AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: JEAN JOACHIM

From Jean's website:
I didn't start writing until about 15 years ago. I had two small children and used to get up at 5:30am to write for two hours before they went to school.

I wish I could say that I did this with support from others, but I did not. No one believed I could be a writer...least of all me...but I was driven to do it anyway. After years of denying myself, I just couldn't help it...like an addict I was compelled to write.

So I started out writing 500 word articles on advertising, business and children, all based on my own experience and expertise. Lo and behold, after my first article failed, everything else I wrote got published.

This was exciting and encouraged me. I guess even I could no longer deny that I was a writer. So I decided to attempt my first book, "Beyond the Bake Sale, the Ultimate School Fund-Raising Book."

I got an agent from a friend of mine and she found a top publisher, St. Martin's Press, with a fabulous editor, Elizabeth Beier and I was off.

After six more non-fiction books, I tried my hand at fiction. one cold day last January, while I was recuperating from loss and illness, Callie and Mac just landed in my head and told me their story. I flew to my computer to get it all down, just the way they were telling me in my head.

Thus was born, "Now and Forever, a Love Story". The characters have no resemblance to anyone I know and, least of all, to me. They are completely formed total strangers that leaped out of my head and onto the page.

It was a wonderful experience, listening to their story. in my head. I fell in love with them. After the book was done, I just couldn't let them go. So they were kind enough to bring another character to the forefront, Danny Maine, Kyle's brother. Then he told me his story and "Now and Forever Again, the Book of Danny" was born.

Now I am recovering from the onslaught of more characters, Mac's brother, Peter and his father, Sam, and others and, of course, Callie and Mac, because it wouldn't be a "Now and Forever" book without them.

i will be doing a final edit of the third book in the series, "Now and Forever After, Blind Love". I don't know if I will be able to separate from these characters when this book is finished. I love them all so much.

Now it's on to the final edit for book two and more editing for book three, trying to sell book one and find a publisher for the next two. I'm a busy lady.

Before I can finish editing my Now and Forever books, another book landed in my head. The characters, Kit Alexander and Tunney Nichols made me fall in love with them, too. So I'm writing their book as a straight romance, no mystery...a new challenge for me. This book, my fourth, is called "The Renovated Heart." I'm finished with my first draft and first two rounds of editing. I know what I need to change, but that book will have to get in line and wait until the Now and Forever series has been submitted to publishers and agents. Callie's sister appears in "The Renovated Heart."

In the meantime, I wrote ANOTHER book and found an ebook publisher! "Sunny Days, Moonlit Nights" is coming out in February, published by Astraea Press. I'm very excited. You can see the cover here on my site.

I have another story that has been nudging my brain, waiting for attention. It will have to wait until I have finished the final edits for the Now and Forever series.

I will be a guest blogger in February and have another radio interview. More on that later. Back to the computer. Please keep reading because I want to keep writing.

I'd love to hear from you. Email me at jean@​nowandforeverbooks.com.

Best wishes,
Jean