Interview

Hi Jennifer and welcome. I am so glad you could join us here at RomanceJunkies. To start, will you please tell us a little bit about your current projects?

 

Thanks for having me! My current release is HOT MAMA, a paranormal romance that came out in November from Berkley. It’s about Fiona Fine, a fashion designer by day and a superhero by night. Fiona’s looking for love, which she finds in the arms of Johnny Bulluci, a sexy playboy.

 

HOT MAMA is the second in my BIGTIME superheroes series. The first book, KARMA GIRL, was released in May, and the third book, JINX, will come out in September 2008. All of the books feature sexy superheroes, evil ubervillains, and lots of smart, sassy gals looking for love. They’re just fun, sexy, fantasy reads.

What do you enjoy most about writing?  What is the least fun?

 

Typing THE END! Seriously, finishing a book always leaves me with an incredible high. It’s one of the best feelings in the world. And it means I can take a couple of days off before I start my next project.

 

The least fun? I’d have to say all the waiting. The publishing world moves at its own, slow, steady pace, and it seems like you’re always waiting on something – contracts, reviews, cover art, etc. I basically write to keep myself from going crazy waiting for other things to happen!

What is the best thing you did to promote your writing career?  What is the one thing you wish you had done sooner?

 

I would have to say the best thing I did promotion-wise was my web site (www.jenniferestep.com). I’ve gotten a lot of wonderful comments about the fun, colorful design, and my blog and e-mail newsletter let me interact with readers. I also love guest blogging on other romance sites.

 

I wish I’d started writing sooner, as well as educating myself about the business. Joining a group like RWA when I started writing would have helped me in all areas, including promotion.

If you could change one thing about the way you write, what would it be? What is the one thing you will never change because it "just works"?

 

I wish I could write faster! That’s every writer’s dream, I think. I have so many ideas I’d like to explore. Being able to type a couple thousand words a minute would really help with that!

 

I write in first person, and I don’t know that I’ll ever change that. For me, that’s the voice that really sings. I love writing it and reading it.

Every writer dreams of getting "the call".  Do you remember what you were doing when yours came? Who got to hear the good news first?

 

I was working at my day job at my newspaper, designing the food pages for the week. The phone rang, and it was my agent, telling me that my editor wanted to buy KARMA GIRL, my first book. I don’t remember much after that, other than being incredibly happy and smiling so much my face hurt!

 

My significant other got the news first, quickly followed by my mom.

Do you have any favorite hobbies or collections?  What is the one project you started but have never found the time to finish?

 

Of course, reading is one of my main hobbies. So is collecting books by my favorite authors. I also enjoy cooking, shopping, and fantasy role-playing games (think Dungeons & Dragons). What can I say? I’m a geeky fangirl!

 

As for unfinished projects, like every writer, I have a couple of rough drafts I’ve started over the years that I’d like to go back and finish.

What is the one thing that you'd love to do, but will probably never have the nerve?  What is the one thing you've already done that still amazes you to this day?

 

I’d love to do something really crazy and adventurous, like go sky-diving, climb Mount Everest, or go shark-cage diving.

 

The one thing that still amazes me is that I’m a published author. There’s so much competition and the odds are so long, but somehow, I did it. That fact will always, always amaze me.

Woo Hoo!  Lucky day!  You get to go anywhere you want!  So…where are you going and why this place?  Will you take a huge suitcase the size of a trunk, or will it be one that you could easily carry even if the wheels fell off?

 

I’ve always wanted to go to Alaska and take one of those cruises to see the ice and whales. I’m definitely taking a big, big suitcase so I can bring back lots of souvenirs. J

Describe the "perfect" hero?  What about the "perfect" hero for you?

The “perfect” hero is someone who’s kind, considerate, funny, smart, thoughtful, and charming. If he’s nice to look at too, well, that’s just icing on the cake. My “perfect” hero is my significant other, who is all of those things (although he can also be exasperating, aggravating, and make me want to pull my hair out. He claims that it’s all part of his “charm”).

How do you describe Jennifer Estep?  How do Jennifer Estep's family and friends describe her?

 

Sassy. Sarcastic. Determined. Likes to make people laugh.

MORE FUN…

We all love Thanksgiving!  So, tell us…it's a pressing question…all about cranberry sauce!!!  Jellied or Whole Berry?  Homemade or canned? Which do you prefer?

 

Cranberry sauce ... mmm! My favorite is whole berry. Ocean Spray makes this wonderful orange-cranberry sauce that I get every year for Thanksgiving. It goes great with turkey.

Oh no! Did you hear??  Lip balm is being banned!  Now what are ya gonna do?

 

Go to Canada and buy it. I can’t live without my lip balm! J

What is the one thing in your closet that should have gone years ago but that you'll keep forever?

 

A pair of tennis shoes. They’re completely worn out, but I can’t make myself throw them away. Good tennis shoes are so hard to find!

Are you a bath person or a shower person?

 

A shower person. My tub isn’t quite big enough for me to take a long, luxurious bubble bath like you see in the movies.

And lastly, no interview of a writer would be complete without this question: what is your favorite comfort food?

Oh, this is a toughie! Chocolate is up there, of course, along with strawberry cheesecake ice cream. But overall, I gotta go with macaroni and cheese. There’s nothing better than that after a tough day.

Thank you, Jennifer, for spending time with us and away from your writing!  Good luck in the future!

By Brooke Wills

Romance Junkies Publishing Editor

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