Meet author Jackie Killelea
Susan loves connecting with fellow authors, so let’s chat!
Jackie Killelea is a born and raised small-town girl from Connecticut with a degree in English and Creative Writing. She started off her writing journey with poetry, soon shifting into novels and becoming hooked. On days when she’s not busy with her nose in a book, she can be found typing away with a cup of tea at her side.
Tell us about your newest book.
My newest book is Arranged with the Earl, a Christian Regency romance set in England. The hero, Loftus Cromwell, is scarred from the Napoleonic War and the heroine, Catherine Blynn, has a rough time with her parents, never able to live up to their expectations or the standards of others. The two are arranged in a marriage and have to figure out how their lives mesh as they come to live together in the same home. The question is, will they find the flame of love or will their problems snuff it out before it sparks to life?
What inspired you to write your story?
I was inspired to write my story by reading more of the gothic-type historical romance novels and getting ideas from them. I do love a good mystery and a villain that seems to be just around every corner. I’ve also always loved plants and botany, as well as how their properties translate into medicine, so that element is featured in the novel, too. I love the arranged marriage trope when reading romance novels, so I thought it would be fun to write for my readers—and I always find the trope more intriguing when a bit of danger is thrown in.
What genre do you focus on.
I focus on the Christian Regency romance genre, as this is my favorite to read. I love to get new ideas from books and I find it more of a challenge when there are certain limitations to a time period. At the same time, I also love the history of the period and the chivalry of it. I believe the period to have been a very unique time during England’s history, and how men and women interacted with each other was very different from today, due to the dictates of society.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
My main character’s name is Catherine Blynn. I chose this name because I’ve always liked the name Catherine—I think it has a certain elegance to it, while being simple. The last name, Blynn, I came up with from a female news reporter’s last name from the Victorian Period—Nellie Bly. I took her last name and added a few consonants to it to get “Blynn”.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
The best part of my author’s life is getting to interact with all of my readers. I absolutely love it. This part is my favorite because I am able to see how far my writing has reached and how many people have enjoyed it. It allows me to see how many people might have a different outlook or perspective on the world around them because of my words. I always look forward to reading comments and reviews, knowing that my work is meaningful to some people.
What’s one thing your readers should know about you?
One thing my readers should know about me is that I’m not perfect. I do my research when writing my books, yes, but there are things that I do get wrong—occasionally, my research is faulty, despite my best efforts. Additionally, there are things that I purposefully change within my books in order for my plot to work or to make my story more interesting. So, please, do not read my books believing everything you see and, remember your job as a reader: Meet me halfway while you read. I can only provide so much information and some instances may seem far-fetched, but you must allow your imagination to take over so that you might understand that many occurrences are within the realm of possibility. History is not always strictly the facts and much remains unwritten. Truly, who’s to say what did or did not happen when so much is lost to the years?
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
I’ve grown a lot as a writer. I’ve learned to improve my writing in various ways through reading more and practicing my craft. I always seek to make my characters relatable to my readers and to have the characters have motivations for why they are doing what they are. I always seem to better my writing, at all times.
What is your favorite pastime?
I have a few favorite pastimes, including baking, gardening, and reading. I love to try out new recipes from vintage cookbooks, plant new flowers in my garden and yard, and read a bunch of historical and contemporary romance novels.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I have three collections of poetry that I self-published a few years back. They focus on nature and human emotion. I’ve edited them a bit, since I first released them. I wrote the first right after high school. I also have a Christian Regency romance entitled His Grace’s Governess, the first in my Saving the Spinsters Series.
What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m working on another book, as yet untitled. It features a hero injured from the Peninsular War and a heroine who assists her father as he tends to his patients(her father is a doctor).
Website: https://jackiekillelea.weebly.com/
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DRZ7SCTW
Social media links: Instagram: @authorjackiekillelea
Facebook: @AuthorJackieKillelea
Bookbub: @authorjackiekillelea
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22635305.Jackie_Killelea
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