Interview with  Candy Havens,
Chick thrill author and biographer
© November 2005 by Deanna Carlyle
Deanna Carlyle: Thanks for taking time to be interviewed, Candy. So, how did you first come up with the idea for Charmed and Dangerous?
Candy Havens: Since Bewitched I’ve always loved witches and I wanted to create a character who was really powerful, sexy and good at her job. That’s how Bronwyn was born. It was sort of kick started when I had a meeting with an editor. The night before the meeting I sat down and wrote a summary for Bronwyn so I could have something to pitch, and that’s when it all began.
Deanna: Bronwyn sounds like fun. In what ways is her story chick lit? And in what ways does it incorporate other genres?
Candy: Well, I sort of made up a new term called kicklit to explain Charmed & Dangerous. It’s a young sassy heroine who sort of takes the world on her terms. It’s written in first person and I added the kicklit because she likes to kick butt. The book incorporates comedy, drama, action adventure and mystery. With a dash of sexy romance thrown in. I learned to cross those genres from Joss Whedon. I really do believe it keeps things interesting.
Deanna: That’s right, you wrote Joss Whedon’s biography (Whedon is the creator and head writer of the cult series Buffy and Angel). What an honor for you. How did you get the job?
Candy: The Joss Whedon book came about in a strange way. I’d talked to Glenn Yeffeth, the publisher of Benbella, about another project. We had discussed our mutual love of Buffy and fascination with Angel. He called me out of the blue one day and asked if I thought I could do a book on Joss.
I’d been interviewing Joss for more than six years by that point and everyone else with the cast, so I knew I could do it. We also had set visits arranged for that summer for Buffy and Angel, through my “real job” and I knew that would add a lot to it. I wanted to do something from the fan’s perspective and that’s sort of how it evolved. Glenn added some great ideas and really helped me pull the book together.
That summer when I was writing the book, it was also the launch of Firefly. So I had to ask Joss a bunch more questions. It was all very serendipitous. I’ve learned a great deal from Joss. Everything from writing a kick-butt character, to crossing genres to make things more interesting.
Deanna: That reminds me: In your view, how influential are TV trends for popular fiction? If television writers are on the cutting edge, what might account for this? Is Hollywood more willing to take risks than New York?
Candy: On the trends question, it’s funny. I’m working on a feature story right now about the new Sci-fi trend in prime-time American television. I think the influence goes both ways. Shows like Buffy or Lost do seem to have some influence on the publishing and TV worlds. I noticed this summer at various conferences that publishers were still looking for that kick-butt heroine, as well as more big-tent stories. By big tent, I mean big stories with more complicated plots. And the fall season is littered with new shows that involve those “big” ideas.
From a personal perspective, I can tell you I was very much influenced by Joss Whedon’s Buffy and J.J. Abrams’ Alias. I wanted to write a kick-butt chick, which Bronwyn, the lead character in Charmed & Dangerous, is. But I was also intrigued by Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum.
As far as taking risks, that’s a funny thing. TV executives really play it safe. If something works, then they usually chase that trend. While there are several shows about aliens and supernatural beings, there’s nothing quite like Lost. Don’t get me wrong, I like several of the new shows including Threshold, Invasion, Night Stalker and Supernatural, but none of them are Lost. Desperate Housewives is another very original show that no one else seems able to duplicate.
A few years ago everyone was making the procedural dramas. Bones, a new show from Fox is a procedural, but done in a very inventive way. And the series is based on author Kathy Reichs’ real life, not her books. A fresh spin on an old idea, and it’s successful.
Deanna: As of this writing, do you see any fiction trends that might move from Hollywood to New York?
Candy: If I could predict these things, I’d be incredibly successful. I mentioned the big tent ideas are selling in television, but that’s also true in books. Publishers want more complicated plots. I see more fantasy making it into romantic fiction. That used to be a hard sell. Chick lit is going through a change. The stories are broader, more complex and moving beyond what we’ve seen in the past.
Deanna: What does your typical day-in-the-life of author Candy Havens look like?
Candy: This is funny. Should I destroy the myth? The truth is, I’m a busy working mom with two teen sons who are very much involved with their high school. A typical day begins about seven a.m. and ends around one a.m. Most days include celebrity interviews, writing a column (I write five a week), working on a chapter of a book, promoting the book that’s out, previewing a film for my radio gig, or attending a school event. It’s exhausting, but I wouldn’t trade my life for anything.
Deanna: What can we look for next from the Havens pen?
Candy: We’ve turned Bronwyn’s story into a series. The next book is Charmed & Ready and it debuts September 2006. Right now I’m hard at work on a chick-lit story for young adults about a zombie caretaker. Next month I’ll begin on Bronwyn’s third book.
I’ve really enjoyed this. Thanks for allowing me to share.
To learn more about Candy’s books, visit her website.
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