Please help me welcome JL Redington to the blog today! My review will post tomorrow.
Tell me about yourself, and your writing:
My husband and I are parents to six children (we blended a family 31 years ago) and we have 19 grandchildren. We moved to Juneau AK, where my husband accepted employment a year ago and I write full time. I love to cross stitch, which I rarely do now, due to my writing schedule, I sing whenever I get the chance and we love to hike the trails around Juneau when the weather is nice. We have a little King Charles Cavalier dog named Shelby and she is our baby at this point, with all the kids gone.
How long have you been writing? How many published books do you have, and what genres?
I wrote my first book about 25 years ago, and it was pretty bad. My sweet ‘adopted’ daughter is a New York Times Bestseller and she and my birth daughter (they’re best buds)really lit a fire under me when she got going in writing. They pretty much prodded me until I finally blew the dust off that old manuscript and started over. So, I’ve been actively writing about a year and a half now. I have seven books published; the first series is a YA, first book in that series is for 10-12 year olds, second two in the series (The Esme Chronicles) for 10-15 year olds. Those are: A Cry Out of Time, Pirates of Shadowed Time and A View Through Time. The next three are a Romantic Suspense series called The Broken Heart Series - The Lies That Save Us, Solitary Tears and Veiled Secrets. The current series I’m working on is called Passions in the Park and I have the first book, Love Me Anyway out and am working at getting the second book, Cherish Me Always out by the end of January.
Do you write in multiple genres of just one? If just one, do you ever consider straying outside your genre?
As you can see from the previous question, I do write multiple genres, but the romance has kept me so busy I haven’t had much time to get back to the YA. I’m working on that.
Are you a plotter or do you write from the seat of your pants?
I would have to answer ‘both’ to this question. I usually get started by getting a story in my head that won’t leave me alone. So, when that happens I put a few chapters on paper and then go back to my iPad and write the rest of the book out in a ‘Chapter Heading’ type format that I review with each chapter I write. It keeps me focused and moving in one direction. I can say that nothing happens really until my fingers touch the keyboard. At that point, the movie in my head starts going and I’m pretty much typing to keep up!
What is a typical writing day for you?
My sweet husband leaves for work about 7:30 each morning and I roll out of bed about then and by 10 a.m. I’m usually writing. I work for six-eight hours a day, stopping to eat some lunch, but usually do that while I’m working, and then finish as Terry comes through the door after work. I have no children at home, so I’m free to focus and write until my fingers go numb. J
Who do you love to read? Favorite authors, favorite books?
I LOVE a good mystery and a good fantasy. I’m a big fan of Robert Jordan and have read The Wheel of Time series about 3 times now. I’m also a big fan of Brandon Sanderson, who completed the last two books of The Wheel of Time when Robert Jordan passed away (a sad, sad loss). Brandon Sanderson has a trilogy out that I LOVE called Mistborn. I also love anything Agatha Christy, I thoroughly enjoy the Sherlock Holmes stories.
What is something you’d like to accomplish in your writing career next year?
I think the biggest accomplishment for me this next year is to really get my name out there. I want to continue to publish my romantic suspense novels, and keep growing that. I hope to get some time to complete at least one more in the Esme Chronicles series, maybe two. I just want to write, write, write! It gives me immense joy to write books that people are having fun reading.
If you could have paranormal ability, what would it be?
Wow…not sure I’d want that responsibility, but if I did, I guess I would want to have the ability to help. My YA series is about that, and I would love to do what Esme does…travel and end up in places where I’m needed, problem solve and help fix what’s broken in someone’s life.
If you could keep a mythical/paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have?
Sounds silly, but I would want Butler, the dog from my YA series. He’s gentle, kind, funny and intelligent. A friend who is always there and who loves with his whole heart. I would want a Butler. J Oh, and if he were too busy, I would love an Aslan from The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe.
Tell us a little about your latest release.
Love me Anyway is the first in my Passions in the Park series. It’s about a serial killer that leaves bodies in sealed caskets he makes himself in the remote areas of our National Parks System. In Love Me Anyway, Greyson Beauchene, is the head Ranger for Denali National Park and is completely head over heels for his park. When a casket is found in Denali, a profiler, Aspen O’Connell is called in to profile the killer. Aspen is a ‘my way or the highway’ personality while Greyson is a ‘live and let live’ type. They butt heads and end up falling in love, but have to put their feelings aside to catch the killer.
What is something you absolutely can’t live without (other than family members)? Chocolate, in large amounts and not waxy. GOOD creamy melt in your mouth chocolate…
Could you ever co-author a book with someone? If so, who would you choose, and what would you write?
I can’t even imagine how that would work. At this point in my career, I’m still learning so much about my own style that I wouldn’t know how to incorporate another style into it, or visa versa. That might be a good question for the next couple years. J
If you could spend a day with anyone from history, dead or alive, who would it be, and what would you do? What would you ask them?
Hands down, Nelson Mandela. I would spend the day listening to him, to his wisdom and what he’s learned from his life. I guess I would ask him how he survived imprisonment, and what it was like being free. I would want to know how he cleaned out his head, made room for all the good he accomplished after being so mistreated. I would ask him how he forgave so incredibly well. And then I would stop asking and just listen.
What are some of your other hobbies outside of writing?
I’m a singer, and if I could make a living singing, I would sing songs from the big band era. LOVE those songs! I also cross stitch, which I do love to do. I make jingle sox for my granddaughters (buy T-shirts for the grandsons) and that kept me busy in the evening for most of this last year. I love to camp with my hubby and look forward to purchasing a camping trailer or fifth wheel this next year.
If you were on the staff to have a book adapted to movie, what would you pick?
The Mistborn Series, The Final Empire. But if that one was made into a move you’d have to do all of them. Wonderful, wonderful books.
What is a talent you wish you had, but don’t?
Oil painting, for sure.
Favorite Color? Purple
Weather: Hot or cold? Cold, but not subzero.
Favorite place to read? At home, in front of a fireplace in my recliner with my Shelby puppy in my lap.
Favorite Meal: A really good prime rib.
Favorite non-alcoholic drink: Diet, caffeine free Pepsi. Nothing better in the world for this mouth. J
If you could travel anywhere, do anything, no limits or money holding you back, where would you go?
Inner city in any big area where I’d set up a homeless shelter that would include businesses that are willing to help homeless people learn a trade. It would have its own bank, eateries, janitorial services, office staff, satellite college. All of these businesses (with the exception of the college) would be (eventually) managed and run by the residents of the shelter, trained on the job by people who work in those businesses, and then the residents would be encouraged to move on to work outside the facility. I’ve heard all the reasons why this wouldn’t work, but I like to think about the possibilities that it just might…J
Alexa is beautiful, smart and alone in the world, a result of devastating losses in her life. She purchased a diner in the quiet out of the way town of Startup, Washington and hired employees to help run it. She’s just beginning to feel secure in her loneliness. Suddenly her world is jolted awake by Cayman, a handsome young stranger that enters her diner seemingly from nowhere. Event’s happen quickly, and soon Alexa is deep into secret lives, deception and desire.
Will she figure out the riddle of her father’s death? Will she be able to resist the temptation to fall in love with Cayman in spite of her suspicions? Will she live to tell the tale?
Excerpt:
“Don’t play those games with me, young lady,” said Keith, “I’ve been around too long, and don’t have that much time left that I would enjoy the game now. You liked him, and you know it.”
Alexa dropped dejectedly down in the seat across from Keith.
“Did I really blow it? I can’t fall for anyone again, Keith. I really can’t.”
Keith chuckled and looked down at his empty coffee cup.
“How old are you? Twenty-six? Twenty-eight max? Don’t you think that’s kind of a long time to be alone? You may have to do that ‘kissing-the-frogs’ thing for a while, but you don’t have to sleep with every frog you kiss, and you don’t have to expect every one of them to turn into a prince. But you could at least enjoy yourself along the way. I need some coffee.”
Alexa sighed and reached across the table to pour the steaming coffee into his cup.
“I can’t, Keith. I mean it; and I don’t want to. I don’t want to deal with another human being in my life.”
“Yes, you do.” He said with determination.
“How do you--How could you even remotely know that?”
Keith looked at her across the table. He picked up his coffee cup and took a slow sip, then put the cup back down on the table and stared into the dark liquid.
“I know that because there isn’t a human being on the face of this earth that doesn’t need to be loved.” He looked into her eyes. “You’re not betraying the memory of your father, nor are you giving in to a life you swore you’d never want. Be human Alexa; live again. Square your shoulders, take a deep breath and give it a go. It’s a ride you can stop at any time.”
Author Bio:
JL Redington lives Juneau, AK, with her husband Terry and puppy, Shelby. Together they are the parents of 6 grown children and 19 grandchildren. She loves to read, camp, cook and be with her friends and family. In writing this romance series, JL has found a new love in her life, and that is writing books. JL has always felt books are a way to take us out of the everyday and into a place we can relax, be entertained and enjoy a different world for a period of time. Happy reading!
Connect with JL!
Website: http://www.jlredington.com/
Facebook: Authorjlredington
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jlredington
Buy the Book!
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lies-that-save-us-the-broken-heart-series-jl-redington/1116796563?ean=9781304290830
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