Friday, November 19, 2010

First Gifts Blog Hop

When I met my husband for the first time, I was sixteen. I had narrowed down my college choices and decided to attend a summer music workshop at my favorite one. On my first day there, as I sat in the cafeteria with my roommate, a guy walked up to the table. “Hi, I’m John. Can I sit with you guys?” he asked. He was a music and French major at the college and was helping out with the workshop that summer.

We remained friends, and I was excited to have know someone on campus when I arrived there for my freshman year. But John had gone to spend the year going to school in France. At the time, neither of us had email, so we sent letters back and forth across the Atlantic – hundreds of letters! I ran to my mailbox every day looking for an airmail envelope from him. While we’d been friends before, we became much closer that year; we talked about absolutely everything in our letters. Near the end of the school year, we both knew that things had changed between us, and I counted the days until he returned to the States.

John lived in the Boston area and I lived near Philadelphia, so we didn’t get to see each other the moment he returned home. So at the beginning of that summer, I planned a trip to Cape Cod. Yes, it was a vacation, but more importantly, it was my first chance to see John face to face in more than a year. I ran out of the rental cottage, hugged him, and he asked “do I get to kiss you now?” (I hear all of you out there saying “awww” right now!)

He gave his first gift to me then, his high school class ring. I wore it on a chain around my neck until we got engaged a little more than a year later. We were married the summer after I graduated from college, and we just celebrated our fifteenth wedding anniversary this August. Our children are our three cats, ranging in age from 14 to 3. He still brings me gifts for no reason – like the roses he brought home for me earlier this week! 

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

RT Book Review


MAGICK CHARM
by Jennifer Wells
Genre: Paranormal RomanceParanormal/Urban Fantasy
Sensuality: HOT
4 1/4 stars RT Rating
Twins as different as night and day, a stalker and the wonderful, spooky uniqueness that is New Orleans make this one terrific read. Wells does a wonderful job of keeping the reader guessing as to the identity of the stalker. You’ll be scared one minute and chuckling the next, thanks to Wells’ subtle humor. This one is a definite keeper.
Janie is the straight-laced, responsible twin with a job at the local newspaper. She’s got the boss from hell and a cute co-worker named Ryan who she could definitely fall for.
Rachel is the wild hippie twin who sings with a band in a dive in the French Quarter and has horrible taste in men. After a fight with her latest loser boyfriend, Rachel moves in with her sister, bringing along her stinky ferret. Soon Rachel is convinced she has a stalker and the twins decide to switch identities so Rachel can keep an eye on those interested in Janie’s “Rachel.” (CRESCENT MOON, Sep., 267 pp., $14.99)
Reviewed By: Cindy Himler
Publisher: CRESCENT MOON
Published: September 2010

Coming Soon: First Gifts Blog Hop



I'm participating in a special Blog Hop this weekend discussing the first gift I received from my husband. I can't wait to tell you my story!


If you have your own blog, join in the fun by clicking the link below.

Monday, November 15, 2010

NaNoWriMo Doesn't Pay the Mortgage

Someone once told me that NaNoWriMo isn’t worth doing or finishing since it doesn’t pay the mortgage. At the time I could barely believe it. Had I heard right? Maybe I had, but surely she was joking.

Sadly, this statement came from a person getting ready to give up on her NaNo goal. I think of it like a person breaking up with her boyfriend because she thinks he is getting ready to break up with her. Better to be the dumper than the dumpee. In my NaNo example, she thought it was better to be a quitter than a failure.

Now, I think that if you come out of November with 100 more words than you had written going into it, that’s fantastic! Not everybody has enough time for 50k, and I can respect that. What I have a problem with is someone who gives up on the story she was writing only because she knows she’s not going to get that certificate of completion. It begs the question: Did you sign up for NaNoWriMo for some kind of achievement or did you do it because you love writing, have a story to tell, and want to hone your craft?

What bothered me about her statement was the idea that nothing is worth doing unless you get paid for it. Because isn’t that pretty much what she said? Why are you reading that book? It doesn’t pay for your groceries, after all. And why waste time with yoga class if it doesn’t pay the rent? Kind of ridiculous, right?

I can’t even begin to tell you how worthwhile I think spending my November writing a quick and dirty novel is. I get a story that was in my head out on paper. I look forward to the freedom of writing so fast your fingers can barely keep up with your thoughts sometimes. I believe that practice is the only way to become a better writer. And nothing compares with the sense of accomplishment I get when I write “THE END” on the last page of a manuscript.

My fellow WriMos, why do you spend your November writing like fiends? I’ll bet it’s not because you expect it to pay your mortgage.

I firmly believe that not everything worth doing is something you’ll get paid for. In my experience, the opposite is often true.

Now let me examine the other part of her statement. Does NaNoWriMo pay your mortagage? Probably not, but can it? Well, considering that my debut novel was a NaNo baby, it just might someday.

Whatever your reason for writing, keep doing it! No, it’s not easy, but yes, it is worth the effort. Even if it doesn’t pay your mortgage.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Writer’s Block, NaNoWriMo, and Another Way to Procrastinate

Every writer encounters writer’s block at some point.  I can attest to the fact that it’s brought me to my knees a few times.

“What’s the problem?” you (non-writers) may ask.  “Don’t you know where the story is going?  Can’t you just, you know… write it?”

The problem with this assumption is that sometimes I really don’t know where the story is going.  Some authors plot everything carefully before they begin writing.  Some are even organized enough to write an outline.  People who know me and my detail-oriented, list-loving ways might guess I’m one of these people, but oddly enough, I’m not.

I enjoy the organic flow of the writing, especially when it’s going smoothly.  When that happens, it feels a lot like I’m just sitting back and watching the characters do their own thing.   Sometimes they even surprise me by doing something I didn’t expect at all.  This is one of the best parts about writing! 

But this blog is about not writing. 

In some cases, I do know where a scene is headed.  But I can get stuck on a page or even a paragraph. Honestly, sometimes it is a single word.  Written, then deleted.  Rewritten.  And another word tried and discarded.  You get the picture.

Why does this happen?  And what the heck can you do about it?

As to the why, it can be for any number of reasons, and they can often be specific to the author.  For example, writing any kind of love scene is nearly impossible if I keep reminding myself that my parents and in-laws may someday read it!  If you love to write, but this is your problem, I offer one possible solution.

Write like it’s your diary.  Pretend nobody will ever see it.  Write badly.  Write stupid stuff.  Write about what happened so far today until your fingers start to write something that resembles your story.  The point is to write.  Give yourself permission to write ugly, sucky stuff. The prettifying and fixing and removing of all that other random junk is what the editing process is for.

Need some motivation?  What if you’re simply overthinking things?  I’m a big fan of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).  This is a website where a bunch of crazy people – me included – get together every November and write 50,000 words of a book.  It’s intense and difficult and exhausting, but I love it.  In order to hit the requisite 1,667 words a day that you need in order to stay on track, you don’t have much time for staring at the blank page or second guessing yourself.  Put away your inner editor and go for it.  If it’s not November, there are a bunch of similar projects going on year-round that you can get in on. 

My debut novel, Magick Charm, was my NaNoWriMo project from 2007, and I finished the manuscript in my free time over the next few months.  Sure, when I began editing the manuscript, there was a lot of work to do.  My plot lines were all over the place.  My high school English teachers wouldn’t have approved of my sentence structure or grammar.  And don’t even get me started on continuity problems!  But it was a completed book.

So far this NaNo, I’m a little bit behind. I call it the week-two ick. I usually hate whatever I’m writing in week two. The glow of starting a new story has faded and the fun part – when my characters take control – hasn’t yet kicked in. At this point, I’m just slogging through.

The result is my desire to procrastinate. Today, that procrastination has taken the form of this blog. Because have no doubt, this blog is an excellent distraction at the moment.

But I’m going to get back to the writing now. I know the evils of week two are almost behind me and my characters are going to start acting out any minute!

Friday, October 22, 2010

Coffee Time Romance Review


MAGICK CHARM
JENNIFER WELLS
ISBN #: (13)9780984180509/(10)0984180508/(13)9780984180516/(10)0984160516
Sept 2010
Crescent Moon Press
Crescentmoonpress.com
Trade Paperback/eBook
$14.99 / $9.99
288 Pages
Paranormal Romance
Rating: 5 Cups

All it took was a single phone call to turn Janie’s simple, orderly, comfortable existence into a chaotic, messy, co-habitation with her gregarious, dramatic, and - thanks to modern surgery - more bountifully endowed twin, Rachel, and her smelly pet ferret, Nostradamus.

Ryan and Janie are co-workers at The Big Easy News where they both report to their dragon-lady boss, editor-in-chief, Jacqueline Reddy. Janie finds Ryan quite attractive and vice versa but neither one has attempted to establish a personal relationship since dating amongst co-workers is strictly against office policy and is grounds for termination. Ryan also happens to live just downstairs from Janie in the same apartment building.

As the story opens, Rachel is in the process of breaking up with her loser boyfriend. Janie agrees to let Rachel take up temporary residence with her until Rachel can sort things out and decide how she wants to move on. The mayhem ensues as the intellectually-minded, neatly-organized Janie and her free-spirited, mouthy, colorful sister try to adjust to living together after having lived separate and very divergent lives for years. Hilarity abounds as the cast of secondary characters make their appearances, some wrecking havoc and some bearing gifts.

I was absolutely, totally charmed by this thoroughly entertaining novel. The several important characters are all exceptionally well-developed with identifiable characteristics and quirks. The conversations sparkle with humor that is fresh and believable. The story, told from Janie’s perspective, in first person, is fast-paced and flows smoothly to a joyfully satisfying conclusion. I love Nostradamus; the naughty little scene-stealer also stole my heart. Time flew by as I quickly turned the pages to find out what would happen next. I applaud the author for penning such an original, outstanding tale and highly recommend this fun urban adventure romance to anyone who craves a little Magick.

Laurie
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Monday, October 18, 2010

Review by Dottie at Tink's Place

MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010


Magick Charm by Jennifer Wells

Publisher:  Crescent Moon Press
Pages:  269

(Released:  September 2, 2010)

From the Cover:

Janie Adler likes her quiet, orderly life reviewing books for a small New Orleans newspaper exactly the way it is. So what if Duke Hot Pants, the hero of her favorite romance novel, is the only man in her life? She has a Pulitzer Prize to chase. That is until her quirky twin sister Rachel moves in, bringing boyfriend drama, a smelly ferret, and irrational belief in all things magickal along with her.


Persuaded by a local voodoo priestess-and maybe one margarita too many-the twins cast spells to improve their love lives. Loser-magnet Rachel focuses on avoiding the wrong men and Janie seeks her romance novel ideal. While plenty of eligible bachelors flood into their lives, Janie only has eyes for her coworker who lives in the apartment downstairs and works in the cube next to her. But the twins soon discover the incantations' many unintended-and dangerous-consequences. The increasing number of mishaps and misfortune putting the sisters in grave peril seems more like the work of a curse.

Can Janie and Rachel's "twintuition" save them from the menace stalking them?

Janie seems to have it all, a great job doing something she enjoys, a good relationship with her co-workers, and a cute little apartment.  The one thing that's missing is romance.  Lately the hero of one of her favorite books, Duke Hot Pants, is the closest thing she's gotten to romance, and that's in her dreams.

Rachel, Janie's twin, is scatter-brained, whimsically illogical, and believes in the magickal.  She's pretty much everything that Janie's not.  She's as different from Janie as night is to day or so each other thinks.  And not only that, but she has the worst taste in men.  When her latest, Ted, gets a little too physical, Rachel calls Janie to ride in to her rescue.

Ryan, Janie's co-worker and downstairs neighbor, looks out for the ladies when trouble comes to call in the form of Rachel's ex... but what he'd like to do is claim Janie as his own, if their maniacal devil boss, Jacquelyn, would allow co-workers to date.

Magick Charm by Jennifer Wells tells Janie's story.  She's sort of happy in her orderly, plain life... at least she doesn't have a lot to complain about or so she thinks.  When Rachel has problems with her ex-boyfriend, Janie comes to her rescue and along with her smelly ferret, Nostradamus, they become one big happy family, sort of.  Rachel can see how lonely Janie's let her life become, and she's determined to do something about it, something magickal.  Viola, the voodoo priestess at Pete's where Rachel's band plays suggests a couple of spells that she swears will put each woman on the right path, help Rachel make better choices with men, and help Janie put romance back into her dull life.  What neither one knows is what will happen after the spells are cast.

Magick Charm is a fun little page turner with a little snark, lots of sass, and at times, laugh out loud funny!  I really enjoyed this first book from new author, Jennifer Wells.  Janie and Rachel are twins, and while Rachel believes in everything the French Quarter has to offer, Janie is more cautious, less willing to take a chance, until Rachel needs her.  Then when Janie's given the opportunity to see if magick really works, she only goes along to please her sister.  What happens next, neither one could predict, but it brings mystery, thrills, love, and a bit of the unknown into both the women's life.  They both discover more about themselves than they bargained for.  All lovers of light fun pararomance will enjoy this book, there's just a touch of a thrill here too, so romantic suspense lovers will enjoy it as well.  Pick up, you won't be sorry you did.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Escape Between the Pages Book Review

Review: "Magick Charm " by Jennifer Wells

Title: Magick Charm 
Author: Jennifer Wells
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press 
Published: September 2010
ISBN#: 978-0984180509        My Rating
           
 ★★★
 

Janie Adler likes her quiet, orderly life reviewing books for a small New Orleans newspaper exactly the way it is. So what if Duke Hot Pants, the hero of her favorite romance novel, is the only man in her life? She has a Pulitzer Prize to chase. That is until her quirky twin sister Rachel moves in, bringing boyfriend drama, a smelly ferret, and irrational belief in all things magickal along with her. 

Persuaded by a local voodoo priestess-and maybe one margarita too many-the twins cast spells to improve their love lives. Loser-magnet Rachel focuses on avoiding the wrong men and Janie seeks her romance novel ideal. While plenty of eligible bachelors flood into their lives, Janie only has eyes for her coworker who lives in the apartment downstairs and works in the cube next to her. But the twins soon discover the incantations' many unintended-and dangerous-consequences. The increasing number of mishaps and misfortune putting the sisters in grave peril seems more like the work of a curse. Can Janie and Rachel's "twintuition" save them from the menace stalking them? 



My Review:
Janie and Rachel were twin sisters who were completely different. Rachel was carefree, in a band, outspoken and made bad judgements, especially when it came to men. Janie was predictable, reviewed books, hard working, and reliable. But, she was a push over  - especially for those who would take advantage of it, including her sister. For example, Rachel just assumed it would be alright to move in with her. Then, tired of making bad choices in men, Rachel encouraged Janie to help her perform a spell, to give her good judgement. Against Janie's better judgement, Rachel also wanted to find a love match for Janie. But for some reason, the spell went wrong, and strange things began to happen. Ex-boyfriends enter back into thier lives and someone began stalking Rachel. In order to figure out who it was, the girls switched identities. 

How cool would it be to have a twin? I like the close relationship between Janie and Rachel, although sometimes thier personalities clashed. It was fun to read two sisters who are so much alike, but so different. Janie wanted Rachel to be more conservative and Rachel wanted Janie to loosen up. I thought it was cute how Rachel manipulated the events in order to get Janie and Ryan together. I thought the chemistry between them was charming and crediable. There definately were sparks...Rachel just felt she needed to put a little fire underneath them. I thought Ryan, the quiet and protective co-worker and neighbor was sweet. It was nice to see a quiet guy still be strong when he needed to be, especially when he stood up to Ben and Ted. I absolutely loved Officer Beaty's character. She was a very no nonsense and blunt female. 

Although charming, I didn't feel that the plot was completely unique. In some ways, it reminded me of one of those good Lifetime Movies. You know, twins having love life issues, abusive boyfriends, job pressures, and stalker issues so they switch places.  That being said, I do appreciate a good whodunnit. Just when I thought I had it figured all out, it turned out I was wrong and I loved it. But, it could have used more action and suspense. You know a little more 
Oomph! I felt that the story felt safe. However, what I did find it appealing, was the author wrote it with a fluidity and style of a seasoned author. It was interesting to read how each character grew and evolved in each others shoes, as the story went on. 

Overall, this was a fun and fast read. Although, the story was considered a paranromal romance, in truth, it only has a subtle element of magic. But, I found the characters to be entertaining, the New Orleans enviroment to be enchanting, and the plot to be intriguing. This was one of those books, you curl up on the couch, snuggled under a cozy blanket, and have your hot chocolate sitting on the end table next to you and read. This is what I call an all around relaxing read - a charming book of comfort. 

Cover Art:
I absolutely love the mystical look of this cover. I like the earthy colors and the images. I even like the font used for the title. 

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

My First Interview!

Interview with Author Jennifer Wells

 Today at Tink's Place, I'm happy to welcome a new author to the published world, Jennifer Wells.


Jennifer Wells lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and three cats. When she's not writing, Jen makes jewelry for her business, Dragonfly Design (dragonflydesign13.etsy.com), and works at 13 Magickal Moons of Occoquan, VA.


From the Cover:

Janie Adler likes her quiet, orderly life reviewing books for a small New Orleans newspaper exactly the way it is. So what if Duke Hot Pants, the hero of her favorite romance novel, is the only man in her life? She has a Pulitzer Prize to chase. That is until her quirky twin sister Rachel moves in, bringing boyfriend drama, a smelly ferret, and irrational belief in all things magickal along with her.

Persuaded by a local voodoo priestess-and maybe one margarita too many-the twins cast spells to improve their love lives. Loser-magnet Rachel focuses on avoiding the wrong men and Janie seeks her romance novel ideal. While plenty of eligible bachelors flood into their lives, Janie only has eyes for her coworker who lives in the apartment downstairs and works in the cube next to her. But the twins soon discover the incantations' many unintended-and dangerous-consequences. The increasing number of mishaps and misfortune putting the sisters in grave peril seems more like the work of a curse. Can Janie and Rachel's "twintuition" save them from the menace stalking them?


Her first book, Magick Charm was released on September 2, 2010 by Crescent Moon Press, a sweet romance with mystical castings. Congratulations Jennifer!!


Hi Jen! Why don't we start out with getting to know you? Why don't you tell us about yourself?

Thanks, Dottie! I’m really excited to be on your blog today!

Writing has always been a love of mine, but remained a hobby for me until several years ago. My husband got a job in another state, and I left my job as a research scientist when we moved. I used my newfound time to finish a book and give writing a chance as a career. This year, we celebrated our 15-year wedding anniversary a month before my book was released. I feel truly blessed that I’ve been able to finally realize my dream!


Why don't tell us about your new book, Magick Charm?

My story centers on twin sisters who cast spells to improve their love lives. But when the consequences of the spells aren’t exactly what they intended, things get complicated and dangerous.

It takes place in New Orleans, which is one of my favorite cities to visit. The atmosphere of this old Southern city, with its above-ground cemeteries, fantastic food, voodoo influences, music, and bars in the Quarter inspired me.


Was Magick Charm your first completed manuscript?

I’ve completed three manuscripts, but Magick Charm is the first one to be published. I wrote a historical pirate romance called Pandora’s Legacy first. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll revisit it and turn it into a time travel story. But in the meantime, I’ve got more of the twins’ story to tell.


How long have you been working to get published (so all the aspiring writing out there don't get discouraged, lol)?

It can be a very long road to publication! I’d been trying for about 7 years before I got “The Call” (in actuality, it was “The Email”). My husband read “The Email” to me from my phone while I was driving on route 95 on my way to Florida to visit my parents. We had to stop for a dinner break because I was shaking too hard to continue driving!


Since you're new to the publishing world, what's been your favorite part of the process?

I feel like every part of the process has been an exciting learning experience for me, especially working with my editor. The changes she suggested made a huge improvement in the manuscript. I’ll definitely be using what she taught me as I write my next book.

The biggest wow moments had to be seeing my book listed on Amazon and holding the paperback in my hand for the first time!


Magick Charm reads like a stand alone, but is there plans for a series? Do you have an excerpt you'd like to share?

I’d love it to be the first book in a series! I have a first draft of a sequel written, and I’ve got plans for at least another two books after that.

In the meantime, here’s a romantic scene from Magick Charm:

Ryan grinned at me from the doorway. "Wow, you look nice," he said. His smile went all the way to his eyes, and I was glad for the special pains I had put into my appearance tonight.

He'd also gone the extra mile to dress nicely, having traded his usual polo for neatly pressed dress pants and a button-down shirt. Sure, I'd noticed him before, but I had always refused to view him in a datable sort of light. Now that I'd started, I couldn't help thinking about him.

"Come on in." I opened the door wide and stepped back to let him in.

He glanced around my living room. "Am I the first guest to arrive?" 

He didn't appear too confused by the lack of people, though. The game was up.

"Well, to tell the truth," I stammered, "it's only the two of us tonight." My cheeks must have been as red as boiled crawfish shells.

"You didn't invite me here today," he said. It wasn't even a question.

I shook my head. 

"I see. This is your sister's version of a good deed?" 

"Yeah," I said. "She loves to play matchmaker. I'm sorry." I'd have choked Rachel if she'd been there. I felt humiliated, yet part of me hoped he wouldn't leave.

"It's not your fault," he said. 

We stood together in the middle of the living room, looking at each other and not finding anything to say. 

"Listen," he said after a long pause, "we can forget about this if you want. I don't want you to be held responsible for any more mistakes your sister makes."

I was going to need a pint of Ben and Jerry's to cope. He called our date a mistake. I coached my face not to show my disappointment. "Okay," I said. "That's fine. Again, I'm sorry about my sister conning you into this. You probably had much better things to do tonight than dress up to humor me, er, Rachel pretending to be me, I mean."

Ryan's solemn expression changed to one of skepticism meshed with a glimmer of hope. "Not so fast. I'm not the only one here who dressed up."

I smoothed my hands over my skirt in a nervous gesture.

"I'm going to be honest with you, Janie," he said. "I was excited to get that message today. I've wanted to ask you out for awhile, but never got out the words."

My heart leapt at his admission. He paced a little and ran his hand through his hair, his nervous tell. This time, the gesture struck me as endearing.

"So, no," he said. "I don't want to call off the date. And I don't think you want to either."

"I don't," I said. I wasn't usually so direct, but I was sure about this. "My sister was crazy and impulsive to set us up like this. But I want to go out on this date with you. She has terrible taste in men." 

Oh no, my mouth was running away without my brain's filter. Ryan looked askance at me, both eyebrows raised with amusement. 

"Only usually, but she's trying to get better about it. I mean, she likes you," I stammered. Another mistake. "For me, I mean. She likes you for me."

Ryan took a step closer to me and stopped my rambling by placing his finger across my lips. It was one of the most sensual gestures I'd ever experienced. When I quieted, he lifted his finger from my lips, leaving a warm tingle in its wake. 

I reflexively licked my bottom lip, as if tasting the texture of his skin. He looked into my eyes and lifted one side of his mouth in a little smile. 

"What about you?" he asked. His words were quiet, and I strained to hear. "Do you like me...for you?"

My eyes slipped shut and a sigh escaped my lips. I loved the way his words rippled through my body. "Yes," I whispered. My voice sounded husky, like I'd been having sex and enjoying it. Why had I held myself back from this man for so long?

He shifted closer and leaned his head toward mine until he was so close to me I could feel his breath on the skin of my neck and a shudder coursed through me. The next moment, he stepped away. I opened my eyes and stared at him. His eyes had darkened to a whisky brown and pierced me with a heart–stopping heat.

"I like you for me too."


What's next for you?

NaNoWriMo! For those who don’t know about National Novel Writing Month, it’s a challenge to write 50,000 words in the month on November. I’ve done it every year for the past four, and it makes for a crazy, hectic, stressful, sleepless, and totally fulfilling month.

Magick Charm was begun during a previous year’s NaNoWriMo, and I’m planning to continue the twins’ story this November.


What do you do during your writing day? When is your favorite time to write, morning, noon, midnight?

The morning is for caffeinating myself and getting chores done. I usually settle down in the afternoon to write, but I’m most productive at night.

I like to write on a laptop so I can move around. When I get stuck – the dreaded writer’s block! – moving to a different location in the house to work can sometimes help.


Do you have any 'must haves' when you sit down to write?

Strangely enough, I need background noise. I’ll turn on music or the television because I just can’t focus if it’s completely silent. I also weave in a lot of pop culture references, so I’ll have True Blood on TV when one of my characters is having a True Blood marathon, for example. In Magick Charm, one of the twins sings with a band, so I put their playlist on my iPod.

But above all, a steady supply of coffee and diet soda is crucial!


When you're not writing, what do you like to read?

I read a little bit of everything, but I love paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Action thrillers like those written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child or James Rollins take up a good deal of space on my bookshelf as well.


Do you have a favorite author or all time read?

Choosing a favorite is difficult! I really like book series because they allow so much time for character development and world building. The Dark Tower series by Stephen King and the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon are exceptional in both of these areas. I’ll usually reread both of them once a year or so.


Since your book, Magick Charm, is about spell casting, magicks, voodoo, and charms; do you have a favorite witch, warlock, mage from a book, video game, or TV series?

Well, who doesn’t love Harry Potter? And Gandalf in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings is the quintessential mage. My television favorite is the girl next door turned kick-ass witch Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.


What inspired you to write about your characters? Is Rachel or Janie like anyone you know?

In a way, pieces of Rachel and Janie are both me. Janie is my writing and list-making side, who is probably a bit too concerned with having a spotless house. My Rachel side loves animals and is open-minded about the metaphysical. But she also represents the outgoing spirit that I’d like to have a little more of sometimes.

As for the rest of my characters, none of them are based solely on a single person. But I’ll often weave distinctive traits of people I meet, like a particular type of laugh, catch phrase, or gesture, into a character.


Okay, now for some fun stuff! If you were stranded on a desert island and you could bring anything with you, what five things would you absolutely have to have?

Because I’m a techno-junkie, I’d have to have my iPod, Kindle, and MacBook. I always have a tube of Burt’s Bees lip balm in my pocket, so I couldn’t leave home without that. And I’d bring my cell phone so I could call for a rescue boat when I had my fill of reading and relaxing on the beach – if such a thing is actually possible!


Thanks for being here with us today, Jen! It's been a pleasure having at Tink's Place! I hope you come back for another visit! If you like to take a peek at Magick Charm or if you'd like to purchase it, you can go to Crescent Moon Press orAmazon.com.


Thanks again and happy reading!

Jennifer Wells

Jen welcomes email and you may contact her at jenniferwells@email.com.

http://www.jennifer-wells.com

Come back tomorrow for a review of Magick Charm, I think you'll enjoy it!!