Who’s in the Hot Seat: Author Jessica Jefferson

I haven’t hosted Who’s In the Hot Seat in some time, so today is a real treat for me to have author Jessica Jefferson in my chair for a little Q&A. Even better? She’s also hosting a Rafflecopter giveaway of a $50 Amazon gift card for one lucky reader!

Jessica Jefferson makes her home in northern Indiana, or as she likes to think of it – almost Chicago. Jessica originally attended college in hopes of achieving an English degree and writing the next great American novel. Ten years later she was working as a registered nurse and reading historical romance when she decided to give writing another go-round.

Jessica writes likes she speaks, which has a tendency to be fast paced and humorous. Jessica is heavily inspired by sweeping, historical romance novels, but aims to take those key emotional elements and inject a fresh blend of quick dialogue and comedy to transport the reader into a story they miss long after the last page is read.

1. Jessica, do you ever read your stories out loud?
Every time I write. It’s ridiculous, but I do it with whatever accent appropriate to what I’m writing. If I can’t say it with a straight face, or if it doesn’t flow, then I know it needs work. All my writing is conversational, it’s the structure I prefer.

2. What are your future ambitions?
I just want to write. It brings me great joy and I can think of nothing better.

3. Tell us about your latest release.
Compromising Miss Tisdale is the story of the oldest of the four Tisdale sisters, Ambrosia. She’s determined to find the perfect match, and refuses to compromise. Duncan’s dying uncle has requested his scandal ridden nephew restore his family’s tarnished reputation. This entails Duncan marrying the one woman who can bring his family instant respectability and a large fortune. Duncan tries to compromise Ambrosia into marriage but fails at every turn. Through his failures, he unwittingly falls in love.

4. What have you got coming soon for us to look out for?
There are four Tisdale sisters in all – each with their own story to tell. The next one I hope to finish soon is Taming Miss Tisdale – the story about the hoyden sister, Tamsin. There’s one in every family.

BLURB:
Ambrosia Tisdale is the very picture of propriety and the epitome of what a respectable young lady should be. Haunted by a memory and compelled by her family, she pursues perfection to a fault.

The Earl of Bristol, Duncan Maddox, has returned to London after years of familial imposed exile. As the second son, he has led a life filled with frivolity, leisure, and a healthy dose of debauchery. Now his older brother has died, leaving the family’s flailing legacy in Duncan’s unwilling arms.

At the behest of his uncle, Duncan is advised to do the one thing that could provide instant fortune and respectability – he must marry. But there is only one prospect who meets the unique requirements to solve all the Earl’s problems – the lovely Miss Ambrosia Tisdale. But securing the prudent daughter of a Viscount’s hand proves to be more challenging than this scandal ridden second son of an Earl has bargained for.

With scandal, extortion, treachery, and even love itself threatening to keep him from his goal, will Duncan succeed in compromising Miss Tisdale?

EXCERPT:

He stepped forward, a twig snapping under the force of his right boot.

She startled and turned.

She had been crying. Even in the shadows he could see that her eyes were red and face blotchy from the trails of tears. For once, Miss Tisdale did not look her best, and in that imperfection he found her to be the most enticing she had ever been.

Duncan fell into her eyes, endless pools framed with wet clumps of black lashes that drew him towards her. And then her lips, already full, now swollen from her sobbing, parted slightly.
He was lost. God help him, he was no longer intoxicated by brandy alone, but rather the beauty of one woman.

Duncan reached up and cupped her face in his hands. Without any words or pretense, he simply swooped down and kissed her. It wasn’t a gentle kiss, nor was it rough. It was certain and decided. He kissed her ardently, holding her face and savoring the salty taste of her tears still wet on her lips.

He waited for it to stop, for her to slap him or push him away. But then she did something totally unexpected. She grabbed his arms and kissed him back. The action left him disarmed and completely infatuated. This was the woman from the library whom he had come to remember. And her kiss was not tentative as it once was – but now firm and without trepidation.

To catch up with Jessica visit her official website OR follow her on Facebook and Twitter