GUEST AUTHOR: Jennifer Faye

Today I'd like to welcome Harlequin Romance author Jennifer Faye to my blog.

Congratulations on your new release, SNOWBOUND WITH THE SOLDIER, Jennifer. Over to you!

Available at:

Amazon   |   Amazon - UK   |   Barnes & Noble   |   Harlequin  |  iTunes  |  Waterstones

The Book Depository   |   IndieBound  | 

1) Have you always been a writer? 

I started writing as a little kid. I can remember asking Santa Claus for a typewriter. And he brought it. It had a grey case and white keys. And don’t remind me how old that makes me that they still had typewriters back then. LOL. Then in elementary school I would write short stories to pass around the lunch table. So off and on throughout my life, I was writing this or that. It wasn’t until I was a teenager and read my first Harlequin that I knew what I wanted to do when I grew up. Hmm…does this mean I’m grown up now? ;-)

2) Do you have a particular writing process? 

Yes, I do. It’s my process and I’ve learned to value it as it gets me from start to finish.

Here’s an overview:

1.    write the complete synopsis

2.    wait for editor feedback

3.    implement editor’s comments

4.    set up an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my progress and ensure I’ll meet my deadline

5.    start writing/researching details

6.    keep writing…ignore the doubt crows that always circle and tell me that it is rubbish. By the time I type “The End” and reread it won’t sound as awful as I’m imagining. ;-)

3) Is there a particular book or an author that has influenced you in your writing? 

This is a tough question. Way back when I got the burning desire to write romances it was due to Harlequin paperbacks, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Danielle Steele and Johanna Lindsey. Those women would keep me up most of the night with a flash light in one hand and a book in the other, hoping I’d never reach the end because it was sooo good.

4) Is there one piece of writing (or life?) advice that has stuck with you, or that you would like to share?

There was a piece of advice that I got and learned was wrong…There are rules to writing fiction.

I’m not talking about the mechanics of grammar. Yes, sometimes a writer will break a grammatical rule for dramatic purposes. But you need to know the rules of grammar before breaking them. ;-)

The rules I’m talking about involve the craft of storytelling. To use a prologue or not to. To write 1^st person or 3^rd person. To always start with the heroine’s POV. And the list goes on.

My advice is go with your gut. If it feels right, run with it. Your editor will tell you if you’ve run amuck. ;-)

5) Can you tell us three things about yourself that we probably don’t already know? 

1.  I love pizza. It should be calorie-free so I can eat it every day. ;-)

2.  My guilty pleasure is watching Y&R (Young & the Restless) while eating lunch

3.  I have more hobbies than I have time in the day. If only I could squeeze a couple more hours.

6) Congratulations on your release of SNOWBOUND WITH THE SOLDIER. Where did the idea come from?

This is really sad to admit, but I don’t actually remember what sparked the first idea for SNOWBOUND WITH THE SOLDIER. I just knew I wanted to write a Christmas story. The idea grew from there. I entered the original version in the Mills & Boon New Voices entry in which I won an editor’s critique on the opening chapter. Talk about being over the moon. I took that feedback and reworked the story. I then entered it in Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write 2011 Contest where it made a Top Five Finalist, and I had a M&B editor to work on it with me. So as you can tell it’s been around for a while. But those characters really wanted their HEA and I was determined that they would have it. ;-)

Maybe this Christmas…?  

It has been seven long years since Kara Jameson last saw Jason Greene. Returning home as a wounded war hero, Jason looks a shell of the man she once knew. Yet her heart still skips a beat as if it was yesterday…. 

Stepping back into civilian life, Jason looks to Kara for help. But there's too much water under the bridge—not to mention too much lingering attraction. 

But it seems that the mountain weather has other ideas, and when Kara and Jason end up snowbound together they are forced to confront the ghosts of Christmas past.

7) Do you have a favourite paragraph or sentence from your story that you would like to tantalise us with?

Kara and Jason are seeking shelter from a harrowing snowstorm at a mountain cabin. Kara is desperately trying to think up an alternative to staying alone with Jason, but she can’t think of any…

“What about the military? Didn’t they do anything for the holidays?”

He paused by the front door. His back went ramrod straight.

“I always opted to be on duty,” he said, his tone clipped.

“You’re home now. Time to start over. A chance for new beginnings…” Her voice trailed off. She didn’t want him to misconstrue her words—to think she wanted them to have a new beginning. “You should try joining in the fun. After all, it’s the most joyous time of the year.”

Kara forced a smile. She couldn’t believe she was trying to talk him into celebrating the exact same holiday in which he’d broken her heart. If he wanted to be an old, cranky Scrooge, why should she care?

Jason didn’t say anything as he opened the door and stepped aside, allowing her to enter. In the narrow opening her arm brushed against him, and even through the layers of clothing, an electrical current zinged up her arm, warming a spot in her chest.

Staying here wasn’t a good idea.

Being alone with her new boss was an even poorer idea.

This whole situation constituted the worst idea…ever.

8) What can we expect from you next? Is there something you are working on right now? 

My next release will be out in March 2014, SAFE IN THE TYCOON’S ARMS. It is something different for me as there isn’t sexy cowboy anywhere in sight or a small town. This story takes place in New York City. And the hero, Lucas, is a rich businessman that can fill out a suit in all of the right places…And did I mention he was recently named Bachelor-Of-The-Year? Can you say hot? ;-)

9) Plotter or pantser? 

I started off being a pantser. But I ended up having to do way too many rounds of revisions. I knew there had to be something better…something more efficient. I just had too many stories to tell and not enough time. Through observation and trial and error, I became a plotter/pantser hybrid. And I love it. :-)

10) Digital books or print books? 

Both. I love print books. After staring at a computer monitor all day, I like to settle down with a print book. I love the feel, the smell, everything about it.

But these days there are sooo many wonderful books that only come via digital format. I don’t want to miss them.  So I read both. Although between you and me, I still don’t have an ereader. I do my reading on my computer. So guess what is going to be on Santa’s list this year?

CHECK OUT JENNIFER'S BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY HERE.

Author Bio

Jennifer Faye is a two-time RT Book Reviews TOP PICK author. Maybe that’s partly due to the fact that she has spent most of her life with her nose in one book or another. It was only natural that she dreamed of becoming a romance writer and spinning the tales of the imaginary people running around in her mind. But first life took her on a couple of detours. Refusing to give up on her dreams, she finally succeeded in getting her name on a book cover. She currently resides in Pennsylvania with her very, very patient husband, one amazing daughter (the other remarkable daughter has flown the coop to chase her own dreams) and two spoiled rotten cats. When she’s not glued to her laptop writing another contemporary romance (which isn’t often) or enjoying some family time, she loves to get lost in a good book, cross-stitch, embroider, quilt, knit, watch hockey (go Pittsburgh Penguins!), and garden. Jennifer loves to hear from readers--you can contact her via her website.

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