The Writers Who Read series continues this week with romance author Jennifer Sable.
Who are you?
Such a deep question! I’m an author, a cat enthusiast, a dreamer who… oh, that’s not what you meant… Ha! I’m Jennifer Sable and I write both contemporary and science fiction romance. My published contemporary piece is a short story titled Hearts and Flours. It is a part of the charity romance anthology Taste Me, Tempt Me: Eight Tales of Sweet and Spicy Romance which, by the way, is only available for a couple more weeks! Get your copy today!
My published sci-fi romance is titled Separation Point and I sold it to my publisher by telling her, “It has airships, and captains, and DANGER!!!” That may or may not be why she decided to take a chance on it…
Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?
Go, Dog, Go by P.D. Eastman. The story goes that I asked my Grandmother to read it to me so many times that she begged my Dad to hide the book.
Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?
Quite often it’s the ding of an e-mail either from my local library, saying that the e-book I put on hold is ready for checkout, or an e-mail from Amazon saying my pre-order has arrived! That’s not to say that I don’t watch TV, but given the right book, the movie in my head created by the book can be so much more vivid.
Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?
Jill Shalvis, Rebecca Brooks, and Lindsay Buroker.
Jill Shalvis’ books are really easy reads for me, I can tear through one of those in about four hours, give or take, so the book hangover isn’t too bad the next morning. Also, there’s something about the characters and how she writes them; I can imagine myself being friends with these people and hanging out with the cool, beautiful people. It’s a fantasy and I get sucked right in. I want to be Jill Shalvis when I grow up.
The first time I read a book by Rebecca Brooks – I had just come home from the Romance Writers of America conference in New York City and while there I got to hang out with her a bit, so I already thought she was pretty cool, but then I picked up her first book, Above All, and just… wow. I am so glad I was able to meet her before I read her book or I would’ve been tongue tied and in awe. She is so, so good. I love her books. Why she isn’t all over the bestseller lists, I couldn’t tell you. But she constructs the world of her characters so completely I don’t even realize I’m not there. I also want to be Rebecca Brooks when I grow up.
I came across Lindsay Buroker by accident. My publisher suggested her book, Balanced On the Blade’s Edge, to me as a “comp title” to Separation Point, so I thought I should pick up her books and give ’em a read. They’re not as fast reading for me as Jill Shalvis or Rebecca Brooks because she builds an entirely new world, but she does it exceptionally well. I like books that, while I’m reading, create a movie in my mind to go with the story. Being Lindsay Buroker when I grow up would be pretty cool.
What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?
Strong, smart, intelligent women. The women that can walk away if the man (or whoever) isn’t ready for her. She doesn’t need to be a jerk about it, but I don’t like it when they put up with tons of…immaturity… in hopes that he’ll change.
What is your ideal time and place to read?
In bed, under the covers, in the dead of night when everyone else is asleep. Not that I have a lot of people bothering me during the day, but I like to get into a book and stay there for a while. The middle of the night is the best time for me to do that.
Are you a re-reader? Why or why not?
I used to be, but I’m not so much anymore. My To-Be-Read pile is so large that there’s not enough time for re-reading.
Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?
I’ve only read a couple of craft/how-to books – How I Write by Janet Evanovich was one. The biggest take-away from the book was that if one wants to be a writer, then one should write! There is no break between books. Finish one, start the next. It seems like a fairly common sense approach.
What makes a book a satisfying read for you?
A good Happily-Ever-After or a promising Happy-For-Now. It doesn’t have to end with a wedding and babies; in fact, I strongly prefer that it doesn’t. I don’t need to know about that stuff, but a good story that ends happily with the partners on equal footing, I love those.
What are you reading right now?
The last thing to hit my Kindle app was Kristan Higgins’ Anything For You. She’s another favorite, especially her Blue Heron series. The series is mostly about a family that owns a vineyard and there are plenty of laughs. Who wouldn’t want to read that?
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Jennifer Sable is a contemporary and science fiction romance author. These days she spends an inordinate amount of time on the computer, usually with a cat in her lap. She enjoys hanging out with friends, long walks on the beach, and sushi. If you’d like to talk, look her up at the following places:
Author website: www.jennsable.com – No pictures of cats
Twitter – Tweets about cats
Facebook – Lots of pictures of cats
Instagram – More pictures of cats
Pinterest – Pictures of cats with men!
Would you like to receive her newsletter? Sign up here. All subscribers will receive a copy of the Separation Point epilogue! There are fewer pictures of cats here.