Spotlight - Jenny Schwartz

Please click date button to view entire post.

Hi everyone,

Today we have the wonderful Jenny Schwartz dropping by for a visit.
Jenny writes across romance genres; these include contemporary, paranormal and the uber-cool Steampunk. I love Steampunk , especially Jenny's Bustlepunk chronicles. If you haven't checked them out, you should... they're great fun!

 

Hello Jenny and welcome J

 

What type of romance do you write?

Sometimes the honest answer to that feels like “absolutely anything”. I write Steampunk and paranormal romance and my most recent release is contemporary romance. Contemporary romance is fun. It’s something that could happen to the person queuing next to you at the supermarket checkout.

 

What comes first, the plot or characters?

Plot and characters develop together for me. Sometimes one might appear first, but so closely followed by the other that I can’t separate them. They evolve together as I mull over ideas.

 

What made you want to be a writer?

I’ve always wanted to write. Mum remembers me “writing” before I could read or write. I’d just sit scrawling wavy lines at a little children’s table. Once I learned to read and write, I never stopped doing either.

 

How do you come up with the titles to your books?

With great difficulty! A good editor (and I’ve been blessed with some of the best) helps enormously. Very occasionally I’m struck with a title idea at the beginning of the writing process and write the story to match it.

 

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

Mistaken Engagement came out of the sudden realisation that with the new Australian digital romance publishers, like Escape Publishing, there was an opportunity for stories that matched Australian experiences – like holidays. I was immediately inspired to write a story for Australia Day, a story to celebrate the fun of that summer holiday and the underlying love of family and community.

 

If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?

I’ve visited every state and territory in Australia, except for Tasmania. So it’s on my list.

 

Are you a sweet tooth?

Absolutely, I love chocolate and I have a devastating weakness for cake. This is NOT helped by all the great bakeries that have sprung up around the neighbourhood. I guess you could say I believe in supporting local businesses J

Thanks Jenny for stopping by and all the best with 'Mistaken Engagement' J

Nicóle  xx

Mistaken Engagement

Saul knows he crossed the line when he claimed a surprise engagement with Grace. But her hysterical denial – and the way she's avoided him ever since – has made things awkward, but it can all be worked out. The Australia Day long weekend down at her family’s beach house is the perfect time to show everyone that they’re friends, with not a broken heart between them. But can a fake engagement become life-changingly real?

 

SNIPPET

Grace bounced up from the sofa. Her hands went to her hips. The old yoga pants she wore had slid down. She angrily hitched them up. “You arrogant, manipulative … You didn’t just ask for my schedule, did you? You made sure I had the whole weekend off.”
Infuriatingly, Saul relaxed into a grin, holding his palms up in a gesture of innocent, misunderstood goodwill.
“Ooh.” She picked up a cushion and threw it at him. She’d spent years proving that she was herself, and not Stuart Wharton’s stepdaughter. She’d worked for everything she had. But with Saul throwing his weight around the hospital, they would all look at her differently.
“It’s not so bad, Grace.” He put the cushion aside and stood. “The family wants you at the bay, and you look like you need a holiday. Come and celebrate Australia Day with us. I’ll pick you up at six o’clock tomorrow morning.”
She fumed silently.
“And the two of us will show everyone we’re the best of friends,” he continued remorselessly. “Pack your bathing suit.”
“I won’t go surfing with you.”
“Then you can sit on the beach and admire my style.” A finger tapped her nose.
She nearly went cross-eyed watching it approach and retreat.
He grinned and let himself out of the house.

Buy-link

Mistaken Engagement is available from Harlequin’s new Australian digital imprint, Escape Publishing. It’s a short story (10,000 words), which is an interesting new development.

I hope to see lots more short stories with the growth of digital publishing.

 

Jenny Schwartz is a West Australian author. Her high school yearbook predicted she’d be a writer – something about always having her nose in a book. When not living up to others’ expectations, she enjoys lazy days in the suburbs and is working on a collection of life-saving recipes, “Simple Meals for Forgetful Cooks”. 

You can catch up with Jenny at her website, on Twitter and Facebook .

 

www.nicolehurley-moore.com