Author Interview: Jessica Scott + Giveaway

Interview

1. You have such amazing covers. Have you met either of the models yet?

Sadly, my life is not so exciting that I'm meeting cover models. Apparently, there was a cover model (not either of mine) at RWA this year.

2. How did you come up with your book titles?

I can claim absolutely no credit for the titles. Elyssa Patrick gets full credit there. She is a title goddess!

3. How did you come up with character names?

Now this I can claim credit for. Honestly, I can't start writing until I find a name that fits. I usually surf through a baby book until I find something. I know, not very exciting of a method, huh?

Arianne: I hear a lot of authors do the same ;)

4. Do you outline your story before you write?

I am a panster by heart, however, I have to say I've forced myself to think through plotting and storyboarding. I am a huge fan of the index card method Alexandra Sokoloff teaches in on her website The Dark Salon and in her book Screenwriting Tricks for Writers. I had several ah ha moments in that book and it's my go to book when I've got story problems I'm stuck on.

5. What do you do when you're going through a writer's block?

Delete something. Seriously, usually if I'm stuck, it's my subconsicous' way of telling me what I wrote last isn't working. I've either written myself into a corner or gone off on a tangent. Delete is my favorite key on they keyboard.

Arianne: That is such a good idea! Might have to try that one day.

6. Do you have dreams about your stories?

I won't say that I dream about my stories but I do use stuff from dreams, like the emotions of situations, to try and create a more intense scene, if that makes sense. I had a battalion commander teach me that feelings are real but they're not always true. I use that in my writing to try and make emotions and feelings come off as real.

7. Anything you would like to ask our readers?

Who is your favorite tortured hero?

Title: Because of You
Series: Coming Home, #1
Author: Jessica Scott
Pages: 262
Publisher: LoveSwept
Release Date: November 14, 2011
Buy Link: Amazon (Kindle)

Blurb:

From the war-torn streets of Baghdad to the bittersweet comforts of the home front, two wounded hearts navigate the battlefield of coming home from war in this explosive eBook original from newcomer Jessica Scott.

Keeping his men alive is all that matters to Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison. But meeting Jen St. James the night before his latest deployment makes Shane wonder if there’s more to life than war. He leaves for Iraq remembering a single kiss with a woman he’ll never see again—until a near fatal attack lands him back at home and in her care.

Jen has survived her own brush with death and endured its scars. And yet there’s a fire in Shane that makes Jen forget all about her past. He may be her patient, but when this warrior looks her in the eyes, she feels—for the first time in a long time—like a woman. Shane is too proud to ask for help, but for Jen, caring for him is more than a duty—it’s a need. And as Jen guides Shane through the fires of healing, she finds something she never expected—her deepest desire.

Title: Until There Was You
Series: Coming Home, #2
Author: Jessica Scott
Publisher: LoveSwept
Release Date: October 8, 2012

Blurb:

He plays by the rules, she’s not afraid to break them. Now these two strong-willed army captains will prove that opposites attract . . .

A by-the-book captain with a West Point background, Captain Evan Loehr refuses to mix business with pleasure—except for an unguarded instance years ago when he succumbed to the deep sensuality of redheaded beauty Claire Montoya. From that moment on, though, Evan has been at odds with her, through two deployments to Iraq and back again. But when he is asked to train a team prepping for combat alongside Claire, battle-worn Evan is in for the fight of his life.

Strong, gutsy, and loyal, Captain Claire Montoya has worked hard to earn the rank on her chest. In Evan, Claire sees a rigid officer who puts the rules before everything else—including his people. When the mission forces them together, Claire soon discovers that there is more to Evan than meets the eye.

He’s more than the rank on his chest; he’s a man with dark secrets and deep longings. For all their differences, Evan and Claire share two crucial passions: their country and each other.

 Giveaway

Giveaway ends September 17, 2012. International. Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Arianne