Everyone's Story warmly welcomes multi-published author Jean C. Gordon. This is Jean's second appearance here. It's been a joy watching her literary career growth through the years. Jean is now focusing on Christian Inspirational Romances. Her third Love Inspired title will be out this July. Go, Jean! Check out Jean's dynamic Book Giveaway offer below of SMALL-TOWN DAD, her current release (there's a link for a preview). Jean also joins us for an interview.
Jean is offering 1 copy of SMALL-TOWN DAD to 1 randomly chosen commenter. For easy contact, please leave your email address within the body of the comment. The winner will be announced next Friday, January 25th, between 4-6 PM EST. Looking forward to seeing your thoughts!
Click here to read an excerpt of SMALL-TOWN DAD
Questions for Jean:
Your
current Harlequin Love Inspired novel,
SMALL-TOWN DAD, centers on a theme of how God intervenes in one’s life with
another plan up His sleeve. Has God intervened in your life in such a manner?
Do
you have a reoccurring author’s theme amongst your novels or do they all vary?
While not intentionally planned, all my books seem to have a theme of home or
coming home.
You
set your stories on upstate New York. What are you hoping to capture for your
readers by this story setting?
I like to show readers the “other” New York, outside of New York City. I’m sure many people will be surprised to learn that Upstate NY has many small villages and hamlets with populations of 3,000 or less. Paradox Lake, where my current book is set is a mountain community with a year-round population of about sixty people (2010 census).
Has your tax and financial writing background
helped you to write novels in any way, such as self-discipline or maxing the
hours in a day or . . . ?
I think the most important thing I’ve learned from
my day job is to be open to revisions. Your editor is your friend. You’re a
team. S/he wants to help you make your book the best it can be.
Before
publishing with Harlequin you published six sweet romance novels, and now you
will see your third Love Inspired title coming out in July. Many will say
you’re quite successful! At this point of your career, are you running into any
bumps or unexpected surprises—writing or publishing wise—that you never thought
of before you were published?
The amount of time promoting takes. My earlier books were for a publisher that sold primarily to libraries. I couldn’t expect a lot of other sales, so it wasn’t cost effective—in terms of time or money—to promote. Publishing with Harlequin—and with my two self-published backlist books—I feel more pressed to promote. I try to pick and choose and do a medium amount of promotion based on what I know other authors are doing.
The amount of time promoting takes. My earlier books were for a publisher that sold primarily to libraries. I couldn’t expect a lot of other sales, so it wasn’t cost effective—in terms of time or money—to promote. Publishing with Harlequin—and with my two self-published backlist books—I feel more pressed to promote. I try to pick and choose and do a medium amount of promotion based on what I know other authors are doing.
Any
tips on juggling a full-time job/career with a growing writing career?
Yes, figure out a way to give up the other job. Seriously, you need to have the discipline to set up regular blocks of time to write and work on your book during those blocks. You have to look at writing as a job. You’re not going to last long at another job if you don’t show up to work when you’re supposed. Similarly, you can’t succeed as a writer if you don’t write regularly.
Yes, figure out a way to give up the other job. Seriously, you need to have the discipline to set up regular blocks of time to write and work on your book during those blocks. You have to look at writing as a job. You’re not going to last long at another job if you don’t show up to work when you’re supposed. Similarly, you can’t succeed as a writer if you don’t write regularly.
How
useful is getting the buzz out on your books social media wise?
I really don’t know. I post regularly on Facebook and every few months on the
Craftie Ladies of Love Inspired Romance, as well as guest blogs. But not having
privy to immediate sales information, I have no way to measure the impact.
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| Courtesy of Google Image |
What encouragement do you hope that your reader will carry in her or his heart upon finishing one of your novels?
That no matter what the situation, they can rely on God to show them the way through it.
Author Bio:
Jean C. Gordon’s writing is a natural extension of her love of
reading. A professional
financial planner and editorial group manager for an international communications
company in Albany, NY, Jean is as at home writing retirement- tax-, and
investment-planning advice as she is writing romance novels, but finds novels a
lot more fun.
She and her college-sweetheart husband tried the city life in Los
Angeles, but quickly returned home to their native Upstate New York. While Jean creates stories, her family grows organic fruits and vegetables and
tends the livestock de jour.
Jean likes to give back when she can. She and her husband
team-taught a seventh-and-eighth-grade Sunday school class for several years
and currently serve on her church’s Evangelism Committee. She also shares her
love of books with others by volunteering at the church’s Book Nook.
You can keep in touch with Jean at:
