Get Lost With Jennifer Allee!

WHO IS JENNIFER?

Jennifer Allee was born in Hollywood, California, and spent her first ten years living above a mortuary one block away from the famous intersection of Hollywood & Vine. Now she lives in the grace-filled city of Las Vegas, which just goes to prove she’s been blessed with a unique life. When she’s not busy spinning tales, she enjoys playing games with friends, attending live theater and movies, and singing at the top of her lungs to whatever happens to be playing on the car radio. Although she’s thrilled to be living out her lifelong dream of being a novelist, she considers raising her son to be her greatest creative accomplishment. She's a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Christian Authors Network, and the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. Her novels include The Pastor’s Wife, The Mother Road, A Wild Goose Chase Christmas, Last Family Standing, and the upcoming Vinnie’s Diner from Abingdon Press; Diamond in the Rough, Vanishing Act, and Curtain Call from Whitaker House and co-written with Lisa Karon Richardson; and the novella Comfort and Joy in the Christmas anthology, Mistletoe Memories from Barbour.

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THE BLURB

Every family has drama . . . but it doesn’t usually play out on national television.

 

Twenty-five years ago, Monica gave up a baby girl for adoption. Now, the thing Monica didn’t dare hope for has happened: Jessica has reentered her life... and wants to meet her. There’s just one catch: the reunion must happen on a reality TV show. Though Monica has hesitations, she’s willing to swallow her pride—and a few other unsavory items—if that’s what it takes to connect with her daughter.

 

Between the unpleasant surprises of nature, the awkward tension with other cast mates, and her desperate attempts to do or be anything remotely athletic, Monica quickly learns that reality bites… hard. It all might make for good TV, but it isn’t very helpful in building relationships. As she stumbles through challenges and faces buried emotions and regrets, Monica wonders if she can be what her daughter wants and needs—and is that more than just a teammate? Can Monica and Jessica ever really be the Last Family Standing?

 

READ THE EXCERPT

 

AND NOW…

Alexa: How often do you get lost in a story?
Jennifer:  Not nearly as often as I’d like! Before I started writing for a living, I was always reading something. Now, I’m spending most of my time writing. When I do finally get to lose myself in a good book, it’s like a luxurious, decadent treat.

Alexa:  What sound or noise do you love?

Jennifer:  Wind chimes. I love how each one has a different tone, and how they offer this random, soothing background music.

Alexa: What turns you off like nothing else?

Jennifer:  Mean spiritedness. When someone is mean or hateful to another person, it goes against everything I believe in. Even if two people don’t like each other, there are ways to deal with it other than being purposely hurtful.

Alexa: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?

Jennifer:  Absolutely! I’m a very empathetic person by nature, so it’s natural for me to put myself in someone else’s shoes. I’m also a hopeless romantic, so when I’m reading a really good love story, I live vicariously through the heroine.

Alexa:  What will always make you smile, even on a bad day?

Jennifer:  My son! He just turned 21, but no matter how old he gets, he’s always my baby. And he’s grown into a pretty amazing young man with a quirky sense of humor. He can always make me smile.

Alexa: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

Jennifer:  I have to have some kind of background noise while I’m writing, or else my mind wanders away. Sometimes it’s music, although it has to be instrumental. Otherwise, I sing along and can’t come up with my own words. But I have a pretty odd habit now, which is writing with reruns of Frasier playing in the background. I’ve seen the show so many times, that I know most of the episodes by heart, so it doesn’t distract me. Instead, it’s like writing with a bunch of old friends milling about in the room.

Alexa:  Tea or coffee? And how do you take it?

Jennifer:  Iced tea with two packets of Sweet ‘n’ Low. That’s my morning caffeine boost.

Alexa: What does it mean to love someone?

Jennifer:  This is a great question, and the answer will be totally unique based on who answers it. To me, loving someone means putting them first. From a romantic perspective, that could mean understanding when he’s had a hard day and just wants to be quiet and snuggle. Love is far more than the big, fireworks-inducing, honeymoon-stage moments. It’s made up of all those little, day-to-day things we do for each other that show how much the other person means to us.

Alexa:  Who's your celebrity crush and why?

Jennifer:  Ewan McGregor! I’ve always liked him, but I fell hopelessly after seeing Moulin Rouge. He has that sparkle in his eye, and so much mischief in his smile. Add to that the passion he exudes, and then to hear him sing… SWOON!

Alexa:  What would you say is your most interesting quirk?

Jennifer:  I like to turn everything into a song. I’ll hear a snippet of conversation that reminds me of a song and will then start singing it. Or, I’ll just put something to some random tune. This is either my most interesting, or most irritating quirk, depending who you talk to.

Alexa: What’s up next for you?

Jennifer:  Vinnie’s Diner (Abingdon Press, April 1, 2015)

Alexa: And lastly, got a question you’d like to ask your fans?

Jennifer:  Is there a fictional character that has stuck with you long after you finished reading the book or watching the movie/TV show?

Folks, share your answers & be in the running for one of Jennifer's TWO giveaways (US & International)! She will choose winners for 2 sets of her books from everyone who comments. Jennifer, thanks for hanging out with us today!

Note: Please leave an email address for notification. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. 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.