TBR welcomes Jennifer Wilck

TBR: Welcome to TBR, Jennifer. Will you share a little bit about yourself?
Hi Cate, thanks so much for having me here today. I’m a contemporary romance writer published through Whiskey Creek Press, and I have several blogs that I write or contribute to on a weekly basis. When I’m not writing, I’m mom to two girls, who keep me busy.  

TBR: Tell us about Skin Deep.
Skin Deep is a contemporary romance and is the story of a man with a terrible secret from his past, who will do anything to prevent that secret from repeating itself, and the woman who teaches him that love truly can conquer all. 

TBR: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
The last thing Valerie needs, after escaping an abusive marriage to an alcoholic and rebuilding her life, is a broody, secretive, standoffish man. But that’s exactly what she gets when she becomes a makeup artist on the set of a hit sitcom and draws the attention of the series’ star.

John Samuels hides a terrible past—a life of abuse and neglect. A successful acting career and the affection and support of cast, crew and friends, does nothing to convince him that he is anything other than an unlovable monster.

Will he learn that the life he’s been living has been built on a lie or will he be doomed to repeat the sins of his father?

A portion of the proceeds from this book is being donated to The Rachel Coalition, which helps battered women.

TBR: Are you a plotter or pantser?
I’m most definitely a pantser. I’ve tried writing from an outline and the results were horrible. Everything sounds flat when I write from an outline. Instead, I write what comes into my head and then keep track of everything on an outline so that if I need to go back to something later, or keep track of something (like hair color, eyes color, etc.), I know where to look.

TBR: Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to share?
My favorite quote is from Winnie the Pooh. “You must remember this: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

TBR: Did any music inspire your book? Do you have a playlist?
I pay a lot of attention to music lyrics. I’m not sure if a particular song inspired my books, but there are several which fit in well with them. If you go to my website, I have a playlist for each book. For Skin Deep, my songs are Bubbly by Colbie Colliat, Savin’ Me by Nickleback, Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts, Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath, What Will It Take To Make You Love Me by the Rembrandts, Another Rainy Night by Queensryche and True Colors by Phil Collins.

TBR: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?
I’d love to invite John, the hero in Skin Deep, to dinner with me. He’s an actor on a sitcom and I’d love to talk to him about what it’s like to star in a TV show.

TBR: What's next for you?
I’m currently working on another contemporary romance, The Seduction of Esther, which has a Jewish theme and centers around the holiday of Purim. It’s a little different, but I love the characters. Purim is a holiday where we dress up (similar to Halloween) and one of the themes of the holiday is hiding our identity, which makes a really interesting conflict in a romance! The heroine is a clumsy singer and the hero is a single dad. It’s been a lot of fun to write.

TBR: Any other published works?
My first book with Whiskey Creek Press was A Heart of Little Faith, the story of two damaged people—one physically, one emotionally—who overcome their distrust of one another and discover love. It’s been on my publisher’s best seller list for 8 months, about 5 of those at #1. A portion of the proceeds from this book is being donated to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

TBR: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?
The most challenging is finding the time and the inspiration at the same time. Because of my kids, my time is very limited, and making sure my characters are talking to me when I actually can sit down to write can be difficult.

TBR: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
My favorite authors are Lynn Kurland, Laura Kinsale, Charlotte Bronte and Shakespeare are some of my favorites.

TBR: Where can readers find you on the web?
I can be reached at www.jenniferwilck.com or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Wilck/201342863240160. My blog (Fried Oreos) is www.jenniferwilck.wordpress.com and I contribute to Heroines With Hearts at www.heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com.

TBR: Readers, Jennifer will give away a signed copy of Skin Deep to one lucky commenter. She'll pick a winner on Sunday, June 17 and announce the winner here. Be sure to leave your email address so she can contact you.

Thanks for visiting TBR, Jennifer. Best of luck to you.