Fast Five with Jennifer Jakes

First off, I owe Jennifer a huge apology. Posting this earlier today totally slipped my mind when hubby's first words were, "I'm awake. Let's go shopping". What's a girl to do?

I've known Jennifer for about a year. We're in the same Ozarks Romance Authors group and both have our eye on country boy Jake Owens. So today, and for the whole weekend, I introduce you to Jennifer Jakes!

After trying several careers—everything from a beautician to a dump truck driver—Jennifer finally returned to her first love, writing. Maybe it was all those Clint Eastwood movies she watched growing up, but in her opinion there is no better read than a steamy western historical.

Married to her very own hero, she lives on fifteen acres along with two beautiful daughters, two elderly horses, two spoiled cats and two hyper dogs.

During the summer she does Civil War re-enacting and has found it a great research tool, not to mention she has continued appreciation for her microwave and hot water heater.

Visit Jennifer Jakes at www.jenniferjakes.com

1. Why do you write?

I guess it’s for the same reason all writers write – we have to get the voices out of our heads!

2. I know you began writing stories at a young age. What led you to Historical romances?

My favorite stories as a young girl were those about Pocahontas and Sacajawea. As I got older, those historicals just turned into a love for Historical Romance. And I have to write what I love.

3. How did you get into taking part in Re -enactments?

My interest in Western Historicals and the Civil War era led me to attend several reenactments. I met a lot of wonderful people there and in talking to them was soon donning my petticoats and bonnet.

4. Do you have a story you’d like to tell but doesn’t fit what you typically write? Actually, I do………and I just finished it! My newest release, TWICE IN A LIFETIME, – out the end of this month – is still historical, but it’s set on a pirate ship in 1768. So the secret is out: My other writing love are Pirates.

5. What is your favorite Holiday and do you ever use it as part of the setting in your books?

I love Christmas – the decorated trees, the twinkling lights. It takes me back to when I was a kid and that magical feeling children get around Christmas.

My debut novel, RAFE’S REDEMPTION, is set during the Christmas season and includes lots of snow – enough to trap my heroine and hero together in a cabin

Blurb for RAFE'S REDEMPTION:

He rode into town to buy supplies, not a woman.

For hunted recluse Rafe McBride, the raven-haired beauty on the auction block is exactly what he doesn't need. A dependent woman will be another clue his vengeful stepbrother can use to find and kill him. But Rafe's conscience won't let him leave another innocent's virginity to the riff-raff bidding. He buys her, promising to return her to St. Louis untouched. He only prays the impending blizzard holds off before her sultry beauty breaks his willpower.

She wanted freedom, not a lover.

Whisked to the auction block by her devious, gambling cousin, and then sold into the arms of a gorgeous stranger, outspoken artist Maggie Monroe isn't about to go meekly. Especially when the rugged mountain man looks like sin and danger rolled into one. But a blizzard and temptation thrust them together, and Maggie yearns to explore her smoldering passion for Rafe.

But when the snow clears, will the danger and secrets that surround Rafe and Maggie tear them apart?

Blurb for TWICE IN A LIFETIME:

Be Careful What You Wish For. . .

No-nonsense stuntwoman Isabella Douglas will do anything to stop an unwanted divorce and reclaim the happy life she had, even allow her old friend to concoct a magical spell to turn back time. But when the spell goes awry, Izzy finds herself trapped aboard a 1768 Caribbean pirate ship with a captain who’s a dead ringer for her sexy as sin husband, Ian. Convinced he’s playing a cruel joke, she’s furious – until she realizes he doesn’t know her or believe they’re married.

Captain Ian Douglas does not have time to deal with an insane woman who claims to be his wife; he has to save his kidnapped sister. But as Izzy haunts his dreams and fills him with erotic memories he can’t explain, he’s forced to admit he feels more than lust.

Trapped in a vicious cycle of past mirroring present, Izzy knows they only have days to find Ian’s sister and prevent disaster from striking a second time. If she doesn’t, their marriage will be destroyed again – along with the man she loves.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out the Fast Five with Jennifer Jakes. Please check out her website. You can also go directly to

http://tinyurl.com/42sn4n5 and Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/3vrdc9f

to pick up your copy of Rafe's Redemption!

Angela!

Fast Five with Starfox Howl

Today, I am truly honored to have a writing friend as my Fast Five guest. Not only is he a talented writer but he is a Navy Veteran, stationed in Afghanistan. We're counting him among the many of our cherished men and women who will be home soon.

Starfox Howl is the pen name of a US Navy veteran who has spent the last four and a half years in various locations in Afghanistan. He’s married, twenty-seven wonderful years to the same wonderful woman who puts up with him for unknown reasons. They have one grown son and seven furry children.

When you're finished here, please stop by his blog .

1. Based on your location now, where is your favorite place to write?

My favorite place is our “sports bar” here on base. It’s called the Tora Bora Bar. Being here in Afghanistan, there is no alcohol served. But it does have food, and sodas, and somewhat comfortable chairs. I’ll get settled, kick on some David Arkenstone music, don my headphones and tune into whatever I’m writing.

2. What was it about Jason to Jessica’s story that drew you?

The first story I read that incorporated transgenderism as a story element was “I Will Fear No Evil”. I know many women who’ve lamented about how men don’t understand what they go through as women in today’s society. Combine the two, with a storyteller’s love of “What If” and you have the basic plot of Jason to Jessica.

3. What are you working on now?

I’m not a person who can focus on just one work in progress. I’m currently working on three drafts, rotating between them as I run out of steam on one. There is “Crystal’s Cat”, a follow on story to Jason to Jessica, Primal-Katie’s Return, another follow-on to a currently unpublished story. All of these stories are set in the MORFS story-verse. The last WIP is TRANSFORMATIONS, an original Science Fiction Romance story set on a colony world on the far side of the Milky Way galaxy.

4. What’s been the biggest challenge writing where you are now?

The biggest challenge? Not knowing what’s going to happen five minutes into the future. You have to remember I live in a war zone. We are subject to terrorist threats, alerts and the threat of actual attacks all day, every day. On a recent day, everything started out normally, but with one explosion, everything changed. Body armor gets uncomfortable after a while, but you wear it because it’s easier to be uncomfortable than to have an unnatural hole suddenly appear on your person.

5. What’s the first thing you plan to do when you get stateside?

That’s simple. Hug my wife and son. The second will be to stop at the Wendy’s in the airport for a double cheeseburger, fries and a large diet soda.

Thank you, Starfox... for everything!

Blessings to all of those who've served our country so well in generations past, who continue to answer the call and to the families awaiting their safe return.

Nano Week 1

Okay,

I've not written as much as I should have by now. But considering the story actually began to gel for me yesterday (Note, that would be Day 6), I'm doing pretty good!

I know my hero - Brent McCormack is back on his parents' ranch after being disillusioned by the commercialism of Nashville. (Have I got a lesson for him!) He has given up his dream of being the next Garth Brooks but not of playing the Texas music he is passionate about.

I know my heroine - Jessie Daniels. She's been physically and emotionally abused. She's back home where she feels safe. Safe goes right out the window when Brent McCormack walks into the Blue Plate Diner where she's waiting tables. He's not the boy she remembers hanging with her older brother back in high school. But he is still the same person who got her brother killed four years previous. Seeing him flares up a smoldering pain... and something else.

I know I'll be featuring the Texas music community I've come to love.

I know Brent and Jessie will wind up Happily Ever After.

I know where I'm going so when one scene isn't working, I can jump around and still come up with a daily word count.

What I DON'T know...

is what the pivotal scene is that HAS to take place in The Lonesome Steer.

But it will come to me. Just like the rest of this has.

I'll be busy writing the rest of this week. But Friday is Veteran's Day and I have a Special Guest for Fast Five Friday. You won't want to miss getting to know this man!

Happy Writing!

Nano Begins

Well, for the first time in eight years I'm starting without an outline. It's pretty scary territory for me. I know Chris Baty's big thing is No Plot? No Problem! But I'm also willing to bet he's a pantster. I write faster when I know where I'm going. I don't need a GPS when I know the area - don't even like them. But when I'm getting into new territory, I feel safer towards others when I have someone or something telling me how to get there.

I do know a few things about this story.

I know the Heroine's name is Jessie and that she's running back home to TX from an abusive relationship. Been there. I can write this.

I don't know the Hero's name. All I know is he's in the Texas Music business. I'm known as the 'trusted on-line voice of Texas Music' so I should be able to write this.

I do know there is a not so nice woman wanting her hooks in the Hero - so there's a bit of conflict. I also know Jessie's X comes to TX to find her and teams up with nasty woman to create more problems.

I know that at least one pivotal scene must take place in a specific honkytonk (as ordained by the submission call for The Wild Rose Press).

And I know that because The Wild Rose Press wants their Honkytonk Hearts series to end in HEA, then this story has a happy ending.

Okay... maybe I have more than I thought. Guess it's time to get this story written. The Wild Rose Press is only contracting approximately fifteen stories for this series. I'd really like to work with Stacy and TWRP team. They're good people. And I love the storyline.

So here we go!