As a writer, I enjoy sharing the words and work of my fellow authors and writers.
Here is my interview with fellow author Jennifer Kitchens–

Interview with Author Jennifer Kitchens

1) Give us a bit of your background (where are you from,
your family, traveling adventures)
I grew up in California before moving to Utah for college. I met and
married my wonderful husband there. Later, we moved to Missouri where we live now. I am now a happy mother of two adorable little boys. I am a stay-at-home-mom as well as the creator of Clean Romance Reviews, a review site for, well, clean romance novels.

2) What got you started on your writing journey?
My husband is the one who encouraged me to start writing. I have always created sequels or alternate endings to stories in my head so he suggested I try writing my own. After a long process and a lot more encouragement, I finally was able to finish it.

3) What is your inspiration for writing?
I write because I love reading. I love stories, especially love stories, and find myself wrapped up no matter if the story is someone else’s or my own.

4) Please share about your book, A Lady by Another Name?
A Lady By Any Other Name is a wonderful Regency romance novel with
adventure and romance. Nicole has been given a rotten hand in life, but she’s never really complained until her negligent step-brother tells her that he’s marrying her off in order to pay his debts. The normally peaceable Nicole won’t stand for that. Nicole has a secret, a chance that someone else might help her. But her secret is bigger than she thought. Sent to London to hide from her brother, Nicole will have to play a delicate game to keep her secrets safe, and her single-status even safer. Julian was pulled home from the war to take his brother’s place as earl, and to take care of his niece, Clara. He can’t move on though, can’t accept that his brother’s death was an accident. His search for the truth is interrupted when a beautiful young lady lands on his doorstep with her own brand of mystery. Can he find a way to find the truth and not fall for the enchanting young lady who certainly isn’t telling him the whole truth?

5) Most writers are readers. What are some of the books you have on your nightstand and/or on your “must read” list?
As a reviewer I have at least 30 on my list at all times. Instead of going into that, I’ll give you a list of some of the ones I’ve read and enjoyed recently. Joyce DiPastena (medieval romance series), Jenni James (Jane Austen Diaries series), The Twelve Days of Christmas by Regina Scott, The Keeper’s Calling by Kelly Nelson, Unlovable by Sherry Gammon, and many more that I can’t name.

6) What other things do you have planned with your writing for the rest of the year 2012?
I plan on working on a second regency romance. I believe this one will be a Christmas romance with some mystery thrown in. I also have a third story rattling around in my head that would be a sequel to this one, giving a story to a side character from A Lady By Any Other Name.

7) Can you share your top three tips for beginning writers?

First, don’t give up. It takes a long time to write and even longer to edit. It’s hard but don’t give up. Second, find real-life people to get advice from. Books are great, blogs are good too. But nothing compares with some real-life people who are interested in reading (or better yet, writing) that can give you advice, critiques and help. Third, before you start make sure you like your genre. Not generally, but very specifically. You will lose yourself into this world – be it historical, fantasy, paranormal or contemporary – for a very long time. You will do a lot of research, a lot of creation, and simply put in a lot of time in the world of your book, so you better like it.

8) How did you choose to publish this book and why?
I decided to self-publish this book, using CreateSpace for the print
version and Kindle for the e-version. I chose to self-publish because it’s easy. I know it takes a lot more work to do the advertising, not to mention all of your own editing and such, but I am willing to do the work. I didn’t want to wait a year or more to get published. Also, as a reviewer myself I have found that when it comes to the editing, presentation, and advertising – it’s often hit and miss even with traditional publishers. I decided to take things into my own hands and see what I could do on my own.

9) Please share how others can read more about you and your books?
My book is available on both
Amazon and
CreateSpace websites.
I have a my blog at Jennifer Kitchens Author with basic information on my book and I. You can also find me on Facebook. If you want to see my review site as well, you can find it at Clean Romance
Reviews

10) A question just for fun sake—what is your favorite childhood dish and why?
I love tortellini with creamy pesto sauce. I had it at an Italian
restaurant once when I was out with my family and I simply loved it! For the 13 years since I still love it (though I buy the frozen kind now).

Author Bio

Jennifer Kitchens is a life-long lover of romance novels. She started
reading Regency romances as a teenager and hasn’t stopped. She is the
founder and sole reviewer for Clean Romance Reviews. When she isn’t
writing and reading, she is raising her young children and dating her
husband.