Meet Brenda

brendaBrenda Jernigan is a bestselling author. Her books have been nominated for many awards – Book Seller’s Best Award, The Maggie Award, and The Holt Medallion Award. Publisher’s Weekly said:

“Brenda Jernigan writes Romance,
Adventure and Magic”

She grew up living the life of a tomboy – climbing trees, playing ball, and excluding starry-eyed romance from her daily repertoire. Brenda discovered the love of books while taking her son to Story Hour at the local library — she was hooked. She set an ambitious goal and began work on her first novel. She continued to write six more novels in rapid succession. She figured having the same birthday as Ernest Hemingway couldn’t hurt.

Her books have been printed in several languages and her last book “Southern Seduction” written under the name of Alexandria Scott was printed in Russian.

I thought you might like an interview that I did a couple of months ago.

Guest Author Questions ~ Brenda Jernigan

Q) As we’re longtime friends, I know you love visiting the North Carolina beach and also that you do the world’s best Christmas decorating. What other likes, hobbies, or activities do you love? Maybe something that would surprise your readers.

Hobbies – I used to do a lot of things. I paint, cross-stitch, and make lampshades and baskets. However, once I was published, I didn’t have times for anything else other than deadlines.

Something that would surprise readers – I kept a book from the library. I was trying to find a really good book and I found it. SOMETHING WONDERFUL by Judith McNaught. I loved this book so much that I didn’t want to turn it in so I told the library that I’d lost it. I bet I paid $20 for that little $3.95 book but it was worth it. Later on I met Judith at an RWA conference and had her sign the book. She laughed when she saw it and said it was an original. However the book is so highlighted and full of paperclips that I doubt I could get any money for it. Judith said when she saw all my markings that she did the same thing with Jude Deveraux’s books.

I also got to sit behind the desk where JK Rowling finished Harry Potter. I was on cloud nine I was so excited.

 

Q) Do you have a favorite character from your own books?

That is a hard question. I like Adam (The Duke’s Lady) because he is so strong and hard. I like Sir Nicholas (Christmas in Camelot) because who wouldn’t love a knight in shinning armor. I love Thunder (Dance on the Wind) because he is such a proctor and someone you wouldn’t mess with.

Q) What do you love best about writing? What not so much?

What I love best in controlling my entire world and seeing where the story goes. Unfortunately, I am seat-of –your-pants author so sometime I don’t know how the story will end. The best part about writing is typing The End. 🙂

What I don’t like is the constant doubt that I’ve said the same thing before or that the book might not be as good as my last one. I never want to let readers down. I want to take you away from your everyday world so that you forget the pile of bills on your desk, and most of all I want to make you laugh and cry and sigh when the book is over.

Q) What would you say is the hardest part of writing? The easiest?

The hardest part is getting the story right. My newest book Western Seduction I wrote the first half and set it aside for 4 years. I didn’t haven any idea how I wanted the story to end.

The easiest is going back after a book is finished and reading your story later. Sometimes I think, “I wrote that? And why in the world did I think that was hard.”

Q) Finish this sentence: Authors beware, didn’t you know that writing is hard work with lots of doubts. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Not everybody will love you.

Q) If you weren’t an author, what would you enjoy doing?

I’ve pretty much done everything. However, I am the type of person who has to be doing something so why not writing. I would like to have one of those dreams like JK Rowling and Diana Gabaldon where the entire book comes to me. I mean … am I asking for a lot?

Fun Stuff Q’s

(Quick questions, quick answers)

FSQ) Five Fun Facts about yourself. I’m retired. I’m dyslexic. I’m a redhead. I’m easy going. I hated reading when I was young.

FSQ) Night or day writer? I write on paper first. I have trouble sitting for long periods behind the computer – probably because I did it for so many – so I write 30 mins here and there unless I’m on a good scene and the words keep coming. I’m not a morning person or an evening person. However I do have several hours around lunchtime, which is my best time.

FSQ) Quiet or music when you write? – When I worked – I use to go to the lake at lunchtime and write in my car. That was/is my favorite time, because it is quite and nobody can bother you and you can’t see something else you need to be doing. Sometimes when I am typing on the computer, I will put on Beethoven because it is smoothing.

FSQ) Favorite food(s)? Steak and bake potatoes

FSQ) What you’d never eat? Collards and I don’t care for mushy green stuff.

FSQ) Coffee or Tea. Both and I’m a Pepsi girl.

FSQ) Favorite season? I like all the seasons but get tired of each one. My favorite is fall and spring.

FSQ) Favorite time and place to read? In bed. I love it when you are trying to stay awake to read 1 more page and the book slips from your hand. Best way to go to sleep.

Final Q’s

FQ) What’s coming up for you?

I’m starting a new book. If the writing Gods are good to me I hope to finish it this year. I will also have a couple of book packages coming out in the next couple of months.

FQ) Anything you’d like readers to know?

I do not put out books every few months. I’m a slow writing. When I was younger, I could work on 2 books at a time. However, I like to have a life and do other things so I am a little slower. Life is too short remember to enjoy it. I do love to hear from readers. My favorite emails are the ones where I have kept the reader up all night because they couldn’t put the book down.