Jess lives in small town North Carolina with her bluegrass obsessed family. She takes too many pictures of her cats, thinking the Internet loves them as much as she does. She is a firm believer of swapping stories over coffee or wine, and that there should always be dark chocolate involved.
The Fox River Romance novels combine her interests in family, music, and small towns into thoughtful tales of growing up and falling in love. These books can be read as stand-alone, or as a series starting with The Guilt of a Sparrow.
What kind of books do you write?
My books are primarily character driven and are about the complexities of relationships. From family and friends to lovers and enemies, I like to explore the way people form bonds and how they interact with each other. All of my books are in small towns, which have their own special influence on relationships, with the lack of privacy and the tendency to spread gossip. Each of my books also explores real life issues, including grief, mental health, and substance abuse.
.png)
Can you describe your writing why?
I started writing as a way to find myself after many years devoted to being a stay at home mom. Characters and their stories invaded my mind, and I enjoyed untangling their paths, then getting them written down. After a couple years of finding my voice and writing half-stories, I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and dedicated myself to completing an entire book start to finish. It was then I found a community of romance authors, started sharing my work, and really focused on becoming a writer.
Share with us your favourite passage from the book you enjoyed writing the most
How does one choose a favorite!?
One of the most difficult for me to write was The Heart of a Peach – it’s the book I went back and changed/rewrote the most. The leading lady, Olivia Hamilton, ended up being far more complex than I’d anticipated, and it was emotional to delve into her life and the changes she wanted (needed) to make.
"I wasn’t the scared little girl, perpetually worried about messing up.
Neither was I the defiant teen, desperate to dull the fear inside me.
I certainly wasn’t the bottled-up young woman of the last few years, compensating for the wickedness inside me.
None of those identities existed anymore ..."
Olivia Hamilton, The Heart of a Peach
Tell us about your latest project
My latest release is Claiming Grace, the conclusion to the seven book Fox River Romance Series. (It can be read as a stand alone, if you’re not wanting to dive into an entire series).
The blurb: Kensie Lawson is a devoted daughter, a loyal sister, and a lover of animals. She spends her time knitting nerdy scarves, fostering furry friends, and reading romance novels. Painfully shy, highly anxious, and battling depression, Kensie has put her love life on the back burner. Not that she hasn’t noticed the hunky single father who frequents her family’s hardware store.
Hudson Grace is a young widower, a single father, and a stand up guy. He divides his time between building his construction business, keeping tabs on his younger brothers, and raising his precocious daughter. Carrying too much on his broad shoulders, and determined to provide the best life he can for his family, Hudson has sacrificed having romantic relationships. Until he can’t ignore his growing interest in the compassionate and kind Kensie.
What is your favourite cake?
Humming Bird cake! Three layers with bananas, pineapples, and cream cheese frosting. Often described as carrot cake meets banana bread.
Link to the original recipe: southernliving.com/recipes/hummingbird-cake-recipe
From Southern Living magazine: When the Hummingbird Cake was first submitted to Southern Living in 1978 by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina, we had no idea the cake would become our most popular and beloved Southern cake recipe ever.
Connect with Jess on social media @authorjessb
Join me next week when I will be having a slice of cake with Michelle Cook.
If you would like to take part in A Slice of Cake With... please fill in the form found here. I'd be delighted to have you.
You can also support my writing endeavours through Kofi and buy me virtual tea & cake - it's what makes the world go round!
Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet, completely addicted to cake. Find out more about her books on her website clairebuss.co.uk. Join the discussion in her Facebook group Buss's Book Stop. Never miss out on future posts by following me.
No comments:
Post a Comment