Osiyo~

Wow, I can’t tell you all how excited I am to have a wonderful sister Rose here today! Jannine Gallant has brought her new release, Nothing But Trouble, which is part of the Honky Tonk Hearts series you may recall me raving about. I need to read this book and love the cover, Jannine!

Thank you so much, Calisa, for having me on your beautiful blog. Happy May Day!

Thanks! Happy May Day to you too! Let’s get to knowing your deepest, darkest secrets. *rubs hands in anticipation* Ready?

1) Which comes first for you—plot or characters?

I’m an odd duck who approaches stories differently depending on the length. For full length novels, the plot comes first. I write a rough outline, hitting the highlights, then decide what sort of characters best fit the plot. For novellas, I’m more of a pantser. I come up with the characters and then drop them into a situation that fits their personalities. I’ve tried this with longer works, but I get hopelessly tangled in subplots if I don’t have an outline. For my current release, Nothing But Trouble, I came up with the opening scene, wrote it, and prayed more would follow. LOL

2) I’m a pantser all the way so I admire anyone who can plot past titles. Does your editor cheer or cringe when your draft crosses her desk?

I’m a control freak! Just ask my kids. LOL I can’t write a dirty draft and then edit when it’s finished. I start my writing day editing yesterday’s work. Then at the end of each chapter, I go through and edit again. Yes, it takes a lot of time, but there is an upside to this technique. When I finally type “The End” my manuscript is nearly ready to send off to my editor. I’ve been told I write very clean. I won’t tell how many hours go into “clean” if you won’t!

3) I’m the same way. Clean, clean, clean… What did you enjoy most about writing your latest work?

Nothing But Trouble has a lot of humor in it. Not blatant humor, mind you, just little things here and there that I hope will make the reader smile. Usually I write suspense with stalkers or killers threatening the poor heroine. While there is a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end, this story is definitely lighter in mood. I had a lot of fun writing these characters, maybe because the hero and heroine keep each other on their toes.

4) I have tons of ‘stories’ packed away in a closet. My earliest writings that no one but my sister has seen. What was your first writing piece and where is it now?

My first manuscript was a historical set inSalem,Massachusettsin 1692. I was in my early twenties when I wrote it, and let’s just say that was a loooong time ago. It went through an agent and multiple rejections from major publishers back in the day, but I always loved the plot. So, last summer, in my infinite wisdom, I decided to resurrect my first baby. All 500 pages were sitting in a stack on the floor of my office, just taunting me. How long could it take to type it into a word file, make a few changes… Eight months later, after a massive rewrite, I finally finished it. Currently an author friend is reading it to tell me if it still stinks. This book WILL be published come hell or high water…

5) That’s true dedication, Jannine! Good luck with it. Can you talk about what you are working on now?

I’m spreading myself a little thin these days, but I think that’s true for many authors. My next book is a romantic suspense called A Deadly Love. It’s scheduled to release in August from The Wild Rose Press. My historical (the title is a WIP) is on the back burner while I try to get a little perspective. I also have a sequel to my first suspense novel, Victim of Desire, in the works. And, drum roll, I’m starting a new project. Seeing the success of many indie authors, I thought I’d take the plunge. I’m planning a three novella series that revolves around three life long best friends who were a witness to a murder when they were girls. I’ll keep you all posted on my progress.

Busy and they all sound great.

6) Dog, cat, or neither?

Dog! I adore my baby, Ginger. The highlight of my day is our hike through the woods. There’s nothing like fresh air and a dose of doggy antics to clear your head!

7) I totally agree. Favorite television shows?

I’ll admit I’m a Survivor junky. I’m also a fan of The Bachelor and The Amazing Race. I call it research into human nature. That’s it, research. I knew there was a reason why I’m hooked on reality shows.

8) How do you pick good fruit?

I find a prime specimen and run my hands over it to make sure it’s nice and firm… Hmm, sounds like my hero in Nothing But Trouble. LOL

Nice segue! How about we take a gander at that blurb, cover and excerpt now?

Blurb:

Chase Paladin avoids commitment like a patch of stinging nettles. He’s seen how love can trample a man, and he doesn’t plan to get hitched—ever. But when Honor Jackson walks into his life, hell-bent on keeping her distance, she turns his convictions inside out.

One look at the too-handsome cowboy with laughing green eyes and a killer smile, and Honor knows he’s nothing but trouble. She’s come to Redemption,Texasto help an old friend, not to let another man charm her into certain heartache.

But every time she turns around, Chase is there, and the closer they get, the more she fears he’ll break her heart. So when anonymous threats make it clear that someone in Redemption wants her gone, Honor is ready to oblige. Only now Chase isn’t certain he can live without her.

Will two wary hearts take a chance on love before it’s too late?

Excerpt:

Chase reached over and gave her arm a squeeze. The imprint of his fingers on her bare skin tingled like a brand.

“I’m sure you’ll do just fine. Soon as word gets out, you’ll draw the locals like bees to honey.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve never heard that line before.”

“I can see I have an uphill battle ahead. Charming you won’t be an easy task.”

Leaning her head against the high vinyl seatback, she avoided his smiling eyes. “More like impossible, so don’t bother trying.”

His lips firmed. “Is it me in particular, or are you always this friendly?”

She didn’t answer immediately. Stroking the dog’s silky coat, she spent a moment composing her thoughts. “I’m sure you’re a whole lot of fun. You’re handsome and entertaining.” She let out a breath. “You’re probably a firecracker in bed to boot.”

He coughed and shot her a wide-eyed glance.

“But I’m not in the market for a fling with a good-looking cowboy.”

“Why not?”

“Huh?”

“What happened to put you off men?”

“Life happened. I plan to work for Andee for a couple of months and get my ducks in a row before moving on. I’m pretty sure—make that one hundred percent positive—getting involved with you would complicate the equation, and I’m no math whiz.”

“What are you a whiz at, besides putting men in their place?”

Bio:

Write about what you know. I’ve taken this advice to heart, creating characters from small towns and plots that unfold in the great outdoors. I grew up in a tinyNorthern California town and currently live in beautifulLake Tahoe with my husband and two daughters. When I’m not busy writing or being a full time mom, I hike or snowshoe in the woods around our home with my dog, Ginger. Whether I’m writing contemporary, historical, or romantic suspense, I try to bring the beauty of nature to my stories.

Places you can find Jannine and her books:

Website: http://www.janninegallant.com/

Blog: http://janninegallant.blogspot.com/

Group Blog: http://www.rosesofprose.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/JannineGallant.Author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JannineGallant

Buy Link from TWRP: http://bit.ly/IbOwjk

Also available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

What a great story! Good luck with it, and thanks for coming to hang at the ranch, Jannine!

Dodadagohv~!