Interview with Jenn LeBlanc

Today I am pleased to be sharing my blog with a very talented writer and artist. Jenn LeBlanc's books are like nothing else out there. The beautiful photography, the hand picked bodies, and of course the wonderful writing make for one (or five) great books! I am please to call Jenn an associate I have the honor of working with as well as a friend. Please welcome Jenn LeBlanc

What genre(s) do you write?

I write time travel historicals. I refer to them primarily as historicals because they identify better with that genre than with the sci fi/fantasy genre. The time travel aspect of the book is more fish out of water than a big technical exploration of the quirks and conundrums that accompany a time traveler.


What was the hardest part of writing your book?

My books are illustrated, so the most difficult part was determining what images to shoot and place, and how to layout the book. It’s very different, and something that hasn’t really been done, especially in the romance genre. This is the only one. The images were created specifically for this novel, they are an integral part of the story and add pieces to the story that would otherwise go unnoticed. It was a great deal of fun, but also very difficult, because I didn’t have a road map, so to speak.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I am 100% pantser. I have tried to plat on the past, but it just doesn’t work for me. I keep trying, but my brain just fights structure of any kind. It’s unfortunate in that some of the techniques I’ve heard of with plotting are SO COOL! But alas, it still hasn’t worked for me.

How much time did it take from writing your first book to having it published?

I started writing this novel in March of 2009, it was complete in May of 2009, and spent about 9 months in edits. Then I decided to shoot a cover to grab the attention of agents, that exploded into illustrating the whole book, and the shoots lasted about a year. It was finally released in February of 2010, but was incomplete, the final two parts of the story were not included in the original book, and it wasn’t published the way I wanted it to be, as a six part serial novel. THAT finally happened this last December, each part being released every two weeks. The final part of the book, the grand finale comes out on February 28th. So I have lived these characters for three years now. I’m actually a little sad to let them go.

What other careers have you had?

I was a mom primarily, for a long time, then I returned to school, because I was a single mom it took me ten years to get through school while working, but I graduated with degrees in photojournalism and fine art photography. I pursued a career in photojournalism, and most recently won a first place national award for my coverage of the Gulf Oil Spill. My writing and cover photography business has taken over a bit, and I have cut back my freelancing, but I still work for several local papers on occasion, just because I love it so very much.




Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases.

THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE is a six part serial novel, with the final installment of the serial to be released on February 28th.

My next project BETWEEN A FRIEND AND FOREVER is scheduled to start shooting this spring for a summer release, but those are soft dates as of yet. The manuscript is finished, it’s all brass tacks now, models, scheduling, etc. I’m really excited about this book because the heroine is so very different from the heroines I’ve read, she suffers a form of mental illness, possibly OCD with a chaser of anxiety or maybe even tourettes with a bit of Asberger’s. Of course these illnesses weren’t available as diagnoses back then, so she is treated as an outcast. As the sole heir of a duke, with the responsibility of securing her future and that of her mother should her father die, it’s a difficult place to be.

Following that is the —as yet—untitled follow up to TRATR, This book follows two characters introduced in TRATR, cousins of the Duke and Viscount Roxleigh. It is also a time travel historical.

Please share any links you would like listed in the Interview. Website, Myspace, blog, facebook, yahoo group etc.

Where to find me: Twitter | Facebook | Author Site | Blog | Tumblr(NSFW) Please come find me! I LOVE to chat with readers!

I have several constants in life that define me:

Colorado, Canon, CJ, kids and curls.

Born and raised in a household of other people’s children in this beautiful state —very nearly with a camera in hand— I never left. I started my own family, got used to the curls, went to college, built a CJ, and started a business, all with a camera in hand.

I always had another passion; storytelling born from daydreams and nightmares. My fingers were never as quick as my mind, and no amount of practice got them there, so it was difficult and frustrating to have this inside me. When my second daughter was born her inherent traits kept me pinned— my only escape the keyboard. Spending my days in parenting chat rooms I got highly adept with one-handed typing and I can still type just about as fast with one hand as I can with two. It’s a great talent to have when engrossed in a scene and in need of a hit of caffeine. I recently finished my first novel but I quickly realized: I was born a photographer.

From the realization that someone ELSE would be shooting the cover of MY book my control-freak took over. What started as an easy cover shoot ballooned into this completely new kind of media, designed specifically for digital book readers.

I live and thrive off chaos and the constant flow of the creative process. I wear shorts and flip-flops year-round —much to the chagrin of my friends and family— and I am currently working on the illustrations for my second serial novel.

Follow the blog or twitter for up to date information!

And what follows is a bit about the books:

Trailer:

http://youtu.be/RSW_LyFR5To

A woman out of time.

A man stifled by propriety.

A nemesis determined to take her away.

A brother to the rescue.

How will a powerful Duke deal with a woman who doesn't know her place? How will a woman used to the 21st century survive in time where she is considered property?

Francine Larrabee woke up on the wrong side of the century. She was fairly certain she went to sleep in her own comfy bed, but she doesn’t quite seem to be there now. Only adding to her problems is that she has no voice, is constantly being glowered at by a large, stunning man who is obsessed with propriety, and she is apparently betrothed to another horrid little man, determined to ruin her, and any other girls that get in his way.

How does she find herself in the past, when she couldn’t even find herself in her present? How does a self sufficient businesswoman survive in a time when women were still considered property for the whole of their lives and what is she going to do with this man who draws her to him so fiercely.

Where to get the books:

THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE

FREEDOM : Part one brings Francine to the world of the Duke of Roxleigh, clashing worlds in first installment of the completely revised novel, with all new material.

Available now from these ebook retailers:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

All Romance eBooks

iBookstore for iThingys

FOUND : Part two finds Francine in the world of the Duke of Roxleigh. The clashing of worlds in first installment of the completely revised novel continues as Francine finds her footing, discovers secrets about her elusive host, and learns more about herself than she ever thought possible.  

Available now from these ebook retailers:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance eBooks
iBookstore for iThingys

TAKEN : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Three

Part THREE brings Francine and Gideon closer than they ever imagined possible, until the unimaginable tears them apart. What will Gideon do if he loses her, this time, forever?

Available now from these ebook retailers:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance eBooks
Goodreads

RUINATION : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Four

Part FOUR is full of revelations, celebrations, protestations and one surprise that will have you holding your breath for the final chapters. What has Perry done?

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Goodreads

SUBMISSION : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Five

Perry leaves Roxleigh House without a backward glance only to be tossed headlong into one of the most difficult trials of his life. How will he protect the very thing he is dedicated to pursuing? How will a man dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure survive a woman who refuses to relent, when he knows he cannot have her.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance Ebooks
Goodreads

RETRIBUTION : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Six

Perry must find the woman who has managed to capture his heart, then he must find a way to keep her. Someone else is on the hunt, someone from her past who doesn’t appreciate that she still lives and breaths.

Coming February 28, 2012

Keeping the positive side

Best Selling Author
Bernadette Marie

It wasn't so long ago that you'd hear me say the word "hate" before almost any sentence.  "I hate school. I hate that dress.  I hate my body.  I hate that."  Yes, this was me.  What an ugly word. I was young.  Newly married.  Desperate to have a baby.  I was hanging out with old friends that I'd grown up with.  Trouble makers, no.  Deviants? No.  Gossips...this is summed up with OMG!

It was brought to my attention at a wedding a of a friend that my outlook on life sucked.  While sitting among friends I hadn't seen in a long time and their spouses we were catching up.  Inevitably the conversation steers to, "I saw so and so  at the store the other day.  Did you know they got married..."  Typical conversation, right?  However, my negative self would reply, "Well, did you hear that they..."  Again, OMG!!!

One of my friend's husbands, whom I really didn't know well looked right at me and in front of all my friends, my husband, and my mother said, "Do you only know the negative things about people?"

WOW!  Talk about a come to God moment.  Lightning bolt to the head.  A slap across the face.  This was exactly what I was doing, idle gossip with  no purpose.  I spent the rest of the reception with my head down, mouth closed, and heart squeezing because I looked like an idiot.

It didn't take much more to learn my lesson.  In sixteen years you haven't heard the word hate come from my lips.  It's a nasty word.  And in my home, of now five sons, its a four letter word that is not said by any of us.  Idle gossip has no place in my life.  If you choose to share it with me I listen, but I don't have to reply.

This very significant moment in my life taught me I needed to hang out with people who were a bit more positive.  I began to do that.

At the time I owned a small salon.  I began to gather friends who had like interests, who wanted to build a business, who wanted to help me along the way.  From there I began my family, started direct sales companies, and again, began to build relationships with like minded, motivated people.  In the past sixteen years I have revamped my life.  I want your successes for you as much as I want my own.  I want you to feel as good about yourself as I do about myself.  And idle gossip is a thing of the past.  I surround myself with bright thinkers.  Positive thinkers.  People who take care of themselves and will take care of you too if you needed it.

Heading into my 40th year I look around me and I'm pleased with what I've built.  Businesses. Careers. I've lived out many of my childhood dreams, and I continue to do so every day.  In this year I will become a second degree black belt.  Every day I tie on that belt I smile.  I can't believe that is me!  There is no room in this world for hate, not even for the word, because soon enough it begins to become you.

Gone are the days when I had friends only because I'd known them a long time.  Now are the days I seize the moment to find a new friend and have another positive moment in my life.

To those friends I've lost because I was petty, maybe you could give me another try.  To my new friends, thank you for being the positive crowd I needed.  To those I've yet to meet, I want only the best for you.  Let's take the world by storm and make it a wonderful place to live!

Drop hate from your words, from your hearts, and from your way of living.  Open yourself up to the greatness that is in you and in others.  When you feel the negative come along, only you can make it go away.  Is every day easy? No, but it doesn't have to beat you down either.  When you feel like slashing out at the world on Facebook or Twitter, write it and then delete and put good out into the universe.  I'm here to tell you it'll come back to you.

Have a Positive Day!
Bernadette Marie

I'm guest Blogging

Today I am the guest blogger on Lizzie T. Leaf's blog.  Please stop by and read my story of true love.  There is a chance to win Candy Kisses, the first book in my Sweet Treats Novella series.

Guest Blogger Jessica Aspen

Thanks for having me as your guest today Bernadette. I had a great time with the interview on Tuesday and today, blogging on my theme in romance.  Leave a comment today on Warrior Princess and register it HERE to enter to win prizes. I’m giving away books, chocolates and more, in celebration of the upcoming release of Little Red Riding Wolf, my sensual novella due out on February 18th.

The Messages in Romance

As an author on a killer blog tour, I’ve found there are certain questions that interviewers often ask. One of the most prevalent is: What is the theme of your book or books? This was a difficult thing for me to come up with as a writer. It is part of who you are, and part of what makes your books special. And sometimes it doesn’t just mean having a theme in a particular book, but having a theme as an author. What are you passionate about that makes your writing special?

For some authors you’ll find their themes take on almost a cultural feel. They write solely about small towns and the relationships within them. Or they write about military families and the challenges they face. For me, it is the theme that love is about personal growth between two people. That the person whom you fall in love with, really deeply and truly in love with, is the person who makes you grow.

When I sat down to write my first book, I didn’t know that I was going to write about this message. I didn’t have much in mind at all, beyond knowing it was going to be a romance. Needless to say, that book is still unfinished. It didn’t have what it takes to make it all the way to completion. It didn’t have heart. And more importantly, it didn’t have my heart.

So what I am so passionate about that it has made it into every single one of my books? It’s the idea that your soul mate is the one who challenges you to be your best. The one who makes you look twice at your thoughts and beliefs and decide to make changes in yourself and your life. The one person who not only helps you to change, but also the person whom you help to change. You might ask how this works in paranormal romance. After all there are werewolves and adventure and action taking up so much space, how can an author also have a message of personal growth?

In my novella, Little Red Riding Wolf, Red is not just a werewolf. She’s also a daughter, wrestling with separating from her overprotective family. She’s unsure if she can or should break away and worrying if it will hurt her mother. Evan, her forest ranger hero, comes from a background where he’s been on his own a long time and he doesn’t understand why she even is worried about her family. She should consider her needs first. I think you can see how he can help her become more independent while she can help him see the value of family even with the werewolves and shape-shifting and action.

It took me awhile to realize that this was my theme that would underlie all of my writing. I find it romantic in my personal life, and as I wrote my next few books I realized that I look for it in all the books I read. I’m disappointed when it’s not there. I want men and women to help each other grow. My message is what I find truly attractive in a relationship, strength through togetherness. That’s what I find romantic.

Jessica Aspen writes paranormal romance near the foothills of the Colorado Rockies. Her books are full of elves, were-wolves and sexy men who walk on the dark side of the knife. She loves dark chocolate, walking the dog, hiking and is obsessed with her new lap-top. Jessica is also obsessed with writing and learning about writing. She is a member of RWA, CRW, FF&P and PRO. You can find Jessica the first Friday of the month at http://ParanormalFreebies.com and most days during the week at http://jessicaaspen.com

Follow Jessica on twitter @jessicaaspen and on Facebook.com/Jessica.Aspen and don’t forget to enter her contest HERE to win novellas, chocolate and more!

Come into the woods with Little Red Riding Wolf, Jessica Aspen’s spicy paranormal novella due for release February 18^th from Passion in Print Press. What if Little Red Riding Hood was a werewolf and a sexy forest ranger wandered into her woods?

Fraternizing with humans is taboo, but when feisty werewolf Red runs into hunky new forest ranger Evan Brewster, she jumps on the opportunity to let loose her desires. Evan is stoked when he meets the petite red haired hottie, and combined with his new discovery of wolves in Colorado, thinks his career and life are made. Then Red pushes him away, her hostile brother threatens his life, and things begin to spiral out of control. Caught between her sexy lover and her pack can Red trust Evan with her secrets, or must she sacrifice her human lover and her heart?