’d use to describe myself. I couldn’t foretell the future or conjure visions at will, but I couldn’t think of a more fitting word to describe what I sometimes saw in my dreams.”

For 23-year-old Mackenzie Hill, tossing her life down the garbage disposal is easy after a painful incident shatters her life. Her heart is bleeding, and moving to Watcher’s Point is a chance to start anew, only she isn’t prepared for the guy who walks out of her dreams and into the flesh. Literally . . . because she’s been dreaming about this sexy stranger for years. 

Mackenzie is even less prepared to face the dark nature of her dreams. They’ve turned disturbingly gruesome, full of blood and murder, and when they begin to coincide with the media’s headlines, she and Aidan realize her visions might be the key to stopping a madman from killing again.

Only Aidan has painful secrets of his own, and perhaps the biggest danger of all is falling for him.

Interview with Christina Jean Michaels

Welcome, Christina Jean. It's nice to see Epiphany all grown up! Do you have another job outside of writing?

Not outside the home, no. I'm a stay-at-home mom to four kids. I was also a part-time student until recently, but I decided to withdraw from school in order to have more time for my writing career.

How would you describe Epiphany in six words?

Emotional, fast-paced, passionate, dark, complex, and different.

I would agree with that. How do you get to know your characters?

I write by the seat of my pants and let them talk to me. I can write 50,000 words and still not know a character, so it's a matter of spending enough time with them and thinking about them constantly.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

Definitely Aidan's character. The scenes where he's drunk are some of my favorites--he lets his guard down and allows both Mac and the readers to see parts of himself that he normally hides. I loved writing his character.

He's fun to read too! What would your main character, Mackenzie, say about you?

She'd say I'm a sadistic and twisted bitch who should have her fictional toys taken away. ;)

Oh, not so! Are you like any of your characters?

I'm most like Mac. She's more shy and reserved, which is definitely me.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.



My favorite scene would have to be the moment of the big twist and Mac's reaction to it, but I can't tell you any more than that without ruining it. My lips are sealed!

I'll never tell! What song would you pick to go with Epiphany?

"Goodbye Apathy" by OneRepublic. It was one of the first songs I found for inspiration while writing Epiphany and remains one of my favorites.

Who are your favorite authors?

Sandra Brown, Nora Roberts, Tracey Garvis Graves, Tammara Webber, and more recently, Lexi Ryan.


Where’s home for you?

Eugene, Oregon, but I can't stay away from the coast. I'd love to move there eventually.

Your last meal would be…

Mexican food, and something chocolate for dessert.

Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?


Such a difficult choice! I think I'll have to go with bookstore because I like the new book smell in them.

You won the lottery. What’s the first thing you would buy?


A vacation. A really loooooooong one.

What would your dream office look like?


Kid free--that's what it would look like.

What three books have you read recently and would recommend?

Unbreak Me by Lexi Ryan, Faking It by Cora Carmack, and If You Stay by Courtney Cole.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?


Spend time with my family, go for drives, watch TV, sing. I'm pretty boring.

What are you working on now?


I'm working on getting my muse to cooperate!

I hear you!

About the author:

Christina Jean Michaels was born in Paradise, California, but she has found the true home of her heart in Eugene, Oregon where she finds plenty of inspiration for storytelling.

When she was young, her mother said she hated words. Now she can't imagine not writing. She became an avid reader when she was thirteen and discovered the world of Sweet Valley High. About a year later she realized she could play God and write about her own characters. She has been writing in some form ever since.

She lives with her husband and their four children—three rambunctious UFC/wrestling-loving boys and one girl who steals everyone’s attention.



Connect with Christina Jean:
Website/Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon