Interview with Jenna Jaxon, author of 7 Days of Seduction
Hey Jenna! Welcome back! It’s always a pleasure to have you here. Can you tell us about your new release?
JJ: 7 Days of Seduction is the story of Ashley, a young woman who wakes up after a wild Friday night party to find out–via a video tape–that she engaged in a passionate ménage a trois wit her ex-boyfriend and a gorgeous stranger. But she can’t remember anything about the night. Just as she’s trying to find the stranger he reappears–in her shower. After a steamy session, Hunter proposes that he take her on a week-long adventure of sexual exploration that will push her boundaries of kink as never before.
Eek! I can’t wait to read this story! Describe the heroine in three words.
JJ: On the verge (of self/sexual discovery)
What traits does the hero posses that makes the heroine swoon?
JJ: He’s a take-charge kind of guy and she’s attracted to that because she’s mostly dated wimpy kind of guys. He’s also got a bit of an edge, is a little dangerous, and she’s excited by that quality. Plus he’s drop-dead gorgeous. Ashley has no problem with that.
I have no problem with that either. *grins* What was your inspiration for this story?
JJ: 7 Days of Seduction was inspired by Katy Perry’s song “Last Friday Night.” As soon as I listened to the lyrics I was captivated by this girl who partied so hard she did all this stuff, including a ménage a trois, and the night’s a “blacked out blur.” And so the story was born.
Cool! I’ve just finished a story that was inspired by a song. Who is your favorite character from this book? And can you include an excerpt involving this character?
JJ: I think my favorite character is probably Hunter. I got to make him edgy and a bit dangerous, moreso than my usual historical rakes. I loved trying to come up with outrageous things for him to say or do. Here’s a bit of Hunter Hopewell on his first “date” with Ashely:
Damn, the woman was trying to undress him across the table. But he’d chosen her because he’d sensed that hunger in her. Just waiting to be unleashed. He smiled and sipped his Perrier, grappling for control of their evening.
“I’m a law student. Dr. Hawthorne was a professor of mine when I was an undergrad and he told me he liked the way I thought. From the papers I had to write in class. So I got into the habit of taking my papers to him, so he could proof them, tell me what he thought of them.”
“You have the head of the English Department at Berkeley proofreading your papers?” She shook her head, her eyes closed and a slight smile on her lips. “Do you have birds eating out of your hand also?”
Hunter laughed softly. “Care for a roll, Ash?” He held the breadbasket out to her, keenly watching her every move.
She stared back at him, tossed her hair, then took the fresh bread, and tore it in two. “I suppose you saw me in the office.” She shrugged then popped a morsel of the roll into her mouth.
She mesmerized him as she chewed. When she paused to lick her lips, their shiny glaze started a restless stirring in his groin. Maybe dinner had been a mistake.
Where do your best ideas come from?
JJ: My best ideas seem to come from the music I listen to. I have teenaged daughters who listen to a lot of current hits–like Katy Perry. In fact, I’m in the process of fleshing out an outline for a new novella, When Daylight Comes, inspired by Maroon 5’s current release “Daylight.” (It’s now my ringtone!)
What is your favorite book that you’ve read?
JJ: This is such a hard question! It’s probably a toss up between Gone With the Wind and Outlander.
I know, it’s so hard for me to chose just one as well. Who is your favorite character from any of the books you’ve read?
JJ: Again, hard question! And this one’s a three-way tie: Scarlett O’Hara, Rhett Butler, and Jamie Fraser. You just can’t get much better than these three.
What writing/writer’s organizations are you involved with? Can you explain how they help your writing and/or your writing career?
JJ: I am currently a PAN member of Romance Writers of America, Chesapeake Romance Writers, and Hampton Roads Writers. RWA I’ve not been involved with to any major degree, although with my new status I’m going to try to take advantage of a lot of their programs and workshops. I’m hoping to do some networking at the coming RWA convention. The Chesapeake Romance Writers have had a bigger impact, because they are other authors of romance who have more experience than I have and whose advice has been invaluable as far as publishing is concerned. It’s also a great group to help with writing problems–our monthly workshops have made my writing so much cleaner!
Do you belong to a critique group or have critique partners? If so, what have you learned from them? How has it affected your writing?
JJ: I belong to several critique groups and have four critique partners who are my “goto” people. Their honesty, keen eyes, and expertise have saved me from major mistakes especially concerning character development and historical accuracy. As a result, I’m more aware of how my characters may be perceived and can adjust them before sending out to my CPs.
Where can my readers find you?
JJ: I’m at my blog, Jenna’s Journal, on Facebook and Twitter.
Where can my readers find your books?
JJ: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and All Romance E-books carry all of my titles.
Thanks Jenna! All the best!
7 Days of Seduction:Ashley Thompson had a wild time at her party last Friday night. Maybe too wild. She wakes to find a video of her in the middle of a ménage a trois with her ex-boyfriend and a gorgeous stranger. Unable to remember anything about the night, other than the hot sex she sees on the computer screen, Ashley begins a search for Mr. Hunk. She has no luck until he unexpectedly shows up–in her shower.
Hunter Hopewell intends to introduce Ash to a variety of sexual experiences he finds fun and exciting. He proposes a week long series of “colorful” encounters designed to seduce Ashley out of her kink comfort zone.
As their week of escalating pleasure intensifies, Ashley must choose to let go of her inhibitions or risk losing the best damn lover she’s ever had.
Buy Links:
Amazon | New Dawning Bookfair | All Romance Ebooks | Bookstrand | Smashwords
Excerpt:
The bathroom door opened and closed. Her hands froze.
“Damn it, Sam. Why is it every time I take a shower you have to pee? Couldn’t you just hold it for once? Or pee in a cup, for God’s sake?”
“I’m not Sam. And I don’t have to pee.”
Ashley’s eyes popped open and the bottle of body wash hit the tub with a loud thunk. The husky voice she’d heard on yesterday’s video and in this morning’s dream was richer in person. Sexier. Her heart took off like a deer after a shotgun blast. She peered at the shower door, seeing only a shadowy figure through the opaque glass. Well thank, God, for that. He couldn’t see her either.
“Hello? Are you there, Ash?” The amusement in his tone brought her back to earth.
“Yeah, I’m here. And just who the hell are you?”
“I’m Hunter Hopewell. Sorry we didn’t really get introduced the other night.”
“No shit.” Damn. The all-important name meant nothing. The spray from the shower roared in her ears and Ashley took a step toward the shower door.
“So who are you? I mean, you say Hunter Hopewell, but I don’t know you. And you know me.”
“Yes, I do. I’ve never met you, but I’ve been interested in you for a while now.”
Despite the hot water, chills raced over her body, standing her hair on end. Oh, my God. A stalker. I’ve attracted a stalker. And I’m shut in a bathroom with him. Suddenly, she couldn’t breathe.
“You work over in English at the university.” He knew where she worked. “And I’ve seen you around the campus.” He’d been watching her.
She wrapped her arms around her chest, shielding her body as best she could. Maybe Sam would come in.
“You’re a beautiful girl, Ashley. With lots of potential.”
Potential for what? Needing to breathe or pass out, she gasped in air.
“I think you should leave.” Where the balls came from to utter that sentence, she had no idea.
“Why?” His voice rose an octave.
“Because you’re scaring the crap out of me.”
Author Bio:
Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance. She is currently finishing revisions to Betrothal, the first book in the Time Enough to Love series. Her Georgian novel, Only Scandal Will Do, the first in a series of five interconnecting novels, was released in July 2012. Work on the second book of the series, Only Marriage Will Do, has begun. Her third full-length novel, As Long As You’re Mine, set in Victorian London and Richmond, Virginia is currently out to an agent.
Jenna has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets. When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director. She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage.
She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.
Blog / Facebook / Twitter: @Jenna_Jaxon
