My guest today is a writer who loves pop culture and manipulating language. Her writing comes with lots of fun one-liners, puns, and double entrendres. Her stories always make me laugh and leave the me feeling good.
I'm happy to welcome romance author, Judi Fennell, back for a visit to Over Coffee.
- So, inquiring minds want to know: what was your muse drinking when she came up with hunky men being maids?
- I really like Mac. She’s a woman after me own heart. I love the way she suckers her highly successful brothers in a poker game and the losers become maids. Priceless. This series had to be a lot of fun to write?
Yup, this series was a blast
because of the characters. The timeline, however… not so much. The stories all
take place within the same month and these siblings are close. So that means a
lot of interaction between them which means scenes that get written and then
published that can’t then be UNwritten so I have to fashion the next book
around those scenes and so on through all four.
But, yes, exploring the
siblings’ relationships with each other and how they look out for each other
was a lot of fun. It’s a very interconnected series since the opening of each
book takes place at that poker game, but from the different sibling’s
point of view, depending on whose story it is.
But, yes, exploring the
siblings’ relationships with each other and how they look out for each other
was a lot of fun. It’s a very interconnected series since the opening of each
book takes place at that poker game, but from the different sibling’s
point of view, depending on whose story it is.- You've written and been published mostly in the light paranormal genre. What drew you back to contemporary romance?
The stories are what drew me to
contemporaries. I have a Beefcake, Inc series about male strippers and it was
that story that came to me. The characters are the same, well, minus the merman
tail and/or magic, but they’re still men we want to fall in love with. It’s
just a different venue for sharing their story. But just as challenging—I might
not have to make up a whole new world, but I have to fit the characters in the
real world, so that’s a new world that I have to build. And it’s been fun with
four siblings, each with their own place in this town I've created.
- You've been traditionally published for several years plus you've also had several indie published books. So you've been on both sides. What’s the advantage, in your opinion, of doing both?
The advantage to readers and to me
of indie-publishing is that I get to write the stories I want without having to
worry about traditionally publishing’s P&L statements. The downside is I’m
the one who has to invest in editorial. The stories have to stand on their own
and be as good as the ones published through a traditional NY publisher. The
advantage there is the up-front money and distribution and mass market print
books that keep the costs down for readers. The good news is, though, that with
indie-publishing and traditional publishing, readers have a variety to choose
from and a quicker delivery time between books.
- Given your success, what do you still struggle with?
I still struggle with making the
story cohesive. Making sure I have all the elements my readers have come to
expect with my stories. That doesn't go away. If anything, the pressure is
greater because there are a lot of people reading them. You’re only as good as
your last book; I don’t want to put out a bad book. That’s always in the back
of my mind. Luckily, my characters like to talk over that seed of doubt and I've learned to trust them.
- Give me a triumph--something you're proud of accomplishing.
Writing-wise, winning the awards I've won (Prism and Golden Leaf), having ten books out with traditional
publishers (as of February 2015 and hopefully more to come), and having a great
fan base who keep clamoring for more stories. Life-wise: raising my kids and
showing them that hard work and perseverance can make your dreams come true.
- Any words of advice?
Yup: read a Judi Fennell book. Oh, you mean to aspiring
writers? Keep writing, join a professional writing organization and put your
work out there for critique—and seeing this as the business it is. Oh, and of
course, write the damn book. J
ONE COMMENTER WILL WIN A COPY OF BEEFCAKE & CUPCAKES
What happens when three irresistibly sexy brothers lose a poker bet to their enterprising sister? They get hired out for her housecleaning venture. Now, the Manley Maids are at your service. Satisfaction guaranteed. It’s what a woman wants...
Resort entrepreneur Sean Manley was all set to buy an historic mansion at a great price, making a name for himself while making millions, when the seller and a poker bet change the game. Now he’s in the place as a hunky male maid and there’s one more complication: Livvy Carolla.
The house is Livvy’s inheritance. Her plan? Unload it to the highest bidder and use the cash to start her own bakery business. One look at “the help” and she’s hot to take him with her. Until she finds out he’s got a secret agenda.
But when Sean falls for the free-spirited, strong-willed Livvy, he has new ideas for the estate—and Livvy’s part in it. If all goes well, they’ll both be getting what they want. And then some.
BUY: AMAZON, B&N, CHAPTERSINDIGO.CA, INDIEBOUND
