Guest Author: Jane Porter

My guest today is an American romance author who’ll be in Australia again very soon and is to be a guest at an Australian Romance Readers Association Romantic Rendezvous on the 16^th of August. 

Now, although she writes fiction, she shares her name with a major fictional character from Edgar Rice Burroughs series of Tarzan novels! I’m speaking, of course, about Jane Porter!

Having sold her first novel to Harlequin in 2000, Jane writes both romance novels and women’s fiction and is a NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author with over 12 million books in print, in twenty languages and in twenty-five countries! Her novel "Flirting with Forty" was made into the Lifetime movie of the same name and starred Heather Locklear, and she founded Tule Publishing in 2013. 

In 2014 her novel, “Take Me, Cowboy” won a RITA Award, and this year she’s a RITA Finalist again with her story “Miracle on Chance Avenue”.  (Congratulations Jane!) She’s no stranger to Australia and, as well as travelling to Europe and England, she’s studied in South Africa, Japan and Ireland.

Jane, I know how busy your schedule is so welcome and thanks for taking the time today to join me on the blog.

Firstly, I’d love to hear about your latest release and what you most liked about each of your main characters (but no spoilers as this novel is a new addition to my bookshelf but I haven't started it yet!)

My latest releases is a Harlequin Presents/Sexy, KIDNAPPED FOR HIS ROYAL DUTY, and what I Ioved best was that these characters were created in conjunction with a duet with one of my best friends, Megan Crane, who writes for Harlequin Mills & Boon as Caitlin Crews.  While my heroine, Poppy, was always my creation, my hero, was the almost-groom for her heroine, and I'll never forget sitting in a hotel room in London in early December brainstorming this duet.  My hero, Dal, was never right for her heroine, and my heroine, Poppy, was the first to know as she was Sophie's bestfriend and Dal's secretary.  Poppy is earnest, hardworking, sincere and secretly in love with her boss.  Dal is an Earl and duty bound and not at all interested in love.  A perfect story for me!

 

What’s next for you as an author?

 I'm writing another Harlequin right now, and then my next release will be my Christmas story from Tule Publishing, NOT CHRISTMAS WITHOUT YOU, featuring two characters that readers have been asking about, wanting their story.  Who knew that their stories would end up being together?  I certainly didn't until the hero refused to show up for me....slipsliding around on the page....and then neatly stepping out when the real hero stepped forward.  I really look forward to my Christmas stories each year and hope readers will be happy with this one.

I know you loved the European lifestyle when you travelled there with your family in your early teens, and that South Africa also remains “a country of your heart”. In many of the Harlequin books I’ve read, you’ve written about Greek or Italian heroes, but you’ve also written quite a few Sheikh heroes. Have you travelled to the Middle East or do you have plans to do so?

I've been to Morocco and loved it, but have not yet been to Egypt or Jordan or the UAE.  Definitely on my bucket list, though!! 

We’re all looking forward to having you in Australia, especially those fortunate enough to be attending the ARRA function. How many times have you visited our shores now, and what keeps drawing you back here?

Well, my friends to be honest.  I love my Australian author friends, and Australia itself is amazing and I love playing tourist, but I'm a huge fan of the Australian people and feel so comfortable and happy when I'm visiting your country. I've visited six times.

 What’s your ideal setting and way to kick back and unwind?

I'm on my way there now!  Montana.  I really love to head to Montana once a year, and hang out with my friend CJ Carmichael at her cabin on Flathead Lake.  It's so peaceful and inspiring at the same time.  Mega Crane is flying in, too, for the weekend and when I'm with my close friends there, I just relish the positive, creative girl energy.  I'm the only girl in my family so being able to escape to Montana, which is so incredibly picturesque, and be with my friends (I'm noting a pattern here about my friends being my happy place....!) is truly perfect. 

Well, there's the five quick quizzing questions wrapped up! Thank you again for being my guest here. I hope to catch up with you at the Harlequin authors function prior to the Sydney conference.

Tickets for the ARRA Romantic Rendezvous with Jane Porter function are selling quickly, so be sure to sign up quickly for the opportunity to meet Jane in person. 

Visit the Australian Romance Readers Association website at: australianromancereaders.com.au
 

You may find out more about Jane on her website:  janeporter.com

Please join me on the 14th of July when my guest, Melinda Curtis, participates in the Quick Author Quizzing. Until then, Happy Reading!

Alyssa J. Montgomery

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About the Blogger:

Alyssa J. Montgomery is an Australian contemporary romance author who is published by Escape Publishing (Harlequin Enterprises, Australia). She also 

writes medieval romance as Alyssa James,

 

http://www.alyssajmontgomery.com/