We are delighted to welcome novelist Jamie Cortland to Omnimystery News today.
Jamie is the author of the suspense novel What Lies Within (World Castle Publishing; December 2014 ebook format) and we recently had the chance to catch up with her to talk more about her work.
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Omnimystery News: Tell us a little more about the lead characters of your books.
Photo provided courtesy of
Jamie Cortland
Jamie Cortland: My female protagonists are strong, smart, independent women able to handle most any situation they encounter. I especially like difficult life or death situations.
I always try to develop my characters over time. In regard to a series, I prefer writing stand alone novels though I do write a few series. What Lies Within is the first of a two novel series. The Gardener's Secret is to follow. Danni will be my protagonist, Eddie, whom you haven't met yet, my villian. Dying to Dance, my new release, is the first in a series as well.
OMN: Have you considered writing a book from the perspective of a male lead?
JC: No. I haven't yet read a successful novel with the lead character being the opposite gender from the author though I suspect there are authors that can do that well.
OMN: In which genres have you written?
JC: I have written romance, sci-fi and non-fiction. Currently, I am writing suspense.
OMN: Give us a summary of What Lies Within in a tweet.
JC: Evelyn thought she had met the man of her dreams, but in reality she had met the hideous creature of her nightmares.
OMN: How much of your own personal or professional experience have you included in your books?
JC: Some; enough to draw from. My characters, if based upon someone I have known, are all fictionalized beyond recognition.
OMN: What is your writing process?
JC: I begin with a synopsis and allow it to expand. The story develops from there.
OMN: How do you go about researching the plot points of your stories? Any particularly challenging or interesting topics?
JC: Mostly by internet. My most challenging subject to research: The possibility of time travel. Most interesting: Old West lawmen and outlaws for Wyatt's Deck.
OMN: How true are you to the settings of your books?
JC: I definitely stay true to my settings, geography and environment. In fact, I generally write in that location even if I temporarily need to re-locate.
OMN: What advice might you offer to aspiring writers?
JC: Do your research well; write, write, and re-write; Choose your target market well!
OMN: Why did you choose to write under a pen name?
JC: I use a pen name for different genres. For instance, I use my given name when writing poetry and romance; Jamie Cortland for suspense, and Wes Alistair for metaphysical subjects.
OMN: Tell us a little more about your book covers.
JC: A few of my covers I designed, others were done by a graphic designer that either I chose or was employed by the publisher. Dying to Dance was a surprise. I had sent my publisher a photo of myself and my dance partner-instructor dancing in an International Competition. The photo with a bit of embellishment became the cover.
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Jamie Cortland is a pseudonym of Weslynn McCallister, who was born in Evansville, Indiana and raised in Roswell, New Mexico. Today, she lives in the Southwest. A published novelist and an award winning poet, she is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Mystery Writers of America, and is a founding member of the Florida Writers Association. Educated in the fine arts, she has worked as a high fashion model, graphic designer, and as a real estate agent. When she's not writing, she enjoys traveling, ballroom dancing, attending live music events and plays.
For more information about the author, please visit her website at JamieCortland.com, or find her on Facebook.
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What Lies Within by Jamie Cortland
A Novel of Suspense
Publisher: World Castle Publishing
Evelyn Valentino, still halfway in love with her super-star ex-husband, meets James McMann, a handsome and charismatic builder in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Meeting him in a coffee shop, she is immediately attracted to him while her young daughter calls him "Mr. Stranger Danger."
Swept away by James and his incredible charm, she is taken on a whirlwind courtship. Warned by her parents and friends to go slowly, she ignores them. Caught in his web he drops his mask and Evelyn discovers he is not the man of her dreams, but the hideous creature of her nightmares. Her only thought is of escape.
— What Lies Within by Jamie Cortland
