A Writer in a Million

Every so often we come across an author that writes with not only a feel good factor about their plot lines and main characters, but also has that extra special bit of je ne sais quoi. That extra gifted *IT* factor. So it is with Jessica Degarmo who has the ability to turn her hand to a range of writing genre. I have read virtually all of Jess's books and only escaping time has stopped me catching up with the rest of them.

Therefore I became really angry recently when rough and downright shoddy reviews came in for her slightly different book entitled SIX WEEKS. The storyline is about the decisions of a young girl, concerning abortion. A difficult choice I guess at any time. The main gripe of the shoddy reviews being the ending which was left open ended as to which door she entered to make her choice. A clinic or a 'refuge'. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course. The point of this ending? It enabled the reader to mull over their own thoughts perhaps as to what the ending should be.......

I caught up with Jess recently and did an interview. We were both in a light hearted mood so I hope you enjoy it......

A Girly Chat With Jessica Degarmo

It was time for me to go visit Jess and I was excited. The sky was a beautiful deep blue, the sun was shining and fluffy white clouds were just waiting for me to soar high into the skies. 

I opened the broom cupboard and there nestling in the corner was my super charged,super slick, Nimbus 9 broomstick all covered in cobwebs. It hasn't been used for a while and it's always been my main source of travel when I take off to interview my guests. 

I gave it a good clean, popped on my hooded long black cloak and took to the skies to meet Jessica Degarmo on the other side of that great pond which divides us. I had a good tail wind and made good time. I was so thirsty though when I landed. However Jess was waiting with my favourite brew which I downed in one.

After much giggling we settled down and I began my interview.

Question1. Firstly Jess please introduce us to the fabulous author Jessica Degarmo and maybe you could also include your hobbies and interests.

(JLD) Hi, Tee! Nice of you to drop in! Well, I’m Jessica L. Degarmo, but please call me Jess. I’m a wife, a mommy, an insurance agent, a former country music DJ, the lead singer in a classic rock band, and a recent college graduate. Oh, and I write a bit, too.

Question2.  What about the books you have written? Tell us about the books without giving away any spoilers of course. I’m sitting here with bated breath :-)

(JLD) Well, I’ve written six books. My first, How to Meet a Guy at the Supermarket is a romantic comedy. Hooking Up was my first foray into a more literary romance (I guess) and Decisions is a straight up romance. Six Weeks is a true work of literary fiction, and The Storm Within and Historically Yours are the first and second, respectively, in my romance series, Johns Creek Second Chances. I guess you could say I’ve dabbled in a bunch of genres, and I’m not done exploring. I’ll have a paranormal book out by year’s end as well as a sequel to one of my other books (but you’ll have to wait and see to find out which one!) and I have a psychological thriller simmering on my cauldron.

Question3.  If you had the opportunity to co-write a book with a famous author from any time gone by, who would you choose and would you like to tell us why please.

(JLD) I’d love to work with LaVyrle Spencer. She’s the queen of lovely, meaningful, realistic romance, and I admire her greatly. She’s retired now, which bums me out, but I still consider her work to be a yardstick by which all other romances are measured.

Question4. (a) So then, you are given a unique opportunity to have just one of your books turned into a movie. Now which one do you feel would bring in the most revenue?

(JLD) Hmmm...sex sells, right? I honestly have no idea! The book I’d probably like turned into a movie the most would be Supermarket, as I pictured it in my head like a movie while I was writing it. I’d love Drew Barrymore to be my Quinn. Women like chick-flicks, and Supermarket is a chick-flick on paper. Chick-lit, for sure!

Question4 (b) Now, just who are you going to choose for the leading roles? This movie of course will outshine the 50 Shades trilogy. So keep that in mind.

(JLD) Well, I already billed Drew Barrymore for Quinn, so now let’s find some men... Hmmm....that hunk from Under The Tuscan Sun, the Italian one she finds when searching for the chandelier parts, he’s Trevor, definitely. As far as Mitch goes, maybe Tom Cruise? And Jason would have to be played by Matthew Mcconaughey. Ooh, this is fun! Do I get to interview the guys privately? I think, as the author, I should...

Well .....??? Maybe then if you take me along with you. You would definitely need a chaperone and I could ogle from behind my shades and large floppy sunhat. NOT that that would make me conspicuous of course.

It’s been hilarious talking to you Jess and we must do this again soon. Let me know what websites/blogs you want to mention and of course include links to your books.

(JLD) Thank you, lovely Tee! I’d love your readers to check out my website at www.jessicadegarmo.com. As far as my books go, you can find them all here: www.amazon.com/author/jessicadegarmo

So leaving Jess to muse over her leading men for the film shoot I then got back onto my trusty Nimbus and headed back home after making a detour around the milky way – just because I could :-)

(JLD) Sweep, er, fly safely, Tee! Hugs!

Whilst on holiday recently I whipped out my kindle and re read Dudes Down Under by my good friend Suzannah Burke. You may remember she wrote Empty Chairs and Faint Echoes of Laughter which told of her life from childhood. I cried through Empty Chairs because of the injustice of her young childhood - prostituted by her mother at four years old. However I laughed again 'til tears ran down my face at Dudes Down Under.

Here is part of my review ....

Sun sea sex euthopia and a talking croc, 

Every so often as reviewers we pick up a book and just know from the first chapter the huge potential of having a block buster in our hands. I cried tears in bucket loads at this writers two autobiographies and I cried tears of laughter all the way through Dudes Down Under. How versatile can a writer get but Suzannah Burke does it seamlessly.

Take a private, tropical island set up to pander to every whim, needed by the elite of the world. They are happy to pay whatever it costs for their luxurious privacy. (I could almost smell the lush tropical foliage through the pages.) Add the staff who will go to the ends of the earth to support the owner in her endeavours. Then add Cyril the crocodile, who seems to be able to read human thoughts and has been raised by humans since he was an egg. Bring in Skeet (short for mosquito) who panders to every whim of Cyril, including reading him a bedtime story, plying him with beer and Jack Daniels if he's really lucky. Dressing him in his favourite colour clothes, including sun hat and shirt with Velcro for ease of dressing. Then bring in a love match for him called Sadie(he's at that adolescent age and needs a mate)

This idyll is running just perfect and even the guests enter into the spirit of things with Cyril once they get used to him. He's a crocodile that constantly burps and farts, takes a teddy to bed with him, and his favourite music is Some Enchanted Evening. Have you ever seen a crocodile swaying in time and in rhythm? Well Cyril does and with style as well.

Then the cyclone strikes !! No one is too concerned as contingency plans are in place, BUT some guests are missing and suddenly everything starts to change....
How could you not be enchanted by Cyril? So here's your chance and this is where you can find him on Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_10?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=dudes+down+under&sprefix=dudes+down%2Cstripbooks%2C148&rh=n%3A266239%2Ck%3Adudes+down+under&ajr=0

Here he is on Amazon US

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_10?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=dudes+down+under&sprefix=dudes+down%2Cstripbooks%2C163

Enjoy the read it's so cheap at the moment.

Wow I can't believe how long it is since I did a post. I've been so busy writing, FB'ing gardening. Dodging in and out of the rain showers. Whereas my good friend John Holt has been busy setting himself up under a new banner called the Phoenix



Doesn't it look impressive?

He also has another book out to add to his crime collection. It's called the Mackenzie Dossier and this is the cover.

So if you're into crime stories here are the links for you.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Mackenzie-Dossier-ebook/dp/B008U6STIQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344414712&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008U6STIQ

It's currently priced at 79pence. Yes 79 pence!!! so that won't break the bank will it.

It's a new one

My little German friend Richard Rhys Jones author of The Division of the Damned has got a new look to his blog.
Actually it's rather snazzy.
Check it out here 

http://divisionofthedamned.blogspot.de/p/tasters.html

Promises made etc ........

Catching Up

I've been conspicuous by my absence of late folks - however I've been busy writing my latest blockbuster which is coming along nicely. A time travelling fantasy again  but this time set in the 1960's.

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My publisher Taylor Street Publishing has got a nice new logo which was initially designed by John Holt. Here is the crime logo










Some of my fellow writers say the nicest things about my books at times and here is a comment by Andy Szpuc which I only discovered recently. It refers to The Eye of Erasmus and Shasta Summer.....

            *Enthralling constructions, and by a writer of immense pedigree. Books to be savoured.*

Andy is the author of Sliding on the Snow Stone. Thanks Andy.

So back to the writing again and I will catch up with you all soon.