Aloha to Jenna Jaxon and BELEAGUERED

Jenna Jaxon returns to SOS Aloha to chat about her new release, BELEAGUERED:

A Lot of Inspiration

I have read romance novels ever since I was a teenager, but never even thought of writing one for years. Several things came together to inspire me to write Time Enough to Love, published in installments as Betrothal, Betrayal, and Beleaguered, which I think goes to show that some things are just meant to be.

The romance books that I read as a teenager were The Wolf and the Dove and The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I loved them because they were historical and they were lengthy. Over 600 pages. I love reading thick books because that means I have more time with the characters and I don’t have to go searching for new material quite so often. And after many years away from reading romances, in 2009 on a whim, I picked up Woodiwiss’s final novel, Everlasting and was captivated once more by the writing and the romance.

My reading of Everlasting came about six months after going on a gluten-free diet, at which time many people detoxing from gluten experience a rush of energy and creativity. So I finished this wonderful romance, set in the Middle Ages—which is my favorite time period—and I literally said out loud, “I bet I can write a novel like that.” And I sat down and started typing.

I knew I had to set it in the medieval period, a fascinating time of beauty and brutality. And the previous fall I had seen a History Channel episode on the Bubonic Plague. The program fascinated me—as a history major I’d actually done some research on the plague—so I paid a lot of attention to it. One segment especially caught my attention. It detailed the journey of Princess Joanna (sometimes called Joan) of England, daughter of King Edward III, on her way to Spain to marry Prince Pedro of Castile. On the way the princess stopped at the port town of Bordeaux (known for its wine) and the plague overtook the company there.

As I sat down to start writing my romance novel, this story of the princess and the plague came to mind and I began plotting a story, not of the princess’s romance, but of her courtiers, the men and women who accompanied her on her ill-fated journey. Taking Woodiwiss as my model, I proceeded to write for six months, finished my book on July 28 with a total of 187,000 words by the time I wrote “The End.”

I went on to write other novels and novellas, but my beloved medieval was always there in the back of my mind. I discovered it was too long to publish traditionally—even after I cut it down to 160,000 words—so I decided to self-publish it in three installments: Betrothal, Betrayal, and Beleaguered. Now that Beleaguered has released, I can relax a bit before going on with plans to continue with characters who have become family to me. The main characters’ story may be finished, but their family members have stories that I long to tell as well. I only hope I’ll be as inspired as I was with Time Enough to Love.

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets. When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director. She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage.

Jenna is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America as well as a member of Chesapeake Romance Writers. Her debut novel, Only Scandal Will Do, is the first in her House of Pleasure series, set in Georgian London. Her medieval novel, Time Enough to Love, is a Romeo & Juliet-esque tale, set at the time of the Black Death.She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.

Learn more about Jenna and her books at 

jennajaxon.wordpress.com.

BELEAGUERED, Book 3 in the Time Enough for Love series:

When death holds sway in the world, can even the greatest love survive?

Finally in France, Alyse and Thomas return to their roles as courtiers to Princess Joanna. Their passion for one another continues to smolder hot and deep—until one fateful encounter changes everything.

During a formal banquet, Alyse must share an intimate dance with Geoffrey, her first love. His searing touch proves Alyse’s love and desire for him is as strong as when they first met. Tormented by this revelation, Alyse is bitterly torn between the love of her life and her love for her husband.

Into this agonizing situation, the disaster of the Black Death rears its head, decimating the princess’s retinue and threatening all their lives. Alyse, Thomas and Geoffrey must try to save the princess from the ravening disease but at a dire cost to themselves. With her world plunged into chaos, Alyse struggles with her feelings for both of the men she loves. But which love will survive?

Available from Smashwords and Amazon

Jenna is hosting a giveaway at this link.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Get in the medieval spirit with Albannach from the Annapolish Irish Festival on my travel blog at this link.