WLP:  Welcome back to Writings of a Wicked Book Addict Jenna, love having you here!  Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stiring not even?

JM: Four Jack Russells, an Australian Shepherd, and five cats!

WLP: Do you have any holiday traditions?

JM: We always have Christmas morning at my sister’s house, since that’s where my nieces are. Sister makes a huge breakfast and we open presents there. Then my mom cooks Christmas dinner, so it’s a big day filled with family… and, much to everyone’s relief (especially mine), no cooking done by me!

WLP: Real tree or fake tree?

JM: When I was little we had real trees (and I remember the joys of stepping on pine needles in my bare feet) but all my adult life I’ve had artificial trees. They don’t smell good like real trees, but Yankee Candle makes some wonderful holiday scents and, honestly, I’m afraid I’d burn the house down if I had a real tree. I might have more of a green thumb if my plants would bark, meow, or baa but since they don’t, they tend to get overlooked. I have exactly two house plants- a ficus in my bedroom and some sort of green leafy thing next to my desk- and I’m amazed they’re still alive. Which reminds me, I should water them….

WLP: Favorite Christmas Movie?

JM: I like the old classics like Miracle on 34^th Street and White Christmas.

WLP: Do you get your animals Christmas gifts?

JM: Oh, sure! Santa brings them fun things for their stockings. The cats usually get catnip mice and the dogs get new rawhide bones, or whatever else Santa thinks they might like.

WLP: What is the best gift you’ve ever received?

JM: The one that springs to mind at the moment wasn’t a Christmas gift. Does that still count? I once had a boyfriend give me a machete for Valentine’s Day. Now wait, because there’s a story behind that. About a month before Valentine’s Day I’d been out tromping through the woods, cutting down some honeysuckle for two of my elderly sheep. This was a regular thing I did since Thomas and Annabelle loved their honeysuckle treats. I was talking to my Bluetooth (because I’m a high tech country girl) and I must have gotten tangled up in the underbrush and said, “Damn, I wish I had a machete” enough times to make an impression because when Valentine’s Day rolled around he presented me with one! (With strict instructions that I wasn’t to fall on it, since I’m not exactly the most graceful girl in the world.) I know not many girls would list a machete for Valentine’s Day in their Best Ever category, but you’ve really got to give points to a man who pays that much attention when you talk, don’t you?

WLP: What is your least favorite Christmas Song?

JM: Anything with annoying chipmunks or Porky Pig! I used to work retail in college and it doesn’t matter how much you’re in the holiday spirit, nonstop Christmas music will wear on you eventually. Throw in anything that butchers a classic carol and it’s enough to drive you out of your mind! (My favorite Christmas song is Carol of the Bells, by the way.)

WLP: Worst gift you’ve ever given or receieved?

JM: I really can’t think of a worst gift. There have been a few things over the years that I’ve opened and thought, “Wow, have you met me?” but nothing that was truly awful.

WLP: What is your favorite holiday smell?

JM: My favorite is probably pumpkin pie fresh out of the oven. Actually, right now I’m burning a pumpkin pie candle! I usually prefer floral scents but around the holidays I’ll alternate between evergreen and candles that smell like some sort of baked goods—anything with a buttercream or hazelnut undertone.

WLP: It’s days away from the release of Bound By Sin. Can you tell us about it?

JM: I don’t want to say too much more than what’s on the back cover because I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone, but I can tell you that we lose some old characters from the previous books. However, we gain some new ones as well. In fact, I was very sad to get to the end of this book and have to say goodbye to them all. Hopefully I’ll get to visit some of them again in later stories. I have a very snarky southern belle ghost who was just a hoot to write. Morrigan also plays a larger role in this book and there are some new clues as to what her plans are for Cin and the vampires.

WLP: What is in store for you in 2010?

JM: Hopefully good things! I look forward to writing more of the Cin Craven series, especially bringing Cin into the 20^th century in book four. I hope to do more short stories as well. I think they’re a fun way to fill in the gaps between the novels. The first three books jump quite a bit from 1815 to 1828 to 1862 and I loved writing the short stories that are set between them. (For those who haven’t read the series, Cin’s story progresses book by book from 1815 onward. I always thought it was such a shame to have all these great PNR and Urban Fantasy vampires who had centuries of stories behind them that you never get to hear, so I figured I would start at the beginning and work my way up to present day.)

WLP: What is your favorite book of 2009?

JM: You know, I hadn’t realized how little I’d had the chance to read this year until you asked that question! I have an enormous TBR pile that I just haven’t had time to make a dent in. However, I did finally get to read JR Ward’s Lover Enshrined and couldn’t put it down!

WLP: Yesterday, Marta Acosta got to ask you a question: Okay, Jenna, if you had witchy powers, which power would you secretly misuse to make life a little easier?

JM: I was about to answer that I would like the ability to wave my wand and have my house clean itself, but that brought on mental images of hippos in tutus dancing through my living room (a la Fantasia), so perhaps not. Instead, how about the power of invisibility? I promise I would use it only for good… like making sure George Clooney doesn’t slip and fall in the shower.

WLP: It’s your lucky day, since you are my last author interview you get to ask ME a question and I have to answer it.

JM: If you were to find yourself magically sucked into a book, as either the heroine or a secondary character, which book and character would you want it to be?

Thanks again to Jenna for taking the time to chat especially this week. My sincerest condolences go out to Jenna who lost one of her fur babies, her kitty Pudge last week & he was still young. Jenna & I bonded over kitties, it’s how I came to love Jenna like an extended family member.

So in honor of Pudge, his picture must be posted. Sleep tight Pudgey.

Jenna’s Website