Author Spotlight ~JESSICA SCOTT~

Hi Jessica and welcome to Book Obsessed Chicks. I am happy to have you here as I am in complete awe of you, your books and the fact that you are career military as well as wife and mom. Please tell us a bit about yourself. Please tell us a bit about  Because of you and Until There Was You.

Hi Kim, thanks so much for having me here! I'm just another mom, trying to do it all and not have my kids end up on the stripper pole or in therapy. But I digress. 

1. What inspired you to write your first book?

I started writing back in 2007 when I was in Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning. I think my very first idea for a story was my never to see the light of day book After the War and I got the idea from a song by Evan's Blue called Kiss the Flag. It's a great song and it inspired my first female character, who'd lost her husband to the war. After that Shane & Jen came to life in one of the earlier renditions of Because of You and Evan & Claire from Until There Was You came along next. So it's kind of cool that my first and second books I've published are itterations of my second and third books I ever wrote!

2. Did you have problems with finding a publisher?

Very much so. 90% of that was my own doing because I queried far too early. After that, it is very difficult to sell to New York if people don't know how to market you and my books are really tough to market. Contemporary romances are typically (and I'm generalizing) lighter books. Military romances are almost always romantic suspense. So for me to be pitching a series of books about soldiers who are still in the military trying to make their way through life, it was a very hard sell. I'll forever be grateful to my editor Sue Grimshaw who plucked me out of the slush pile and took a chance on an unknown author!

3. Who are your mentors?

I've had so many wonderful authors off advice, a shoulder to lean on or just an ear to bend in the writing world. If I had to pick jus two, Julie Kenner and Allison Brennan come to mind first, as they're my go to gals for all things related to Jess's Crisises in Publishing. They've always taken the time to help me think through whatever it is that's causing my latest kerffluffle.

4. What does your family think about you being an author?

My parents are somewhat shocked that I'm writing romance and they keep waiting for me to write a "real book", lol!

5. Does your husband read your work?

Only if by read my work you mean read out loud and make fun of it. I genearlly don't let him read it.

7. Dream job?

I'm living it. I get to be a soldier and an author. Not much beats having two jobs you're passionate about!

8. Who are your favorite authors? Books?

Love love love Nalini Singh's Guild hunter series. All things Laura Kinsale. I read lots of nonfiction, too though and you can almost always find me reading something related to sociology.

9. I haven't watched TV in over 4 years (exception: Game of Thrones) but I am curious to know if you have a favorite show.

I don't watch TV that much. There's no time. But I have recently (thanks to hubby) started watching True Blood. We'll see if it holds my interest but it's really strange watching season 1 and season 5 at the same time.

10. How do you have time to balance all that is being Jessica Scott?

Hahahahah! What is this balance you speak of? Seriously, something has to give and in my life, that something is housework. I'm tied to my phone so I'm almost always working and trying to stay ahead of the game! Sometimes, though the most important thing is to turn the phone off and disconnect with the world so I can reconnect with my family.

11. Who are your favorite characters from your books?

Sergeant Vic Carponti, hands down. He has absolutely no filters. I love him.

11. Final thoughts, any message to readers?

Just that I'm so grateful to all the support from so many people! Ever since I've started writing, folks have been there cheering me on, encouraging me and helping prop me up when I wanted to quit. Folks, no matter what people tell you, life is a team sport. Make the most of the team you're on!

I'd like to give away a copy of UNTIL THERE WAS YOU to one commenter today. Kim, if you'll pick the winner once we're done?