Interview & Tour Wide Giveaway with Jennifer Lyon

By Kelly on October 22, 2013 in Blog Tour, Book Monster Promotions, Interviews, Jennifer Lyon

Hi Jen!! Welcome back to Books-n-Kisses. We always love having you on the blog. For those who have been living under a rock or don’t know who you are can you please share with us a little about yourself

Sure, but I’m pretty average. I grew up in Southern CA, although I lived in Arizona for a few short years until my father suddenly passed away just before my 14^th birthday. Life got very difficult after that, and I discovered romances—books that empowered women and gave me hope that life would get better.

It absolutely did, by the way. I met my husband at the dog pound (seriously!) We have three sons, and continue to create our own version of happily-ever-after every single day.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I dreamed of being a writer from the time I was in high school, but it wasn’t until I was married, had our children, and my husband was going after his MBA degree that I started to think—why not try it? It took me eight years, five manuscripts, and a lot of support but I finally succeeded.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

Probably just the sheer craziness of my process. The rest of my life is pretty organized, but my writing process is a mess. I begin with a premise and outline, but once I start writing, I hit walls, stumble around, write entire scenes and then delete them, get halfway through the book then go back to the beginning and rip it apart…yet somehow out of the mess a book eventually takes shape. I end up with major anxiety and insomnia at some point with every book. Yet I’ve never found an easier way.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

I just released OBSESSION, the third and final book in The Plus One Chronicles Trilogy. The first book THE PROPOSITION leans toward being the heroine, Kat’s, story. The second one, POSSESSION shows us more of the hero, Sloane’s story. I love those two books. But OBSESSION is the sizzling and emotional culmination that I love so much because these two have earned their happy ending on a road of real pain and tough choices. They chose to love.

Writing this trilogy has been an intense and amazing experience for me. I almost always love my characters, but Kat and Sloane, and many of the secondary characters completely captivated me. They are so real to me as they struggled with real issues and tried to make the best choices. Love really can heal—it’s not perfect and it doesn’t make problems go away. But love can give us that emotional support we need to handle the curveballs that live throws us.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I’ve had bits and pieces of the idea for years, but the catalyst for writing this story was my son’s injury. It was during his long recovery that Kat and Sloane came to me and said, “Now’s the time. Tell our story.” It sounds so dramatic, but it’s true. In some ways, my son’s bravery as he faced a difficult injury and the loss of a career he’d worked so hard for inspired me to go for it. I knew this story had to be told with brutal honesty and that takes courage (for me anyway). And I was going to have to dig deep in some painful places to do it.

Soon, I was so compelled to write these three books, I almost had no choice but to just go for it.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

Right now I’m working on THE COWBOY MARINE (title may change) which is the second book in my Once A Marine Series that I write as Jennifer Apodaca for Entangled Publishing. The first book is titled THE BABY BARGAIN and came out in March 2013.

In THE COWBOY MARINE, Logan Knight is an operative for Once A Marine Security Agency. After ten years in the Marines, Logan has some PTSD and to deal with that he goes home to his spot of land on his family’s ranch. But when Logan arrives, there’s a beautiful young woman and her baby hiding out in his house.

These books are updated versions of traditional category books and a lot of fun for me to write! I’m looking forward to seeing how Logan and Becky’s story turns out!

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

I’ve met a lot of awesome writers, including Dean Koontz and a great many romance authors. I suppose I’d like to meet Stephen King because he scared the crap out of me when I read his books in high school, and then I read MISERY and PET SEMETARY after I was married and having my kids. Not the best choices for a young mom up at night with babies! I’ve been around Nora Roberts, but I’d love a chance to formally meet her and her alter ego, JD Robb. I could go on and on forever talking about authors!

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Learn to finish the book! When we get bogged down in the middle of the book we’re writing, it’s so easy to get distracted by a new, fresh ideas. Jot down those ideas somewhere, then go back and finish that first book. I also encourage writers to join groups, maybe Romance Writers of America, or an online group. We learn so much that way, and it helps us to stay inspired and motivated.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

I’ve never been out of the U.S. Someday, I’ll travel somewhere fun outside the country. One of my kids just came back from Costa Rica and loved it. But my first choice (except for the LONG plane ride) would be Australia.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

SHADOWED by Rebecca Zanetti! I have it on my Kindle but have been too crazy-busy to read. It’s up next and I can’t wait! In fact, By the time this interview posts, I’m sure I will have devoured the book!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Yes! This series truly surprised me when it took off around the second book. That’s all due to readers and bloggers, and I want to thank you all for loving Kat and Sloane (and all the rest of the characters) as much as I do! I wrote these books on pure faith and the desperate need to tell this story, but you all made it come to life by reading and sharing. That has both thrilled and humbled at the same time. Thank you for believing in love—even when it’s not easy or perfect.

A look at the The Plus One Chronicles

A wicked proposition…

A sensual possession…

A dark obsession…

The Plus One Chronicles: Searing passion and fiery vengeance collide in three explosive books.

*****

THE PROPOSITION

The Plus One Chronicles, Book 1

Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Smashwords | iTunes

Rich, sexy and volatile, Sloane Michaels has a dark agenda that keeps his heart on ice. His extreme wealth gives him the control he craves and his skills as an ex UFC fighter the tools he’ll need to extract his ultimate revenge. But when the woman he never believed he’d see again crosses his path, Sloane is caught between the vengeance he needs and a sexual conquest he craves.

Kat Thayne has been in survival mode for six years, hiding behind the sweet creations for her bakery. But when a random carjacking brings her face-to-face with her darkest fears and hottest fantasy, Kat is forced out of hiding and offered a dangerously passionate proposition. One she knows she isn’t strong enough to refuse.

*****

POSSESSION

The Plus One Chronicles, Book 2

Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Smashwords

**Please note: Possession is book two of a three book series. Readers should start with The Proposition.**

Savagely sexy billionaire Sloane Michaels ruthlessly controls his life and everything in it. Even his sex partners are carefully negotiated plus-one arrangements, including his latest, the fiery bakery owner, Kat Thayne. But Sloane’s control is challenged when his mentor becomes seriously ill, and his need for Kat, his need to possess her at all costs, rivals only his single-minded goal of vengeance for the murder of his sister.

After surviving an attack six years ago, Kat Thayne escaped her fears in the protective world of her beloved bakery. Then Sloane Michaels storms into her life, making her feel beautiful, strong and sexy. Yet as Kat pushes her boundaries and uncovers a dangerous secret in her past, Sloane’s controlling side emerges. Worried that Sloane will possess her mind, body and soul, Kat fights to keep her hard won independence. But just as Sloane demands her complete surrender, she discovers he has a dark side that could destroy them both.
**Possession is an adult contemporary novel and is not intended for younger readers due to mature content.**

*****

OBSESSION

The Plus One Chronicles, Book 3

In the explosive conclusion to The Plus One Chronicles Trilogy, obscenely rich, jaggedly handsome and still obsessed with love and vengeance, Sloane Michaels must face an impossible choice: lose the woman he loves or betray his twin sister’s memory.

Watching the man she adores destroy himself for revenge, Kat Thayne knows she should run and never look back. But running isn’t her way anymore. Kat has grown into a fierce fighter, and the man who helped her get there is the very man who needs her strength now. But as the sizzling passion and hard-won love bind Kat and Sloane even tighter together, old secrets and lies explode around them. Danger threatens. And Kat soon realizes that she’s risking more than her heart to be with Sloane…she’s risking her very life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Lyon grew up under the shadow of the Matterhorn at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. She attended Walt Disney elementary school and her very first playmate was her beloved dog, Duke, who was cast in the role of hero in all their adventures.

Clearly Jen was born to daydream. But it took her years to figure out how to turn her imagination into a career as an author. After marrying and becoming a full time mom to three sons, Jen launched her career with the award winning Samantha Shaw Mystery Series and other romantic mysteries under the name Jennifer Apodaca. Later, she took the name Jennifer Lyon, combined her love of witches, alpha males and sizzling romance into another award winning series, the Wing Slayer Hunters.

Jennifer has several new releases coming out this year. THE PROPOSITION, the first book in her new Plus One Chronicles was just released on February 24 and following later in the year will be Book Two: POSSESSION – Coming 5/28/13 and Book Three: OBSESSION – Coming 9/24/13.

Writing under Jennifer Apodaca she will be releasing the first book in her Once A Marine series, titled THE BABY BARGAIN which will be out in March 2013 from Entangled Publishing in their Indulgence line.

For more information on Jen or her books, please visit her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

TOUR GIVEAWAY:

Jennifer is giving away the following prizes at the end of her tour:
GRAND PRIZE: $50.00 gift card to Amazon or B&N
RUNNERS UP: TWO (2) runners up each get a $25.00 gift card to Amazon or B&N

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