Featured Interview With Jessica Kelly
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a native Floridian, and I still call the Sunshine State home. I know how lucky I am to live in a place where most people only get to go on vacation — or dream of going on vacation! Being able to brainstorm new characters and new plot twists out in the warm sunshine is a dream come true. It never feels like work!
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always dreamed of writing books. I started writing when I was a kid. I actually opened up a poem writing business when I was 8! Friends and family would pay me a couple of dollars to write a poem for them. Guess I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset!
My first venture into the professional writing world (as an adult!) was when I wrote “Trick Play”, which was released on 8/11/14. As fun as it was to dream of this life when I was a kid, actually seeing my name on a book cover is an even bigger adrenaline rush!
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’ve been fascinated with Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel for years. They have this amazing way of pulling you into the story. It’s always a real struggle to put their books down!
Even though I focus on the Romantic Suspense niche as a writer, that’s not all I read in my downtime. I love sports-related books. “Zim” by the late, great Don Zimmer is an amazing collection of stories that span decades of baseball history, and Yogi Berra’s books are always great for a belly-laugh. I’m also a big fan of Howard Falco’s “I AM” because it focuses on the power that you have to make your dreams come true.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Trick Play” takes place in Curtinville, Texas — a tiny town that’s completely obsessed with football. Rebecca Stone comes all the way from Los Angeles to start her TV career here. She has big dreams — specifically, to become a big-time sports journalist — but there are big hurdles standing in her way. Her boss vows to ruin her, and there are secrets lurking in Curtinville that may destroy her dream forever.
Of course, it isn’t ALL work for Rebecca. The gorgeous ex-quarterback — who is Curtinville’s version of a major celebrity — falls hard for her. She’s afraid that falling for him will make it look like she’s trying to sleep her way to the top, but she can’t ignore her feelings forever!
As an author, it was so much fun to watch this relationship play out. Seeing how the town’s secrets affect this relationship was an emotional rollercoaster — plenty of highs and lows. I feel like we really get to see the struggles these characters have, which made me fall even more in love with them.
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