Welcome to Jersey Girl Book Reviews A.L.!
Before we get to the interview, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?
Hi everyone! I'm A.L. Jackson, author of Pulled & Take This Regret. I live in Southern Arizona with my husband and two sons.
How long have you been a writer?
I think I'd have to say I've always been a writer in some capacity, although I've been writing seriously for about the last five years.
Do you have a "day job," or is being an author your career?
Being an author is my career, although I'm also part owner in a small publishing house, so when I'm not writing, I'm working with our other authors on their projects.
What inspired you to become a writer? Describe your journey as an author/writer.
I used to write a lot when I was in college, though it was more poetry than stories. Then life got busy with marriage, kids, and work, and it became something that I didn't really do anymore. A handful of years ago, I started reading a lot again and that stirred up the urge to write. It was then I started writing Pulled.
What is your definition of success as a writer?
I believe that there is always growth as a writer, although for me personally, it was being able to do it as a career.
Do you write books in a specific genre?
I always write romance, although I vary within the romance genre, from straight contemporary romance to a dark fantasy/paranormal romance trilogy I have in the works.
Please give a brief description / storyline about Pulled.
Melanie Winters and Daniel Montgomery shared a love most only dream of, a love they believed bonded them together for life. When their world is shattered by the tragic loss of their daughter, overwhelming grief and misguided guilt distorts the truth, and their relationship ends in uncertainty and unanswered questions.
For nine years, they drift through life, each unable to forget the one who holds the strings to their heart. In an attempt to escape the pain of her past, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side.
Now, when their lives again intersect, neither can deny the connection they felt so long ago.
But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and will they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart?
What was the inspiration for this story?
I had no specific inspiration other than this one character, Daniel, who first popped up in my head. I envisioned a man who'd suffered a great loss, but was still connected in some way to the one he'd lost. The story kind of simmered in my subconscious until I finally sat down and started writing it.
How did it feel to have your first book published?
It was such a great feeling when Pulled was first released. It was something I hadn't imagined would ever come to fruition, and once the process started, it all happened so fast. I was really surprised to find I was just as excited to see Pulled re-released as I was the first time around. I'd love to ask a seasoned author who's had dozens of releases if that feeling ever goes away.
What genres are your favorite(s)? What are some of your favorite books that you have read and why?
My favorites are contemporary and paranormal romance. One of my favorite series I've stumbled upon recently is the Shadow Series by Erin Kellison. I was excited to see she has a new series in the works.
Do you have a special "spot/area" where you like to do your writing?
I do most of my writing in my office, which is in the farthest corner of my house, tucked away from distractions, although I've been found on the couch with my laptop writing while my kids watch TV. It depends on what kind of mood I'm in.
How do you come up with the ideas that become the storyline for your books?
So far with all of my books, one character has just shown up in my head. I can see their face and get some kind of idea of their situation. I'm sure there's something that triggers it, but I haven't ever been conscious of it. Then I build the story and other characters around that idea.
From concept to publication, about how long does it take for you to complete a book and have it released?
Just under a year.
When you write, do you adhere to a strict work schedule, or do you work whenever the inspiration strikes?
I typically write when I find a large chunk of time to devote to a chapter. I'm a slow writer and it takes a while for my creativity to get flowing once I sit down to write, so I like to have a solid block of six hours or so to devote to writing when I do.
What aspects of storytelling do you like the best, and what aspects do you struggle with the most?
I love digging into my characters thoughts and emotions. Dialogue tends to be the hardest for me.
What are your favorite things to do when you are not writing?
I love to read, of course, but I'd have to say a perfect night is dinner and a movie with my family or hanging out with the girls and unwinding.
What is/was the best piece of writing advice that you have received?
I tend to be wordy when I write, and one of my first editors basically told me No. She showed me how to pare that down without my stories losing the strong emotional effect I want them to have.
What is the most gratifying thing you feel or get as a writer?
It's an amazing feeling when I get a review from someone that says one of my stories touched them in a profound way.
How do you usually communicate with your readers/fans?
I'm on Twitter and Facebook, though one of my favorite things is getting a Goodreads message from a reader that I've never spoken with before.
Is there anything in your books that is based on real life experiences or are they purely all from your imagination?
None are based on real-life experiences, although I tend to draw from emotions I've felt from experiences in my past. I was a very young mother, so I tend to write young mothers into my stories.
What authors have been your inspiration or influenced you to become a writer?
Even though she writes completely out of any genre, Janet Mitchell has been one of the most inspirational authors to me. She has a very unique writing style, and she helped me to see that I didn't have to fit into a box as an author.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
If you love it, keep writing!
Are you currently writing a new book? If yes, would you care to share a bit with us?
My next release is When We Collide, which is due out November 2, 2012. When We Collide is written in the tradition of Pulled, although it slants a little more into the realm of a supernatural thriller. It's a bit dark, but the happily ever after is in sight, so I'm getting really excited about it.
Thank you A.L. for stopping by and spending some time with us at Jersey Girl Book Reviews!
About The Author:
A.L. Jackson first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.
Years later, she shared a short story she'd been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel, Pulled.
A. L. resides in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three beautiful children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.
AUTHOR BLOG SITE
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Book Description: Pulled
Melanie Winters and Daniel Montgomery shared a love most only dream of, a love they believed bonded them together for life. When their world is shattered by the tragic loss of their daughter, overwhelming grief and misguided guilt distorts the truth, and their relationship ends in uncertainty and unanswered questions.
For nine years, they drift through life, each unable to forget the one who holds the strings to their heart. In an attempt to escape the pain of her life, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side.
Now, when their lives again intersect, neither can they deny the connection they felt so long ago.
But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and will they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart?
Pulled is a story of attraction and separation, of destiny and duty, of a love so strong it refuses to give up even when all others have.
Book Excerpt: Pulled
I glanced at the clock.
Shit - nearly six o'clock. I needed to hurry. I'd lost track of time and Nicholas would be home soon. I wiped the tears from my face before carefully gathering the pictures from the bedroom floor. My chest weighed heavy as I collected each one, cherishing the memories a moment longer as I tucked them away in the envelope.
The memories were all I had and I clung to them as if they were my last breath, knowing that once they faded, there would truly be no reason to go on. I hid the envelope at the bottom of the large jewelry box in the back of the closet, mindful to spread the necklaces out over the hidden compartment. Nicholas had never found them, but I was certain he would destroy them if he ever did.
Drawing in a deep breath, I ran my hands through my hair and dragged myself from the past I had immersed myself in for the last two hours and forced myself downstairs.
My footsteps echoed against the marble floor, each an accent of emptiness. I entered the kitchen, the only sanctuary I had. Every room of this house was gaudy and overdone, designed by the pompous for the pompous, except in this haven. It was no less extravagant, but held a warmth missing from all of the others.
As I worked, my thoughts inevitably wandered back to those beloved pictures hidden away in the back of my closet, but even they weren't enough to ward off the anxiety steadily building within me as the passing minutes warned of Nicholas's arrival. At six thirty-one, I heard the garage door open. Bile rose in my throat.
"Melanie?" Nicholas called from the entryway.
"In the kitchen," I called weakly. Maybe he would go upstairs and spare me a few more minutes, but of course, I never had that kind of luck. I heard his footsteps approaching and prepared myself.
"Dinner ready?" He yanked at his tie as he came through the door.
"Um, not quite, just a couple more minutes," I said, not meeting his face.
I felt him pause, though I refused to look up. I'd learned a long time ago how to survive in hell. The less I interacted with him the better.
He snorted through his nose, muttering, "Worthless whore," under his breath.
I gritted my teeth, holding in the anger his accusation triggered.
He set his briefcase on the island next to me and tossed his tie over the top of it. "What time do I get home from work, Melanie?" Nicholas dipped his head, forcing me to look at him.
"Six-thirty."
"Is it too much to ask that dinner is ready when I get home?" he said, "or do you have something better to do with your useless life?"
I cringed but said nothing. He was the one who didn't want me to work.
"I didn't think so." He leaned in closer, his words a low warning. "When I tell you dinner needs to be ready at six-thirty, it means dinner is to be ready at six-thirty. Do you understand?"
I saw the threat in his eyes. He had never hurt me physically, but he made sure I knew who was in charge. I'd given up any control nine years ago when I'd followed him here to Chicago, looking for an escape from the pain.
I knew then what this life would be like. I'd met him at the airport when I'd fled Colorado that final time, the trip that severed the last thread holding my heart together. Nicholas hadn't seen the broken girl who sat numb with nothing but pain swimming in her eyes. He saw the young, beautiful girl, the one who said nothing at all but seemed to be willing to do whatever he said.
I wasn't stupid. I had known exactly what he wanted, but I could never go back to Colorado Springs to face what I could no longer have, and I refused to stay with my mother in Dallas.
So I left all of it behind, moving with Nicholas to Chicago just days after I returned from Colorado.
I knew then Nicholas would never bring me happiness. That had never been the point. My heart belonged to another and would never be his. All I wanted was a way out, while Nicholas got the trophy wife he thought he deserved. The only thing I hadn't anticipated was how the numbness I felt for him would evolve over nine years into bitterness and loathing.
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