Author Interview - Jamie Denton

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why? “Well behaved women never make history.” I’ve seen Eleanor Roosevelt being credited with the quote, but I can’t confirm if that’s true or not. But I love it because it means we can accomplish anything we set our minds to—and that’s powerful. My late mother-in-law used to say, “Look out when Jamie sets her mind to something, because nothing will stop her.” That was probably one of the very first insights I had to my personality type.

When it comes to publishing, I’ve never followed the rules. We were told we couldn’t multiple submit, and I did it and had two separate Harlequin editors going back and forth over who had first rights to the book that resulted in my first sale. We were told that the only way to get an agent was to query. I’d had my first book published and wanted an agent, so I faxed a letter to the top ten on my list and asked, “What can you do for me that I’m not already doing for myself.” Every agent on that list called me, but I went with my top choice and have been with him for eighteen years now.

As for writing, I’ve broken a few rules there, too. I was told I couldn’t write an alcoholic heroine, but I did and went on to receive some very nice accolades for that book, HARD TO HANDLE, a Harlequin Blaze. I was told I couldn’t write about a heroine who gave her child up for adoption, but I did that, too, in THE BIOLOGICAL BOND, a Harlequin American Romance. And I was told I couldn’t write an historical romance set during World War II, but I’ve done that as well. SPELLBOUND, my contribution to the BLISS anthology is an historical romance set not long after the U.S. enters the war.

If you could have a dinner party and invite anyone dead or alive, who would you ask? I would have to invite more than one person. First on the guest list would be Kathryn Graham. She was the publisher at the Washington Post during the Watergate scandal. You know that woman has some interesting stories to share.

Steven Spielberg, just because he’s so brilliant. Plus I’d love to see him do a movie based on the Watergate scandal, which would be so much more interesting than ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN. And if the late Kathryn Graham is going to be there, well, you see where this is going, right?

Then I would include Elton John and Bernie Taupin. I think Elton has led such an interesting life. Plus, wouldn’t it be fun to watch Elton and Bernie create something wonderful for the occasion? Maybe even do the score for the film we’d convince Steven he has to make.

I would have to include my go-to-girls because if Hugh Jackman, Clive Owen and Russell Crowe were my guests, my peeps would end me if I didn’t invite them. And the husband, because he would find this all very amusing.

When you are not writing, how do you like to relax? I have many forms of relaxation, all of which do wonders to refill the creative well. I try to catch up on any one of my favorite shows which tend to pile up on my DVR. I’ll read a book, or work on a knitting, crochet or cross-stitch project. I enjoy gardening and I do so love movies. Oh, and cooking. I adore everything about it, from preparing the simplest dishes to the more difficult and creative to shopping for kitchen gadgets and cookware. I have expensive tastes in the cookware department, so those excursions are rare indeed, but they do give me a thrill. Luckily the husband is an adventurous eater, so menu planning is never a hassle.

Oh. And naps. It’s all about the naps.

What makes you angry? Mean people. People with narrow, closed minds. Judgmental people. Nothing can fire me up quicker than someone else’s hateful ignorance or judgment of another person. People who accept gossip as gospel (kinda goes with the judgmental crowd). And anyone who dare to hurt animals. I’d risk prison to protect my fur babies.

Are you a city slicker or a country girl? A little bit of both. I grew up in Los Angeles, but New York City is my soul city. There’s a pulse to it that just calls to me. However, I do so love living in the country, something I learned about when we lived in North Dakota for ten years and now in rural Pennsylvania. We live in a rural community now, but being truly in the country, with acres of land and no neighbors, is still my greatest dream. But thank the goddesses for air travel, because it means I can still jet off to New York for my city fix whenever I need one.

Who is your favorite author and why? I don’t have one single favorite author. In fact, any writer who can make me forget about the writing and become immersed in the story is usually destined to become a favorite. Thankfully there are several writers who can turn off my internal editor and lose me in their worlds. Depending upon my reading mood at any given moment, Karen Rose, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Lisa Gardner, Lisa Jackson, Linda Howard and Lori Wilde are my go-to auto-buys. Of course, anything written by my peeps goes on that list, too.

If I’m in the mood for suspense, I’ll gravitate toward Karen Rose first. I discovered her when I was judging the RITA’s one year (she went on to win, too) and I’ve been a fan ever since. Her plotting skills leave me in awe. If I’m in the mood for a romantic comedy, then I look for Susan Elizabeth Phillips or Lori Wilde.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world? Disneyland. The original one in Anaheim, California. I know that seems a bit silly, but I grew up not far from there, and Disneyland played such a huge role in my life. There are many memories I carry with me. Disneyland was a place for celebrations, first dates, a place for girlfriends to hang out, and it was even the place where my sister-in-law was married. I shared traditions with my own children during our trips to “the happiest place on earth.” We’ve moved away, but one day I hope to go back with my grandchildren, and share some of those same traditions with them.

What movie do you love to watch? The question should really be what movies don’t I love to watch? We are big movie fans in this house. My mom passed her love of the cinema on to me, for one. The other could be because I grew up in Southern California not far from Hollywood. It just seems sort of a natural thing.

I love romantic comedies – Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, Pretty Woman, Friends with Benefits to name but a few. Anything with Kathy Bates, Tom Hanks, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman or Clive Owen. I adore old black and white films, like Inherit the Wind or On the Waterfront, and all those crazy funny screwball comedies with Cary Grant or Carol Lombard. Thrillers capture my imagination, especially Silence of the Lambs, and I even enjoy the occasional horror movie, the jump out and scare you type, not the blood and gore type.

But, if I had to choose only one film as my all time, stop what I’m doing and sit down and watch movie, it would have to be the Shawshank Redemption. I’ve seen it dozens of time and it always draws me in, each and every time I catch it. I just wish I knew why.

Bio:
Jamie Denton sold her first attempt at a contemporary romance to Harlequin Books four days before Christmas in 1994. Despite a few bumps in the road, in the almost 20 years since her first sale, she’s gone on to final and win several notable awards, made a national bestseller list and has seen over three million copies of her books in print worldwide and translated into several languages. Jamie is currently at work on her 30th novel.

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Genre - Romance 

Rating – R

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