Jena Wade Has Brought “Shoes & Ties” And A Giveaway!

TNA: Hi, Jena, thanks so much for being here with us today. Why don’t we start out by having you tell us a little bit about yourself? Hobbies, interests, odds and ends things that make you, you.

JW: Hi! I’m Jena Wade – brand spanking new author. :)

Besides writing, I enjoy riding horses (I own two), gardening, and playing outside. In the winter I hibernate, definitely not a cold-weather person.

I love to read. M/M romance of course.
… that about sums up my life.

TNA: Have you always written M/M Romance? If so, what would you say are some of the things that prompted you to explore gay romance and relationships in your writing?

JW: Yes? Kind of. I’ve always known I was going to write a romance novel someday. I loved to write and I loved romance, sooner or later I knew I was going to actually do it.

Back in the day, I assumed I would write het romance, cause that’s what I read, but then I fell into reading m/m romance and finally I had (made) the time to sit down and actually write a story that had been running around in my head for nearly two years.

I think I just finally found something that I was really really passionate about and that was just the kick I needed to actually write.

TNA: Let’s chat a little bit about your new book Shoes & Ties. We’d love for you to tell us a bit about it and how you come up with the idea for it.

JW: Gosh, it’s been so long I don’t even know how I came up with the idea… it’s just been running around in my head for too long for me to remember. I feel like Trent and Ashten have always been inside my head and I have no idea when they moved in.

Shoes & Ties is my debut novel.

Ashten Brody is a chef fresh out of college. He lands his dream job working as a personal chef to Trent Cole, local luxury hotel owner. As it turns out, Trent is also his dream man.

After working together, the two are unable to deny their attraction. One late night they can’t hold back any longer. Too bad Ashten rushes off soon after.

In the weeks that follow, it appears to Ashten that he has landed his dream man and his dream job. He and Trent appear to be on the path to a serious relationship and life-long happiness. Life seems to be just too perfect…

TNA: Did either of the main characters give you fits as you were writing, not wanting to cooperate with where you saw their story going?

JW: That didn’t happen with Shoes & Ties. For the most part Ashten and Trent were easy to write. Trent was hard to make likeable though, members of my crit group HATED him at first :)

TNA: What’s the one thing you hope for readers to take away from the book?

JW: Happiness :)

I’m a sucker for a happy ending. A lot of what I write can get a little sappy (and later some of the sap gets edited out :) ).

I just want to make people smile with my writing. Give them a little bit of an escape for an hour or two or three (however long it takes you to read the story).

TNA: What would you say is the most stressful part of this authorly business: Writing the book? Shopping it out to publishers? Waiting for reviews? The marketing you do to promote it?

JW: Marketing.

As a web developer by day I have the tools necessary to do it, but I just don’t care for it –that’s terrible, I know! – I just would rather be writing.

Waiting for a response for Shoes & Ties was painful, but now I am too busy with my day job and other writing to think too much about what I have out on submission. Though I’m sure if I get a rejection then I might rethink all that :)

TNA: Would you say you’re a plotter or a “pantser”?

JW: Definitely a plotter. I outline each story – at least the first half – before I start writing. And I write everything in order.

I can write without the outline for short stories, but anything more than 10K I need an outline.

TNA: Of all the characters you’ve created, do you have a favorite? If so, who and why?

JW: Jesse (Ashten’s brother) is my favorite – and he has his own story called Lumber & Law.

He’s funny and he says whatever comes in his head, which made writing his story fun.

TNA: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received with respect to writing?

JW: Hmmm… One of my beta readers once teased me for my sappiness :) but then she said “Different strokes, for different folks” and I always remember that when I am writing and reading ( and beta-ing). Not everyone is going to like what you write. I’m not going to like everything I read. Just because some people might criticize my writing or not like it is no reason to not write.

TNA: Do you have an all-time favorite literary character? If so, who and why?

JW: Westley from The Princess Bride. Both the movie and the book He’s just so dreamy *far off look, loud sigh*

… what were we talking about again?

TNA: Would you care to share a little bit of information on any of your current WIPs?

JW: Lumber & Law – sequel to Shoes & Ties – is almost done. This is Jesse’s story and I don’t want to give too much away, so my lips are sealed 

I have a story out on submission *fingers crossed* called Technically Dating about a geek who falls for the suave sexy guy in the club, but isn’t sure if he can make any relationship work, let alone a long-distance one.

Also, I have another WIP called Objection which features Gavin, who was a secondary character in my Love Has No Boundaries story – Strip, Please, which is available for free!

TNA: Where can readers find you on the internet?

http://www.jenawade.com
http://www.twitter.com/thejenawade

TNA: Would you like share an excerpt from Shoes & Ties with us?

Ashten’s gaze never left Trent’s body until he stepped into the pool and began his laps, and even then, Ashten had a hard time tearing away. Ashten turned his attention back to the grill. The steak seemed to be taking forever to cook. He checked the temperature again, just to make sure the grill was actually on.

Trent’s powerful shoulders pushed him through the crystal clear water of the pool. Every so often he would stop and comb his wet hair back with his fingers.

Ashten put his back to the pool. He shouldn’t be watching his boss like that. It didn’t help, though. He could see the reflection of the pool in the bay window.

When Trent stepped out of the water, Ashten had to hold on to the grill to keep from falling. Trent’s body glistened with water droplets. Ashten’s mouth went dry as Trent toweled down his washboard abs and muscular thighs. He could picture those thighs wrapped tightly around his waist, gleaming with sweat instead of pool water.

Trent strolled to the patio door, before flashing him a sexy grin and asking, “See anything you like?”

Trent was already in the house, the door closed behind him when Ashten finally choked out, “No!”

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED