Please welcome author Jennifer Apodaca for a little bit of Straight Talk!
When you are getting ready to start a new book, what’s the first thing you do?
Procrastinate! I have the hardest time with the first half of the first draft. That takes me forever to write. The second have goes much faster for me since I know the characters much better by then.
How do you celebrate when you finish writing a book?
I get out of the house! I meet friends for lunch or coffee, do some baking, and catch up on all the things I had to put off while writing. Oh, and I read! Usually by the last quarter of writing a book, I’m working long hours and just too tired to read at the end of the day.
Have you had any fun fan moments since you became a writer?
I have awesome fans! One that stands out is a fan who brought me a gift of one of my character’s favorite treats, which for that character was Dr. Pepper and Kit Kat bars. I got a kick out of that.
Another fan touched me deeply when she came into a signing with one of my paperbacks and asked me to sign it, then apologized for “beat up” condition of the book. She explained that she was a bus driver and loved the book so much that she took it with her everywhere to read on her breaks. To me, that book looked well-loved, not beat up! I happily signed it and remember that woman clearly many years later.
Do you usually begin a book with a character or a plot?
Usually I begin with a character and a premise. For THE BABY BARGAIN, I knew that Megan was a veterinarian and single mom in a small town. And I knew that Adam would return to town after spending years in the Marines, only to discover a secret Megan kept from him.
What was the inspiration for your book?
A couple things. I’m a huge animal lover, so giving Megan a career as a veterinarian was a natural choice for me. Many years ago, I worked at an animal shelter, and for a while, shared an office with the on-site veterinarian. I’ve never forgotten his understanding of, and compassion for, for animals.
My inspiration for Adam, and the Once A Marine Series, was finding love for men who risked their lives for their country. Both my father and my husband’s father served in the military, and I have a deep respect for the men and woman who do so. But coming home from war can be difficult, and in the books I want to give these men peace and happiness.
How difficult is if for you to come up with a title for your books?
THE BABY BARGAIN was harder than usual for some reason. But it usually depends. Some titles, I know right away, others take a little more time and effort.
Who would play your hero/heroine in the tv or film version of your book?
Bradley Cooper and Amy Adams. I would want to watch the filming just to see Bradley Cooper with his shirt off!
Are you a pantser or a plotter?
I usually start a book as a plotter, and end it as a pantser. The characters tend to take over at some point, and that’s when I know the book is finally working. At that point, however, the book goes where the characters take it, not necessarily where I plotted it to go. And that’s the fun part of writing!
Where does the magic happen? Where do you write?
When we bought the house we’re in now, we turned what is supposed to be the formal dining room into my office. I did that to keep an eye on my three sons while working. I write there most of the time, and sometimes on my laptop.
Aside from writing, what do you do in your free time?
I don’t have much free time these days! I try to work out, I enjoy baking, in fact on my next writing break, I plan to figure out how to make a tiramisu cake I had at a bakery recently. I read of course, and hang out with my husband, sons, and friends. Oh and I play with Bailey—my middle son’s dog. I adore Bailey.
Do you prefer print books or eBooks?
These days, I’m all eBook now. It seems to be easier on my eyes, and I get the added bonus of having all my books in one place on my eReader.
What’s in the works for you?
I’m hoping to do more Once A Marine books. And I write a sexy adult contemporary series, The Plus One Chronicles, under my pen name of Jennifer Lyon.
About the book: The Baby Bargain
Seeing Adam Waters is the last thing veterinarian Megan Young expects. Ex-Marine. Ex-boyfriend. And still extremely dangerous territory. But Adam doesn’t know the secret Megan has been keeping from him. The secret that was created three years ago, after their last night together…
Adam returns to Raven’s Cove to sell his home in a final break with the town and memories that haunt him. The problem is that his attraction to Megan is as blazing hot as it ever was. But when a vicious smear campaign against Megan turns ugly, Adam learns the truth he never knew—he has a son.
Now the only way Megan can protect her child is to strike a bargain with Adam. And it’s a bargain that looks a lot like blackmail…
Title: The Baby Bargain
Author: Jennifer Apodaca
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 184 pages
Release Date: March 2013
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-62266-073-5
Imprint: Indulgence
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