The Angels Present: Daddy's Girl

Please welcome J.M. Kelley author of Daddy's Girl.

J.M. will be awarding a gift basket of some of the author's favorite things, including a $25 gift card from Amazon and a signed copy of the Foreign Affairs anthology from Turquoise Morning Press to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

DADDY'S GIRL

By

J.M. Kelley

1. What or who inspired you to start writing?

I think I’ve always had an overactive imagination, and let’s face it: I’m a drama queen. The combination of the two guarantees a life as either a writer, or a soap opera star. I don’t have the soap opera physique, though, so writing it is. I always enjoyed coming up with stories as a child, but I let the practice of writing slip away as I grew older. After a layoff, and my father’s death, I decided to start writing once again. Haven’t stopped since.

2. What elements are necessary components for this genre?

The standard in a romance is a focus on the relationship/emotional connection between the hero and the heroine, and a happily-ever-after or happy-for-now ending. Because I classify Daddy’s Girl as a work of women’s fiction with strong romance elements, I was able to create a story-driven romance, with focus also shining on events outside the burgeoning romance.

3. How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

Real life was my inspiration, in this case. My own father’s loss was the catalyst for tackling such difficult subject matter. It took me some time to work up the courage to write the story, but once I’d done so, it felt wonderful. It was an incredibly cathartic experience.

4. What expertise did you bring to your writing?

With Daddy’s Girl, I referenced my experiences acting as a primary caregiver for my father. I sat in on many doctor’s appointments, and spent far too much time in hospitals to not take away some knowledge. I figured I should put it to good use, and eventually sat down to write this story.

5. What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

I can play the worst version of the Wipeout you’ve ever heard on electric guitar.

6. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

For now, I am preparing for the publication of my first paranormal romance, Almost Magic, due out this month, and then finishing up She Let Herself Go, which will be released early in 2014. I do have a story idea I am looking forward to working on, but I have not decided if it will be an actual romance, or if it will be more mainstream storytelling. It could go either way, at this point.

7. If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?

I think it would be a hoot to spend a day as David Harris. What a weird mind that boy must have. I’d love to get a glimpse at what goes on in a brain like that. I imagine him obsessively wondering if he turned off all the burners and lights in his house as he whistles the Antiques Roadshow theme.

8. Can you give us a sneak peek into this book?

9. Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?

I don’t, but that’s because I am such an isolationist when I write. I have a beta reader who does a fantastic job, and doesn’t have a problem telling me when I’ve strayed off course. I think critique groups are very handy for some people, but frankly, my work schedule flat out negates the opportunity to participate in such things.

10. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

I actually jumped the gun and submitted too soon. My first novel wasn’t quite ready yet. However, because I started querying too soon, I participated in an agent critique, in which the agent was able to tell me where she thought I needed work, still. Even though I was in error and showing my amateur feathers, I got invaluable advice before I set fire to every literary bridge before me.

11. What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)

The best advice has always been to write, despite the excuses and distractions life throws at you. Whenever I hear a professional make sweeping declarations about the writing craft or the industry, and what a writer must do to conform, I tend to ignore it as bad advice. Anybody who thinks they can make bold declarations about the entire industry based on their own personal opinions doesn’t come across to me as somebody to listen too closely to.

12. Do you outline your books or just start writing?

I like to just dive right in and see where it all goes. I may have a good idea about what I want from the story, but the story rarely plays nicely with my own preconceived notions about the plot.

13. How do you maintain your creativity?

I wonder that, myself. I guess it’s just the kind of brain I was born with—muddled with strange ideas that need to be written out. It’s either that or psychotherapy, I suppose.

14. Who is your favorite character in the book. Can you tell us why?

I am asked this a lot, and with Daddy’s Girl, it’s a difficult question because I love all the characters. It’s hard to pick a favorite. In this case, I’ll pick Janie to discuss. Janie lurks behind walls, careful to keep herself from getting emotionally invested in much of anything. She comes across initially as kind of a schmuck, really. Self-absorbed, not too keen on sticking her neck out for others. But, it’s all defense mechanism. She needs to hold people at arm’s length, otherwise they’ll get into her heart, and that can only lead to hurt. The journey Janie takes when she comes home to Meyersville changes her so much, and I loved watching her mature, watching her start to take emotional risks, and it was so gratifying to find a way for her to come to terms with her past enough to be able to begin to trust in her own future. She grew up, my Janie. And she grew up well.

15. Are your plotting bunnies angels or demons?

Both. But mostly demonic, frankly. They like to wake me up at 4 in the morning a lot, and that’s just rude, if you ask me.

16. Anything else you might want to add?

  

Sometimes, returning home isn’t about confronting your past; it’s about discovering your future.

Janie McGee, the black sheep of her family, is free-spirited, uninhibited, and never one to stay in the same place for too long. When Janie learns her father, Joe, is gravely ill, she reluctantly returns home to rural Pennsylvania to care for him. Joe’s neighbor, David Harris, sports a pocket protector, collects coins, and is addicted to Antiques Roadshow. Everything about him rubs Janie the wrong way, from his nerdy wardrobe to his enviable friendship with Joe. And to make matters worse, her father thinks they’re perfect for each other, proof positive of how little Joe knows his own daughter…or so Janie thinks.

A shared devotion to the elder McGee begins to close the gulf between Janie and David, but a burgeoning romance opens the door to new problems and unexpected consequences neither could foresee. Joe, however, remains steadfast in his resolve to show Janie that Daddy knows what’s best for his little girl. Can Janie finally open her heart to David while watching the first man she ever truly loved fade away?

Before he even opened the door, David knew something was off. Late night visitors, in his experience, rarely brought good news. When the visitor turned out to be Janie, his heart leapt into his throat. “Janie,” he said when he threw open the door. “What’s wrong? Is Joe okay?”

“Yeah. He’s fine.” Relief hit him so hard he took a step back and leaned against the doorjamb.

“You scared me.”

“I didn’t mean to.” Janie rubbed her hands up and down her arms and looked over her shoulder. “It’s cold out here. Mind if I come in?”

“Oh. Right.” David gestured for Janie to enter. “Come inside.” He followed when she slid past him and walked into the living room.

“It’s late.” As if she needed to tell him. The atomic clock on the wall, a Christmas gift from his mother, showed the time at almost two in the morning. Janie stood in the middle of the room and focused her gaze on the bookcase in the corner. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“I was reading. A little too wired to sleep, I guess.” David moved up behind her and raised a tentative hand to her shoulder. “Are you sure everything’s okay?”

The sound of his voice jolted her out of her thoughts and she jerked her head toward him. Her movements were stunted. Wooden. “Ever have one of those moments when you’re convinced you may float away, and no matter what you do, you can’t keep yourself grounded? And you need to hang on tight to something until the sensation passes?”

Whatever was going on, he thought, she was not in a good place. David gently spun Janie toward him and gazed at her. “Tell me what you need from me.”

Janie closed her eyes and lowered her forehead to David’s shoulder. “Ground me, David,” she whispered and laid her hand on his chest.

Three years ago, native Pennsylvanian J.M. Kelley packed her bags and moved south. Now, the wannabe Carolina Girl can’t speak a single sentence without adding the word y’all at the end of it, and regards a blast of snow flurries as a doomsday-level event.  When the day job allows, and when she can pull herself away from George Takei’s Facebook fanpage, she likes to go on writing jaunts to her favorite lake, or a local coffee shop with delicious shakes and questionable Wi-Fi connections.

J.M. Kelley is a proud recipient of a Carrie McCray Memorial Literary award, and is a member of The South Carolina Writers Workshop and Romance Writers of America (PAN). Readers interested in more information may visit her website at www.jmkelleywrites.com.

LINKS:

Email: readers@jmkelleywrites.com

Website: http://www.jmkelleywrites.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/JM-Kelley/108021242585994

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJMKelley

Daddy’s Girl purchase links:

Turquoise Morning Press: http://www.turquoisemorningpressbookstore.com/products/daddys-girl-by-j-m-kelley

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Daddys-Girl-ebook/dp/B00B76P58S/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359433661&sr=1-1&keywords=daddy%27s+girl+kelley

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daddys-girl-jm-kelley/1114255053?ean=2940015960969&isbn=2940015960969

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Daddys-Girl/book-KHCuDTSR9E2C7bbOEw-87A/page1.html?s=E-llxuUKm0m_cW4LB0jGNA&r=1

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/279529

AllRomance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-daddy039sgirl-1049844-149.html

Omnilit: https://www.omnilit.com/product-daddy039sgirl-1049844-232.html?oid=19