Page Readers talks with Jean Holloway

Jean Holloway's debut novel Ace of Hearts started 29 years ago in answer to a bet. Her sister Lori said, "You read so much, I bet you could write a book" and Jean answered, "I bet I could."

Jean's oldest memories are of reading. She let the words carry her away to places only her imagination could take her. Stephen King and Dean Koontz are her ultimate tour guides and honorable mentions go to Jean Auel and Agatha Christie. Jean sometimes felt more at home in their cleverly crafted worlds than in her own.

Accepting her sister's bet would prove more challenging than easily merging her love of reading great horror and mystery classics. In 1980, she wrote the first draft of Ace of Hearts longhand. Over the next two decades the manuscript matured with technology, to typewriter to word processor and finally to computer in 2003.

In 2004, Lori once again challenged Jean to introduce Ace of Hearts to the world. She pushed Jean to print several copies of her manuscript and she even paid for Jean to attend the National Book Club Conference in Atlanta, GA.

Not willing to say no to such a tempting challenge, Jean went and handed her manuscripts out in a room full of Zane fans and book clubs began talking! She met her soon-to-be publisher that weekend. Three months later, Jean signed a contract, went through the editing process and "Ace of Hearts" was born!

Jean Holloway has released her sophomore novel, Black Jack, with PHE Ink and she's currently writing the third installment to the Deck of Cardz series.

But most importantly, Jean's story is one of hope. And to never give up your dream.

Visit Jean at www.deckofcardz.com