Questions:
1. Did you always want to be a writer?
No, I actually wanted to be a pediatrician. It wasn’t until my 2nd year in college when I realized that science and math were too daunting for me to eventually go on to be a doctor. I used to write as a hobby and loved every second of it. That’s when I decided that I wanted to write.
2. What is your writing schedule like?
I try to write every single day but it doesn’t usually happen that way. The schedule posted on the wall in my home office says I’m supposed to write daily from 8pm -11pm. Sometimes it’s shorter or longer. Some days, I don’t write at all, especially if I’m too tired from my day job. I don’t write well when I’m tired.
3. How did you come up with the idea for your book?
I attended a John Mayer concert in March 2010 and after he finished playing “Ain’t No Sunshine” a Bill Withers cover, I looked over at my friend and said “Who says a white boy can’t play the blues?”. That one question became the plot for Untitled.
5. What has been the most interesting part of your writing/publishing journey so far? Most frustrating?
The most interesting thing has been experiencing the unity in the Indie author community. It’s like we’re a team and we all want to help each other succeed. It’s very fascinating.
The most frustrating thing is knowing that if I choose to never sign with a major publisher, there will be people who doubt my abilities as an author. It’s frustrating to know that I can’t share or reach the same fans as Jackie Collins or any other of my favorite authors because I don’t have Random House backing my title.
6. Four reasons why readers should pick up your book.
Aside from the obvious (that’s it is a really good book), I think that readers should pick up Untitled because it isn’t just a romance novel or the story of a kid trying to make it in the music industry. It’s an inspiring book that (hopefully) teaches the power of love and the power of dreams.
Second, it’s about a hot guitar player.
Third, I think many people will be able to relate to Aiden, but not just him. His family and friends are people we’ve all known in our lives.
Fourth, it’s my favorite book out of the four that I’ve written so far. I totally swoon over Aiden. His story was so fun to write and I want people to experience the fun I had.
7. Print or ebooks?
I will never give up print books, even though I am a proud Kindle owner. I love the smell and feel of books in print. For convenience, I love e-books. I publish in both formats.
8. What's next for you?
I’m currently working on the 2nd book that follows the lives of Aiden and Sunny in Untitled. It’s called Unsung and has a tentative October release scheduled.
9. How do you unwind? Hobbies?
I unwind by listening to music and reading. I never had any real hobbies that didn’t include some sort of writing until recently. I’ve gotten into vinyl records and building my vinyl collection and upgrading my sound system has become my new hobby.
10. Anything else you'd like to add?
Just wanted to say thank you for having me and Untitled on your blog today. This is my first book tour where I wasn’t working with bloggers that I knew and it’s been fun and exciting. I really appreciate being here.
Untitled
by Jackie Chanel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
For some, music is an escape from the every day norm.
For Aiden, it's his life's blood.
Already a star in his own mind & with the help of an unlikely partner, Aiden's escape from a life less ordinary begins with the blues and a guitar. Only he can determine where it ends.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
Halfway through his set, the announcement that I’d been impatiently waiting for came over the PA system.
“It’s that time...what we call a blues jam! I know there’s someone out there who wants to jam with us! Come to the stage, plug in, grab some sticks and let’s jam!”
I rushed the stage like a thirteen year old girl at a New Kids on the Block concert. Paulie was right behind me.
I picked the amp closest to Joey Clausen and plugged in Dee-Dee. I played a few cords to check that she was tuned properly. She sounded perfect.
The bass player, a smooth looking older black man, looked me up and down and started to snicker.
“You sure you want to do this, kid?” he asked.
“Hell yeah,” I muttered, slightly offended by his snicker.
“This is a blues jam session,” he added as if I didn’t know. “This ain’t no Guns N Roses concert.”
“I wouldn’t be up here if it was,” I replied shortly.
“White boy thinks he can play the blues, huh,” he gaffed. “You must think you’re Stevie Ray or something.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “You must think that.”
I took a few steps away from the dude. Now I was nervous. I know how I look to the all black band. After all, I am just a white boy in a Hendrix t-shirt, cargo shorts, and Nikes with no socks holding a guitar. There aren’t many of us who play the blues. Looks can be deceiving, because I can play.
I don’t care that I look different from other Blues players. Who says that all Blues players have to be black and from the South? However, the bass player’s assumption that I’m trying to be like Stevie Ray made me feel a little apprehensive.
I’m not trying to be like anyone. There are tons of guitarists that influence me, but I like to think that there’s a distinct difference between me and them. I got nervous...more like terrified. I could be a great blues guitarist, but what if no one accepts that style of music coming from me, a white kid from the suburbs?
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Jackie Chanel is a contemporary romance author and self proclaimed badass. Her writing career began in high school when she began writing short romance stories about her celebrity crushes. Her very first novel was penned while she was a high school senior in Youngstown, Ohio. She insists that no one will ever read it.
Jackie studied at Georgia State University and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. When she’s not writing or daydreaming, she can often be found drooling over the latest Chanel shoes or reading on her Kindle with a cup of coffee in hand and a little Mayer or Hendrix in the background.
Her characters are a reflection of the people she has encountered along her writing journey and her books are often inspired by her favorite thing, music.
Social Media:
Twitter Handle: @JackieChanel
Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/#!/JackieChanel
Facebook: Author Jackie Chanel
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/jackiechanel
Website: http://www.jackiechanel.com/
Giveaway:
Jackie will be awarding gift baskets to two randomly drawn commenters which will include:
- a copy of the Untitled soundtrack
- a "I like Big Books and I cannot Lie" totebag
- Untitled themed or guitar shaped keychains
- $20 Amazon gift card.
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