Randomize ME

Today, we have author Joan Reeves featured on the blog’s ‘Indie Saturday‘ for her romantic comedy “JANE I’m-Still-Single JONES” (Available on Amazon). Do you ever wonder about ‘the one that got away?’ Well, you might want to check out what happens when our heroine Ms Jane Louise Jones goes home for her ten-year high school reunion and meets the first love that got away …

Author Joan Reeves writes about ‘JANE I’m-Still-Single JONES’ (and where she gets her ideas a.k.a LIFE’S IDEA BOUTIQUE!):

For some reason, readers are curious about how we authors get the ideas that result in books. I’ve never taken part in a book signing or given a presentation to readers without being asked: ‟Where do you get your ideas?”

I always want to say, ‟At the Idea Boutique of course!” Instead, I earnestly reply that my book premises come from everything I see, hear, or experience. Ultimately, the serious answer is the same as the flippant one because Life may be like a box of chocolates, but it’s also like a gigantic Idea Boutique.

A case in point is my popular romantic comedy JANE (I’m Still Single) JONES. This book bears the distinction of being one of only two of my traditionally-published novels that retained its original title.

Last year, I expanded and updated JANE and published it as an ebook available at all the popular ebook sellers. In the fall, I was contacted by an editor for Bragelonne, one of the largest French publishing houses. She had obtained a digital copy of JANE (I’m Still Single) JONES, read it, loved it, and contacted me immediately to purchase French World Rights for it!

I was blown away that my southern humor brand of romantic comedy spoke so clearly to a Parisian editor. In the end, Bragelonne contracted for JANE (I’m Still Single) JONES, JUST ONE LOOK, and STILL THE ONE, for print and ebook.

The idea for JANE, the story of a high school reunion and second chances, came from my own high school reunion that I attended a few years ago. In the book, Jane Louise Jones, formerly the most popular girl in high school whose heart was broken by her secret love aka the high school’s biggest geek, attends her high school reunion.

When she gets her welcome packet, she’s mortified that she’s expected to wear a name tag that reads, ‟JANE (I’m Still Single) JONES.”

You see, at MY twenty year high school reunion, a friend who had never married had taken her own name tag and written on it: ‟I’m Still Single.” (Out of discretion, I won’t tell you her name since her career is in the political arena.)

I took one look at that name tag and a whole world of ‟what if’s” popped into my head. That was the idea I grabbed that night from Life’s Idea Boutique. When I returned home, I wrote that one phrase, ‟I’m Still Single,” on a sticky note and stuck it on my monitor. Then I created a fictional world and characters to tell the story inspired by that phrase.

As an ebook, that story and those characters continue to attract readers all over the world. Everyone seems to identify with Jane and her first love that got away. They also like Morgan Sherwood, the hero of the story who is a nerd no longer. Now he’s a man with the looks of George Clooney, the genius of Steve Jobs, and the money of Bill Gates.

Readers all seem to like the wacky old ladies of the Vernon Ladies Bridge Club–where none of them know how to play bridge–as well as Jane’s father who is the local Sheriff. I’ve had so much email about the funny old ladies that I’ve got a series of short stories in the planning stages that will star them and their meddling ways. (Think seven women like Betty White!)

So where do I get my ideas? From life, with its exquisite diversity of absurdness, comedy, and drama.

Joan Reeves is an overnight success – and it only took her 25 years to achieve that status! She’s a best selling Kindle author of Romance. In her spare time, she’s a mild-mannered reporter for the Daily Planet who – no, wait, that’s someone else. Seriously? Okay, if we must be serious….

Joan Reeves is a multi-published print and ebook author who is published all over the web under her own name, various pseudonyms, and as a ghost. She’s the writer and publisher of the long-running blog SlingWords. On her blog are subscription forms for free newsletters: Wordplay for readers and Writing Hacks for writers.

JANE I’m-Still-Single JONES by Joan Reeves is available at Amazon in Kindle format. The ebook is also available on B&N, Smashwords, All Romance eBooks, iTunes and Xin Xii. You can check out her Amazon author page or her website (joanreeves.com) for a list of all her books. You can also find Joan Reeves’s books on Barnes & Noble.

To learn more about Joan Reeves, go to www.joanreeves.com or follow Joan on Twitter: @JoanReeves. Joan also blogs at SlingWords.blogspot.com. Drop by and say hi!

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Do you want to be a featured ‘Indie Saturday’ author too? Go here for more info!

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