It's Another Wahoo Wednesday, that's what's up!!
Please welcome author Johnnie Alexander with her answer to some interview questions.
Welcome, Johnnie!
How
long have you been writing?
That’s a hard question to answer. My poetry was published
years and years ago. But I had my first “I love this—I can do this” moment
about writing fiction after first participating in National Novel Writing Month
(NaNoWriMo) in 2003. Still, I was working full-time and raising my family.
Writing wasn’t always a priority even though it was the dream of my heart. Eventually,
though, I quit my job, attended writers conferences, won the American Christian
Fiction Writers Genesis contest in the historical category, and my debut novel
was published in 2013.
How
do you go about finding names for your characters?
Sometimes the names just come and they’re right. When that doesn’t happen, I check
out the popular names in the decade the character was born, watch TV and movie
credits for ideas, or use the name (only the first or the last, not both) of a
favorite book or screen character. Sometimes I use the names of friends or
family.
The protagonists of “Match You Like Crazy” are named for my
son, Nate, and his girlfriend Bre. I gave them different last names and have
them both living in Florida where Nate was born and raised (he’s a Flo-Grown
boy!). One of the other characters is from Oklahoma, where Bre has lived all
her life.
Besides
writing, what other hobbies or pastimes do you enjoy?
Most writers are avid readers, and I’m no exception. I read
a variety of genres, both fiction and nonfiction. I also love going to the
movies or having a “movie day” at home with family and friends. My sister and I
have managed to take a trip together the past three years and we’re doing our
best to keep that tradition going.
What
is your typical writing day like?
I’m more of a night owl than an early bird. So mornings are
for quiet time, email, social media connections, and the to-do list. I write in
the afternoons and into the evening hours if needed.
What
take-away value do you want readers to gain from your novella?
“Match You Like Crazy” is a lighthearted, fun story about
two twenty-somethings, Nate and Bre, whose families are longtime business
competitors in the box manufacturing industry. Nate and Bre are loyal to their
families but feel stifled by their jobs. Turns out they both have similar
dreams, but will they have the courage to achieve them?
What
can we expect to see from Johnnie Alexander in the future?
My next novel, To
Choose His Love (Hearts of Amish Country Series), releases from Annie’s
Fiction in August. I’m currently writing another historical novella for Barbour
called “Blue Moon” for the Hometown
Heroines Collection. Next May, I’m releasing a novel with the Mosaic
Collection, a group of international authors teaming up to write contemporary
stories that share God’s timeless truths.
Back
cover blurb:
They have
everything in common. So why aren’t they a perfect match?
Bre Fisher wishes she’d
said no when her grandmother gave her a trip to Matchmaking Week, especially
when Nate Hunter takes the seat beside her on the puddle-jumper to Joy Island.
He’s the last person she expected to see.
Nate figures he
can’t go home if Bre is his match. The longstanding business rivalry between
their families makes romance with a Fisher impossible.
Yet in addition to
the same family expectations and obligations, Bre and Nate have the same
interests—maybe even the same dream.
Will a week on Joy Island
spark another feud? Or prove they’re a crazy perfect match?
Johnnie Alexander creates
characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won't forget in a variety
of genres. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, is a CBA
bestseller and has been translated into Dutch and Norwegian.
Her first indie
novella, “Match You Like Crazy,” (Resort to Romance Series) released in
April 2019. She's part of an international group of authors writing the Mosaic
Collection, a series of contemporary novels releasing in 2019-2020.
LINKS:
For
exclusive content and the chance to win fun prizes, please subscribe to my
newsletter at Johnnie-Alexander.com.
Peggy, thanks for featuring Match You Like Crazy on your blog. I had such a great time writing this novella. And I hope readers will have just as much fun basking in the Bahamas during Matchmaking Week on Joy Island!
ReplyDeleteHi, Johnnie, it's been my pleasure to host you once again, and I love the plot/premise of this novella. I need to add this one to my TBR list. Sounds like a fun read.
ReplyDelete