Women in Horror Month #5: Jaime Johnesee, Author of the SAMANTHA REECE Series

Hey all!  I met today's guest through Armand Rosamilia's Summer of Zombie tour in 2014.  Since then I've enjoyed coming up in the trenches with her, and was excited to see she would be at Scares That Care Weekend last year.  I was worried that she might not know who I was, but when I went to go meet her after one of her panels she jumped into my arms and told me I was "good people."  So, yeah, if you want to know how to score a place in my heart, that's how.  Anyways, enough of my prattling.  Let's meet her and dive right into the interview.

About Jaime Johnesee:

Jaime Johnesee lives in Michigan with her husband and two sons. She spent fourteen years as a zookeeper before shifting her focus to writing full time. Known for her horror comedy series, BOB THE ZOMBIE, she is also currently authoring the paranormal horror series SAMANTHA REECE MYSTERIES for Devil Dog Press.

You can find her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, Google +, and Amazon.

Interview:

SK: What are your horror credentials?

JJ: Well, I lived a lot of horror in my life. Been raped, beaten more times than I can count, had two parasites (My beloved children) grow inside me, was mauled by a St Bernard, been face to face with tigers, lions, bears, and penguins. I’ve faced down and gotten over my fears of heights, spiders, and cockroaches.

SK: Who or what terrifies you?

 

JJ: These days my biggest fear is something bad happening to my children. My second biggest fear is being a terrible mom.

SK:  Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?

JJ: There are absolutely challenges to being a woman in the horror genre. It’s not as bad as it once was, but I recall overhearing a publisher and several authors talking at WHC 2013 that they’d have to let all the guys know about an anthology before they had to open it up to all the whiny bitches who can’t write as well as men. I have heard editors specifically say if it has a woman’s name it’s going in the trash. I’ve watched as female friends have had their work rejected with their name on it and they resubmitted the same story with a male name and not only was it accepted but raved about.

SK: Who are your favorite female horror icons?

JJ: I’d have to say Mary Shelley tops the list followed by Shirley Jackson, Anne Rice, Tanith Lee, Yvonne Navarro, Ellen Datlow, and Lisa Manetti.

SK: What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?

JJ: I am currently working on the third book in my SAMANTHA REECE Mystery Series. I’m really enjoying combining the usual FBI mystery with the supernatural world I’ve created, hopefully they will too.

About SHIFTERS:

When a serial killer begins leaving remains of victims in hotel bathtubs all over town FBI Agent Samantha Reece makes it her business to stop him.

This detective's got an ace up her sleeve in the form of her ability to shift into the guise of a were panther. As she tracks down the cold-hearted murderer she also has to contend with an anti-shifter group determined to destroy her.

Not to mention the black jaguar who turned her decides to come sauntering back into her life.