Jenna Bayley-Burke Spotlight
Jenna Bayley-Burke is a gal after my own heart! Besides writing romance, she's also a recipe developer. She also has no shortage of book ideas. She has four --count 'em, four! -- books in progress. Read on to find out more about Jenna.
KW: The hero of Just One Spark is a firefighter. My favorite Starbucks is visited often by firefighters, which is a very nice perk in addition to the coffee! There’s something so delicious about those guys in those baggy pants… But I digress. What kind of research did you do to make Mason believable as a firefighter?
JBB: Ahem. Well...since there are no fires in the book, my research was only reading a book on careers and party conversation with two firefighters...both women. I know, not sexy, but true!
KW: What do you feel is your strength as a writer? What do you do best?
JBB: I come up with LOTS of ideas. Finding time to write them is my issue.
KW: If one of your books was made into a movie, who would play the lead characters? Why?
JBB: Well...I use pieces of people...In Just One Spark Hannah is Charlize and Mason...well, he's an actual fire fighter who gave my boy a sticker in a grocery store. For Cooking Up A Storm I pictured Kate Winslet and Elvis. Young Elvis.
KW: Have you ever cried while writing an emotional scene?
JBB: Ugh. Too often. I could never write a weepie. There is a scene in Just One Spark where Hannah and Mason are fighting that makes me cry, and in Cooking Up A Storm when Cameron breaks down I lose it.
KW: What was your favorite book when you were a child?
JBB: Where the Sidewalk Ends
KW: Tell me about the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to you.
JBB: I need to show my husband this question, it comes up a lot. He's...well...not romantic. But, he does do the boys' baths every evening so I can write. That's better than roses any day!
KW: If you were to choose a vegetable most resembling your personality, what veggie would you pick and why?
JBB: At the moment I'm shaped like an apple, but that's a fruit. Hmmm. Lettuce? I'm all over the place like lettuce leaves.
KW: What physical characteristic would you change if you could?
JBB: I want to see! I have terrible eye sight and plan to have it fixed as soon as I sell two more books...one for each eye! If it's something people can see...I'm having health issues and it caused a big weight gain this year. I'm working to lose that.
KW: Is there a skill you don’t have, but wish you did?
JBB: I wanna be Britney. Singing, dancing, booty-shaking.
KW: I saw on your website that you’re an award winning cook! How cool is that?!
JBB: Pretty cool. I won a new dishwasher and a killer coffee system from Better Homes & Gardens. And having a recipe in magazines is a good excuse to call friends. I also contributed recipes to the upcoming Pocket Diet.
KW: Care to share a simple recipe with us?
JBB: On a non-diet note, my boys and my dad love peanut butter quickies - a cup of peanut butter, a cup of sugar and an egg. Mix, make into balls, flatten with a fork and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. My eldest requires I dip them in melted chocolate. But, he's right cute, so I don't mind.
_________
I can't make those Peanut Butter Quickies, because my kids don't like peanut butter, so I'd end up eating them all! Do check out Jenna's Phaze HeatSheet, Daisy, and her website: www.jennabayleyburke.comThanks so much, Jenna!
KW: The hero of Just One Spark is a firefighter. My favorite Starbucks is visited often by firefighters, which is a very nice perk in addition to the coffee! There’s something so delicious about those guys in those baggy pants… But I digress. What kind of research did you do to make Mason believable as a firefighter? JBB: Ahem. Well...since there are no fires in the book, my research was only reading a book on careers and party conversation with two firefighters...both women. I know, not sexy, but true!
KW: What do you feel is your strength as a writer? What do you do best?
JBB: I come up with LOTS of ideas. Finding time to write them is my issue.
KW: If one of your books was made into a movie, who would play the lead characters? Why?
JBB: Well...I use pieces of people...In Just One Spark Hannah is Charlize and Mason...well, he's an actual fire fighter who gave my boy a sticker in a grocery store. For Cooking Up A Storm I pictured Kate Winslet and Elvis. Young Elvis.
KW: Have you ever cried while writing an emotional scene?
JBB: Ugh. Too often. I could never write a weepie. There is a scene in Just One Spark where Hannah and Mason are fighting that makes me cry, and in Cooking Up A Storm when Cameron breaks down I lose it.KW: What was your favorite book when you were a child?
JBB: Where the Sidewalk Ends
KW: Tell me about the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to you.
JBB: I need to show my husband this question, it comes up a lot. He's...well...not romantic. But, he does do the boys' baths every evening so I can write. That's better than roses any day!
KW: If you were to choose a vegetable most resembling your personality, what veggie would you pick and why?
JBB: At the moment I'm shaped like an apple, but that's a fruit. Hmmm. Lettuce? I'm all over the place like lettuce leaves.
KW: What physical characteristic would you change if you could?
JBB: I want to see! I have terrible eye sight and plan to have it fixed as soon as I sell two more books...one for each eye! If it's something people can see...I'm having health issues and it caused a big weight gain this year. I'm working to lose that.
KW: Is there a skill you don’t have, but wish you did?
JBB: I wanna be Britney. Singing, dancing, booty-shaking.
KW: I saw on your website that you’re an award winning cook! How cool is that?!
JBB: Pretty cool. I won a new dishwasher and a killer coffee system from Better Homes & Gardens. And having a recipe in magazines is a good excuse to call friends. I also contributed recipes to the upcoming Pocket Diet.
KW: Care to share a simple recipe with us?
JBB: On a non-diet note, my boys and my dad love peanut butter quickies - a cup of peanut butter, a cup of sugar and an egg. Mix, make into balls, flatten with a fork and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. My eldest requires I dip them in melted chocolate. But, he's right cute, so I don't mind.
_________
I can't make those Peanut Butter Quickies, because my kids don't like peanut butter, so I'd end up eating them all! Do check out Jenna's Phaze HeatSheet, Daisy, and her website: www.jennabayleyburke.comThanks so much, Jenna!
Labels: Author Spotlights
posted by Kate Willoughby at 11/22/2006
2 Comments:
Great interview! I love to hear about other romance authors whose husbands aren't romantic. :D
He does inspire me to do better for my heroines. At the moment he's trying to convince me driving in freezing rain is safe as can be - so I don't need to borrow his 4WD. A romance hero would hand over the keys, but in reality...
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