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January 27, 2010 8:38 PM

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Jackie Dolamore

Jackie Dolamore is the author of recently released novel Magic Under Glass. Here Jackie talks about her love for the Victorian era, her inspiration, and her own magical tale.

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer.
A dancing girl discovers the spirit of a fairy gentleman trapped inside a clockwork automaton.

What inspired you to write Magic Under Glass?
A lifelong fascination with the Victorian era, and novels set in creepy old houses full of secrets, most notably Jane Eyre. The structure of Jane Eyre was certainly an inspiration for the structure of Magic Under Glass, although it takes some very different turns. Also The Secret Garden and A Little Princess. The automata aspect of the book, on the other hand, was inspired by an exhibit of Japanese automata I saw at a museum, and an exhibit of mechanical music.

Where do you write your books?
At a desk. Yawn. A very messy cheap IKEA desk. Sometimes with my big heavy boy cat on my lap, getting his paws in the way.

What is your favourite chick-lit book?
Hmm, that's a hard question. I think chick-lit was a big trend here in America and then the market got oversaturated and now people don't use the term "chick-lit" much. I tend to veer more toward historical and fantasy anyway. Sorry for the lousy answer!

Who is your favourite heroine, and why?
Emily Byrd Starr, from L. M. Montgomery's Emily books. I identified so fiercely with her love of writing, for one thing, but it was more than that...she had a sort of spirit and pride that I understood, that I felt as a child too, which adults rarely seemed to understand or capture, but L. M. Montgomery did. It was never overwrought or unrealistic.

Do you have any tips for readers who would like to become published authors?
The best thing you can do is strive for active improvement. Learn how to edit and take it seriously. Find some good critique partners... or at least some mediocre ones, if you can't find good ones right away. You'll learn as much from critiquing their work as you well from their critiques of yours. And don't be afraid to put your work out there.

What are you currently reading?
Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey, and the comic book series Fables.

Are you working on anything else at the moment, and if so, can you tell us?
My next book is a starcrossed romance between a mermaid and a winged man. I'm about to work on revising that with my editor, along with working on the first draft to a Magic Under Glass sequel!

Thanks, Jackie!

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Posted by Elle Symonds on January 27, 2010 in Book News, Interviews | Permalink

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