Blog Tour Day Seven! Interview with Joanna Aislinn

Describe for us what a sweet romance novel entails: Direct from The Wild Rose Press, a sweet romance “will make a reader sigh, cry, and everything in between. The relationship between the hero and heroine is the centerpiece of the story. This is the type of romance that we consider…old-fashioned.” Emotions drive the story. Sexual tension can—and I would imagine should—exist between the couple but there are no explicit love scenes, or shall I say, no peeking into the bedroom for this pair.

How I came to start writing them: No Matter Why actually developed out of flashbacks in what would have been a three-part series. It was intended as a prequel to showcase the hero and heroine’s early days. Since both characters were very young (approximately 22 and 26)—and the hero being of a strong Christian bent—going the sweet route was appropriate. I also think I was way too shy about writing a more sensually descriptive scene. (I’ve since gotten over that, lol.)

Do you see yourself writing other genres in the future and what challenges do you think you’ll face? No Matter Why was written for adults, but is easily appreciated by (and appropriate for) a teenage crowd—a ‘safe’ work to add to a school’s library. The sequel’s content, though still primarily emotion-driven, definitely has a more mature audience in mind. (Took me a while to get that first love scene written. The second came a little more easily—and now I keep ramping them up, keeping them more sensual-spicy than anything else.)

I consider myself a pantster, but now that I think about it, I knew where both No Matter Why and its sequel (tentatively and so very originally titled No Matter What) were headed before I started them. Another book in this series is slated to have more elements of suspense and is still being fleshed out. Writing suspense is all new; it’s forcing me to realize how important outlining is. The ideas are coming in bits, pieces and the occasional flash-vision, so I just started a running list of the ideas as they come. Eventually, I’ll figure out how many of them will work as scenes.

As a working mother and writer, how do you find time to write, where do you do most of your writing, and do you write every day? As a mom of two boys (now ages 14 and 12), a wife and four-day-a-week job holder who gets to bring lots of her work home this has become a real challenge. When all I had to worry about was writing and revising a single story, I did so much better, especially the writing every day part! Promo is a major challenge. I’ll come clean here and say I’m not doing anywhere near enough of it; I can’t manage keeping my own blog consistent. Promo is not just hosting a blog and/or making blog visits. It’s creating and booking live appearances, buying vendor space, putting together workshops and finding creative ways to sell those books. It’s a career unto itself, a time-consuming, frustrating one when time is as crunched as it is in my world these days. (My curls off to those of you who can work this in along with everything else you do! Haven’t figured out the organizing magic yet.)

As per where I write, any place that’s visually peaceful and distraction-free works. Sometimes it’s my kitchen. As I write this I’m on my sofa in the living room opposite the Christmas tree. I would love a secluded space. The closest I have is my enclosed front porch (for which I definitely need a space heater) and a screened-in second floor porch at my cottage in the woods where I look into the branches of the surrounding trees every time I take my gaze from the computer screen. (Unfortunately, it’s only available to us from April-October). Interesting though, the places one can scare out to write. My laptop usually travels with me to places as simple as the skate park; the boys jump the ramps while I sit in the car and tap away. The best time to write? Early in the AM when the men of my house are asleep, on weekends and any time school isn’t in session for extended periods of time!

Thanks so much to you and your readers, Jenn, for allowing me this opportunity. I can’t communicate enough how those of you who take the time to read an author’s work (be it book, blog or other pieces) humble and inspire me to keep going; to persevere and to believe in that next work that doesn’t seem to want to take shape; to write that next blog post and stay in touch with all of you when the rest of life shouts for my full attention instead.

Blurb: Trust and stability became empty words the day motherless, sixteen-year-old Carrie Norwell came home to find her brothers murdered. Within moments, her father arrived and his heart gave out at the scene. Five years later, is it any wonder the walls with which she’s barricaded her heart are virtually impenetrable to anyone looking to get close and offer what she wants more than anything? The security only a loving family can give? Or someone with whom to build her own? Confident and charismatic Billy Jay Eldridge believes Carrie is the right girl but is clueless his noble career aspirations will be the biggest obstacle to getting her to accept what she wants and needs most. Is the love he’s offering enough to break through Carrie’s mile-high barriers?

So who is Joanna Aislinn?

I am a wife, mother, day-job holder, fan of tennis (and recently football—Go Giants, Colts and Cowboys!) as well as an avid reader. My writing roots stretch back to my early teenage days. My debut novel, No Matter Why, hit the virtual shelves on January 15, 2010. At present, I’m fine-tuning its sequel, developing a third story in the series and working on some more free reads (for posting when the time is right J; there are, however, quite a few already at my blog). When I’m not writing reports for work I’m still learning about promo, building my web presence and looking for ways to connect with the readers out there. I’m also very excited to have added my name to the pages of Amazon Connect’s Author Central! (The page is currently under construction, so check in again soon!)

For those who’d like to know more, find me at my website, blog and Facebook. (One request re: Facebook: if sending a friend-request please let me know of your association with Jenn, that way I know who you are!)

Again I thank all of you and look forward to Jenn’s upcoming visit in my little corner of cyberspace. May your days be blessed!