Author Interview: Jade Lee - Sexy, Sassy Romance. Multiple Award Winning, USA Today Best Selling Author

Jade Lee - Sexy, Sassy Romance  

Multiple Award Winning and USA Today Best Selling Author of over 30 romance novels

  

Tell us a little about yourself and your background?  Where are you from?

I was born and raised in the middle of Illinois. My mother was from China, my father from Indiana. They met while getting masters degrees at the University of Michigan. Dad was getting an MBA, Mom got a MS in psychology. As for me, I went the all-English route. Undergraduate in English, MPW (Masters of Professional Writing).

So that’s the educational background. I know, boring. I had planned to write great screenplays mixing fantasy and romance. But when we moved back to the midwest (out of LA) I ended up switching into novels. I started writing historical romance (regency era) and just kept branching about from there.

What are your books about?

Sexy romance. (I’m not talking 50 shades sexy, but definitely explicit) My mainstay as Jade Lee is sexy historical romance. (search Jade Lee at amazon or bn or your favorite outlet. I’ve always got at least one book up for free). What the Groom Wants is the latest. The feed in novella, The Groom’s Gamble is free right now!  I also write sexy contemporary romance as Kathy Lyons. Newest one coming out June 30 is Two Week Seduction. I also try very hard to add humor to my books. If you can’t laugh while falling in love, then there just isn’t enough sense of the ridiculous in you!

February 2014

January 2014

What inspired you to write these books?

Romance at its core is: Love Conquers All. My life—and everyone else’s—hasn’t been a piece of cake. It’s been hard with traumas and difficult places. And what has gotten me through? The love of my life. He’s my husband and today we celebrate 30 years. OMG, where has the time gone?

Who are the primary readers of your books?

Romance fans. The demographics of the romance genre readership is varied. Mostly women. My audience tends to skew younger, but I’ve got fan mail from every demographic (including men!). If you like to fall in love, laugh, and have hot sex, then my books are for you!

How long did it take you to write them?

That varies widely. The fastest I’ve ever written a book was 3 weeks, but it was a shorter contemporary. My historicals are double that length. The longest – well, there’s this one book that took over 2 years and never was released. Sometimes you’ve just got to say, nope. That’s not going anywhere.

How did you come up with the titles? The covers?

I’m TERRIBLE at titles and at covers! That’s the publisher’s job. On my computer, the titles usually the heroine’s name. Or the hero’s name. Or something that happens in the first chapter. My current work is titled CLOSET because something happens to the heroine as she opens her closet door. And when they ask for cover advice – I say, I like a clinch. Manchest, maybe. I don’t know. Whatever works.

See, I’m terrible at marketing!

What was the hardest part in writing your books? How did you resolve it?

Sitting down and doing it. I’d much rather read. ABCD – Apply Butt to Chair Daily.

What was the easiest part in writing your books?  

When the idea is funny and the scene just spools out in my mind, the writing is a joy. Sadly, that doesn’t happen as often as I’d like. Almost never. *sigh*

What is a typical writing day for you?  When are you most creative?

I’d like to say I leap out of bed, grab a nutritious breakfast and start banging out words. That has happened…um…never. Coffee comes first, food eventually. Email, games, social media, blogs and interviews, all of that can eat into my morning. But eventually, I have to force myself to get going. My most productive day was when I wrote before I even opened my email. OMG, that was discipline! You’d think I’d do it again. Huh. Maybe I should try that…after I finish this other thing…and I just got another email in…and… See? SQUIRREL! It’s my personal motto. Or curse. Or just…oooh…Shiny!

What are your hobbies besides writing?

I play a lot of racquetball. I went pro for 2 weeks before blowing my knees. *sigh*

Do you have any advice you’d like to give to aspiring authors?

It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Write, write, write every day. ABCD (Do what I say, not what I do). Network with other writers. And eventually, you’ll get better and better and better. And then I’ll be asking you for cover quotes!

Where can the readers find your books or your works?

Everywhere! And be sure to search for my books. There’s always something free!  My website is: www.jadeleeauthor.com or www.kathylyons.com All my links are there.

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