Interview with Author Jackie M. Smith

Jackie M. Smith is a Canadian romance novelist whose historical romance, A Soldier's Vow, explored love in WWI Europe, and is now releasing her WWII novel, Forever Yours.


How did you get into writing?

I've been writing short stories and poems since my teenage years. For me, it was a source of relaxation and a way to express my creativity.

When did you decide to make the move to "published"?

The moment when I decided to make the move to published was a very scary one. I wasn't sure to show my work to anyone. Deep down, I knew it was good. So, I went on the internet, looked for a publisher and sent my manuscript without thinking twice.

How did you find the experience of seeking a publisher?

Finding a publisher is not easy in this day and age of internet. There are a lot of e-book publishers and traditional ones. As a writer, I had no idea where to get my book published. The publishers I did know were the ones who had published authors like Danielle Steele and Margaret Moore. When I did find a publisher, I was so happy. But that happiness ended abruptly because the publisher was a self-publisher. I had to manage all my promotion and it cost me a lot of money.

What inspired you to write the current release?

A WWI documentary inspired my current release. Learning about the Canadian soldiers and their courage during the First World War brought so many questions and answers all at once. This war is so unknown compared to the Second World War. When I started jotting down ideas, a story formed.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write, write, write.

Romancing Historical Details

Today, we have a guest blog from historical romance author Jackie M. Smith, on the joys of research and the importance of understanding your time period for quality writing.

When I first researched for my historical romance A Soldier’s Vow, I discovered so many interesting facts about the French country during one of the most terrifying periods in their long history. The German army had easily invaded the Northern part of France and often bombarded Paris but never succeeded in penetrating the city’s walls. Nonetheless, the city had been hit in other different and equally devastating ways.

Blackouts, food shortages and influenza affected everyone. Through my research, I discovered many families could no longer afford to keep their children fed, therefore they sent the weakest members of their family to their relatives in the country or other safer places. In A Soldier’s Vow, I wanted to show how the heroine Winnie Douglas saw and lived what everyone went through between 1914 and 1918 Paris. I also show how the war affected the women who stayed behind and waited for their husband, brother, cousin who joined the war effort.

The war also changed the soldiers who fought and saw firsthand the horrors and victories of war. Henry Whitfield, the hero in A Soldier’s Vow, had no idea what he would see and experience when he left his Canadian hometown. Many countries including Canada sent their strongest and bravest men overseas and fight an unknown enemy. They trained hard and fought even harder. Yet what waited for them in the trenches became their worst enemy. Rats, lice and other diseases caused the most terrible living conditions for every soldier on both sides.

Using such details in my book not only creates a setting but also brings the reader back to a time of turmoil, courage and undying love.

So, how do you approach researching your time period?

~*~
Jackie M. Smith is a Canadian novelist who currently writes historical romances for XOXO Publishing. Her novel, A Soldier's Vow, is available for purchase here.

A Soldier’s Vow

A historical romance by Jackie M. Smith from XOXO Publishing.

A Soldier's Vow is one of the most outstanding, beautifully written Canadian military romance I have read in a while.
-Brianna Martini, Author of Martini on the Blues

Winnie Douglas always loved taking pictures of her family and her hometown. One day, while reading a war magazine, pictures of the soldiers whose strength and courage touched her. With her family’s blessing, she journeys to Paris where a French magazine hires her to take pictures of the war.

Henry Whitfield answers the call of duty and travels halfway across the world to fight in the war. Far away from his family and Canadian hometown, he feels the loneliness. On the battlefield, he meets an angel. Afraid she is just a dream, he befriends Winnie.

War brought them together. Will it tear them apart?

You can find out more about Jackie, and read some intriguing excerpts of her work, at her website jackiemsmith.weebly.com. A Soldier's Vow is available for purchase from XOXO, now!

Watch the trailer:


A Soldier's Vow- Book trailer_0001
Uploaded by JackieMSmith. - Watch original web videos.