Fun Interview with Jane Leopold Quinn, Author of A Promise at Dawn

Jane Leopold Quinn

A Promise at Dawn

Erotic Romance, Contemporary M/F

Excerpt Link:  http://amzn.com/B00KX8KGL2

Interview

Hi, Jane! Welcome to my blog! Let's get right to the interview.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote or line from A Promise at Dawn? If so, please share. 

A:  When Gil tells Faye he wants to paint her, she trepidatiously asks, “You don’t want to do this in the nude, do you?”  My favorite line is Gil’s response, “Well, no, I’m not usually in the nude when I paint.  But that’s your choice.”

Q: Who is your favorite main character from A Promise at Dawn? Why? 

A: This is a hard question because I love both my characters.  I guess I have to say the hero Gil is my favorite.  As an artist, a painter, he sees Faye, yes as a beautiful woman, but also as an interesting and mysterious subject.  When she tells him she’s widowed, he notices she’s still wearing her wedding ring.  To him that means she has depths of emotion.

Q: Who is your second favorite character? Why?

A:  This would have to be Faye.  She has her widowhood to forge through until the younger, good looking painter takes an interest.  Then she has to fight her loyalty to her husband and growing feelings for Gil. 

Q: What was the hardest part of writing A Promise at Dawn?

A:  Keeping Faye’s growing interest in Gil realistic since she was such a recent widow. 

Q: What question do you wish that someone would ask about A Promise at Dawn?

A:  Where did the idea for A Promise at Dawn come from?  Even writers wonder where other authors got their ideas.  For A Promise at Dawn, the original impetus for writing the story was a publisher issuing a submission call for older women/younger men stories.  The publisher didn’t accept the story but it was still written.  Another publisher did accept it and when I got my rights back, I decided to self publish it.  I love the story and didn’t want it to sit in the drawer.  My thought of a woman watching the ocean at dawn from her porch overlooking the beach began the story.  Somehow, I hardly recall how, the man running along the beach became a painter and the rest is in the story.  Oh, and the cover doesn’t hurt my eyes either.

Jocelyn's note: That is a hot cover!

Q: Convince readers to buy A Promise at Dawn in 25 words or less.

A:  The hunk is widow Faye's guilty pleasure. She gets painter Gil's creative juices flowing. Will their ages disrupt their affair or will it become scorchingly sensual?

Q: Why did you choose to write in this genre/subgenre?

A: Erotic romance chose me.  When I first put pen to paper, I realized that romance was what I was writing and that it was super hot.  And I realized that I loved writing this way.

Q: Do you outline or do you start with a basic idea and let it flow? (plotter or pantser)

A: I begin with the idea because that’s what runs rampant in my mind, then I write a chapter or two to figure out what the plot might become.  Then I usually have to fill out my plot grid, which is simply 5 columns (chapter #, POV character, scene description, love scene, misc. notes).  That plot grid changes as I write along, but I find I need the structure to feel confident that the story flows logically.  I definitely need to keep track of love making, kissing, etc. so that a more intimate act doesn’t come before the first kiss. 

Q: Do your family and friends know what you write? If so, what do they think about it?

A: Everyone knows, no one seems very interested.  Maybe if I made the New York Times best seller list they’d take me seriously.  Some though, are supportive and actually impressed that they know a published author.  I like them best.  ;-)

Q: In erotica/erotic romance, the sex is depicted graphically. Are there any specific words or phrases you aren't comfortable using in your stories? Word or phrase that makes you say “ick”?

A: Yes, even as an erotic romance author, there are words I don’t care for.  I only use the “c” word in the bad guy’s dialogue.  I try to use words that respect the sexual act.  It’s love making, not sex making, and love is my main message. 

Q: What is your favorite part of writing erotica/erotic romance?

A:  Portraying the deepest emotions in love making.  It’s not just part A in slot B.  A and B are intimate body parts.

Q: How long ago was your first story accepted by a publisher and did you pee your pants? 

A:  My first story was accepted by Whiskey Creek Torrid in January 2005.  And no, I didn’t pee my pants, but I sure lost my breath for a moment and my heart pounded.  When I got the email from a particular publisher accepting a book, I really went nuts sobbing so much my husband didn’t know what was going on.  That publisher was my dream publisher and they finally accepted me.  I celebrated with a couple of chocolate martinis.

Q: What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the publishing process?

A:  I’d have to say that being published is my favorite part.  ;-)  Least favorite is low sales. 

Fun Stuff

Q: Tattoos. Hot or not? And do you have any?

A: Too many tattoos aren’t hot to me and I don’t have any.

Q: Wine, Beer or Liquor?

A: Riesling and Moscato, Stella Artois, vodka tonics and chocolate martinis

Q: Dogs, cats or other?

A: Love dogs but don’t have one now

Q: Kindle, Nook, Paper? Other?

A: Kindle and paper.  The Kindle is convenient, but I’d almost rather have paperbacks.  I like to be able to leaf back and forth more easily with paper.  And you can keep your finger at your place.  Finding a certain spot on a Kindle is much harder.

Q: Vibrators, nipple clamps or butt plugs? 

A:  Vibrators…

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?

A:  To get his book published.

Q: What is the meaning of life?

A:  To publish a book.  Seriously, look below to my final thoughts…

Final thoughts: 

Think, think, think about what you are interested in and do your best to follow that road.  Don’t let yourself settle for a job, at least not long-term, if it’s not your dream.  I know that finding that dream and following it can be very hard and may take a long time to discover, as it did for me.  But once you realize what will make your life valuable to yourself and to others, grab it with both hands and don’t let go.  

Jocelyn's note: Great advice!

A Promise at Dawn

Back cover blurb:

Their affair was scorchingly sensual

Faye Burke, recently widowed, retreated to the coast of Maine to grieve and reassess her future. Her favorite part of the day is watching the sun rise out of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s also when the man she considers her guilty pleasure runs along the beach.

Gil Farrelly, a successful painter, is trying to get his career back on track after the studio fire that destroyed everything. He starts his creative juices flowing every day by running on the beach. The lovely woman who watches him also gets his juices flowing and he’s determined to reinvent his career by painting her.

Faye’s combination of maturity and sensual vulnerability intrigue Gil and he wants to immortalize her on his canvas. She’s flattered, aroused and ultimately frightened of the emotions he incites. He claims not to care he’s younger by twelve years but she believes sooner or later he’ll come to his senses and seek out women his own age. Can Faye conquer her fears? Can Gil prove to her it’s not age separating them but her fear?

Author Bio

Sensual fantasies were locked in my mind for years until a friend said, "Why don't you write them down?" Why not, indeed? One spiral notebook, a pen and the unleashing of my imagination later, and here I am with more than a dozen books published. The craft of writing erotic romance has become my passion and my niche in life. I love every part of the creative process — developing characters, designing the plot, even drawing the layout of physical spaces from my stories. My careers have been varied — third grade school teacher, bookkeeper, secretary — none of which gave me a bit of inspiration. But now I'm lucky enough to write romance full time — the best job in the universe!

Jane Leopold Quinn

My Romance:  Love With a Scorching Sensuality

Give Jane Leopold Quinn some Web Love:  

http://janeleopoldquinn.blogspot.com

https://twitter.com/jelquinnauthor

Buy A Promise at Dawn!

Buy Link at Amazon:  http://amzn.com/B00KX8KGL2