Interview with Author J. Kenner and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author J. Kenner to RFTC. Julie is celebrating the recent release of her book, Release Me and has stopped by to answer a few questions. Please give Julie a warm welcome.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) has published over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres. Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. is also a two-time RITA finalist, the winner of Romantic Times‘ Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Contemporary Paranormal of 2001, the winner of the Reviewers International Organization’s award for best romantic suspense of 2004 and best paranormal of 2005, and the winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award for best mainstream book of 2005. She writes a range of stories including sexy and quirky romances, young adult novels, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures. Her current book, Release Me by J. Kenner, is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller and has sold to over a dozen territories/sub-rights. Julie lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats.

Places to find Julie:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

First off, can you tell us a bit about you?
Of course! I’m a lawyer-turned-writer (I think there are quite a few of us) who always wanted to write, but somehow found herself in law school. I loved law school, though, and did well, and after graduation, I clerked on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (meaning I was one of three other attorneys who worked directly with “my” judge to review cases, decide which cases hear oral argument, handle death penalty appeals, and travel to New Orleans (yay!) when the court was in session. It was a great job, but it didn’t leave a lot of time for writing, and I had the bug. (I did write a Really Bad Play while I worked at the court. It shall never ever see the light of day!)

After that, I moved to California and did entertainment law for a while. I met a lot of cool people, did some fascinating First Amendment work … and continued to battle the urge to write (difficult as young lawyers do not have a lot of spare time).

Eventually, though, I dove in full throttle, and I’m happy to say that I’ve been writing full time since 2004, just a few years after my oldest daughter was born. (We have two girls and two cats!)

I live in Texas now (where I grew up), and love to muck around in my yard (I wouldn’t say I’m a gardener, but I’m a planter … lots of trial and error). I also love biking and swimming and SCUBA diving, though there’s not much of that in Central Texas. I drink way too much coffee and adore dark chocolate!

Did you always want to be a writer?
Yes! One of my earliest memories involves banging out “stories” on my dad’s manual typewriter. Or writing out a story (Kitty Claus, a Christmas tale, was a big hit) and sewing the edge together with yarn to make a “book”. I used to entertain myself in the long, loud plane flight from Austin to Dallas by closing my eyes and making up stories in my head. (My dad’s plane, a single engine, was too bumpy for me to read without getting motion sick.)

What kind of writer are you? Panster or Plotter?
Both … but I lean toward plotster. I usually, but not always, do a synopsis after I’ve written the first three or four chapters. But I don’t always stick to it!

Where do your ideas come from?
I’m scared to figure that out, for fear they’ll stop coming.

Seriously, I have no idea. I like to say they come from Wal-Mart, but the truth is I just make us stories and spin a lot of what-ifs. I was shy as a kid, so maybe that played into it?

A la Twitter style, can you describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
Sparks fly in this sensual tale of a powerful man who always gets his way and a fiercely independent woman who challenges him at every turn.

What are some of your favorite kinds of stories to read?
I read everything! I love sexy books with enigmatic heroes. I love suspense and the classics and romance and YA and middle grade fantasy and pretty much anything I can get my hands on.

That’s the only downside of my writing life … I have less time to read now! (I’m a huge fan of audiobooks!)

Do you have a favorite book and if so what is it?
I have a lot of favorite books J I suppose the one that is my fall-back favorite book would be A Wrinkle in Time, but as an adult, I’m completely addicted to the JD Robb In Death series and the first four books in the Outlander series. Love Roarke! Love Jamie!

What are the scenes that are the hardest for you to write?
That’s a difficult question to answer because it changes with each book. In some books, it might be the deep, emotional revelations. In others, the emotions might flow from my fingers but an action scene takes three days to write!

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?
Dee Davis, because she’s one of my best friends and she lives soooooo far away and I don’t get to see her enough. Nora Roberts/JD Robb because I am amazed at her productivity. Neil Gaimen because … well, duh.

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
I am! I’m working on Claim Me, which follows Release Me. Though by the time this interview goes live, I’ll probably have turned Claim Me in to my editor and moved on to book 3: Complete Me.


I love reading books and then watching the movie adaptation. What’s the best adaptation you’ve ever seen? The worst?

He was the one man I couldn't avoid. And the one man I couldn't resist.

Damien Stark could have his way with any woman. He was sexy, confident, and commanding: Anything he wanted, he got. And what he wanted was me.

Our attraction was unmistakable, almost beyond control, but as much as I ached to be his, I feared the pressures of his demands. Submitting to Damien meant I had to bare the darkest truth about my past-and risk breaking us apart.

But Damien was haunted, too. And as our passion came to obsess us both, his secrets threatened to destroy him-and us-forever.

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |

Check out the Stark trilogy: 

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Check out whats up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:

• 1 lucky winner from the win a $10 Amazon Gift Card
• 1 lucky winner from the win a signed copy of Release Me

To Enter:

• Please leave a comment answering Julie's question: I love reading books and then watching the movie adaptation. What’s the best adaptation you’ve ever seen? The worst?
• Please fill out the Rafflecopter form. 

Good Luck =)

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