Interview & Giveaway with Jennifer Echols

1. When did you first start writing, and was there something in particular that inspired you?

I started writing my first novel when I was in college, but I have always written short stories and poems, and I worked for all my school newspapers. My grandmother was a writer who wanted to be published, which was a lot harder back then. She wrote, so it never occurred to me that I couldn’t.

2. What first attracted you to your genre when it comes to writing?

I’m writing the book I want to read.

3. In regards to your own characters, who is your favorite and why?

This is a cop-out, but it’s true. My favorites are always the ones I’m writing at the moment, because I try to make every new book my best ever.

4. What other genres (besides your own) do you enjoy reading?

I read a lot of non-fiction.

5. If you could not be a writer, what would you be?

Before I was a writer--and during the first seven years of my published career!--I was a copyeditor. It was the second-best job in the world, and I felt very lucky to have it.

6. As a reader I know how difficult it can be to name a ‘favorite’ book, would you mind listing your top three? (Past or present authors)

I’m not even saying these are my top three, but they’re three of the many I love dearly.
The Beginning Place by Ursula K. Le Guin
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
Tell Me Lies by Jennifer Crusie

7. What are some must haves when you sit down to write?

I make a soundtrack for each one of my books and listen to it on my iPod. And there’s usually coffee!

8. If you became trapped as a character in a book or series, which would you choose and why? (Any book, any series, new or old)

I would love to be trapped in Mary Stewart’s The Moon Spinners, which is set in Crete and described beautifully. In fact, the heroine is sort of trapped there for a while with the wounded hero, and it is delicious.


About the Author:

Jennifer Echols was born in Atlanta and grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama—a setting that has inspired many of her books. She has written eight romantic novels for young adults, including the comedy Major Crush, which won the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the drama Going Too Far, which was a finalist in the RITA, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Book Buyer’s Best, and was nominated by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults. Her next two teen dramas, including Such a Rush, will appear in 2012 and 2013, with her adult romance novels debuting in 2013, all published by Simon & Schuster. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and her son.


Find Jennifer:

Website | Twitter | Facebook


Jennifer's Latest Release:

The One That I Want

Gemma can’t believe her luck when the star football player starts flirting with her. Max is totally swoon-worthy, and even gets her quirky sense of humor. So when he asks out her so-called best friend Addison, Gemma’s heartbroken.Then Addison pressures Gemma to join the date with one of Max’s friends. But the more time they all spend together, the harder Gemma falls for Max. She can’t help thinking that Max likes her back—it’s just too bad he’s already dating Addison. How can Gemma get the guy she wants without going after her best friend’s boyfriend?




You can read my review of The One That I Want here.

Giveaway:

I'm giving away any one title of choice of Jennifer's books! 

Rules for entry:
- Giveaway ends  May 25, 2012 12AM EST.
- Open to anywhere The Book Depository ships.
- Must be 13 years or older to enter.
- Leave me a comment and fill out the FORM below (entries in the comments section will not be counted).