Danita Minnis

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Jenna Jaxon will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Author Interview: Jenna Jaxon

1. How did you choose your genre? What made you write this book?

Well, I was a history major as a college undergrad, so writing historical romance was kind of a no-brainer, especially as I read it when I was a teenager. I’ve always been fascinated with history, with wondering how people lived before they had all the innovations we have today, or when they had lots of restrictive rules, or had to abide by stringent social mores. So after reading Kathleen Woodiwiss’s historical romance Everlasting, I literally put the book down, said aloud, “I think I could write something like that,” and sat down and began to write a medieval historical romance.

Ultimately, I wrote The Widow Wore Plaid because the Weather Girls came on the radio as I was driving in to work one morning singing “It’s Raining Men.” The song made me wish women of the Regency could have women’s clubs so they could have access to men—so it could rain men for them. So I came up with the idea of six friends who’d become widows after the battle of Waterloo who are now wanting to marry again and have house parties where they can entertain men. Jane, the heroine of The Widow Wore Plaid is the 6^th and last widow of the group.

2. Writers write what they know, and must observe the world. Are you a firstborn, middle or last child, and how does this shape your view of the world?

I’m an only child, which I think is different from first, middle, or last. Only children, in my experience, come from a perspective of privilege. Many times, and certainly in my case, I pretty much had stuff handed to me that my friends with siblings didn’t. And again, in my case, it shaped my view of the world to be self-centric. Not that I think/thought the world revolved around me, but I tend to look at the world as though my perspective and experience is the norm when it certainly is not.

3. Where is your favorite place to write?

Well, now that changes, sometimes from book to book or season to season. I actually love to write at Starbucks. The people around me act as white noise that I immediately tune out and focus on writing. In the summer I visit a friend of mine in upstate New York who has a cabin off-grid. I spend a week up there with her visiting and writing and it’s been some of the most peaceful and productive times of my career. So I think either one of those could be considered my favorite place to write.

4. How do you feel about killing your darlings, and what do you do with the remains?

I’m reluctant, as most writers are, to kill those darlings. But I usually follow the advice of my editor and get rid of them. Depending on what they are (isolated scenes, a series of scenes, or full chapters) I simply delete them, although if they are something I think is really interesting on its own, I’ll stick them in a file on the computer. Fun little scenes can always be used after the release of a book as attention getters for readers—deleted scenes are like catnip to readers. One entire chapter I was told to cut out of the first book of one of my series became the first chapter of the last book of the series, as it introduced the hero to the heroine of that book.

5. You are introduced to your favorite author. Who is it, and what is that one burning question you must ask them?

I did meet my favorite author several times at RWA conferences. Jo Beverley was a very gracious lady, who hugged me and told me she’d heard of my work. After that, I was no good at all and couldn’t have thought of a question if I’d tried.

6. Inquiring minds want to know…tell readers something about you that no one knows.

That’s kind of hard as I’ve been writing about myself for a lot of years, in interviews and on my blog. But something that people probably don’t know about me is that I was the Fencing Club’s candidate for Homecoming Queen in high school. I didn’t win, but it was kind of surreal that I was even a candidate, so I didn’t mind losing at all.

7. You are stranded on a deserted island with only a backpack for company. What three items are in your survival pack?

A complete set of the Outlander novels, a top-of-the-line Swiss Army pocket knife, and a satellite phone.

8. If you could have one superpower in your existence, what would it be?

The power to turn back time. To go back and savor the past a little more with my family members who have passed on, and maybe do some things a little differently.

9. Favorite snack?

Zapp’s Voodoo potato chips

10. Indy 500 – Do you know how to get where you’re going or do you drive the speed limit?

I drive the speed limit—and pay attention to the signs. I have a notoriously bad sense of direction. If I have to choose right or left, I will inevitably choose wrong. And if I try to second guess and say, “I want to choose left, so I’ll go right”—then left would have been correct. LOL

The Widow Wore Plaid

by Jenna Jaxon

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GENRE: Historical Romance

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BLURB:

The Battle of Waterloo made them widows, but each has found new happiness. And Jane, Lady John Tarkington, intends to keep her freedom, even if love—and one particular gentleman—are determined to claim her heart  . . .

It is a truth rarely acknowledged—at least in public—that a wealthy widow is free to pursue a great many adventures. For two years, Jane has privately enjoyed her independence. Why should she remarry, even when the gentleman proposing is as wonderful as Gareth, Lord Kinellan? She entreats him never to ask her again. But as her Widows’ Club friends—now all joyfully remarried—gather at Castle Kinellan, Jane begins to wonder if stubbornness has led her to make a terrible mistake . . .

Kinellan needs a wife to give him an heir, and he wants that wife to be Jane. They are perfect together in every way, yet she continually refuses him. Just as he is on the point of convincing her, a series of accidents befall Gareth and point to an enemy in their midst. He has promised Jane a passionate future filled with devotion, but can he keep them both alive long enough to secure it?  

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Excerpt:

Throwing up his hands, he groaned and sagged against the wall, his banyan sliding half off him. “Have your way with me, woman. I surrender myself into your hands. Do with me what you will and I swear I will enjoy it.”

Panting, she stepped back from him, seeing the sculpted muscular form, strong arms, and dark eyes glazed with smoldering desire as if for the first time. This man wanted her, or had wanted her to be his wife for a long time. No one would ever make her feel this way again, no matter how many lovers she might take. She could look for the rest of her life and not find a man as kind or generous or loving as he. And she had all but thrown his love away with both hands. The revelation devastated her and she hung her head.

“Jane?” Kinellan straightened, peering into her face.

Sobbing, she threw her arms around him, laying her head on his broad chest, the only place she wanted it to be. Tears pricked her eyes. The fast beat of his heart beneath her ear should have given comfort, but did not, for her own heart was tearing asunder. The trickle of tears became a flood.

“Darling.” He slipped his arms around her, cradling her close. “What is wrong?”

“I…I don’t want to leave.”

“Sweetheart.” He cupped her chin and turned her face up to his. A thundery frown marred his brow. “Who has asked you to leave? Was it Aunt Prudence? Fiona?”

“N…no.” Jane sniffed, trying to blink back the tears and regain her composure.

“Someone else?” His frown grew darker.

She nodded. “You.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Jenna Jaxon is a best-selling author of historical romance, writing in a variety of time periods because she believes that passion is timeless. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories.

She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets–including two vocal cats, one almost silent cat, two curious bunnies, and a Shar-pei beagle mix named Frenchie.

Blog:  www.jennajaxon.wordpress.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/jenna.jaxon

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Jenna_Jaxon

Instagram: passionistimeless

LINKS:

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B091MJ1C8M/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i6

BARNES & NOBLE:   https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-widow-wore-plaid-jenna-jaxon/1139126668

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-widow-wore-plaid

APPLE: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-widow-wore-plaid/id1561405266

GOOGLE PLAY: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9781420149784

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WALMART

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