Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .

What drew you to the genre you write?
I’m a former crime reporter, but even before that, I was a hard-wired reader for all books dark and mysterious.

How did you come up with your pseudonym?
My married name is Jane Cole, but it sounded too pedestrian. Plus, I’ve always gone by my maiden name, Haseldine, for my journalism byline. My middle name is Eyre (my mom was a writer who named me Jane Eyre), so maybe I’ll need to go by that pseudonym one day.

Tell us how you got into writing?
We moved a lot when I was a kid (I lived in 20 different houses by the time I was 18), so one icebreaker I always did as the new kid in town was to ask people a question about themselves. I learned early on that I loved people’s stories. That helped pave the way for me to study journalism at Syracuse University and make a career out of it.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
Journalist, crime reporter, and managing restaurants in San Francisco right after college.

How many books do you have published?
I previously published four books in my Julia Gooden series with Kensington Publishing. EVERYONE IS PERFECT HERE with Severn House will be my fifth.

Where do you write?
Wherever I can. I don’t have a dedicated office in my house, but I do have a desk in the living room that faces our backyard that has orange, lemon and palm trees (a perk of living in Southern California). Although I can’t close a door, my view is both serene and killer.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
Mystery, crime, suspense and thriller (there’s definitely a pattern here!).

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I’ve lived in 9 states and 3 countries. As a kid, my British father kept us on the move while he tried to cook up his latest grand business deal in hopes of making gobs of cash (which never happened). But it made for a very interesting ride, and it instilled in me the love of adventure, new places, and meeting new people and their stories. I also managed Greens Restaurant back in the day. It’s a famous vegetarian restaurant that was originally part of the San Francisco Zen Center.

Who is an author you admire?
Stephen King, all the way.

Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?
I love writing, but the business end can be tough, no matter how many books you’ve published. Keep at it because you love it and there’s nothing else in the world you’d rather do. When you get rejected or your work critiqued, take something from it if you can. Learn, hone your craft, support other writers, be humble but NEVER forget your worth.

What is next for you?
I just completed WHISPER IN THE DEEP, which is about a savant who has to rely on her mathematical genius to try and solve the long-ago murders of her parents.

Where can we find you?
www.Janehaseldine.com

Now to have some fun . . .

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Dinner. I love to cook. After work, I put on a podcast (something creepy please) and will whip up a three-course meal at least a few nights each week.

Fruits or vegetables.
Vegetables. They rock.

Sweet or salty snacks.
Salty. If I’m ever on death row, please give me chips for my last meal.

Ice cream or cake.
Cake. I actually don’t love cake but would possibly give up a kidney for chocolate icing.

Cooking or baking.
Cooking. I’m a terrible baker.

Dining in or dining out.
Dining out. New restaurants are the bomb.

City life or country living.
City life before marriage and kids. I’ve lived in Boston, NYC, and San Francisco. But I live in the LA burbs now, and it suits me with a family.

Beach or mountain.
I grew up in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, so the beach will always be in my blood.

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall.
Summer. I live in SoCal which truly is a place of endless summers. I used to live in Boston, and although I loved it there, I can’t do the cold anymore.

Extrovert or introvert.
Extrovert but with introvert tendencies that I keep hidden.

And even more fun . . .

What is your favorite movie?
Gaslight or The Godfather

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
Chips; a notebook and pen; and a Stephen King book.

My bio:
Jane Haseldine is a journalist, former crime reporter, columnist, and newspaper editor, who has also worked in politics as the deputy director of communications for a governor. Jane is the author of the Julia Gooden mystery series and the upcoming domestic suspense novel, EVERYONE IS PERFECT HERE, from Severn House. Jane lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons. Readers can find out more about Jane and her books at www.janehaseldine.com.