Author Spotlight: Jean Joachim

I'm learning that self-promotion takes up a lot of time I'd rather spend writing, or working on my crafting hobbies. For people who are self-publishing, promotion is even more important. So I'd like to introduce one of those self-motivated people who not only writes, but takes care of ALL the tasks that go into producing a book, as well as promoting it. Meet Joan Joachim, who is the author of two romance series as well as a brand new Thanksgiving novella. Since most of these books have been published in the past year, I asked her to tell me about herself and how she managed such a huge output.  Here's her answer:

"I live in New York City, am married, have two sons and a pug dog named Homer. My writing career started with non-fiction. My first book was “Beyond the Bake Sale, the Ultimate School Fund-Raising Book” published by St. Martin’s Press. I had two active boys and was heavily involved in their activities, running the PTA, fund-raising, coaching soccer, leaving little time or energy to write. I progress to writing a movie review column for parents, which I have been doing for the past 11 years. Once my youngest went off to college, I had the time to start writing fiction and all the stories that had been piling up in my head came tumbling out. So I’ve been prolific this year, four novels and there will be four novellas by the end of the year. But two of those books I wrote last year. I have two more from last year I am editing and another I wrote this year with a partner that is almost finished. I write fulltime and find it hard to stop to make dinner. Sometimes, I don’t!"

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Her two newest books are Now and Forever 2, the Book of Danny and The Marriage List. Read on to find out what they're about:

Now and Forever 2, the Book of Danny is the second in the Now and Forever series. In the first book, Now and Forever 1, a Love Story, you met Callie Richards and Mac Caldwell and watched their love story evolve. This second book is the story of Danny Maine, brother to Callie’s fiancé lost in Iraq as well as the continuing story of Callie and Mac.

Danny Maine leaves the Army after becoming an expert sharp shooter, killer and womanizer. He hopes a job teaching English at Kensington State University will propel him into a normal life.

On his first day, he meets Eliza Baines, a beautiful widow, and is smitten immediately. Danny works to overcome post-traumatic stress syndrome and make a new life when his drunken and abusive father is released from prison and seeks him out. Struggling to leave his horrific past behind, Danny attempts to forge a new path that includes love, success, friends and having his own family but dark forces and emotional obstacles block his way. The Book of Danny is a poignant story of love, loss and ultimate triumph that will touch your heart.

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I asked Jean to tell me why this book was so special to her. She said:

"What's so special about The Book of Danny is that the main character is an ex-Army man, raised by his brother, Kyle, who was subsequently killed in Iraq. Kyle’s death filled Danny with rage, so he went there to get revenge but ended up losing some of his humanity.

"He came to me and told me his story of love and loss and I was compelled to write it. Danny is an imperfect man, sexy as hell, smart, educated, but stuck with the horrors of war messing up his life. With help from friends, family, a counselor and the people of a small town, he is able to break through and overcome the obstacles keeping happiness out of his reach. His return and search for the right woman, fulfilling work and a place to settle feels very real. I think Danny will grab your heart in a way no other hero will. He did mine."

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In addition to The Book of Danny, Joan has a Thanksgiving novella out called The Marriage List. Here's the cover and blurb for that story:

Can happily ever after start with a list? Grey Andrews thinks so. After ten years of working, saving and investing, Grey finally achieved a level of wealth that allows him to do what he wants with his life. He needs a woman to share it with, but not any woman, the perfect woman. A woman who has the three essential qualities on his marriage list. But after three years of searching he isn’t any closer to finding her than he was when he started out.

 Carrie Tucker, an aspiring mystery writer and divorcée struggling to make it in the world of advertising, turned her focus from men to her career after dating too many creeps and losers. She’s finally earned her big break, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the first female creative director in a hot New York ad agency. So what if it means working nights and weekends? It’s not like she has a social life anyway.

Is the marriage list a failure or will a chance meeting at a fiction-writing conference prove the list to be the key to Grey’s happiness after all?

All of Jean's books are available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.


The Book of Danny is available at these links: 

http://www.amazon.com/Now-Forever-Book-Danny-ebook/dp/B0067964RQ/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1107349184?ean=2940013595156&itm=1&usri=now%252band%252bforever%252b22c%252bthe%252bbook%252bof%252bdanny

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-nowandforever2thebookofdanny-641722-148.html    

The Marriage List is available by going to any of these links:

http://www.amazon.com/Marriage-List-York-Nights-ebook/dp/B0064ERU7M/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-marriage-list-jean-joachim/1035912246?ean=2940013576827&itm=2&usri=the%252bmarriage%252blist

Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/103001

You can also get more information about Jean and her books by going to her blog.