Author's Name: Tina St. John
Website: www.TinaStJohn.com

Tina St. John is the author of several medieval romances and, most recently, medieval paranormal romances for Ballantine's Ivy imprint. To date, her books have been presented with numerous awards: Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice; National Readers' Choice; Booksellers' Best; and the "Write Touch" Readers' Choice. Her 2001 release, WHITE LION'S LADY, was a RITA finalist in the Best Short Historical category, much to Tina’s surprise!

New Release:

HEART OF THE HUNTER, first in the Dragon Chalice medieval/paranormal series
Coming June 1, 2004 from Ballantine
For more information: http://www.TinaStJohn.com

Ariana of Clairmont would defy death itself to save her kidnapped brother. Armed with his ransom--the cryptic key to a legendary treasure--she embarks on a perilous journey fraught with danger and powerful, dark magic. Her only ally is Braedon le Chasseur, a formidable warrior whose scarred face and brooding nature mask a soul filled with pain. The secrets he keeps are many, though none more stunning than the truth of his ties to the Dragon Chalice--the enchanted cup stolen from a mythical kingdom. With deadly enemies closing in, will any magic be strong enough to protect Ariana if she dares lose her heart to the Hunter?

When asked to comment on FTHRW, Karen replies: "FTHRW is both a friendly and professional group. I’m proud to be a member."
Finish that story...

Tina has always enjoyed writing but initially lacked a key ingredient to becoming a real writer: finishing a story! She loved *starting* stories, but found it difficult to stick with them to the end. Once out of high school, she put aside her writing hobby in favor of paying the bills. She’s worked in many levels of corporate administration, from receptionist, secretary, and executive assistant, to human resources manager, office manager, technical recruiter, and small business entrepreneur.

Although challenging, and in some cases very well-paying, none of these occupations satisfied her personally or fulfilled her creative interests. Tina’s husband, who has always been a dreamer himself, recognized that she was not having much fun. They had recently sold a small consulting business and were in a pivotal place in both their careers. John decided that she should have a chance--a real chance--to test herself as a writer and see if she could a) write a novel from start to finish, and b) get it published. With his encouragement, Tina left her job to begin writing a book.

The ‘Big Break’...

It took Tina over two years to write her first book, LORD OF VENGEANCE. She finally finished in the Fall of 1997 and began submitting the ms. Tina garnered some interest from an agent, who judged a 10-page scene of Tina’s book in a contest, but unfortunately the agent was not taking on any unpublished writers. However, she encouraged Tina to market the book herself. Tina’s experience in sales letter writing and marketing in her previous careers were a definite bonus, so tackling NYC publishers didn't intimidate her *too* much!

Tina says she had an A-List of half a dozen publishers that she wanted to query first, so she began multi-submitting based on guidelines stated in the RWR. “Perhaps my timing was ideal and I had managed to hit a lull in submissions in NYC, because I was getting read, and in some cases rejected, with great speed. Nearly every other week, I had a submission response waiting in my mailbox!”

One of those responses was from Shauna Summers at Ballantine Books. She requested a partial from Tina’s unsolicited query. Then she requested the full. Meanwhile, Tina had received a phone call rejection (“the call" that really wasn't "the call" -- talk about a letdown!”) and an invitation to submit any other work she had. A couple more uneventful months passed. Then, on January 26, 1998 at nearly 5:00p.m., Tina got a call from Ballantine. They loved her manuscript and wanted to make an offer for it!

On writing Medievals...

While she reads widely, in a variety of genres, Tina has always enjoyed history and romance. She believes the middle ages provide a wealth of story possibilities. There is something immensely intriguing about the brutality and drama of the time, particularly when juxtaposed with the pageantry of the royal courts and the romanticism of honor and virtue and the feminine ideal.

On Schedules and Goals...

Tina prefers writing every day, even if she only manages a few hundred words per session. She’s a morning person, so she starts early and generally works all day. She’s currently trying to get into the habit of splitting her days into two parts: the first half for composition on her current book; the second for plotting and toying with ideas on the next.Tina’s currently polishing the second book of her Dragon Chalice series, HEART OF THE FLAME, and plotting the third, HEART OF THE DOVE.

On Challenges...

When asked about the challenges she faces as a romance author, Tina replies that there are countless challenges at every stage of one's career. At the moment, Tina’s biggest obstacle is finding the time to write down all the ideas she has running around in her head! Organizing her ideas has become easier with time, thanks in no small part to her husband, who wrote a software package that helps her to manage book ideas from initial concept to finished manuscript.

Starting a New Story...

Tina likes to think of herself as a plot-oriented writer. She likes a lot of plot/story in her romances, so she often begins with a scenario or an opening scene that speaks to her and compels her to look deeper, to dig further. She’s had books which evolved from the idea of a character, but as she plots, she tends to ask herself "what is happening here?" Tina prefers to work from an outline, but she recognizes the need to give herself the freedom to venture out of the plan in order to explore a character or see where an alternate idea might take her. Tina’s advice is that outlines can become too restrictive if one takes them to be carved in stone. That's something she learned the hard way with her first book!

The biggest rewards...

For Tina, the biggest reward is “The pride that comes from seeing my books in stores and knowing that I pursued my dream and made it happen. I'm having a blast, doing something I truly love!”

On Agents...

Tina says of agents: “Don't look for a good lunch date or a new best friend. Yes, you should like your agent and respect him or her as a person, but more importantly, look for someone proactive and hungry, who will recognize your individual strengths and talents, and who understands how best to position you within the market.”

On Publishers...

Ballantine's romance list is relatively small--perhaps 12-15 authors, from newbies to established pros. Ballantine is tough to break into, but they do actively acquire new writers, both established and previously unpublished. Both of Tina’s editors (Shauna Summers and Charlotte Herscher) have been a joy to work with, as is the rest of the support and editorial staff. And she’s thrilled with the enthusiasm they are showing for the new medieval paranormal series!

Tina’s Advice to Newbies...

“Finish the book. Then start another one and finish it.”

On FTHRW...

“What I enjoy about it most is that even though the chapter is an online venture, the warmth and support of the membership meets or exceeds that of some in-person chapters. I'm glad to see the chapter growing and adding new members because it's a great place to be!”