Today I'm welcoming J. Q. Rose to Reviews and Interviews. J. Q.'s first book released yesterday (3/1) and I thought I'd catch her while she's in promotion mode.
Welcome, J. Q.
Please start us off with a bit about yourself.
I am an avid reader of diverse genres and photographer of family, (especially grandkids), friends, nature, and food that I prepare from our garden. I like to try new recipes and share them on my blog The Garden for Eatin.
My husband and I are snowbirds leaving our Northern home every fall and migrating to sunny Florida for the winter. I prefer to be called a sunbird because we are flying toward sunshine. Summer allows us fun family time camping with our grandsons (and our granddaughter when she gets out of diapers). We enjoy campfires and fishing and especially hunting toads, frogs, and salamanders with the boys.
Please tell us about your new release.
Sunshine Boulevard is a mystery/light horror novella. The story is pure escape reading. The main characters are Jim and Gloria Hart. They are snowbirds who annually migrate to Florida for warm sunshine, fun, and golf with friends in snow-free winters.
However, this season, Jim Hart, a volunteer First Responder in his retirement community of Citrus Ridge, is drawn into the investigation of the mysterious deaths of friends and neighbors. Even in the midst of the unfortunate demise of the residents on Sunshine Boulevard, the Harts try to get together with friends. They don't realize that their friends are getting together for their own kinds of affairs with each other. The neighbors are in a dither over the deaths, but perhaps more intrigued by the gossip about the affairs and why the naked lady was found lying in the geranium bed.
What inspired you to write this book?
My husband and I have traveled around the Sunshine State meeting new people and being part of the boomer and senior lifestyle. Florida had to be the setting for the story because this state is known for unusual, quirky crime stories and events. It was so much fun to make up the characters and place them in a retirement community similar to the ones located all around Florida.
What exciting story are you working on next?
I am currently working on several projects—a romance/mystery, a non-fiction story for girls, and another boomer mystery is brewing in my brain, but not on paper…yet.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I asked the editor of the regional newspaper if I could contribute some articles. To my delight, he actually printed my first one and placed my name as the “reporter.” A byline. I still have that article in my files.
Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I don’t write 8-5 every day like a job. Several hours throughout the day are devoted to blogging, marketing, writing, and researching. I enjoy the freedom semi-retirement gives us. I can spend my day reading, writing, cooking, eating, camping, playing Pegs and Jokers with friends, and volunteering, playing with the grandchildren, and getting together with the family.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I think my only quirk (remember you are asking me) is I can only write at home. I wish I could go to the coffee shop or the library to write, but I can’t. I guess I am too easily distracted. When I need a different location to discover my Muse, I grab my laptop desk and move to the living room or bedroom. The dining room table or the kitchen counter also works for me. When we were full-time RV’ers my entire office was the camper’s kitchen table.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I really admired Carol Burnett so I wanted to be just like her…a real entertainer and comedian. The closest I got to that was to be a hobo in the community theater production of Annie. Loved that!
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Thank you for hosting me today and the opportunity to share my quick, fun read with your readers. To find me and my ebook on the web, please check my author website and my blog as well as my author page at MuseItUp Publishing.
8 comments:
Good morning, Lisa. So happy to be here at Reviews and Interviews. Thanks for hosting me.
Great interview J Q. Makes me want to go and check out your book.
Janet, how great that you can turn your life experiences into stories! Keep up the good work, and best of luck with your very first release. I wish you many more!
@festival8--I accomplished my mission here then if you are interested in the book. Hope you get it and let me know what you think. It's different.
@Pat--Thanks so much for the best wishes. Right back at ya'!
Thanks for being here, JQ. You brought Florida sunshine to a New England-based blog. I just say "Gnomeo and Juliet" and there is a plastic pink flamingo in it. What is it about those birds that just makes me think Florida sun? :)
Those flamingoes are such odd looking birds. Now I am collecting them since they appear on the book cover for Sunshine Boulevard. You can't look at them and NOT smile.
I leave you with this--do you know why a flamingo stands on one leg?
Because if he lifted it he'd fall down. (my daughter says a groan is as good as a laugh!!!)
Thanks so much for hosting me.
I'm a born and bred Floridian and I'm pleased to see a novel that isn't about the under 30 crowd, or the under 40 either for that matter. Looking forward to reading it.
Thanks, Gretchen. I think the boomers and seniors get a bad rap for getting old. Young people believe they are put out to pasture, but this book shows seniors as active, vital members of the community--and having some fun.
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