You know we are a HUGE fan of Jessica Scott's books here on the blog -- really, look back at all the reviews, discussions, cover reveals and fun posts!
WELCOME BACK TO THE BLOG, JESSICA! :)
Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she's a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.She's written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of OIF/New Dawn and is currently a company commander stationed at Fort Hood.
Most recently, she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.
Where to Find Jessica:
Kame: Hey Jessica thank you for taking time out of your incredibly busy schedule to sit down and talk to us about your new projects. Maybe it is your focus or your motivation but I want what you have. My goodness you are completing your Masters in Sociology, you have two young daughters who you now coach in softball, you are about to move, and you have two new book projects – when do you sleep!
What I love about your work is that you have perspective
very few do. You include details many just can’t find in research. You have two new series The Falling Series
and the Homefront series. Both are indie correct?
Jessica: Homefront and Falling are both indie series, yes.
K: Have you always wanted to do an indie project? Why was now
the right time?
J: I've wanted to launch full blown indie projects for a while.
I've been very fortunate with both my previous publishers. Grand Central really
gave me a great shot and they've never stopped advocating for my books but I
really wanted to see what I could do with my indie projects. With print markets
retracting (specifically mass market) I figured now was a really great time to
test the waters.
K: What have you found to be the most challenging aspect of
indie publishing?
J: Cover design. That and not knowing the book is really good
enough. I've pretty much convinced myself that no one is going to buy them and
I'm killing my career one book at a time J
K: These indie books are right on par with your other titles! Which
came first the Falling Series or Homefront series?
J: The Homefront books have been in varying states of
"done" for a while. Before I
Fall kind of came to me in a 10 day burst of creative angst over Christmas.
I've never had a book come to me like that before in my life so I'm really glad
that readers are enjoying it.
K: Where you writing books in both series at the same time?
J: Sort of. I blocked off time to write Before I Fall over the
holidays and now I'm finishing up the launches on Homefront and After the War
before I dig into Break my Fall, the
next falling book. But my brain needs time to marinate over that story anyway.
K: I have often wondered what happens once an author writes
the final word of their latest work.
What do you do? Do you put it
away for a day or two? Do you have
anyone who isn’t an editor read it first – say a BFF or your husband?
J: I usually let it gel for a day or so but generally, if I'm
content with the story, I'll send to my editor to get into her queue.
K: Can you give our readers a brief overview of each series?
J: The Homefront series spins off from my Coming Home series
and surrounds the Death Dealer battalion as they ramp up for the next
deployment. The Falling series deals with younger veterans recently home from
war and their adjustments to life on an elite college campus in the southeast
that shall not be named J
K: I have an issue with most New Adult books as many of the
characters are young and do not have plots that hold my interest. I picked up Before I Fall because you wrote it, and
if I was ever going to like a NA book it would have to be an author I adored.
As I stated in my review I had moments I forgot to breathe while reading. Noah
and Beth may be younger but they have lived lives that make them far more
mature than their age would ever let you know. How did the idea of this series
pop in your head?
J: It really just did. I wasn't planning on writing new adult
because I haven't found many that, like you, hold my attention. I've read
exactly one before I wrote Before I Fall.
But for some reason, their story just kind of came to me and I wrote it as fast
as I possibly could because I was afraid it was going to dry up and blow away.
K: I am so happy you did because it was so wonderful!
The Homefront series is based at Fort Hood, which we got to
know during the Coming Home series. You
weren’t ready to leave Fort Hood yet were you? It seems the Homefront series
deals with some subplots from the Coming Home series.
J: It does. Fort Hood has been my home for many years. It is
embedded in my way of being an officer and a soldier and there are lots of
stories there I may still tell. But we'll see how it goes. Right now there are
only three books planned for that series.
K: I
liked Gale from the minute I met him in It’s
Always Been You. Then in Homefront
you give us his backstory --- OH MY. Nothing is ever easy for your characters
huh? What I truly enjoy about both the
Coming Home and Homefront series is the look at active military personal life. I think it is easy for most to forget the
people who wear the uniform must also decide what is for dinner, do the
laundry, strategize children issues, and hopefully have a few romantic moments
here and there – all while committing to protect our country, and the rights
and liberties we hold so dear.
I for one can’t get enough of your books, as you know I
generally start your books within hours if not minutes from them landing on my
Kindle. I hope this interview has given
some of our readers who haven’t discovered your books yet a reason to get one.
We have a tradition of a speed round questions at the end
of interviews here at TBQ – but I think you have answered them all before in
other posts – so I created a few new ones.
Here we go -
Lefty or righty?
Righty
Up with the sun, or night owl?
Depends on if my insomnia is acting up.
Favorite beverage while writing?
Nothing really. Maybe tea.
Sweet or Salty?
Depends on what time of the month it is.
I can completely relate to that one!
Three most played songs on your iPhone/iPod?
Um…The Bleeding by Five Finger Death Punch, Pursuit by Evans
Blue and I See You by Luke Bryan.
I love the Luke Bryan song, going to check out the others
ones…
What author would you stand in line for hours to just get an autograph?
Anne McCaffrey but she's sadly gone.
What new release are you dying to read?
Nalini Singh's new contemporary. I need some white space to
get it done! [Rock Hard is a great
book, it was a Royal Pick for Pat and I!]
Kame: Thanks again Jessica
this was a lot of fun. I can’t wait for everyone to read these new series!
Jessica: Thanks so much for having me. You and Pat and Danielle have been with me from the very start and I treasure your support of my books and your friendship!
Kame: Aww – Thanks – we treasure you too!
Publisher: Jessica Scott (April 7, 2015)
Series: Homefront, 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
A breathtaking new series from USA Today Bestselling author Jessica Scott
He’s always loved her...
First Sergeant Gale Sorren waited a war and half a lifetime for a chance to be stationed near the ex-wife who left him years ago. When he finally musters the courage to see her, the life he imagined she was living was nothing close to reality.
She’s never stopped loving him...
Melanie never stopped loving Gale, never stopped worrying about him each time he headed off to war. But he’s never been there when she needed him and she’s had fifteen years to steel her heart against him.
When Gale moves to Fort Hood, he finally has a chance to make things right with Melanie and the daughter she raised without him.
But Mel can't trust her heart to a man who has always let her down
He’s always loved her...
First Sergeant Gale Sorren waited a war and half a lifetime for a chance to be stationed near the ex-wife who left him years ago. When he finally musters the courage to see her, the life he imagined she was living was nothing close to reality.
She’s never stopped loving him...
Melanie never stopped loving Gale, never stopped worrying about him each time he headed off to war. But he’s never been there when she needed him and she’s had fifteen years to steel her heart against him.
When Gale moves to Fort Hood, he finally has a chance to make things right with Melanie and the daughter she raised without him.
But Mel can't trust her heart to a man who has always let her down
Where to Buy*:
More Info:
Reviews of Scott's Previous Novels:
Because of You, #1 (Kame)
Because of You, #1 (TBQ)
Anything For You, #1.5 (TBQ)
Until There Was You, #2 (TBQ)
I'll Be Home for Christmas, #2.5 (TBQ, Kame and Pat) ✦ Discussion
Back To You, #3 (TBQ, Kame and Pat) ✦ Discussion
All for You, #4 (TBQ, Kame and Pat) ✦ Discussion
It's Always Been You (#5) -- TBQ, Kame, and Pat
All I Want for Christmas Is You (#5.5) -- Pat
Before I Fall (#1) -- Kame + Pat ✦ Discussion
Thanks so much for stopping by today, Jessica! You are ALWAYS welcome back!
Have you read Jessica's books yet? Do you have a favorite?
Enjoy!
Until Next Time,
*TBQ's Book Palace is a member of both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles affiliates program. By using the links provided to buy products from either website, I receive a very small percentage of the order. To read my full disclosure on the matter, please see this post!
1 comment :
Great interview, ladies! I love Jessica's books. My favorite is All for You, but Back to You ran it a close second.
Post a Comment