The lovely and talented Jill James is my guest today. Her debut Indie release is a contemporary romance called Divorce, Interrupted and you can buy it for your Kindle here:
http://www.amazon.com/Divorce-Interrupted-Second-Chances-ebook
So without further adieu, let's ask Jill a few questions...
AC: How long have you been writing?
JJ: Since I could hold a pencil in my hand. LOL I wrote plays and puppet shows as a kid for the neighborhood to perform in and attend. Poetry was my first love until I found romance novels. I started writing seriously in 2004 and joined RWA.
AC: What made you start writing?
JJ: Romance novels, plain and simple. I fell in love with love stories. I wanted to write my own. I wanted to have a hero and heroine who seemed like they would never be together, and I could give them that happily-ever-after.
AC: Did anyone inspire or encourage you to write?
JJ: Mrs. Whitaker, my fifth-grade teacher had us write a story every week and read it aloud to the class. She was so encouraging of my writing. I still remember The Run-Away Chevrolet and The Peanut Butter Airplane.
AC: Plotter? Pantser? Or something in between?
JJ: I think I must be something in between. Some stories I plot and some I just go with the flow. But I am a linear writer. I start with Chapter One and go straight through until I reach The End. No random dialogue or scenes. Point A to Point Z.
AC: Advice you’d like to share with unpublished or recently published writers?
JJ: Don’t give up. The day from Hell, when you receive that thousandth rejection, when the words won’t flow, when you hear your subgenre is dead – Don’t Give Up. That is the day that tests how much do you want this. Your success is just around the corner if you hold on. The quote goes something like this – The only difference between a published author and an unpublished one is the published author didn’t quit.
AC: Please tell us about your current release/project.
JJ: Divorce, Interrupted is my first Indie/Self release. I wanted to explore how some divorces aren’t the end but really a new beginning.
Here's the Blurb: Newly-divorced Todd and Lisa Miller are stranded at their mountain cabin. There to divide a lifetime of memories, they soon are in danger from more than the anger between them. A vicious storm forces them to rely on each other to survive.
Can they trust the one person they lost belief in? Or are their hearts in danger from more than floods and frigid weather?
AC: What’s next for you?
JJ: Book 2 of the Second Chances series, Trust In Me. Should be available in a couple of weeks.
Thanks so much for being here today Jill. Your Second Chances series sounds great and the cover of Divorce, Interrupted is beautiful!
Okay readers, now it's your turn. Do you believe in a second chance in romance? And if you have any questions for Jill about her books or her writing process, please feel free to ask!
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18 comments:
Good morning Jill!
Thank you again for being a guest here with Aunty Cindy.
Please tell us who designed the cover for Divorce, Interrupted. It is so pretty and romantic!
AC
Aunty Cindy, thanks for having me here. That cover was done by the uber-talented Elaina Lee of For The Muse Designs.
I looked at a lot of covers before chosing her. I loved the dreamy quality of her work.
Jill,
"Dreamy quality" is a wonderfully accurate description. Hey, you must be a writer! ;-)
AC
Oh Jill - those words "never give up" are what I so needed today. Thanks for your optimism and encouragement. Congratulations on your first indie pubbed book and good luck on the second.
Thanks Aunty Cindy for inviting Jill to be your guest.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen schmidt
Hi Patricia!
Appreciate you dropping by. Now get back to work on that GH entry! ;-)
Hope you have a great, productive weekend and see you tomorrow!
AC
Patricia, I've always been a 'silver lining' kind of person. I have a friend who tried for 17 years to get published. She got back rejections like "brilliant writing, wonderful story, I just can't sell this." She was so discouraged and about ready to give up and Indie publishing hit. Her first book came out this month. She is the happiest I have ever seen her and working on her second book to come out in January.
Patricia, just saw Cindy's note. Get to work on that GH entry!! I entered twice. The first time I got a 4, some 3's and a 1. That was my debut novel with The Wild Rose Press, Tempting Adam. The next time I entered I got 7's and 8's and I was so thrilled to have gotten so much better, even without finaling. That manuscript is making the rounds of agents now.
Cindy: Thanks for introducing us to Jill. Jill: thank you for your words of encouragement to all of us struggling in this profession. Your book looks great. Can't wait to read it. Patricia Mason
Thank you for sharing, Aunty Cindy & Jill! I'm looking forward to reading "Divorce, Interrupted"! I always love reading "second chance" romances! Also, thanks for the encouraging words! Sometimes, in this business, it's very easy to want to throw it all in and give up!
Wishing you mega success!
May God bless,
Trisha Wilson
trishawilson.weebly.com
Patricia M. Thanks for visiting. If my words help anyone I'm thrilled. I've seen it in action so many times. Writers ready to delete their stories off the hard drive decide to query one more agent, but this is it! Bam! They make it. Get the agent, get the publisher, get the deal.
Trisha, thanks for your kind words. Sometimes it is easy to throw in the towel, it is a lot harder to keep fighting.
Hi Patricia M!
Appreciate you taking the time to come by and comment. The writing biz certainly can be discouraging, but having other writers who have 'been there done that' offer encouragement (THANK YOU, Jill!) can really help.
AC
Trisha,
Thank you for dropping by! We all can benefit from a little encouragement from time to time. Thanks for the reminder. ;-)
AC
Sorry I'm late. Loucinda, did you write Wild Sight (or something like that - Irish?) I have it on my Kindle waiting to be read. Too tired to look it up. Divorce Interrupted sounds good too. I don't know if I believe in 2nd chances like that but I'd like to.
I love the answer about the 5th grade teacher. One never knows where inspiration will come from! Thanks for the great interview!
Carly, I'm not sure I believe in second chances for cheating either, but Todd and Lisa so wanted to get back together that I had to write it that way.
Suzanne, thanks. Mrs. Whitaker was a very special teacher. She took a very, very shy child under her wing and taught me to believe in my writing. The first and only one to do so until I joined RWA.
Carly and Suzanne,
Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving comments!
Appreciate your support,
AC
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