Darkfallen: Dude! Quit smelling her. It's probably wigging her out.
Greta: Oh right.... Sorry 'bout that.
Paranormal Wastelands is proud to present: An interview with Jackson Pearce. Famous author of Sister's Red and Sweetly.
Darkfallen: Hi Jackson!! Welcome to the Wastelands! Take a seat. Greta! Chop chop with the hor' dourves.
Greta: We're out of candy.
Darkfallen: Seriously, we don't have any leftover from Zompacolypse?
Greta: You made me throw it all out after Thanksgiving.
Darkfallen: Oh right.... Well, sorry, you'll just have to feast off our filling questions.
In "Sisters Red" the cat's anem is Screwtape. Screwtape? How did you come up with such a name? Did they like lose a bet when they named that cat? Did it almost get named Hammertapemeasure or something? I mean... what's a screwtape?
Screwtape is named after the CS Lewis book THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS. :)
Darkfallen: Oh, well we aren't that smart. So, Greta, what would you have named him?
Greta: Mr. Cuddles
Darkfallen: Uhhh.... that doesn't sound appropriate
Greta: Oh yeah, and what would you have named him?
Darkfallen: Overlord Snickerdoodle
We absolutely LOVE the idea of using THE FENRIS!! As an avid lover of Red Riding Hood retellings I thought that was most awesome. What made you decide to put THE FENRIS into Sister's Red and why NAME the werewolves that and not just one main wolf?
The Fenris/Fenrir is a Norse wolf monster. I liked the idea of mixing mythology and fairy tales together, since they're sort of like cousins anyhow. I also liked the idea of using an old monster. I'm not the only one that thought it was a good idea, I've realized-- in the Harry Potter series, the Death Eater werewolf is named Fenrir Greyback!
Greta: WOAH! I did not know that about Harry Plopper!
Darkfallen: You mean Spider Pig.
Greta: Oh yeah... SPider Pig
We really wanted to get into the head of A FENRIS. Any plans on doing something like that? Maybe a PETER AND THE WOLF book or something like that?
Probably not. The underlying theme of the series is that humans, by nature are not evil-- they just have evil thrust upon them. My monsters are soulless-- there's nothing but darkness in their heads.
Greta: Kind of like yours, Darkfallen.
Darkfallen: Why thank you... wait... did you just call me stupid?
Scarlett was the urban fantasy badass in my opinion. I was on Team Rosie and Darkfallen was on Team Scarlett. I really liked how she was missing an eye and was bitter because you know...the dang Fenris made her a pirate... but was it your intention to kinda make her like the YA version of the UF type of chicky? Like, I see her getting older, dressing in leather, and going around smacking things with her sword like the adult UF girlies do. Is that her future?
To be honest, I'm not sure what Scarlett's future is. People often ask me-- does she find love, does she stop hunting...but the truth is, Scarlett is fighting for a world without werewolves, which would be a world with no place for her. I'm sure she'll fight to the bitter end, but I'm not sure what that end will be-- or if she'll be wearing leather. :)
Darkfallen: Sigh
Greta: OMG! Quit crushing on her!
Darkfallen: She's just so awesome
Greta: Yeah, I'll say. You freaking wallpapered the walls of the Wastelands with her picture. Where did you find those anyways?
Darkfallen: Oh, I hired an artist.
Greta: With what money?
Darkfallen: Oh just some that I found lying around in a green wallet
Greta: Damn it! That was mine!
Darkfallen: Oops, my bad.
We totally dug how Silas was 20 something and Rosie was 16. We were like "YES!" but we've been told that we're odd. Did you get any guff about that? Silas being an adult and Rosie being a minor?
I get all sorts of guff about that-- mostly from adults. I want to remind them that at 16, they wouldn't have been too concerned if their kind, handsome, awesome boyfriend was 20. :)
Darkfallen and Greta: Fo shizzle!
Darkfallen: So, Jackson, like Greta said, me and her were torn in half over Rosie & Scarlett.
Greta: What the hell? What do you mean like 'I' said? I changed that question to make it look like we both asked that.
Darkfallen: Why did you do that?
Greta: To make it seem more you know.... uhhhh.... Team Us.
Darkfallen: Oh well... sit over there and shut-up while I ask this. As I was saying....
While Greta was lost in swoon-town with Rosie & Silas; I was on the brink of tears over Scarlett. I mean the one thing she despises more than anything is the soulless Fenris, only if you think about she is soulless now. The Fenris stole her soul the day they took everything else. Was that your intent? To split the readers down the middle? And, speaking in code so we don't spoil anything, the ending! Bittersweet work of art. I think that was the part when my heart officially split in two separate halves. Was that your goal?
Scarlett has definitely sacrificed a huge part of her life/heart/soul to hunting the Fenris-- but I wouldn't say the Fenris stole that from her. I think she gave it up willingly to hunt them down. I didn't necessarily have a goal in mind as far as the readers go though-- my goal was to create a character who was deep, conflicted, and perhaps a little dark herself.
Greta: Fine then! I'm going to ask my own personal question. So naaaaaa.
Darkfallen: What does Naaaa mean?
Greta: It's me sticking my tongue out and Naaaaa'ing at you.
Darkfallen: Is that how you spell it?
Greta: I don't know.
Darkfallen: I don't think it's spelled right.
Greta: Well, how would you go about spelling it?
Darkfallen: Not like that. That looks like a dog tried to write.
Greta: Dude! Shush!
Anyways, this question is about Sweetly. First off.... as a Greta I am really really picky about Hansel and Gretel stories. And I super loved that you did it in a good way. No fat German kids pigging out on sundaes like in Bugs Bunny, but 2 teens that got tossed out because of Daddy dying and Step Mommy saying "toodles". Most awesome! But what got me was how you changed the names to ANSEL and GRETCHEN. Gretchen?!!! Did you ever consider the name, GRETA? Gretas of the world want to know ;)
Darkfallen: Sorry Jackson, she has an obsession with her name. *Darkfallen rolls eyes*
Jackson: Haha, nope, it was always Gretchen!
GRETA: What?!! I'm crushed!
Darkfallen: I'm sure you'll live
Greta: No way! I'm devastated.
Darkfallen: And you'll live.
Greta: No I won't! I demand retribution.
Darkfallen: Do you even know what that word means?
Greta: Not really
Darkfallen: You're so lame, you know that?
So, like are the Fenris kind of like a zombie plague? We ask this because Sister's Red takes place in Georgia while Sweetly takes place in South Carolina. Are we doomed to howl at the moon? (not that that's a bad thing)
Nope, the Fenris are everywhere-- but just like any large predator, they do better in areas where they can stay hidden one way or another. Cities and rural areas provide that-- suburbia, it so much.
Darkfallen: Did you hear that?
Greta: Hear what?
Darkfallen: What sound... it sounded like something scratching at the door.
Greta: Do you think it's a....
Darkfallen: I don't know. Go check it out.
Greta: Are you insane! You go check it out.
Darkfallen: Ok.. Ok... Tell you what, let's go together....
*Darkfallen takes a few steps then walks back to the couch leaving Greta to fend for herself and the possible door monster.
Darkfallen: I heard that you learned how to make chocolate before writing this. Did you have any cavities during the making of this novel?
Ugh, I always have cavities. I brush my teeth, but I've got a million!
Darkfallen: Wow! That sounds like Greta's mouth. Hey Greta! You hear that! Your teeth suck!
Greta: *shouting* What? Hey! Where are you?
Darkfallen: Nevermind that... go see what was at the door.
Darkfallen: Greta believes that retelling of fairytales is the next zombie vampire. Do you have any advice out there for the struggling author that is writing their own retelling? Or, you know, how to get an agent to read more than the first 10 pages? lolz
My advice is to read as many different versions of the fairy tale you can find-- and to experiment with different ways of changing the story. Don't be afraid to leave things out or add your own spin; the original fairy tales are your base, not your bible. :)
Darkfallen: YOu hear that Greta!?!
Greta: What?
Darkfallen: Jackson just gave you some useful information.
Greta: What?!!
Darkfallen: Are you done with shooing away with what ever is at our door?
Greta: What?!!..... Ahhhh!!..... What the hell is this thing? Oh snikeys!! Look at it's teeth it's. .....
Darkfallen: Hmmm.... I should probably be concerned but ummm... I'm sure she can handle herself. Thank you Jackson for stopping by the Wastelands. It's been most awesome and I'm sure Greta will have the door cleared of any kind of door monster before you get the coat. We totally love your books. Are are truly a fabu author and we can't wait for more. So tell me... What's next? We know that Fathomless is the title of your next project and from the Goodreads page it says it is going to be the retelling of The Little Mermaid.
*Greta walks with her clothes torn to shreds.
Darkfallen: Hey, Look what the cat drug in!
Greta: That was NOT a cat!!
Darkfallen: So, I'm wrapping things up here.
Greta: What?!! Without me?!!
Darkfallen: You took to damn long.
Greta: But....
Darkfallen: Ok fine, you big baby... you can ask the last question.
Greta: About "Fathomless"
Darkfallen: YUP!
Greta: Ok then, just so you know I'm super excited to see how you modernize this... but am very curious... will we see a seashell bra in this?
No seashell bras! In fact, no clothes at all...hm...
Greta: No way!! Do you think it will get made into a porn?
Darkfallen: You see the things I have to put up with?
Darkfallen: You see the things I have to put up with?
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY THE WASTELANDS, JACKSON!!!!!
Great interview, guys! This was funny and interesting. I loved Sisters Red and need to get my hands on Sweetly.
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