Tell us a little bit about your new release, Jackson's Trust.
Jackson’s Trust is a friends-to-lovers romance between a brilliant NFL sports analysist and the new sideline reporter he’s assigned to train. There’s lots of chemistry, lots of sports, lots of great friendship, and just a heartfelt romance between these two kindred football lovers.
What or who inspired you to become an author?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a writer – I still have the composition books that I used to pen and draw my first stories as a kid. As my parents always say, I had an insatiable appetite for books (even now, I read about 3-4 books a day). And as an adolescent/teen I went to the public library every day and read literally every book in the entire YA section of the library. So probably my biggest inspiration would be these amazing authors who wrote such beautiful stories for me to fall in love with throughout my life.
Where is your happy place? Why does it bring you joy?
My happy place would be within the pages of my favorite re-reads. Whenever I need rejuvenation or inspiration, I’ll open up these well-worn paperbacks (my “top shelf reads” that I’ve re-read probably a hundred times each) and instantly get transported to where ever the characters are. Being surrounded by the rich, vibrant storytelling is like getting a big, warm literary hug. I’ve never been able to get through one of those re-reads without smiling a lot and sighing a lot in bliss.
What's your favorite thing about living in Hawaii?
I love how everything is laid back here and very in touch with nature. I haven’t worn covered shoes for years (my last year teaching as a professor was probably the last time LOL). It’s just a beautiful place to live with great people and a very island way of life (sometimes me and my hubby will just pack up the kids and head over to go camping near the beach on a whim).
Who is your favorite couple from literature?
That would have to be the couple from my first and favorite romance of all time – Matt Farrell and Meredith Bancroft from Paradise by Judith McNaught.
Say you now host a literary-themed talk show (congrats). Who would be your first guest? What would you ask that person?
Guest: Legendary, brilliant author Elizabeth Lowell
Question: If I promise you an organ I have two of, will you please, please write more Donovan series books? 🙂
What's your favorite quote or scene from Jackson's Trust?
Jackson found his palms flat against the wall on either side of her shoulders before he could stop himself. And yet he did nothing to remedy what was surely a bad decision on his part, work-wise. Instead, he just watched her, and waited for an answer.
Leila’s gaze pulled away from his a moment later, and dropped down to his tie. While her teeth sank into that lush lower lip he’d been fascinated with since yesterday, she reached out her free hand to straighten and smooth out his tie.
Oddly, the unbidden action was a penetrating fist to his chest. He hadn’t been lying about having had more than a few passing thoughts of a wife and kids to spoil. And this tie-straightening? It belonged right there in the vault with all the other untouchable daydreams for his life.
When her lips parted then, instead of an answer, he got another question. “Why do you insist on calling me sunshine?”
“You don’t like it?”
“I’d rather you call me by my name.”
Exhaling slowly, he admitted, “Me too. Which is why I’m sticking to sunshine.”
Eyes still glued to his tie, she resumed her distracting lip biting, looking as reflective
as she did amused. “So does that mean I shouldn’t call you Jackson?”
Holy shit, he liked the sound of his name on her lips. Too damn much. “Call me Jackson.” It wasn’t a reply to her inquiry. It wasn’t even a request. It had edged over to a demand…
Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?
When one door closes, look for a window. And if there is none, grab your favorite tool and create your own entrance/exit. Every time something terrible has happened in my life (and I’ve had a pretty rough life), I survived by looking for that window, or sledgehammering my way through whatever wall I needed to get past. Each time, that closed door behind me was the best thing I walked away from.
