Happy Wednesday, Readers and Writers! Contemporary Romance Author Jennifer Wilck joins me today. She's sharing an excerpt from her New Release, Learning to Love. Welcome, Jennifer!
Tell us a little about yourself. When and how did you decide you wanted to
become a writer?
I think I’ve always entertained the
possibility of being a writer in the back of my mind. There have been several
writers in my family, so I grew up around the excitement of published books and
name recognition. I’ve always loved writing but didn’t consider seriously pursuing
it as a career until I joined the New Jersey Romance Writers of America and saw
that it was indeed possible. My kids were young then, so I wrote when they were
sleeping. And I haven’t stopped since!
Tell us about Learning To Love. What inspired your story?
This was such a fun book to write. It’s part
of my Serendipity series, but can be read without knowing about the other
books. The characters are Jewish, and the hero briefly visited in the other
books, but he was more of an antagonist or best friend. I wanted the chance to
redeem him and make him hero material. In the previous books, he’s a pretty
shallow guy and I searched long and hard to find his soul.
How do you create your characters?
They tend to pop into my head in some form.
Dina, the heroine of Learning to Love, was inspired by the character of Spencer
Reid of Criminal Minds. He’s a genius with a photographic memory, and I loved
the idea of taking some of his attributes and giving them to her.
Do you work with a critique partner? What is a typical writing day like for you?
I have several critique partners without
whom I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. One is a huge help with plot. She and
I talk about the big picture and how to get our stories from A to B to C. My
other three meet with me once a month and we critique about 25 pages at a time
of each other’s work. We approach the work like a reader would, so we don’t
know what’s going to happen. They find things that I’d never find on my own,
and they all make me a stronger writer. As for my typical writing day, I
usually start with marketing and editing in the morning, and writing in the
afternoon. Of course, that can change depending on other things going on in my
life, but in a perfect world, that’s my schedule.
What is the most surprising thing you’ve
learned (thus far!) as a published author?
I think the most surprising thing is the
highs and the lows that can come from the smallest incidents. A great review
can put a smile on my face all day. A rejection from an editor can make me
doubt myself, even while I’m looking at all the things I’ve done and still plan
to do. So I’ve learned that I have to find a way to be happy with what I’m
doing regardless of external forces.
Have any authors or friends influenced you
in helping you become a writer?
Again, I’d say my critique partners have
been invaluable.
Where do you write? Is there anything you need or like to keep
handy when you’re writing?
I have a desk, but I tend to write at the
dining table or on the sofa, depending on what other things I’m doing (like
eating). I write on my laptop, so I can move around when I want. I enjoy
looking out the window and in the nice weather, I like to write out on my deck.
I’ve always considered Contemporary Romance
a difficult genre to write in, as it is a task to make seem extraordinary what
we might observe around us in everyday life.
What draws you to this particular sub-genre, and how do you tackle its
challenges?
I agree with you. It’s the genre I find
easier to write in, as I don’t think I’d be able to tackle all of the research
required for something like historical romance, and I’m unable to create worlds
for paranormal. But I like tackling issues from everyday life and giving them
the solutions I often wish for.
Beside writing, what other interests do you
have?
I spend a lot of time with my family, and I
love to read and watch TV and movies. I also enjoy photography.
What do you like to read? What is the best story(ies) you’ve read in
2018?
I love reading historical romance and
military romance, as well as some women’s fiction. I just finished Sonali Dev’s
A Bollywood Affair and I think it might be my new favorite book. Her
descriptions were so vivid, I felt like I was there and the characters have
stayed with me long after I put it down.
What is the best advice you’ve been given
along your writers’ journey? What advice
would you give to aspiring authors who are just starting out?
Don’t give up. Keep writing what you love.
Study the craft and don’t be afraid to try something new.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a four-part series
about wealthy philanthropists and the women who bring them to their knees.
That sounds exciting! I'll definitely be on the lookout for your next series! In the meantime, keep reading for an excerpt from Jennifer's latest release, Learning to Love!
Jennifer's Bio
Jennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl
when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Pretty soon, her head was filled with
these stories and the characters that populated them. Even as an adult, she
thinks about the characters and stories at night before she falls asleep or
walking the dog. Eventually, she started writing them down. Her favorite
stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome,
strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily
ever after.
In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters
and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. When she’s not writing, she
loves to laugh with her family and friends, is a pro at finding whatever her
kids lost in plain sight, and spends way too much time closing doors that
should never have been left open in the first place. She believes humor is the
only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate.
She writes contemporary romance, some of which are
mainstream and some of which involve Jewish characters. She’s published with
The Wild Rose Press and all her books are available through Amazon and Barnes
& Noble.
Learning to Love Blurb
Dina Jacobs is a
single librarian who has never fit in due to her off-the-charts intelligence,
frizzy hair and rounder-than-socially-acceptable figure. She left her past
behind until she receives an invitation to her ten-year high school reunion,
and all her insecurities return.
Adam Mandel is a
single corporate attorney who just missed his third deadline at his father's
law firm, the law firm where he is up for junior partner. With his reputation
on the line, Adam needs all the help he can get to convince his father that he
deserves the promotion.
When Dina and Adam
run into each other on a deserted road, Dina thinks Mr. Flashypants can't
possibly be interested in someone like her. Adam thinks Dina is just the person
to help him improve his reputation. Lies and insecurities force them to take a
look at themselves. Can they trust each other to look beyond the surface?
Learning to Love Excerpt
What the hell just happened? She wanted to be
friends. The only kind of “friend” he wanted to be with her had “boy” attached to it. No, that wasn’t true.
He enjoyed her friendship because he loved talking to her, hearing her
opinions, sharing himself with her.
But he was becoming more attracted to her. So
far, they’d only kissed, but that one kiss, that unbelievable kiss, haunted
him. His lips still burned where they’d touched hers, his insides still turned
to jelly when he thought about it. In fact, he’d been hoping there would have
been more kissing in her apartment once he’d apologized for his gaffe.
But she’d focused on their arrangement and her
overreaction, and here he was pulling away from the curb into rush hour
traffic.
She thought he was dating her only to impress
his father. If he were one hundred percent honest with himself, he’d
acknowledge the partial truth in that statement. But the more time he spent
time with her, when he wasn’t royally screwing things up with her, the more he
wanted to move beyond their arrangement.
His head was another matter. It was still
focused on not making a fool of himself, on maintaining the right reputation,
on spinning the right message.
But listening to his head was probably what had
gotten him into this mess in the first place. As unbelievable as it might
sound, it was time to follow his heart.
Buy Links:
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/learning-to-love-jennifer-wilck/1129734280?ean=2940161918258
Author Links:
Website: http://www.jenniferwilck.com
Facebook Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2055470311366345/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JWilck
Thanks so much for hosting me today!
ReplyDeleteSo nice to have you, Jen! I love the idea of a librarian and an attorney - definitely an unlikely pairing. Can't wait to see how they learn to love!
ReplyDeleteSo enjoyed the interview, Jennifer! Now I must check out Spencer Reid of Criminal Minds! :) Wishing you all the best with your new release. It sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteGreat show and he's adorable. :)
DeleteBest of luck with your release!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteLearning to Love looks like another great read. All the best with your release.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this interview. Best wishes for continued success Jennifer!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Charlotte!
DeleteThank you so much for stopping by, ladies! I'm a fan of Jennifer's books as well and can't wait to see what she's releasing next!
ReplyDeleteThanks again Jennifer for sharing about your writing process.
ReplyDelete