Author Interview
I had the pleasure of running into Jackie on Twitter a few weeks back as I was telling Authors on there that I would love to interview them and bring their readers more information about them. I love doing interviews and asking questions so she reached out to me and I am happy to present to you an interview all about Jacqueline Thomas.
- What sparked your interest in writing?
I came from a very artistic household; my dad is a recording engineer and a musician. We were always surrounded by art, so being creative was always encouraged. My younger sister has always been a writer, and my husband is a writer as well. I’ve always been surrounded by writers.
2. Has anyone in your life inspired you to write?
I think more than inspired, I would say I’ve been very lucky to have writing cheerleaders in my life. My husband as a fellow writer makes sure to keep me caffeinated when I’m writing. My sister has also been an incredible cheerleader for my writing.
I would also say that as far as inspiration goes, I pull a lot of inspiration from music. I am a firm believer that one art form lends to another.
3. When did you decide to publish?
I’ve been writing for the past five years and have completed several novels. First and foremost, I write because I love to, publishing was not on my radar until about a year ago. In the summer of 2019, I wrote a dramatic romance book and published it a chapter at a time on my website. At first, I did it for fun, but I soon realized that people were actually reading it, and they were invested in the characters and the story! It was at that moment that I realized that maybe I could publish my work.
4. Are you an Indie Author or Traditional Author? Why did you choose the path you did?
As of right now I am an Indie author. I just published my first book, Quarantine Stories: 25 Short Love Stories set during the 2020 Pandemic on Amazon. I am still currently querying for an agent for my completed romance novels. I chose to publish Quarantine Stories on Amazon at the urging of friends, family and fans.
5. What is your first published book?
My first official published book is Quarantine Stories. I published the book on September 16, 2020 on Amazon. It’s available in a print edition and on eBook. I informally published McKinley Park a chapter at a time on my website.
6. Are you happy with how your books are coming out? Would you change anything?
So far, I’ve been pleased with the novels I’ve produced. If I could change anything, I would love for them to be published and available for sale in bookstores across the country.
7. Will you continue to publish books for many years to come?
Absolutely yes! I know how cliché it sounds but I write because I have to. Even when I’m not physically writing at a computer, my brain is thinking of storylines and plots. I’ll continue to publish as an Indie publisher for now and if I am able to go the traditional route, I’ll do so that way. I prefer to go the traditional route.
8. What genres inspire you to write?
I am a big romance reader! I love high stakes, dramatic romance stories. I feel like life is complicated and messy, and no more so than when falling in or out of love. I seek inspiration in see how fellow romance authors tackle certain issues.
9. What is your favorite genre to write? What is your least favorite genre to write?
Contemporary romance is my preferred genre to write. I like high-stakes scenarios where the love interest really must prove themselves. I also love stories where one partner rescues the other. Nothing makes my heart beat faster than one lover standing up and protecting the other.
I think my least favorite genre would have to be horror. I love a good scary book, but I’m not very good at creating a scary plot.
10. What challenges have you faced publishing?
So far, my biggest challenge has been seeking representation in a literary agent. I’ve been querying since early 2019. In full disclosure, I’ve taken breaks from querying here and there since. I am a firm believer that if you want something in life, that you must work for it and not give up. I will continue to query, knowing that it only takes the right agent finding my work to achieve my goal. Until then, I’ll continue to self-publish and no matter what, I’ll keep writing.
11. What challenges have you faced in writing?
As much as I love writing it certainly can be challenging from time to time. Two summers ago, I underwent major surgery and I felt like it took me a long time to recover physically and emotionally. To this point, it was the most challenging time I’ve ever endured as a writer. I found it difficult to write, like the words that had once came so easily were no longer there. It seemed the more I forced myself, the worse things got. Eventually, I found my groove again, and have been writing happily ever since.
12. Where do your ideas for your books come from? Where do you keep those ideas?
I love this question! I am always in awe of when I recognize inspiration in my work. Book ideas sometimes come from real life, and other times comes from a melting pot of movies, tv and books. My biggest inspiration is music though. Growing up, there was always music in my house. To this day, I almost always have music on. I need it to write, I can’t write to silence. I listen to all sorts of music when I write. I have playlists on Pandora and Spotify. Some of my most favorite artists to write to are Michael Kiwanuka, Seth MacFarlane, or movie scores.
13. Are you also a bookworm and does reading other works help inspire your own writing?
I think it was Stephen King who said something along the lines, if you aren’t reading, you aren’t writing. I am such a firm believer in this idea. Five years ago, when my husband and I were house hunting we found a house that had a library in it. We bought the house and have spent the past five years filling it with all sorts of books. I don’t think there’s a used bookstore I haven’t been in, in the Chicagoland area.
I am always in the middle of a book or two. I love to read fiction. I try to read a wide array of genres because you never know where inspiration will come from.
14. Do you have a website where we can follow you?
I do! You can find McKinley Park still published on the website, as well as the original Quarantine Stories on my website. I also have a blog on the website where I write about writing. My website is https://jacquelinecthomas.com/ I’m also on Twitter @Jackiecthomas, and on Instagram and Facebook under the name JackieWritesRomance
15. What is the link for your books so others may look and possibly purchase them from?
You can purchase a copy of Quarantine Stories on Amazon in paperback or eBook format here: https://amzn.to/34Q8XmR
I give any author mad props for self-publishing and am battling myself with that or trying to go the Traditional way. And on top of that, Jackie JUST published her FIRST book! How totally exciting and cool is that? I definitely will be checking out her book and I hope you do too. Can’t wait to see this author write more and publish more. Good luck to you, Jackie! I am rooting for you to get more written and published.