LET’S WELCOME JENNIFER ANN THE AUTHOR OF: OCEANSIDE MARINE

LET’S WELCOME

JENNIFER ANN

THE AUTHOR OF:

Rad-Reader:  Where did the idea for this story come from?

Jennifer:  A combo of several things, really. 1. My brother brought his Marine brothers home when I was at an impressionable age (i.e. puberty) so I’ve always had a "soft spot" for them. Every Marine I know is incredibly noble and would bend over backward to help their friends/family. 2. One of my husband’s closest friends married a considerably older woman (whom I adore) and 20-some years later they’re still happily married. 3. When I first wrote Brooklyn Rockstar, I knew I wanted to give Katie her own story. Braden flirted pretty heavily with her throughout the series and I realized their story would be a lot of fun to tell.

Rad-Reader:  Katie’s brother is married to which of Braden’s sister in the lineup?

Jennifer:   Katie’s brother Charlie is married to Evelyn, the youngest of the Kendall sisters. Their story is told in the first book of the series, Brooklyn Rockstar.

Rad-Reader:  How did Evelyn Charlie meet?

Jennifer:  Charlie performs a solo gig at Leona’s, the bar where Evelyn’s roommate got her a waitressing job. Evelyn doesn’t really know who Charlie is even though he’s a fairly big rock star but she’s attracted to the beautiful man who takes the stage, and Charlie appreciates the fact that she’s not falling over herself to meet him like most women.

Rad-Reader:  Was Katie aware that she always treated Braden like a child rather than an adult?

Jennifer:  On a subconscious level, yes. She was struggling with the fact that her oldest son was close to Braden’s age and felt guilty for feeling an attraction to someone so young. Part of it is just her motherly instincts kicking in.

Rad-Reader:  Braden was in his twenties already when they met right?

Jennifer:  Yes! Braden is only a year younger than Evelyn. 

Rad-Reader:  How old are each of them now?  Should it make that much of a difference?

Jennifer:  Katie is 35 and Braden is 23. I personally don’t think age matters, but again Katie is worried everyone will judge her for being with someone that much younger. I know several couples with a big age gap - one of my best friends married a man 20 years older.
Rad-Reader: Connor had it right he had served his country and had different years on him than most at his age had on him.  So, he was looking at life differently.  She was looking at life differently too and wanted to find a freedom too and he was showing her a new fun freedom but yet a great new joy of 'Home' mean being a couple something she never really had.

Rad-Reader:  What is it that Katie is most worried about?  Is it what the family will say?

Jennifer:  She’s terrified her boys won’t take her relationship with Braden seriously, and a little worried that Charlie will think she’s being ridiculous and maybe even taking advantage of his brother-in-law.
Rad-Reader: I would call foul on Charlie since there is only a year difference between Evelyn and Braden.  So, there you go we never think twice about it when it is a man being older only when it is a woman. 

Rad-Reader:  Braden allowed his friend to basically call Katie a piece of ass before he found out she was Charlie’s sister.  Then, an old piece of ass, why?

Jennifer:  If you’re talking about the scene with Hap, I don’t think he refers to her that way at all. He says she’s hot and a cougar. Since Hap is happily married and a good friend, Braden takes it as a compliment. But if that’s how readers take it, remember Braden was a bit of a player before Katie, so Hap likely wouldn’t take their relationship seriously right out of the gate.
Rad-Reader: Haha! being closer to the older end of the ass it just struck me wrong I was like dude, either way, she's supposed to be your friend don't let him say that about her.  Guess I'm old school.

Rad-Reader:  He doubted himself then still went after her.  What changed?

Jennifer:  Braden had a lot of respect for Katie from the very beginning. When he sees her getting hit on by those older men in Vegas, he started to realize he was developing feelings for her. It was hard for him to walk away without continuing to fight for her.

Rad-Reader:  Katie’s children should have been her only concern.  Once they knew why was she so weirded out?

Jennifer:  For the most part she was upset by the way they discovered she was with Braden. She wanted to tell them on her own terms. Again, she was reluctant from day one to be with someone over a decade her junior. Most of her resistance throughout the story comes from her insecurities.

Rad-Reader:  Braden was willing to give up everything and he kept proving her wrong yet she still kept making him jump through hoops.  Why?

Jennifer:  She was still reluctant about being with someone his age and wanted to make sure he was dead-serious about their relationship before she brought him into her boys’ life. A lot of divorced parents I know (including my husband) don’t introduce their children to their boyfriend/girlfriend until they know their future is going somewhere productive. Plus she worried Braden would be throwing away his younger years by being with an older woman.

Rad-Reader:  Why was Allen having such a hard time?

Jennifer:   He was dealing with his own issues and couldn’t deal with one more thing.

Rad-Reader:  Both families had been through a lot how did they originally meet?

Jennifer:  Through Charlie and Evelyn

Rad-Reader:  What happens with Angelina and her drug problem?

Jennifer:  You’ll find out in book #5!  :)

Rad-Reader:  Will her and Asher have a love connection?

Jennifer:  You’ll see how everything plays out between them in Miami Bodyguard. ;)  :)

Rad-Reader:  How about Hunter does he find anyone?

Jennifer:  His story will be in book #6!  :)

Rad-Reader:  How long will Braden be in the reserves?  How long was he in the Marines?

Jennifer:  He was in the Marine Corps for 4.5 years, and I’m not exactly sure how long he’ll stay in the reserves…stay tuned!

Rad-Reader:  How many books will be included in this series?

Jennifer:  At this point, I have one planned out for each of the six Kendall siblings, but if readers aren’t sick of the family by then, maybe we'll hear from Connor and Allen.

Rad-Reader:  Do you have to start with Brooklyn Rockstar and read the other books in order?

Jennifer:  Each of the books contains their own story. Several people have told me that they read Oceanside Marine without reading any of the other books, and they were able to follow the story without any problem. But it’s fun to start with the first couple because the siblings make appearances in each other’s books. If you subscribe to my newsletter, you’ll receive a free copy of Brooklyn Rockstar, and the entire series is available on Kindle Unlimited.

Rad-Reader:  If you book was made into a movie who would play…

Katie:  Reese Witherspoon

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/167548048608227993/

Braden:  Channing Tatum

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/424534702347974461/

Charlie:  Mike Stone

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/450078556488547284/

Evelyn:  Cheryl Cole

http://prod.static9.net.au/_/media/2016/12/01/05/36/FIX0112cheryl2.jpg

Sharlo:  Blake Lively

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/188658671866315733/

Jennifer:

Katie:  Leslie Mann (she was actually my inspiration for Katie)
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/395190936042096129/

Braden:  Alexander Ludwig (I mean HELLO…VIKINGS!)

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/395190936042096220/

Charlie:  Chris Hemsworth (I would kill to see that beautiful man strum a guitar)
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/395190936042096236/

Evelyn:  Lily Collins (innocent yet sassy)
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/395190936042096251/

Sharlo:  Teresa Palmer (gorgeous when all made up)
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/395190936042096277/

Rad-Reader:  What song best describes your two main characters or your book as a whole?

You Look Good – Lady Antebellum

When they meet in Vegas. Hey Now!

Jennifer:  I’m going to say ZAYN and Taylor Swift’s I Don’t Want to Live Forever. They’re on opposite sides of the country debating whether or not it’s a good idea for them to be together, meanwhile they feel an overwhelming pull toward each other.

I Don’t Want to Live Forever - ZAYN and Taylor Swift

Rad-Reader:  What did you want to be when you grew up?

Jennifer:  An author! I remember writing a story about My Little Ponies in the third grade and declaring I would write books. In junior high, I started writing large books that were basically fan fiction of John Hughes films. Never guessed it would take this long to “grow up” and make my dream a reality.

Rad-Reader:  How many siblings do you have?  And how do they like what you write and that you are an author?

Jennifer:  I have one older brother and one older sister. I think they both just kind of roll their eyes. I’ve always been the weird little sister. But my brother recently asked me if he should’ve been on the cover of Oceanside Marine, so I’m not entirely sure he knows how steamy my books get. I told him he’s not allowed to read them.

Rad-Reader:  Who has been your biggest supporter to get published as an author?

Jennifer:  That’s a tough one! My start in the industry was quiet as an indie author, but ever since my writer friends and my friend, Corrie, from high school have been my biggest supporters in general. I’m very fortunate to have met so many amazing people who believe in my work!

Rad-Reader:  What types of books did you like to read as a kid?

Jennifer:  I started with books like Sweet Valley High and Little House on the Prairie, then somehow became immersed in the world of Danielle Steele and Stephen King before middle school. I read a lot of weird stuff, including Flowers in the Attic. Back then parents really didn’t pay attention to what their kids were reading so I got by with anything and everything that caught my attention.

Rad-Reader:  Who was your favorite author?

Jennifer:  Stephen King

Rad-Reader:  Do you use a storyboard?

Jennifer:  Not a storyboard, per say, but for visual inspiration, I make Pinterest boards for each of my stories. It’s just a step up from high school when I’d cut pictures out from magazines. There was a pretty brunette Neutrogena model whom I’m pretty sure made it into every one of my books. I even still have the dumb things.  :)
Rad-Reader: I am using one too for the third part of my series. Not published or anywhere near wanting to get edited yet because I am so scared of crying.  Haha! But for the wedding scene, I have found that Pinterest has been so helpful to make it real.

Rad-Reader:  What is your next project and when is it due out?

Jennifer:  Broken Little Melodies, a standalone rockstar romance, will be released in June! I had a blast writing my first second-chance romance about two kids who meet at music camp and slowly fall in love over the years before their different worlds separate them. When they’re reunited 5 years later, there are a ton of secrets between them and a lot of hot sex.

Rad-Reader:  Where can our readers buy your books?

Jennifer:  Amazon! 

https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Ann/e/B00L3ISY5G

Rad-Reader:  Where can our readers find you on the Web?

Jennifer:  

Website:

http://www.authorjenniferann.com (sign up for my newsletter and get a free copy of Brooklyn Rockstar!)

Facebook: 

http://www.facebook.com/authorjenniferann

Facebook fan group: 

http://www.facebook.com/groups/jenniferannrockstars 

Pinterest:

http://www.pinterest.com/authorjennifera 

Instagram: 

http://www.instagram.com/jennaumann

Thank you so much for having me! I’m crazy glad you enjoyed Katie and Braden’s story!

I can't thank you enough for being here with us.  You got back to me so quick I think my head actually spun.  So, thank you for that.  You have been so sweet in all our emails back and forth.  I just want to say you are always welcomed back any time to bring any of you new books to our Shout Out: An Author's Place page.  I look forward to catching up with all the Kendall's.  You, my new friend, are now a 1 Rad-Reader Misfit.  Sorry, you just didn't get away fast enough. :)