Interview with Author LaConnie Taylor-Jones

Dyanne: Hello LaConnie, Happy New Year. I'm thrilled that you're starting off the year for the RSJ family. What do you see the New Year holding for you? What's on your plate?

LaConnie: First, let me extend best wishes to everyone for a blessed and prosperous 2010!!

The dawning of each New Year is always exciting for me and 2010 is no exception. As many of you know, last year was a very painful and extremely difficult year for me and my family. On January 13, 2009, we lost the love of my lives, Colin, after an almost year-long battle with colon cancer at the young age of fifty-one. I’d be remised if I didn’t stop and thank my RSJ family for their love, support, and prayers over the past year. Love you much!!

What’s on my plate for 2010? Well, thanks for asking. March 4, 2010 marks the continuation of the Baptiste Clan with the release of IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN. I’m more than excited that in spite of my circumstances, I was able to complete this story. I hope my readers will be just as thrilled to learn how the youngest Baptiste brother, Ray loses his heart…big time.

Dyanne: Can you tell us how you begin your writing career?

LaConnie: In all honestly, it begin in 1979 and I didn’t even know it My college roommate at the time introduced me to the world of romance when she passed off a tattered copy of The Flame in the Flower by the late Kathleen Woodiwiss. Instead of studying for my organic chemistry mid-term, which was scheduled for the next day, I spent the entire night reading one of the greatest romance novels of all times. And just in case you’re wondering, about that exam, wonder no more. Yep, I flunked big time. Overnight, I’d transformed into a hopeless, never to recover, romance-a-holic.

Now fast forward twenty-four years. One night in 2003, I was in bed reading a romance novel, but I simply couldn’t get into the story. It was well past midnight and I guess I’d whined and moaned enough. Colin rolled over and said, “Baby, if you can write a better book, do it. Now turn out the lights, please.”

At first, I thought this man was crazy. Well, truth be told, I thought he was funky, crazy insane! Down through the years, I’d been content to be an avid reader. Although I was a fairly decent technical writer in my profession as a public health educator, fiction writing is a different monster all together. Eventually, I honored Colin’s request to turn out the lights, but not before a zany cast of characters settled in my head, and wrapped around my heart. They’d later become known in the literary world as the Baptiste Family.

Dyanne: LaConnie, I’d heard so many writers talk of wanting to write romance because of Kathleen Woodiwiss, that after her death I got the book you mentioned and one with the title about a lion I think. I only read a few pages of The Flame. But you’ve made me want to check both books out of the library again and give them another try. Thanks.

Can you tell us the best experiences you've had as a writer?

LaConnie: I absolutely love sitting down in front of a blank computer screen to begin bringing my characters and story plot to life. I’m very meticulous with this process because it’s important for me to give my readers a quality product. I want them to not only enjoy the story but understand the characters and their plight the way I do. And believe it or not, I also enjoy working on the revisions from my editor. We’re in total sync and this helps me take my writing to a totally new level.

Dyanne: What are some of the worst?

LaConnie: Perhaps the one thing that I can live without is the tight turn-around deadlines I face once my book enters the production process. Sometimes, my revision deadlines come at a not-so-convenient time!!!

Dyanne: LOL. I feel you on that. LaConnie, I'm sure you've been hearing about the new digital age. What are your thoughts on it?

LaConnie: I’ve become a habitual ‘techie’ and absolutely, positively love learning and using the digital venues on the market today.

Dyanne: Are there any thoughts you want to share with the RSJ family?

LaConnie: There’s a quote by Win Borden that my late mother recited to me often as a child and we’d do well to remember:
“If you wait to do everything until you’re sure it’s right, you’ll probably never do much of anything.”

Dyanne: That’s a great quote. Thanks for sharing it with us. Where can readers reach you?

LaConnie: Website: http://www.laconnietaylorjones.com/
E-mail: lovestories@comcast.net
Twitter: http://twitter.com/laconnie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/LaConnie-Taylor-Jones/1528266571
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/the_novels_of_ltj


Thanks LaConnie, All the best to you this year. Again, Happy New Year to all.

Dyanne