Hi Jaye, Welcome to Books-n-Kisses. Thank you for taking time to sit down and talk with me about your new story Get Away Weekend
Jaye: It’s a pleasure to be here! I really like your site and I’m happy to share my love of books and writing with you and your visitors.
Q1) Tell us a little about yourself.
Jaye: I’m a bit of a world traveller, and have just recently settled back in the US after living in Dublin, Ireland. I’m a regular at coffee shops and cafes in the small town I live in near the California coast, and your readers in that area have probably crossed paths with me and never realized it. I’m the one sitting in the corner scribbling away in my notebook, as I imagine all the things that brought the people I can see to that particular point in their day.
Q2) Describe Get Away Weekend in 140 characters or less.
Jaye: Cara invites herself on a trip with the older Jack, who tries to keep his feelings at arm’s length. She has three steamy nights to convince him that love has no age limit.
Q3) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Jaye: I was asking a young woman to tell me about some of the music and trends that were popular with her peers, and her response was “I have no idea what my ‘peers’ listen to. I don’t really connect with anybody my own age, all my older friends are much, much more interesting.”
So I started wondering what kind of man she would find attractive, and what would happen.
Q4) What did you find most challenging about writing this story?
Jaye: Jack and Cara take a path together that is both physical and emotional. It was tricky to make sure that the reader got to experience both aspects of that journey, and not get lost in either the intense heat of the love scenes or the more internal emotional voyage.
Q5) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Jaye: I absolutely have. I recently uncovered some school essays from my early teens where I talk about wanting to be a writer, and the first time I filled a notebook with a story was in 5th grade. It was about a knight, a lion, and a damsel in distress.
Q6) What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Jaye: I do a lot of hiking, I love wine tasting, and I drink a lot of coffee. I’m fortunate to have a job I love that pays the bills and I can follow my writing passion wherever it takes me, whether or not a story is “marketable”.
I also try to challenge myself to learn new things and stretch my personal experiences. I recently completed a sprint-distance triathlon. My goal was not to win, it was to finish without drowning.
Q7) Favorite book and why?
Jaye: It depends on my mood, but my two top books are Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist, and Lynn Eisenberg’s My Life, Uncovered.
The Alchemist is such a beautiful fable of self-discovery, listening to the universe, and being true to one’s nature that I re-read it at least once a year and always find something new in it. I always buy it for friends who are starting to question their lives and their choices.
My Life, Uncovered was the book that reminded me that I needed to write what I was inspired to write, even if that was something that somebody else might think was too explicit or not “the right kind” of writing. It taught me that there is one, fundamental thing to being a writer. Just. Write.
Q8) Favorite inspirational quote and why?
Jaye: “Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self” (Cyril Connolly).
The quote keeps me honest. When I write something and I start thinking “Gosh, what if nobody likes it?” I remember that what’s important is that I like it, and then I’m happy even if the story never gets read.
The secret, of course, is that the more the writer loves what they have written, the greater the odds are that readers will love it, too.
Q9) What is your current work in progress?
Jaye: I’m working on an urban paranormal romance about the Dubh Sidhe, or the Fey Folk of Dublin. A prince is about to lose his throne to his evil brother, and only the action of one human woman can save it and the power of his clan. If she chooses to.
Q10) Anything else you would like to share with us?
Jaye: I love reader feedback, and I welcome everybody to follow me on Twitter @JayErotica and get some free peeks at my writing on Jaye’s Erotic Notebook www.jayeraymee.blogspot.com.
Books-n-Kisses: Jaye, Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down with me and share your story. I look forward to reading more of your books in the future.
Giveaway Time:
Breathless Press is offering an e-copy of Get Away Weekend.
To enter:
Please leave a comment
Please leave your email
Giveaway will end on Sept 19th
Winner will be announced Sept 21st
I'm always looking for new authors, and stories, to read. I can't wait to add this to my list.
I can only agree with lynnareynolds. Would love to read this book! New author – new book = always exciting to dive into.
I'm a coffee addict, too btw!!
sk_86(at)gmx(dot)de
_yay_ @ BookthatThing
I've recently become intrigued with larger age differences between the H/H recently. This definitely sounds like a book I would enjoy reading.
sherri-hayes@live.com
Getaway Weekend sounds great! I've never read anything by Jaye Raymee but I'm definitely adding this book to my list and will check out her site. I love romances where the hero/heroine are challenged to prove their suitability in the relationship and this sounds like a fun book. Thanks for the giveaway!
junegirl63(at)gmail(dot)com
Wow, thanks all for the warm welcome and the excitement!! I'd love to heat your thoughts!!
-Jaye
Love the interview! will have to pick up the books the author spoke about that keep her writing, and keep her true to herself! Can't wait to read her books either!
iarvd@yahoo.com
Thanks Amanda! The Alchemist is a wonderful, quick read that is a gorgeous piece of writing.
-Jaye
I love age difference romance stories, so I would love to read this one!
Mierke_Maria(at)hotmail.com
Thanks, Mierke! BTW all-I'd love to hear what intrigues you all about the age difference thing. Share your thoughts!
-Jaye