Q & A with D.G. Kaye

Q & A with D.G. Kaye featuring Award Winning Author, Jan Sikes

Published on by dgkaye

Welcome to my May edition of Q & A. Today I’m happy to be featuring friend and fellow author, Jan Sikes. Jan is a multi-talented, multi-genre author and dabbles in tarot, runes and gemstones articles on her blog too, besides the blog tours she hosts and the books she reviews. So today we’re going to get to know a little bit more about Jan and her latest release – Jagged Feathers, Book 2 from her White Runes series.

About Jan:

Jan Sikes writes compelling and creative stories from the heart.
She openly admits that she never set out in life to be an author. But she had a story to
tell. Not just any story, but a true story that rivals any fiction creation. The entertaining
true story comes to life through fictitious characters in an intricately woven tale that
encompasses four books.
And now, this author can’t find a way to put down the pen. She continues to write fiction
and has published numerous award-winning short stories. She published her debut
paranormal romance novel, Ghostly Interference, Book 1 in The White Rune Series, in
2020, which won a bronze medal award from Reader’s Favorite. Jagged Feathers
released on January 31, 2022, as Book 2 of that series, and Saddled Hearts will release
later in 2022.
She is an active blogger, an avid fan of Texas music, and a grandmother of five. She
resides in North Texas.

Blurb:

Vann Noble did his duty. He served his country and returned a shell of a man, wounded inside and out. With a missing limb and battling PTSD, he seeks healing in an isolated cabin outside a small Texas town with a stray dog that sees beyond his master’s scars. If only the white rune’s magic can bring a happily ever after to a man as broken as Vann. On the run from hired killers and struggling to make sense of her unexplained deadly mission, Nakina Bird seeks refuge in Vann’s cabin. She has secrets. Secrets that can get them all killed. A ticking clock and long odds of living or dying, create jarring risks. Will these two not only survive but find unexpected love along the way? Or, will evil forces win and destroy them both?

Jan shares some wonderful quotes from her book:

REVIEW QUOTES:


“Wow! One of the top books I’ve read in a while. I’d give it more sparklers if I
could. The author had me from page one and didn’t let me go until the end. She
starts off hard and fast, then things kind of work out and the book goes into a
“safe” lull, which is where most romantic suspense stories would end. But no. She
doesn’t let you rest as the danger ramps up again before our hero and heroine
are really safe and have a satisfying ending that leaves you happy for them.” V.
Burkholder


“What an amazing and phenomenal book. Jagged Feathers has become my
favorite suspense book I’ve read in 2022.
Jan Sikes has a talent that mirrors the authors, that’s on top of the Best Sellers
List.” T. Lucas


“Wow! Few books grab and hold me as quickly as Jagged Feathers. I can’t say
enough good things about this story that’s brimming with heart. It has everything-
-an ex-soldier dealing with trying to heal from wounds and trauma left by the war,
a woman confused and scared by her psychic gift and running for her life, and a
dog that’s suffered horribly but hasn’t lost his ability to love.” L. Broday


“This is a high octane thriller and romance, with some intriguing paranormal
elements which draws the reader in, and sweeps them along with the action and developing love affair. And then there is also an adorable dog who despite his
own past mistreatment gives love in abundance.” S. Cronin

So, let’s get to know a little more about Jan!

Welcome

Thank you, Debby, for inviting me to visit with you today. It is truly an honor!

D.G. – Thrilled to be featuring you here today Jan. Thanks for coming!

How has writing changed your life?


That is a great question. After my husband passed away, I was still working full-time. But honestly, I was lost. I didn’t want to stay in the home we’d built together. Too many memories and too much property to take care of. So, I transferred my job to another town where one of my daughters lived. I withdrew from the world and hid behind my children and grandchildren. That was my safe place. Then, when I realized I was the one that would have to write the story of our life together, it forced me to step out and reinvent myself. It took several years before I could comfortably call myself an author. It wasn’t until after my second book won an award that it felt right. Writing not only changed my life completely but gave me a therapeutic way to rejoin the land of the living. It has given me a whole new career and I have met some of the most wonderful people— authors and readers!

D.G. – Do I ever hear you Jan. I know well what you mean about ‘hiding away’ after such a great loss. And no doubts writing was your therapy. 🙂

Do some of your own character traits or personal experiences spill into your book’s characters?


Oh, for sure! Of course, the first four books I wrote were biographical so that was me all the way. But when I started writing fiction, I drew from a lot of my personal experiences, philosophies, and beliefs and instilled them in some of my characters. I think the biggest example was Jag Peters’ mother, Charlotte, in Ghostly Interference. There is a lot of me in Charlotte. She is a smart but gentle lady who is a vegetarian and teaches yoga. She also instills in her son a lot of the same beliefs I have about Karma and the afterlife. The love of Charlotte’s life is a musician. So, I put a lot of me into her. Someday I want to tell her backstory.

D.G. – Only makes sense that we as writers will instill some of ourselves or other people we know when it comes to creating characters. 🙂

If you weren’t a writer what else do you think you would do?

That is a question I ask myself often. I work really hard at not only continuing to learn and grow in the craft of writing but in marketing as well. There are times when I stop and ask myself if this is what I really want to be doing. All the hard work results in little to no monetary rewards.
But, so far, the answer is the same every time. As long as story ideas and inspirations keep coming, I am duty-bound to keep writing them. And, if I wasn’t writing, I don’t know how I would be filling my time.
For now, this is what I want to do. It’s a chapter in life I am enjoying letting unfold.

D.G. – Once again, I couldn’t agree more! 🙂

I know you have a very active blog. What can you tell us you’ve gained from blogging as an author?


Blogging has created a whole new online family for me. I am connected to people all around the world. That is how I met you, Debby. So, I’ve gained a network of supportive and uplifting people as well as made what I consider to be friends. Even though we may never meet in person, through reading others’ blogs, I feel as if I know them. Besides this incredible network, blogging gives me a great platform to talk about my stories, accomplishments, failures, and everything in between. But my greatest joy is featuring others on my blog. I do lots of book reviews and have guest posts often.
Another way my blogging platform has enriched my life is through sharing metaphysical things such as Tarot cards and Rune readings, uplifting meditations, and my passion, Gemstones and their healing properties. It’s a way of sharing something that is a huge part of my daily life. It helps keep me grounded and focused while hopefully helping others at the same time. We are all on this journey together. So anything we can do to uplift each other is wonderful!
While blogging takes time away from writing, it is worthwhile all the way around. I can’t imagine stepping away from blogging, although it’s healthy to take a short break now and then.

D.G. – We share the same philosophy on blogging, once again. And of course we share a mutual interesting in the spiritual and metaphysical. 🙂

Share with us a book that moved you so much it stays with you.


This is probably the hardest question of all to answer. I’ve been an avid reader since I could decipher words. As a child, I devoured fairy tales and believed life would have a fairy tale ending for me. As a young adult, I read books by Harold Robbins that taught me so much about relationships between men and women.
“The Grapes of Wrath” is a book I have read multiple times. I think it has stayed with me because of stories my parents shared about the Great Depression. But a powerful book that changed the way I view worldwide governments is “The Captains and The Kings.” Taylor Caldwell depicted corruption among the leaders in such a way that I’ve never forgotten it. It’s a book I highly recommend to everyone.
A book I’ve read within the past couple of years that has stayed with me is “Where The Crawdads Sing.” And now I see that it has been made into a movie and will be showing in July. You can bet I’ll be at the theater to see it. And I want to add one more to my list of lingering stories. “If The Darkness Takes Us,” is such a chilling and realistic tale of what happens when the grid collapses and people are left to figure out how to survive on their own without any resources. Unfortunately, I feel that it may be more realistic than imagined. But there are lots of good survival tips shared in the book.
I’ll stop there with an apology. You only asked for one book. 🙂

D.G. – Had to laugh as the only books I could find around my house (in my mother’s room) were Harold Robbins’ books, lol. That was an education. And I loved Where the Crawdad’s Sing! I will now be checking out those other books you mentioned too. Thank you!

Follow Jan on her Social Links:


WEBSITE: http://www.jansikes.com

BLOG: http://www.jansikesblog.com
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/jansikes3
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/jks0851/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7095856.Jan_Sikes
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jan-sikes
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jansikes/
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Sikes/e/B00CS9K8DK

I hope you all enjoyed learning about Jan and her beautiful books.

©DGKaye2022

98 thoughts on “Q & A with D.G. Kaye featuring Award Winning Author, Jan Sikes”

  1. Always good to learn more about one of the writers/bloggers I follow, Debby. You two sound like soul sisters. I imagine that it is pretty standard for writers to put part of themselves into some of their characters. I remember liking the character of Charlotte from Ghostly Interference. If Jan patterned part of herself into Charlotte, she should take that as a compliment.

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    1. Hi Pete. Thanks for the comment on soul sisters, Jan and I surely do have a lot in common. And no doubts we as the writers can’t help injecting something of who we are in some character in our fictional stories. I look forward to getting into this series too.
      Thanks for popping by ❤

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    2. Awww, thank you, Pete. I’m glad you enjoyed Charlotte’s character in Ghostly Interference. I have more backstory on her to write at some point. I think I’ll write it as a short story. It’s uncanny how so many of us are drawn together through our blogs. I always find your blog posts uplifting. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment today!

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  2. Fantastic to read about Jan and her books, Debby. I was really moved to read about how you were focused on your grandchildren, Jan, before coming out of your shell as an author. Bravo. Toni x

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    2. Thank you, Toni. I still am very focused on my grandchildren. I pick up my two grandgirls after school every day and keep them until their mom and dad get off work. I love the bond that’s formed. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment today!

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  4. A great guest and a great interview, Debby. I had read comments and reviews of Jan’s books before but didn’t know much about her. It’s amazing how you get to meet so many people you have so much in common with. Good luck to Jan in all her future projects!

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    2. I think people who have commonalities are drawn to each other, even when we don’t know it, Olga. I’m glad you enjoyed the Q&A and appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. Hugs!

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    2. Whoo-hoo! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, Carol. I had fun answering the questions. I’m glad you found my book recommendations interesting to you! Thank you for stopping by!

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  9. Congratulations, Jan. I loved reading your responses and learning more about your interests. Thank you, Debby, for this lovely showcase. 💗

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  10. This was an enjoyable interview, ladies. I love all of Jan’s work, so it’s a pleasure to see her featured here today.
    I’m with Jan on sticking with writing despite the monetary rewards being so minimal. It comes down to a passion for the craft and creating stories.
    I also love Where the Crawdads Sing. As for books being made into movies, I’m still waiting to see Jan’s life story with Rick on the big screen. (Hey, I’d even settle for Lifetime TV) 🙂

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    1. Hi Mae. I totally agree about the money part. We have to love what we do to keep doing it, the money is gravy for our efforts. And yes, I’d certainly love to watch Jan’s story on the big screen too! ❤

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    1. Thanks for stopping in Staci. As Jan and I have lots in common on the grief trail, I can only hope to come through it one day as Jan has – even though, grief never leaves. ❤

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  14. Like Jan I am fascinated by all things psychic and also remember reading ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ as a teenager and being quite affected by it, especially when the family were paid in food for picking fruit rather than money. Great interview, Debby. x

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    2. Thank you for your comment, Stevie. I am just now seeing it and I apologize for that. I agree about the Grapes of Wrath. It certainly left a lasting impression. I am so glad you enjoyed the interview!

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  16. It’s nice to see Jan here, talking about her journey and developing into a wonderful writer. Blogosphere has connected us so well that it seems we’ve known each other forever and it’s good to know more about you. Thank you Deb for this thoughtful feature. I like your thought-provoking questions. Wishing you both all the best.

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    2. You are so right, Balroop. Blogging has certainly connected us with people around the globe and I don’t hesitate to call them friends. I’m so glad you enjoyed the interview. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to read it and comment!

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  19. I enjoyed learning more about Jan and her writing process today. We might not get rich writing (though I still hold out hope!) but we do get to leave a lasting legacy for our families. Great post, Debby, thank you 🙂

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    2. That is so true, Jacquie. Think about authors from the 17th and 18th centuries that people are still reading their works today. I like that I am leaving behind words for others to enjoy long after I am gone. Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment!

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  20. Lovely to meet Jan through your lovely interview Debby. Jan not only holds a talent by the sound of her excellent book creations but inner wisdom and strength.
    No wonder you two are friends..
    Sending love to you both and loved reading your interview. 💖

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    2. Thank you for your lovely comment, Sue. Debby and I have a lot in common and my life is richer through knowing her. I’m so glad you enjoyed the interview!

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  21. What a great interview! Jan and I met online after she published her first book. It’s encouraging to learn of another author’s journey through writing, publishing, blogging. Jan is an inspiration, as are you, my friend. Hugs to both of you ❤️❤️

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    2. Wow, Tina, that was such a long time ago. We connected on a soul level way back then and I always hold you in my thoughts. Thank you so much for taking the time to read the interview and leave a comment. It makes my heart happy! Hugs back to you, my dear!

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  22. Fantastic interview! There is something so healing and inspiring about writing and creating, even without the financial bonus. There is an amazing community we belong to that I know I’m glad to be a part of. I always enjoy your posts on crystals, runes, readings and meditations, plus, all your stories.

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    2. Thank you so much, Denise. We have a lot in common on the metaphysical plane and I have loved all of your Angel books. I love the way you see them and portray them. I’m so glad you enjoyed the interview! Hugs!

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  23. So great to see Jan here, Debby, and I love your questions – I learned something new about Jan. I just started “Jagged Feathers” last night. I’m only one chapter in so far, but am I ever hooked. Looks like it’s going to be a great read. Congrats to Jan on the fun interview. 🙂

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  25. I love the title and cover of Jan’s book and am fascinated by the thought of painting on feathers. The reviews and the interview convince me that this book could be a good read. I’m another fan of Crawdads too. I didn’t know it had been made into a movie. I look forward to that. Do I feel a feather theme emerging?

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    2. Whoo hoo, Norah!! I’m so glad you were intrigued by the book cover and title. The first time I ever heard of someone painting on feathers, I knew it would need to be in a story someday. Thank goodness my character, Nakina Bird, came along so I could give her that talent. 🙂 I appreciate your comment!

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  27. What a great interview, Deb! Jan is an interesting woman. I will definitely be heading over to her website. Her books sound fascinating as well. I may begin with the first in the series. Congratulations to Jan on her latest release! Writing can save us. I totally believe that and Jan is yet another example.

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    2. Oh, thank you, Lisa! I’m glad you enjoyed the interview. I enjoyed answering the questions. I’m honored that you are heading over to check out my work. Thank you!

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  29. Great interview and review, Deb. I can identify with her loss as well, though I didn’t have any children to hide behind. It sounds like Jan is doing very well with her writing and blogging.

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