Interview: Jaci Burton, author of 'Hope Burns'
Paste BN and New York Times bestselling author Jaci Burton, author of Hope Burns, joins HEA to chat about her new release, random ideas and favorite TV (Shonda Rhimes and Big Bang Theory!).
Joyce: Welcome back to HEA, Jaci! Please tell us about Hope Burns.
Jaci: Thank you, and thanks so much for having me here!
Hope Burns is the story of two people who were in love in high school, but broke up due to a traumatic event. Carter Richards stayed in Hope, but Molly Burnett left Hope after high school and hasn't been back since. Now that her sister is getting married, she's back and forced to face her past with Carter. And it's not just the old memories that haunt Molly and Carter, it's the realization that their feelings for each other still remain after all these years.
Joyce: You've mentioned before that scenes for your books pop into your head whenever. Has that happened recently and can you share?
Jaci: Lately I've had a lot of scenes and plotlines just pop into my head when I'm in the shower. I don't know what it is — maybe it's the shampoo I'm using. But for some reason, I'm getting a lot of great ideas there. I actually got the plotline to the entire second half of the current book I'm writing during one of my shower excursions. And of course, no writing implements in the shower, so I had to hurry and finish, then make a mad dash to my laptop to jot it all down before I forgot. Now I have a waterproof notepad on my shower wall — very handy.
Joyce: Now that we're a year into the Hope series, has the small town in Oklahoma and/or its residents evolved in any unexpected ways?
Jaci: Lots of things happening in Hope these days. Some of our earlier characters are established in relationships, getting married, and we're meeting new characters as well. The relationships with friends are constantly moving dynamics as people meet new friends, jobs change and other people come to town. It's fun working within the framework of the town, and how people interact with each other. As their lives change, so do their relationships.
Joyce: Is there a scene in Hope Burns that you particularly enjoyed writing?
Jaci: Carter and Molly decorating Carter's house for Halloween was a fun scene to write.
Joyce: You just finished up your March 2015 release, Love After All, also a Hope novel. Congrats! So what have you been doing since then to celebrate/decompress or are you already gearing up to dive into (or have already dived into) the next one?
Jaci: Thank you! And, no time to decompress. I'm working on edits for Quarterback Draw right now, final page proofs for Holiday on Ice are waiting for me to dive into as soon as I finish those edits. When I'm done with those, I'll start writing All Wound Up, book 10 of the Play by Play series. But yes, finishing a book is always a great thing, so I might take a minute to go out to dinner or something to celebrate. ;-)
Joyce: Are you a TV watcher? What new/returning fall shows are you looking forward to?
Jaci: I love television! I've already caught a couple of the new shows. Forever looks really good, and Mysteries of Laura looks interesting in a fun/quirky kind of way. I have Gotham in my sights as well and hope it's good. I'm a huge Shonda Rhimes fan, so my Thursday nights are set with Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder. I absolutely love The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family, and I'm sad that Parenthood is ending this year so I have my tissues ready. And I'm already tensed up and anticipating the worst watching the final season of Sons of Anarchy.
Joyce: What can readers expect next from Jaci Burton?
Jaci: I'm excited to announce that Berkley is reissuing the Wild Riders series with hot, sexy new cover art in October! I can't wait for them. The covers are amazing.
Coming up in November is Holiday on Ice, a Play by Play holiday novella. In February will be the release of Quarterback Draw, the ninth book in the Play by Play series. The next Hope book will be Love After All, which releases April 2015.
Joyce: Is there anything you'd like to add?
Jaci: Here's how to find me:
A big thank you to all my readers for all their support, and to HEA as well. : )
Joyce: Thanks, Jaci!
HEA curator and contributor Joyce Lamb is a Paste BN best-selling author of romantic suspense and three-time RITA finalist and has been a professional journalist for 25 years. You can reach her at jlamb@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter (@JoyceLamb). You can also follow HEA on Twitter (@HEAusatoday).