AUTHOR BIO

Fantasy romance author Jennie Lynn Roberts believes that every strong, kickass heroine should have control of her own story, a swoony hero to support her at every turn, and a guaranteed happily ever after. Because that doesn’t always happen in real life, she began creating her own worlds that work just the way they should. And she hasn’t looked back since.

Jennie would rather be writing than doing anything else—except for spending time with her gorgeous family, of course. But when she isn’t building vibrant new worlds, she can be found nattering with friends, baking up a storm, or strolling in the woods around her home in England.

If you want to talk books, romance, movies, reluctant heroes, or just about anything else with Jennie, feel free to contact her at http://www.jennielynnroberts.com. But be prepared to settle in for a long chat if you bring up shifters, vampires, Star Wars, or The Princess Bride….

QUICK INTERVIEW

Where are you from?
“I live in England in a small village in Buckinghamshire.”

What is your favorite genre to read/write?
“Romance! I love reading romance of all subgenres. Suspense, historical, paranormal, contemporary, sci-fi and of course fantasy.”

“When I’m writing, I prefer fantasy and paranormal romance, and one of these days I’m hoping to dip my toe into sci-fi too.”

What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
“That’s a tough one, I’d like to say everything I’ve read has influenced me in different ways! I read a lot—I’ve got 1,452 books on my kindle right now, not counting the hundreds of KU books I’ve read—and all those books were meaningful in different ways.”

“I loved fantasy and YA when I was younger, which definitely still influences me; authors like Tad Williams, Robin Hobb and Terry Pratchett. Then, a few years ago, I had just finished “The Mortal Instruments” by Cassandra Clare and was hunting for something to fill the void of finishing a series that I had been so involved in. Amazon recommended “Her Secret Desire” by C.J. Archer and I loved it! It was the first time I’d read an adult romance and it opened a whole world for me. I started to really dive into fantasy and paranormal romance and discovered authors like Kit Rocha and Bec McMaster who made me realize how powerful a romance could be when it was set in a fantasy world.”

“In terms of working on writing as a craft, I’d say Stephen King and Neil Gaiman are endlessly inspiring.”

Who/What inspired Tristan (The Hawks #1)?
“Tristan started out as a short story that I wrote for a flash fiction competition. The story was about Nim—Tristan’s heroine. I’ve always loved the idea of having wings and being able to fly, and I imagined this amazing, strong woman who had been hurt, but was now flying away to safety. The idea grew around that.”

What were the key challenges you faced when writing Tristan?
“I think life, generally. I have two kids and I was working when I started writing Tristan, so time was pretty scarce. Then we went into lockdown and added homeschooling too. Carving out time to write regularly is a challenge, but the story flows so much more easily when I write every day.”

Tell us about the process for coming up with the cover.
“I love the cover so much! I sat down with my kindle and went through all the book covers in my library, looking for fantasy romance covers that attracted me, and then checking in the book credits for who the designer was. Once I had a good list, I looked at all their portfolios and eventually narrowed it down to Damonza. They were great to work with, I sent them the usual synopsis that they ask for as well as mood boards about the world and Tristan and Nim and they really delivered.”

If your book was made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
“Ooh… Henry Caville and Lesley-Ann Brandt (Maze, from Lucifer—she’s awesome!)”

Is there any new release we can expect in 2021 or in the future?
“Yes! Val (Book 2 of the Hawks) will release in the next two months and Mathos (Book 3) will follow before the summer. I also have a paranormal romance I’m working on that I plan to release in the autumn.”

What do you think makes a great story?
“I think a great story touches your heart. It takes you to a different place, outside of your life, and when you’re finished you feel like you need a moment to come back to yourself.”

What advice can you give to an unpublished author?
“Keep going, keep carving out those bits of time for your writing. Also, take the time to follow writing blogs and youtubers, I’ve really learned a lot from listening to other authors talking about what worked for them. And pay for a good editor, they are worth their weight in gold!”

“It’s not easy to pour your heart out onto the page and then send your work out into the world, but there are lots of amazing, supportive people that can really help—HVDB Book Life is a wonderful example!”

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jennie.Lynn.Roberts.Romance
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennielynnroberts_author/
Website: https://jennielynnroberts.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20984183.Jennie_Lynn_Roberts

I want to thank Jennie Lynn Roberts for signing up for the Debut Author Spotlight for March 2021.

Interview done by HVDB Book Life