Interview with Jen Turano

Heidi here. Today we are welcoming Jen Turano to our blog.

A USA Today Best-Selling Author, Jen Turano has written the critically acclaimed Ladies of Distinction series, and A Class of Their Own series, published through Bethany House Publishers.  Her novel, Playing the Part, was nominated as a 2016  RT Reviewers’ Choice Award Finalist, while her novel,  After aFashion, was nominated as a 2015 RT Reviewers’ Choice Award Finalist and named a 2015 top ten romance from Booklist.  Her book, AMost Peculiar Circumstance, was chosen as a top ten romance by Booklist in 2013.  Her next series, “Apart from the Crowd” releases with a free e-novella, “At Your Request” in January, 2017, followed by the first full-length novel, “Behind the Scenes,” in April, 2017.   When she’s not writing, Jen spends her time outside of Denver. She can be found on Facebook, or visit her on the web at www.jenturano.com. She is represented by the Natasha Kern Literary Agency.

Playing the Part: Lucetta Plum is an actress on the rise in New York City, but is forced to abandon her starring role when a fan's interest turns threatening. Lucetta's widowed friend, Abigail Hart, is delighted at the opportunity to meddle in Lucetta's life and promptly whisks her away to her grandson's estate to hide out. 

Bram Haverstein may appear to simply be a somewhat eccentric gentleman of means, but a mysterious career and a secret fascination with a certain actress mean there's much more to him than society knows. 

Lucetta, who has no interest in Abigail's matchmaking machinations, has the best intentions of remaining cordial but coolly distant to Bram. But when she can't ignore the strange and mysterious things going on in his house, it'll take more than good intentions to keep her from trying to discover who Bram is behind the part he plays.

 Jen, welcome to our blog and congratulations on your latest novel, Playing the Part. I’ve read the other two in this series, A Class of Their Own—Aftera Fashion and In Good Company—they are fabulous. How do you come up with such great conflict that extends the entire book?

Years ago, I was in this creative writing workshop, and the instructor said something that always stuck with me.  “To keep the reader turning the page, write a wonderful conflict, but then, when it seems as if that conflict is about to be resolved, blow up a building, have someone fall off a boat, or add a catastrophe no one sees coming.” 

While it’s unlikely I’ll write a catastrophe that turns fatal, I have been known to blow things up between the pages of my books, and because that always sends my brain scrambling for a way to top the blowing up, before you know it, my stories are filled with unexpected escapades, one more unusual than the next.   

I like that advice: “To keep the reader turning the page, write a wonderful conflict, but then, when it seems as if that conflict is about to be resolved, blow up a building, have someone fall off a boat, or add a catastrophe no one sees coming.”. I'll have to remember and implement that! Who/What spurs you to write?

I’ve always lived in my imaginations from the time I was a child.  Back in the day, I would ride my bike around the neighborhood for hours, thinking up one story after another, and oddly enough, those stories always seemed to have a romantic bent. Since I can’t stop story from taking over my thoughts, I’ve given in and accepted the idea I’ll just have to keep writing.  That way, no one finds me strange as I mosey on down the bike trails, talking to myself as I stop for no apparent reason, figure out a scene, then continue walking, chatting up a storm to my imaginary friends.     

I'm glad to hear you'll never give up writing, your talent is absolutely amazing and your voice is superb! Where do your story and character ideas come from?

I get a lot of my ideas from the research books I use.  The novella I just released, “At YourRequest” came from a single paragraph I read about a woman who’d been wealthy, lost all her money, and then set herself up as the social secretary of the day.  She worked for the likes of Mrs. Astor and other New York Knickerbockers, and because of that paragraph, the beginning of the wallflower idea began to fester.  From that story, I moved on to “Behind theScenes” which was inspired by “The Glitter and the Gold,” a book penned by Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan about her life as Alva Vanderbilt’s daughter.  It was in this book I became fascinated with the extravagant costume ball Alva Vanderbilt held in March, 1883, and after becoming introduced to that ball, I knew I had to write a book where the setting would begin in the Vanderbilt’s house on 660 Fifth Avenue.  A lot of my contemporary author friends use the headlines for ideas, so I’ve had a research librarian find me newspapers from the 1880, but I haven’t had time to peruse those papers.  Who knows what I’ll find?     

Fascinating, sounds like you do a bunch of research before pen hits the paper. What do you think makes your style of storytelling unique?

I’m not sure about this, but I think readers may find me a little different because my storylines can be completely out there and my characters have somewhat odd senses of humor.  Add in the idea I’ve been known to include unusual side-characters – like a little pig by the name of Matilda, and…yep, that might make me a bit unique, some may even say…peculiar. 

I also love how strong your female leads are. And when I think of the time period you write in, I feel like women were more weak and needy. So, I find the strength of your characters refreshing. Onto another question, I love plotting and am always looking for tips. How do you plot a novel? How close to the final version does the first draft read?

My plotting changes with every series.  I submit a synopsis to my editor for an entire series, but in all honesty, I’m not an author who follows that synopsis often.  I might stick to the premise of what I proposed, but once I get into the chapters, my characters tend to become a little…confrontational with my ideas.  By the time I finish a first draft, then edit it seven times before I send it off to my editor (where she and another editor comb through it, send me suggestions, and I normally rewrite it again) it barely resembles my original idea.  But I know authors who do a chapter by chapter outline and stick to that as they write their stories.  I think it’s an individual preference. Because I write humor, I need to be able to change mid-chapter if a different amusing scene hits me.  Otherwise, my stories would come across as forced, which isn’t amusing in the least.    

Wow, I would never have guessed that. When I read your writing, it sounds so effortless. It's amazing the number of edits you do. Given all we've talked about, what advice can you give to aspiring novelists to produce a sound novel that’ll sell?

I would suggest learning everything you can about the publishing marketplace.  A writer needs to produce a book that appeals to an audience.  Publishing is a business, so know what readers in your genre are reading.  Don’t write to trends (think dystopian, vampires) because publishing house buy two years out, and read all the time. This will allow you to understand a target audience, and publishers should be able to know exactly what target audience you have in mind when you pitch your story to them.   

Great advice! How about a fun question. You are headed to a deserted Island and can bring only two things with you, what do you bring?

My husband, and I would say my son, but since he’s now twenty-one, and he’s never been the type of guy to enjoy hanging out with his parents, I think I’ll leave him behind.  Instead, I’ll bring my e-reader, stocked with thousands of books. 

Yes, the e-reader is a must. Your next novel, Behind the Scenes, is releasing in April, can’t wait. Jen, thank you for your time today, it was fun! And congratulations again on your newest novel, Playing the Part.

Thank you for having me, Heidi.

It was a thrill Jen! Let's keep the conversation rolling. Does anyone have a question for Jen? By the way, she is giving away a signed copy of Playing the Part to one of  you (US only) ~ so comment away and don't forget to leave your email address too 😀