Our guest today is an amazing author who can write a variety of genres and pull you deep into the story every time. Oh, and she loves wine. Welcome Jeffe Kennedy!
Thank you! And who doesn’t love wine???
Lexi: Welcome back to the blog, Jeffe! We are so excited for the release of Under Contract, book three of the Falling Under series. Reading the blurb promises to be another steamy read from you and I can’t wait to get this on my kindle! Since I have to wait a bit how about you tell us how long it took to complete Under Contract start to finish?
I can tell you exactly how long it took, as I am the Queen of Spreadsheets and I track these things somewhat exhaustively. ☺ From the day I started drafting it, to the day we finished final proofs and put it in the can, it was 131 days. That’s on the fast side, because it’s Carina Pres and, as a digital publisher, they have rapid publishing windows. Some of that time it was with my editor or various copy editors and proofreaders. Actual days that it was in my hands? 71. Of those, 59 were writing the first draft.
Lexi: As many books as you put out and how active you are in the book community aka making star appearances at conventions and the such, I forget that you still have to show up for your day job! Do you have days where you struggle concentrating at work because you have a perfect scene stuck in your head or a new book idea?
“Star appearances.” PSHAW! But sure, some days it’s *much* more difficult to get my head out of a book and focus on day job work. I’m extraordinarily lucky, however, as I get to work from home and so my schedule is variable. What’s most important in my day job is that I do good work and meet my deadlines. That allows me a lot of flexibility to work on what I need to most at any given time.
Lexi: Sorry to your boss but I hope your productivity takes a dive if it would give us more Jeffe Kennedy books per year. No matter what you do though you are secure. But that is what Under Contract heroine Celestina thought until she is left with one option, sell herself to Ryan to get out of a bad situation. How did you connect with that type of desperation?
Thanks for saying so! My day job boss reads my books, so it works out well. ☺ I think we’ve all felt Celestina’s level of desperation at some time or another—when the debt payments are more than what we’re bringing in each month. I got into a fix like that in my early twenties. Fortunately for me, my parents bailed me out so I could resolve my foolishly acquired credit-card debt. (I paid them back.) It did make me think, however, how would it be if you had no one to help you? And, worse, other people depending on you?
Lexi: Your ability to make readers feel your characters is why all the genres you write are successful. That and your steamy romance books are guaranteed to pack plenty of heat. Is there any romantic element that is consistent through the Falling Under series?
Yes. The series is loosely connected thematically. All male/female romances, all with BDSM elements. They all also have beach scenes. There are other themes I played with, about hiding who you are or owning who you are. All involve overcoming grief of various kinds to find happiness again.
Lexi: This series has been great so far. Thanks for stopping by to talk about Under Contract and congrats on the release! Cheers and we hope to see you back soon!
Thanks Lexi! You know I always like to come by for a glass of wine and book talk with you!
Under Contract
(Falling Under #3)
by Jeffe Kennedy
ebook, 276 pages
Published July 7th 2015 by Carina Press
ISBN139781459290013
Ryan Black has admired Celestina Sala from afar for years, her lush body and sensual nature calling to the dominant in him. For just as many years, Celestina was off-limits—married, proud and self-sufficient. But all that has changed, and now Celestina is in debt and in need…and available. Ryan proposes a contract: he'll pay off her debt if she gives herself to him in bed, yielding control in exchange for the pain and pleasure he'll bring them both.
There are words for women who take money for sex, and none of them are nice ones. Celestina never thought she'd have to sink this low, but giving up control sounds more enticing than ever before. And suddenly it's not about having to give in to Ryan. It's about wanting to.
But when Ryan's dark past comes to light, they may both be in over their heads. The terms of his contract say her body is his…but her heart may be another story.
One thing is for sure—now that Ryan has Celestina, he can never let her go.
About the Author:
Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include non-fiction, poetry, short fiction, and novels. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including Redbook.
Her most recent works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion, and an erotic contemporary serial novel, Master of the Opera. A fourth series, the fantasy trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms, hit the shelves starting in May 2014 and book 1, The Mark of the Tala, received a starred Library Journal review and has been nominated for the RT Book of the Year while the sequel, The Tears of the Rose, has been nominated for best fantasy romance of the year. A fifth series, the highly anticipated erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, released starting with Going Under, followed by Under His Touch and Under Contract.
She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.
Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular Word Whores blog, on Facebook, and pretty much constantly on Twitter @jeffekennedy. She is represented by Connor Goldsmith of Fuse Literary.
Thanks got another great interview, Jeffe!
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