Books-n-Kisses is so excited to have the wonderful Jaci Burton on the blog today. We are talking about her upcoming release Taking a Shot. If you love hot, sweaty sport stars, you will fall in love with Jaci’s Play-by –Play series.
1. Can you please share with us a little about yourself
Jaci: I’m an author of over 50 books, living in the wilds of Oklahoma with my husband and our dogs. I’ve been writing romance for ten years now, and love every day I get to roll out of bed in my pajamas, stumble to the coffee pot and start my day in my slippers and with bad hair. It’s a dream come true!
2. Have you always wanted to be an author?
Jaci: Not always. I wanted to be a teacher, then a nurse, but those were dreams that never quite made it to fruition. I ended up spending many years in corporate health care management while also juggling raising my kids. But I always loved to write, and dabbled here and there with nothing to show for it. It wasn’t until I divorced and married my totally awesome husband, who encouraged me to take my dreams of writing seriously, that it became the full time career I love so much now.
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3. Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Jaci: Oh, I have so many favorite authors—Nora Roberts, Jill Shalvis, Maya Banks, Julie James, Shannon Stacey, just to name a few. But I’d have to say I was heavily influenced by the historical writers of the 70’s and 80’s who fostered my love of reading—Kathleen Woodiwiss, Rosemary Rogers, Johanna Lindsay, Elizabeth Lowell, and Jude Deveraux, who taught me what romances were all about. Without them I’d have never fallen in love with romances, and would have never wanted to write them.
4. How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
Jaci: When I first started writing, I released books in a multitude of genres, from contemporary to suspense to fantasy and paranormals, but always came back to contemporary romances, because it’s the genre I love to read the most. And while on occasion I will read in other genres, I plan to stick with writing contemporaries, because it’s the genre I’m the happiest writing.
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5. What are some of your writing rituals?
Jaci: I don’t really have any set rituals. I try to hit a certain word count per day, but sometimes life and other things get in the way and it doesn’t always work out. I generally fly by the seat of my pants, and as long as the book gets done on time, I’m happy.
6. Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
Jaci: Taking A Shot is my current release, and is the third book in my Play-by-Play sports series. It’s about hot sports players and the women they love. Taking A Shot is about Ty Anderson, hockey player for the fictional ST Louis Ice, and Jenna Riley, owner of Riley’s sports bar. Jenna wants nothing to do with sports players since her family is all about sports. But Ty’s determined to show her that they belong together, and his job shouldn’t matter.
7. How did you come with the idea for this story?
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| book 3 |
Jaci: I had an idea to do a series about professional sports players, and thought it might be fun to make the books family-centric. So the Riley family was born, with Mick the football player in the first book, The Perfect Play, Gavin the baseball player in the second book, Changing The Game, and though Jenna doesn’t play professional sports, she runs the family sports bar and meets up with Ty the hockey player in Taking A Shot. We extend the Riley family with Cole, a Riley cousin, in Book 4, Playing to Win, which will release in September.
8. Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Jaci: Right now I’m working on Book 5 of the Play-by-Play series, Thrown By A Curve, which is a baseball story and features Cole’s sister, Alicia.
9. What would you be if you were not an author?
Jaci: Uh….I have no idea. I’d probably still be in corporate life, bored and dissatisfied. 😉
10. What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Jaci: Right now I have an ARC of Julie James upcoming book, About That Night. Lucky me!
11. Is there anything else you would like to add?
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Jaci: I’m most appreciative of this interview, and I want to thank everyone who has read and loved my Play-by-Play series!
I’d also like to offer up a copy of The Perfect Play, Book 1 in my Play by Play series, or Changing The Game, Book 2 in the Play by Play series. The winner can decide which book they’d like to receiver, and the book can be in either print or Kindle or Nook format, winner’s choice!
GIVEAWAY TIME…..
For a chance to win The Perfect Play or Changing the Game please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.
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