8/28/2012

DRUM ROLL FOR THE FABULOUS JILLIAN STONE


Oh, Get Lost in a Story Readers, this is going to be fun.  Today I have the privilege of interviewing our own Jillian Stone, an amazing author whose Gentlemen of Scotland Yard Series has taken readers by storm after suspenseful, sexy storm.  Please say hello to the prolific, talented Jillian Stone and celebrate with the Get Lost Crew her new release A DANGEROUS LIAISON WITH DETECTIVE LEWIS .
REVIEWS!!!!

"A fun, exciting romantic romp. Jillian Stone's writing shines with passion and wit."New York Times bestselling author Julia London

"Stone’s taut mystery/romance debut sets the stage for her Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series. The sexy, smart characters will appeal to modern readers as much as the suspense. Their repartee and sensuality heat up the pages, promising a treat for readers."—Romantic Times on An Affair with Mr. Kennedy (4 Stars)

"A satisfying romance featuring a genuinely original pair of lovers and sparkling supporting characters against an unusual social and political background."Publishers Weekly on An Affair with Mr. Kennedy

"If I get caught up in my reading and forget to pay attention to what I'm reading OR where I am and what I'm doing, that's a sign of a very, very good book, or at the least a powerfully good scene or chapter. This happened to me yesterday while I was reading An Affair with Mr. Kennedy by Jillian Stone."—Sarah Wendell, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

“An exciting mystery mixed with steamy romance.”—Fresh Fiction on An Affair with Mr. Kennedy

An intriguing, well-written romance, this is definitely a must read. Loads of fun and entertainment!”Historical Novel Reviews on An Affair with Mr. Kennedy
READERS, IDEALLY THE REVIEWS WHET YOUR APPETITE.  BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE.... LETS GET TO KNOW WHAT REALLY MAKES JILL TICK!
DONNELL:  Jill, how fun to get to talk to you about writing two series with two different publishers.  First, you won the 2010 Golden Heart for AN AFFAIR WITH MR. KENNEDY and that award led to signing with Richard Curtis and a three-book contract with Pocket books. Then THE SEDUCTION OF PHAETON BLACK won the 2010 Romance through the Ages contest for erotica. This led to a three-book contract by Kensington Brava. 

I want to know, and perhaps readers do as well, what went through your mind as you transitioned from unpublished author to published author with so many books ahead of you. Elation? Panic?  Determination? What have you learned from 2010 to 2012?

JILLIAN: All of the above. I think I will be better able to talk about these past two years, once I finish the last book in the contract with Kensington Brava––due October 1, 2012. I have made mistakes along the way and I am hopefully learning from them. Right now, I’m just focused on getting to the finish line!

DONNELL: Your books are rich in history, particularly the industrial age, which we know as Steampunk?  Why did this era fascinate you in particular?

JILLIAN: It was a very exciting time. Everything was changing with the invention of steam engines and electricity. Inventors were the rock stars of the day. Things were moving faster and faster. Women’s suffrage, worker’s rights––lots of upheaval! I thought, what fun to write a romantic suspense series set amongst all the uproar!  

DONNELL:  How is it writing for two publishers?  Do you ever get them confused?

JILLIAN: Lol! They have very different styles of interacting with their authors, so I would never get confused. It has been difficult in the extreme, at times, juggling writing schedules, release dates and promotion schedules with two different publishers.

DONNELL: Your covers are to die for. Sexy and appealing.  Did you have any input? 

JILLIAN: I have been a very lucky author when it comes to covers. The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard cover models are all as sexy and appealing as the heroes they represent in the novels. My editors at Pocket always ask for input on the covers and I send over descriptions and photos of the characters. Kensington’s covers for the Phaeton Black series were a complete surprise, but I must say I love the interaction between Phaeton Black and America Jones on both covers.

DONNELL: Are you a plotter, panster, both? Tell us about your process.  

JILLIAN: I pretty much plot out the story in advance. With a suspense plot there is a lot of craft that goes into the pacing of the story, so I usually have a pretty good idea how the story will progress but not necessarily how it ends. I often have several different endings in mind and a number of plot/character twists that may or may not happen. I also try to avoid the typical kinds of romance tropes for my hero and heroine.

DONNELL:  Tell us about the rewards you’ve reaped since 2010; tell us about the changes you’ve had to make with such a challenging schedule.

JILLIAN: My greatest reward is hearing from readers about how much they enjoyed the books––nothing else comes close, not even a five star review.

The challenge for me, is that I honestly have had no life these last two years. None. I have not taken more than a day off in two years. Even when I go to conferences like RWA, I write everyday. I have finally accepted the idea that two contracts is too much to manage and I will never be one of these romance writers who can write five books a year!

DONNELL: Erotica or suspense?  Your reviews say they share equal time. But do you have a favorite? 

JILLIAN: I do have a favorite: The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard! The RT BOOK REVIEW for A DANGEROUS LIAISON WITH DETECTIVE LEWIS said that the romance and suspense share equal time. The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series is not erotica, though the love scenes are steamy.

DONNELL: What would you say to aspiring authors out there?

JILLIAN: Write everyday. The moment you finish one manuscript, begin another. It is helpful to your frame of mind, if you are working on a new manuscript while you market another. Keep moving forward.

DONNELL:  What do you want your readers to take away from your stories?

JILLIAN: I want to take the reader on a great adventure and hope they fall a little bit in love along the way.

DONNELL: With six book contracts under your belt, what comes next for Jillian Stone?

JILLIAN: I hope to be able to make an exciting announcement soon! ;)


AND WE'LL BE WAITING... OKAY READERS....DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR JILLIAN?  ASK AWAY AND BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESSES SO WE CAN ENTER YOU IN THE DRAWING... YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY. 




  Jillian Stonewebsite Facebook Twitter Goodreads

Jillian will be spending Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday featuring different aspects from A DANGEROUS LIAISON with DETECTIVE LEWIS. I'm looking forward to them. Hope you'll join us each day for the fun.

DON'T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes. ~ Donnell

REMEMBER the drawing. A copy of Jillian's newest release could be yours.


Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. If an INTERNATIONAL name is drawn, mailing the book or supplying an electronic version will be the decision of the donator. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.







25 comments:

  1. I enjoyed the interview. Thank you.
    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Whoohooo! Congratulations on your success, Jillian! SOOO excited for you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love this cover too. Jill, the cover gods are very kind to you!

    Great interview too. Happy Release Day!

    yenastone@aol.com

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  4. WOO HOO !!!
    Donnell, you're the best interviewer. I always learn something new.

    ~Angi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a different kind of interview for GLAIS. I don't think I've ever answered our fun questions. Perhaps I should try that sometime!

      Delete
  5. Hi Jillian,

    I love your books, and I love your covers. Both genres' that you've written have kept me entertained throughout the stories.

    Thank you for another chance to win your book. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooops, sorry. I forgot to put my email address.

      dpd333 (at) aol dot com

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    2. Thanks so much Diane! More on the future of both series soon!

      Delete
  6. You don't need to write 5 books a year (though I wouldn't complain, I would love it), your work has enough emotion/action packed in. =)
    And I can't wait to hear your exciting news!!!

    eyesofblueice (at) gmail

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Lexi H,

      I feel like I know most of you well enough by now that I can share small bits of news about me and what's coming up. My agent and editors are finalizing the details at the moment so...hang in there!

      Delete
  7. Very nice interview. Congratulations on the book! It sounds good.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. Hi bn 100,

      I do hope you all get a chance to read it and if you enjoy, please do recommend to friends!

      Delete
  8. Great Interview... I love both of Jillian's series. :) I really enjoyed an affair with mr. kennedy!

    maybe31 at yahoo.com

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    Replies
    1. Hi May!

      Thanks for the kind words about Mr. Kennedy and for stopping by to say hi!

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  9. I'm a little late here but great post and what a great author. You are amazing juggling two publisher and all the work you put into them. Congratulations.

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  10. The steampunk era does seem to be an exciting time. All the inventions and also the societal changes. I think it makes for a great background for a suspense story.

    Cambonified[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  11. Hi Jillian,

    lovely cover and a new genre (steampunk) i haven't let my self to try to read, hope can win then :D

    eli_y83@yahoo.com

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  12. You have the best covers, Jillian! I very much enjoyed reading "An Affair with Mr. Kennedy," so I'm looking forward to Detective Lewis.
    Jacqui

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  13. Hi Jacqui,

    They are beautiful covers. And I'm so glad you are enjoying Mr. Kennedy! Hope you enjoy Detective Lewis as well!

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  14. I love books set in the 19th century. It was an exciting time period in history and a setup for greater things to come in the 20th century. Have you ever thought of writing a historical romance set in America during the 19th century?

    kareninnc at gmail dot com

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  15. No questions. Just wanted to say congratulations on doing so well - and slow down! Don't forget to take care of YOU!!!

    seytype at hotmail dot com

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  16. Congratulations Lexi H, You have won the signed copy of A DANGEROUS LIAISON WITH DETECTIVE LEWIS. You will be hearing for me shortly!

    ReplyDelete