DSC_1947I sat down with Jennifer Wilck to talk writing, passion and her book, Addicted to Love! 

 

When did you realize or decide you wanted to be a writer?

I started writing when my kids were little. I had all these stories in my head and I couldn’t get the characters to leave me alone. So I wrote them down when my kids went to sleep at night. These days, I’m no longer a night owl and my kids are teenagers, so I write while they are in school or working on homework.

What has been your best experience as an author so far?

The fact that I can actually touch a book that I’ve written! It’s so amazing to me that someone wants to publish an idea that has rattled around in my brain, and that someone else wants to buy it!

What sort of challenges have you faced as a writer? How did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge is talking about what I write. I’m naturally shy, but writers have to promote themselves, and talking about myself and my creative ideas is a challenge. I’m always afraid someone will think what I’m saying is stupid. But I push myself (as does my husband and the rest of my family) and I’m slowly getting better at it—although I’ve learned not to wear red to any author event, as I blush and match my shirt.

How do you research and plan your books? Do you find outlining helps or hinders your process?

I tried outlining once and for me it was a disaster. I’m in awe of any writer who can do it. I’m what’s known as a pantser, which means I write as the inspiration comes into my brain. It’s not always easy, especially when I get stuck, but clearing my mind with a walk, or talking to my critique partner usually helps. I do outline as I edit so I have a timeline and I know where things are.

Tell us a little about your writing nook! Favorite tea/coffee/writing snack?

I write on a laptop, which gives me the freedom to move around my house and outside as I want. I do have a desk that lets me look outside, which is nice. I try not to eat when I write, but I have to have my coffee in the morning and my tea at night. 

Of all of your own characters, who would you most want to date?

Shhh, don’t tell my husband. Dan, in Addicted to Love, or Gideon, from my very first book, A Heart of Little Faith. They are both strong, dependable, handsome and have depth.  

What’s next for you?

My next book with The Wild Rose Press is In The Moment, which comes out Sept. 1. And then hopefully the other two books that follow Addicted to Love in the Serendipity series.

About Jennifer:  

Jennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after.

In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. When she’s not writing, she loves to laugh with family and friends, is a pro at finding whatever her kids lost in plain sight, and spends way too much time closing doors that should never have been left open. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and doesn’t share her chocolate.

She writes contemporary romance, some of which are mainstream and some of which involve Jewish characters. All are available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Find her on: 

Facebook – TwitterBlogspotPinterest or at http://www.jenniferwilck.com

 

perf5.000x8.000.inddAbout the Book!

 

Tell us a little about your new release: Addicted to Love!

Well, it’s the first in what, hopefully, will be a three-book series. It features Jewish characters but in everyday situations, so it’s not inspirational, but contemporary romance. Hannah is a twenty-something professional living with her meddlesome but lovable grandmother.

Dan is a widower in his late thirties with a teenaged daughter. Dan’s got a secret from his past he’s desperate not to talk about, and Hannah has a job and a brother that are both putting obstacles in their way.  

Where did your inspiration for the book come from?

Well, actually, I was inspired to create Dan from a character on House of Cards (but Dan is WAY less dark and manipulative). Once I created him, the rest of the story just fell into place. And I like writing Jewish heroes and heroines because we don’t get to read about them often in non-holiday books and I like diverse characters.

 Did you outline the story, or dive right in?

Nope, I dove right in. I had detailed plot sessions though with my critique partner over coffee and I let the characters guide me, for the most part. I did have to nudge them a little.

How did your characters come to life?

They talk to me, which can be annoying or fun, depending on where I am. I think I’m getting a reputation as the crazy neighborhood lady who talks to herself as I walk in the mornings, but I can’t help it. I need to argue with them enough so that when I get back home to my computer, I can write everything down.

What was your favorite part of working on this story? What was the most challenging?

My favorite part was actually writing the secondary characters—the grandmother and the teenaged daughter. They were a lot of fun and I was able to use things I’ve observed in my own teens for the daughter. The most challenging was getting the addiction part right—Dan was addicted to pain killers at one point—so I had to do a lot of research into that (any mistakes are purely my own).

What’s next for this story – is it part of a series? When does it come out?

Addicted to Love released on July 21 and is the first in an anticipated three-book series, I hope.  

Excerpt:

“What are we looking at?” She whispered out of the side of her mouth, pursing her lips together and giving him an insane urge to kiss them.

“What?”

“I assumed since we’re standing here you must be looking at something, and I wanted to join in the fun. Or did you not realize we weren’t moving?”

Her nostrils flared and she bit her lip, and Dan realized she was trying not to laugh. Now he really wanted to kiss her, to capture her mouth with his, to make her his own. Before he could act on it, his stomach growled.

“Was that yours or mine?” She looked over at him, eyebrow raised.

His lips twitched. His breath hitched. He couldn’t keep his amusement to himself any longer. It bubbled in his chest and he let it out as he shook his head.

“Okay, while I am older than you, I’m not old enough to be senile. Yet. So yes, I did know we weren’t moving. But thanks for that. And yes, my stomach growled, because I’m hungry. Except I think I need to put eating on hold for a moment, because what I need, more than anything else right now, what I’ve needed all night long in fact, is to kiss you.”

Find Addicted to Love at:

The Wild Rose Press – AmazonBarnes & NobleKobo