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Today, I am chatting with Jan Mau Hill about her fabulous paranormal romance series, G.R.I.T.S., Love & The Paranormal.
Set in the wonderfully unpredictable city of New Orleans, the series introduces readers to a hidden supernatural community populated by witches, werewolves, shifters, Fae and other extraordinary beings. Connecting their stories is an enchanted tarot deck, with each of its twenty-two Major Arcana cards offering a different form of supernatural intervention — although accepting a little magical assistance doesn't necessarily make life, or love, any easier!
Jan joins me today to talk about the inspiration behind her twenty-two-book series, the supernatural community she has created, and the first three novels, Unlikely, Ungainly and Unhealed. We will also discover how she keeps track of such an extensive cast of characters and why New Orleans provides the perfect setting for a little paranormal mischief.
With 22 books in the G.R.I.T.S., Love & The Paranormal series, you have created quite an extensive supernatural world. Taking us back to the beginning, where did the original idea for the series come from, and did you ever imagine it would grow to this size?
I wanted to do a mash-up of supernatural creatures living in New Orleans but keeping off of human radar with tarot cards. There are 22 cards in the major arcana - hence the number of books in this series. It felt crazy ambitious to switch genres (from YA urban fantasy to paranormal romance) and then commit to that many books but I love a challenge. I just published book 13 in the series (8/18) so it’s far less daunting now.
An enchanted tarot deck containing non-corporeal entities is such a distinctive thread running through the series. How did you come up with this concept, and what made tarot the perfect way to connect the individual stories?
I’ve always loved tarot cards and have even done a few non-professional readings over the years. The cards of the major arcana gave me a built in structure, as they each highlight different ways to tap into one's mysticism. It made great scaffolding for this series’ storytelling.
receives the power of persuasion. That creates an interesting complication when she uses her new ability on Clint, the Werewolf Alpha who previously rejected her. What interested you about exploring the question of whether feelings are genuine when supernatural influence is involved?
All of my characters are genuinely good people who occasionally wrestle with their inner demons. Temptation makes great storytelling, whether you reject it or succumb. I started with the Hierophant, which is not card zero in the major arcana so I wouldn’t be tied to rolling out stories aligned with the order of the tarot deck. This card is also the messenger and the reason the portal between the powers-that-be and humanity is opened.
Gwendolyn Tousignant, who has known for years whom she considers her mate—even if Hank hasn't quite caught up! What did you enjoy most about writing Gwen and turning the usual romantic transformation idea on its head through The Empress card?
Gwen is the bff of Lexi from book one. She’s shy and introverted- being 6’ 2’ for a woman can be stygmatizing. She is soooo worthy of love and it was heartbreaking to see her year after year get but into the friend zone by Hank. The empress gives her the power of seduction- it made for some pretty hilarious events.
Amanda had been hiding out with Lexi, as her pet cat for a few years. By the end of book one, she’s finally managed the courage to come back to and stay (mostly) in human form. She’s far stronger than she believes herself to be, the harbinger she gets is Judgment which helps her battle her PTSD. At the end we see her get a well deserved HEA.
These three heroines are very different: Lexi struggles to control her supernatural abilities, Gwen is headstrong and frustrated by a mate who hasn't recognised what is in front of him, and Amanda is trying to rebuild her life. How important is it to you that each heroine has her own personality and challenges despite inhabiting the same interconnected world?
Each MC is different in every way - by species (Werewolves, bears, raptors and reptiles,) Fae (Winter, Summer, Spring and Fall,) Witches (White, Green and Red,) Shifters (can change into any animal,) and hybrids (a mix of the above) which may result in nothing more than supernatural lineage. The criteria to become a host is to be female and to be a friend or friend if a friend of Lexi.
New Orleans is the setting for the series, and you have described the city as a character in its own right. As your hometown, what is it about New Orleans that makes it such a natural home for witches, Werewolves, Werecats, Shifters and the other supernatural characters in the series?
People will not look twice at you if you present differently - glowing eyes, a growl in between breaths- it’s why it’s a favorite of fantasy writers. Plus we have Mardi Gras - masks are normal- so if you see someone walking down the street and they look to have the head of a wolf the first reaction is “cool where did you get that mask?” - not horror.
The tarot entities appear to offer your characters exactly the kind of supernatural intervention they think they need, but that help can bring complications of its own. Is there an underlying idea within the series that magic can open a door, but the characters must ultimately resolve their problems themselves?
Oh yes, but the entities from the powers that be have good intentions and they have chosen the individual to be their host. But they absolutely can cause a few more headaches along the way. Like the empress who makes Gwen desired by men, but most act as counsellors helping their host with matters of the heart.
With 22 interconnected paranormal romances, maintaining continuity must become quite an undertaking. How do you keep track of characters, relationships, supernatural rules and previous events while still making each romance feel like a story in its own right?
I’m really good at excel charts - lol - no seriously. All 22 books are laid out and include the MC, the MCs species (Witch, Fae, etc,) their love interest and their species. I then make sure there is separation between both the MCs species as well as the male lead. Next I looked at the MCs pain point and which tarot card is best paired with them. I also make a rule to weave in the MCs of future books along the way, but it must happen organically to be believable. No random passing by in the street. That way when I get to that MCs book readers who’ve read the series know a bit about that character already. And because I enjoy making more work for myself, I also made sure each book in my holiday box sets (Halloween, Christmas and Valentines) had a different species as the lead.
For someone discovering G.R.I.T.S., Love & The Paranormal through Unlikely, Ungainly and Unhealed, what do these three novels reveal about the wider series, and what can readers expect as they venture further into your supernatural New Orleans?
First there’s the sisterhood of found family which is a running theme that folks in this genre enjoy. There are actually 5 different supernaturals in the inner circle and all of their stories are different yet interwoven. So, by the time you get to book three, a reader knows these folks and are invested. I also mix up my tropes, so each story feels unique. I do a lot of storygaming and for me building a character sheet for my MC is half the fun. Now more than halfway through my series, readers know when I bring up a female friend of the MC, that person either already has a book or they’ll get one of their own. I’ve had books drop and people say “I was waiting on X’s story to be written.”
A huge thank you to Jan Mau Hill for joining me today and introducing us to the wonderfully complicated world of G.R.I.T.S., Love & The Paranormal.
If you enjoy paranormal romance, witches, werewolves, magical mishaps, strong friendships and love stories with plenty of personality, then G.R.I.T.S., Love & The Paranormal is certainly a series worth discovering.
Unlikely - Amazon
Ungainly - Amazon
Unhealed - Amazon
In her mind, Jan is a modern-day Austen protagonist.
As a child, she created elaborate stories involving a pretend cattle ranch guarded by vegetarian dinosaurs and went on adventures with her stuffed teddy bear, creatively named Ted.
After getting out of college in four years (an astounding feat) she began a career in advertising and marketing. Extensive reading during work travel rekindled her imagination and her Rock, Paper, Scissors series was born. These YA Urban Fantasy books are full of action, snark and a hint of romance.
Now she writes full-time in her hometown of New Orleans. The city is its own character in her 22 book paranormal romance series. Those feature a variety of Supernatural Main Characters in search of love. An enchanted deck of tarot cards adds a unique twist to the interwoven storylines of her G.R.I.T.S. books.
Jan Mau Hill writes fast-paced books featuring clever and bold heroines. If that sounds interesting, she’s the author for you.
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See you on your next coffee break!
Take Care,
Mary Anne xxx