KILLER INSTINCTS -- 2008 April

Cheryl: How will multi-published authors benefit from taking your course?

Jacqui: I think my class is different from other classes being offered on self-defense with heroines: whereas, my lectures delve into the background of tough chicks and what makes them they way they are. I think it will help either published or non published writers alike. It's not a matter of whether you have a book on the shelf ... many, many writers are published and yet have never worked with a tough chick. No matter where your level of writing is, if you decide to work with a tough chick you will find out real quickly that you are working with someone different from the "normal" heroine. She has a different way of thinking and a different way of having gotten to where they are. I think learning how to address this will help authors of any level.

Cheryl: Have you given a course like this and learned of someone's success who's taken it?

Jacqui: I've given this class live and online. And though no one has ever contacted me later to say "Got It!!" , I have had people contact me, grateful for the self-defense I recommend. I've had people ask me about my own stories and ask me how I would handle a particular situation. I think maybe from taking this class, maybe some people have made minor alterations to their own lives that might keep them safe. I think that works out well for the writer and the heroines they are creating.

Cheryl: How does your course differ from other courses like this that might be available?

Jacqui: Once again, I don't I just address the "Ew .. how do I kick butt ...?" I talk about what makes a tough chick tick and what might have gotten her there in the first place. I look into the evolution of the tough chicks throughout literature and I address other aspects of the novel, such as their heroes and their villains. I don't use the term "chick" in a derogatory way. To me, it's a compliment and I hope other people will learn that through the class.

Cheryl: What do you hope students will take away from your course?

Jacqui:I hope that they will understand a tough chick better. And I hope they will take away some knowledge for their own lives. I've been doing self-defense for thirty years, and if I can give one little tip in the course of the lectures that might help a fellow writer stay safe then that's a bonus to helping them write a kick ass heroine.

Cheryl: Stepping away from the course now, tell us a little about yourself. What kind of suspense do you like to read?

Jacqui: I hate to admit this, but lately I don't read as much fiction as I used to. When I do, I tend to lean toward paranormal's... I love a good ghost story. Throw in a demon, and I'm in heaven!! But I went back to school full time last August to get a degree in Modern Languages, so all of my spare time and reading time is in French and Spanish now. I am trying to get through Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde too, but that's like a life goal thing. I'm also reading a non-fiction book on the Witness Protection program.

Cheryl:Thank you, Jacqui!

Cheryl Wyatt

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$15 Members

$30 Non-Members

Questions? Contact Sally Morrison