Jenna Bayley-Burke

Jenna’s 18Q

The Eighteen Questions

18Q

http://www.jennabayleyburke.com

NIGHT OF INSPIRATION (Phaze, 2005 - as Jenna Allen)
JUST ONE SPARK (Mills & Boon, 2006)
COOKING UP A STORM (Mills & Boon, 2006)
HER CINDERELLA COMPLEX (Samhain, 2008)
PAR FOR THE COURSE (Samhain, 2008)
FOR KICKS (Black Lyon, 2008)

Bibliography

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1. Did you choose the writing profession or did it choose you?

I chose to write...when I was 8.

2. What is your background? (education, work, etc.)

I always wanted to write, but didn't think I'd experienced enough to be interesting. Hence why my degree is in Religious Studies, Psychology, and English. After college I was a bitch (retail management) and a pimp (temporary staffing manager).

3. When did you 'know' you were a writer?

In my early teens I decided I must be a writer - the other option was that people lived in my head...not the best idea, so I went with writer.

4. How would you describe your style of writing?

Romantic, fresh, fun, flirty…

5. What is your writing process?

I like to spend time getting to know my characters, and then jump into the story. I think of it as having a map, but not turn-by-turn directions.

6. What was your path to publication?

I'd started dozens of novels, but never finished until a health crisis in 2004 drove me to finish with the help of NaNoWriMo. After many revisions, that story was published by Mills & Boon's newest series, Modern Heat.

7. What is your favorite self-marketing idea?

Blogging...not sure how effective it is, but I like doing it.

8. What are the biggest surprises you've encountered as a writer?

How much of writing is done on invitation. I'm part of the Dreams & Desires anthologies because someone asked me to contribute.

9. How do you inspire yourself? What are your sources of creativity?

I get ideas mainly from magazines. Magazines are my secret pleasure.

10. What is your proudest writer moment?

Selling JUST ONE SPARK. Nothing beats the first sale...I think.

11. What's the best advice you were given about writing?

Write every day.

12. What is your most embarrassing writer moment?

I once sent my revisions with the editors notes still at the front of the manuscript.

13. What business challenges have you faced as a writer?

Promotion can cost a lot of money...but if my writing is to be respected as a business, it needs to support itself. I get tempted to pay for ads and such out of pocket, but I know I need to wait and let the stories pay for themselves.

14. What is your writer life philosophy?

The story is what matters.

15. When you're not writing what do you do for fun?

Cooking, hiking, ignoring how dirty my house is…

16. Who do you like to read?

Harlequin Presents, romance, chick-lit

17. What’s your advice for new writers?

Finish the story. Don't tell anyone the end until you've written it.

18. What are you currently working on?

Getting my 2-month-old to sleep through the night so I can start a story about two lawyers, ice cream, and a houseboat.