**About author, Jennifer Zane: Jennifer Zane has lived all over the country–from Georgia to Maryland, New York to Colorado, including an exciting five years in Montana. Her time in Big Sky country was the basis for this book. When she’s not writing, she savors the insanity of raising two boys, is figuring out how many meals she can make with a pressure cooker, and teaches a pretty mean karate class. She currently lives with her family in Colorado.
INTERVIEW
Describe your writing style in five words: Funny, inventive, zany, sarcastic, witty
Coffee or tea? Coffee in the am is required. Tea with dessert. Sadly, no caffeine (either coffee OR tea) after 3pm.
What is the writing/editing/publishing process like for you? (Write, revisit, rewrite, share with my critique partners, rewrite) repeat until done. Beta readers, rewrite, then editor. Publishing is a biggie and I could write two pages, so I’ll stop now.
Hard/paperbacks or eBooks? I love going to the library so I love a real book. I love for my kids to pick out a real book as well. But, I love my ereader for travel and for all the free books you can download and collect.
Who or what inspires your writing? Everyone around me. My kids always have an experience everyone can relate to. Friends who let something silly slip out. My dad ate sardines right from the can over Thanksgiving and my entire house smelled like roadkill for hours. That’s going in the next book, no question.
How do you come up with the titles of your books? Gnome On The Range was fairly easy since the garden gnome plays the central plot point of the story. It takes place in Montana so it was a given. As for the others, there’s mayhem in all so I wanted the titles to be playful and fun. Lighthearted, but with a hint of what’s inside.
Every writer must have a…: an ability to type VERY fast. I’m a speed typer. My kids are stunned at how fast my fingers can go. If I had to hunt and peck all the time I’d still be on book 1.
How did you celebrate when your first book was published? My critique group had a dessert potluck. It launched over the Christmas holiday so we were a little behind. It was fairly anticlimactic because when you hit that publish button, no fireworks go off. I think I thought they would!
What is something about yourself that people would be surprised to know? I stubbed my middle toe on some table leg or something and didn’t realize I’d broken the top little toe knuckle. It healed funny and fused so that that little toe knuckle doesn’t bend anymore when I curl my toes. So my middle toe stays out. It’s possible for me to give you the ‘finger’ with my right foot. Not many people can do that!
What time of day do you work best? The minute the school bus picks up the kids and then for the next 6.5 hours.
What is the best advice you’ve been given? Go with your gut. It’s always right.
Can you tell us about any of your upcoming projects? I’m very excited to have Liar, Liar, Hearts On Fire come out on 1/16/14.
GUEST POST
Liar, Liar, Hearts On Fire
Cast Of Characters
Violet Miller- 1st grade teacher, identical twin of Veronica. Single. Looking for Mr. Right but, so far, only found a bunch of Mr. Wrongs.
Mike Ostranski- Podiatrist and Bozeman’s most eligible bachelor (due to the fact that he’s a ginger-haired, super-sized hottie). Feeling the pressure to provide his mother with a grandchild.
Goldie West- Owner of Goldilocks, Bozeman’s adult store. #1 meddler in the lives of everyone around her, especially those who are single. Wreaks havoc on a daily basis; especially generous with her gift boxes of sex toys (as seen in Gnome On The Range, Plumb Crazy and Mischief Under The Mistletoe)
Jane West- Goldie’s daughter-in-law and heroine in Gnome On The Range. Engaged to Ty Strickland (hot fireman hero of Gnome On The Range). Works at Goldilocks.
Zach West- Jane’s young son who bought George the Gnome at a garage sale (in Gnome On The Range) and is slightly obsessed with his little ceramic friend.
Mrs. O– aka- Claudine Ostranski. Mike’s mother. Retired karate instructor on a do-or-die mission to have her son married and giving her grandchildren.
Mr. O- Mike’s dad. Has a helmet of white hair. Quiet, likes Alaskan wildlife.
Banks, Trish and Alex- Mike’s cousin, wife and young son. Banker, lawyer and Kindergartner.
Uncle Bob– aka- Jubal Early. Mike’s uncle, retired Air Force man stationed at Elmendorf in Alaska. Biggest Civil War buff in his time-zone.
Jean-Luc and Marc- Uncle Bob’s identical twin (yes, a very attractive coincidence) nephews on his ex-wife’s side. Very French, very hot and very interested in Violet. Neither speak a word of English. Have a very strong penchant for sharing.
Susan- Psycho woman with perfect breasts who lives next door to Uncle Bob. ‘Interested in Mike’ would be a serious understatement.
Veronica Miller- Violet’s identical twin sister. Works part-time for Goldie, runs her own plumbing business. Heroine in Plumb Crazy.
**Blurb of “Liar, Liar, Hearts on Fire”:
Violet Miller is a teacher savoring her summer break until she’s been called in as emergency reinforcements—of the dating kind. She volunteers to help an old flame by pretending to be his girlfriend. In Alaska. At a family reunion. Since the guy is a handsome, lumberjack-sized doctor she’s never quite forgotten, faking a relationship won’t be hard work.
Mike Ostranski is a desperate man on vacation. His mother wants grandchildren and sees a crazy Alaskan woman as a candidate for daughter-in-law. Mike needs Violet by his side to deflect the lady’s advances.
A week in Alaska as boyfriend and girlfriend should be easy for them. They grew up together, even had a brief fling. What could go wrong?
Everything.
**Want a sneak peek at the first chapter of “Liar, Liar, Hearts on Fire”? Jennifer will share it with subscribers only, so be sure to sign up for her newsletter! Click HERE to sign up!
**”Liar, Liar, Hearts on Fire” comes on on January 16th, 2014, but click HERE to read early reviews on Goodreads!
**Contact Jennifer Zane: Email: jennifer@jenniferzane.com Website Facebook Twitter
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