Jenna Jones

Holiday sale from Torquere Press

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:30:43 GMT

: Books and glasses from Crestock Stock Photography

To celebrate the holidays, we’re having a store-wide sale!

Just put ‘hols09′ in as your coupon code when you check out and get 15% off on your purchase!

Sale runs through to midnight (est) on Wednesday.Happy Holidays from everyone at Torquere Press!

Originally published at Jenna Jones.com. You can comment here or there.

November word count

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:23:57 GMT

All of my websites are acting up today .

The table generator can be found at Language is a Virus.

November word count:

20032 / 15000 words. 134% done!

2009 word count, now with new total!

225871 / 250000 words. 90% done!

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

Torquere Press post-Thanksgiving Sales

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:20:54 GMT

: Stack of books – 3D render from Crestock Royalty Free Images

Join Torquere Press for our Post-Thanksgiving Print Blow-Out Sale!

Get 25% to 50% on over 70 print titles.

We’ve marked over seventy of our print titles down to $6.99 and $9.99 — so
visit Torquere Books and pick up your favorites today (while quantities
last).

Check out the titles on sale at:
http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=specials

As well as our print blow-out, we’re offering you 15% off everything on our
catalog!

Just type in thanks09 into the coupon code when you check out of Torquere
Books (www.torquerebooks.com) to get 15% off on your purchase.The coupon is good for today and tomorrow, so make sure you get you
purchases in before Saturday at midnight (est).

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

4. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:17:01 GMT

A writer who has never told the truth about her life hires a biographer to finally get that story.

This book is lovely.

When I read this again, and I know I will even with the mystery resolved, I’m reading it with a highlighter so I can find all the good sentences again. There are many, mostly about the comfort to be found in beloved books. This is a novel about stories, true and false ones, and how to find the truth buried in fiction. It’s about the search for family, which sometimes you find and sometimes you lose, and about making peace with your ghosts.

I bought this book entirely on impulse—I liked the cover, there’s something so homey about a stack of books—and I’m so glad I did. It’s like having a three-hour conversation with someone you’ve just met. You look up and realize you’ve found a friend.

People disappear when they die. Their voice, their laughter, the warmth of their breath. Their flesh. Eventually their bones. All living memory of them ceases. This is both dreadful and natural. Yet for some there is an exception to this annihilation. For in the books they write they continue to exist . . . It is a kind of magic.

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

word count

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:38:42 GMT

Oh, hey, I never posted September’s word count, did I?

29636 / 16000 words. 185% done!

And here’s October’s:

30230 / 16000 words. 189% done!

And here’s the yearly word count:

205839 / 200000 words. 103% done!

I was so uncertain when I started this that I could make the goal, but, well, look at that. I don’t think I’ll be at 250,000 by year’s end, but over 210,000 would be just fine. Which I’m already creeping towards . . .

I don’t know what my goal will be for next year, if I’ll try for 200,000 again or more or less. I know I want to write more publishable stuff next year, since I Have Plans that require me to be more prolific, but there’s no predicting how the brain is going to work, you know? (I hate to say “the Muse” or something silly like that—it’s too passive. But inspiration is like a capricious goddess much of the time.)

Anyway. I don’t have to figure it out tonight.

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

this entry is brought to you by another round of C&D emails

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:15:12 GMT

New Google Alert today, informing me yet another one of my books is being pirated.

I hate getting these alerts. They’re fucking demoralizing.

Look. I have over ten years’ worth of free fiction (yes, it’s fan fiction, but the recent stuff is damn good if I may say so myself) at misslucyjane.com. And the published stuff is not expensive. I know times are tough—I haven’t bought many books this year myself—but again, the published stuff is not expensive, particularly in ebook form.

What she said: if you love a writer, buy their books. Granted, that blog entry is geared more towards writers’ support system rather than general readers, but the principle remains.

If you enjoy a writer, buy their books.

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

well, look at that.

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:00:13 GMT

Last December I signed up for a writing challenge called Get Your Words Out, and set the goal of writing 200,000 words in a year. I wasn’t sure I could do it, since that was over twice what I normally write in a year.

Well.

200269 / 200000 words. 100% done!

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

contact page removed

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:01:26 GMT

I decided to remove the contact page. I was getting far too much spam from it and not enough actual contact. You can contact me by leaving a comment to any open blog post or using the contact information on my About page.

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

Rainbow Awards

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:18:25 GMT

Elisa Rolle is creating the LGBT Rainbow Awards and is taking nominations in the following categories:

Fiction
Contemporary
Contemporary Erotica
Fantasy
Futuristic
Historical
Historical Erotica
Paranormal / Horror
Paranormal / Horror Erotica
Mystery / Thriller
Coming of Age / Young Adult
Comedy

Non Fiction
General Non Fiction
Biography / Memoir
History
Poetry
Travel

Further details are at her livejournal.

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

meme: writing

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:25:08 GMT

1. Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter”?

A plotter who often pantses. I like knowing how a story is going to end when I begin it, but there are often places in my outline (which are pretty rough to begin with) that say “something happens here to get us there.” I look at my outlines as Point A, Point B, Point C . . . and quite often I won’t know what Point B is, even if I know Point A and Point C down to the last detail.

2. Detailed character sketches or “their character will be revealed to me as I write”?

Detailed character sketches, but I allow characters to surprise me as I go. For instance, in Something Beautiful Stuart reveals he has children, which is something I didn’t know until I wrote it. And that gave me plot for the next novel. La la.

3. Do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start writing or is that something else you discover only after you start writing?

I know them before I start, generally—but again, I let them surprise me. Sometimes I know a goal but I don’t have motivations quite figured out until about halfway through.

4. Books on plotting – useful or harmful?

I think they’re invaluable to a beginner, but there comes a point when you’ve learned all you can from other people and have to figure out the rest for yourself.

5. Are you a procrastinator or does the itch to write keep at you until you sit down and work?

It’s not so much the itch anymore as it is “GAH DEADLINES!!!”

6. Do you write in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and write for hours at a time?

Most days I have to write in short bursts, because I have the day job and sleep and other things that keep me away from the keyboard. But I love it when I can sit and write for hours at a time.

7. Are you a morning or afternoon writer?

Evenings on weekdays, all day on weekends. I get a lot done in the mornings on weekends, if I focus.

8. Do you write with music/the noise of children/in a cafe or other public setting, or do you need complete silence to concentrate?

In high school I used to write during class, and I think that got me used to writing while other things were going on around me. I prefer having a little noise, like a cafe or library or music. If people try to talk to me while I’m writing, I get a bit growly.

9. Computer or longhand? (or typewriter?)

Computer. My hand cramps too fast for me to write in longhand for a useful amount of time. Notes, though, are usually in longhand.

10. Do you know the ending before you type Chapter One?

I have a general idea of it, yes. Not always the details of how I’m going to get there, but I know I’ll get there.

11. Does what’s selling in the market influence how and what you write?

Not really. It’s more like I’m waiting for the market to be excited about things I’m interested in, not the other way around.

12. Editing – love it or hate it?

I wouldn’t say I love it, but I don’t loathe it. It’s necessary, and quite often it’s as much fun as the original writing because you’re taking your idea and making it better. That’s kind of awesome.

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

quick and dirty poll

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:15:55 GMT

What’s the most romantic thing you’ve seen in a movie/read in a book/said or been said to you?

My number one is from “Fools Rush In,” when Matthew Perry says to Salma Hayak, “You’re everything I never knew I always wanted.” (Not a spoiler: it happens about ten minutes into the film.)

So, what’s yours?

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

new review for Queen of Wands

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:38:55 GMT

At Rainbow Reviews. Thanks, Indigene!

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

August word count

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:28:12 GMT

The meter is available from Language is a Virus.

August total:

24420 / 16000 words. 153% done!

Yearly total:

145973 / 200000 words. 73% done!

The sad part is, I feel like I’ve written a lot but haven’t accomplished anything. Woe.

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

3. The Billionare’s Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:24:59 GMT

This is the true story of several bottles of wine reputed to have been owned by Thomas Jefferson. They were bought by collectors and connoisseurs, and then suspicions began to arise that these bottles, and several others said to be of 18th-century vintage, were frauds.

I basically had two reactions to this book as I was reading. I’m not a drinker, due to my upbringing, and I’m unlikely to ever be due to health issues, so the chapters on how wine tastings go and how wine actually tastes were interesting, as were things like learning about chateaux and first growths. But it’s also hard for me to feel sympathetic towards the superwealthy who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a bottle of wine they never intended to drink. I mean, holy conspicuous consumption, Batman.

So, while it’s well-written and taught me a lot about the world of wine, it also pointed out to me this is a world I’d never want to join. *knocks back a can of green apple Izze*

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

Beat the Heat sale!

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:58:35 GMT

After three months of record breaking heat in Texas, we’ve decided the only way to beat it is to have a sale!

Get your red hot GLBT loving at 15% off today through Monday.

Just go to http://www.torquerebooks.com/ and put ‘beatheat’ into the coupon slot when you check out and you’ll get 15% off your purchases.

Sale ends Monday at midnight (est).

Come Beat the … Heat at Torquere Press!

Mirrored from Jenna Jones.com.

Now Available: The Queen of Wands

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 01:27:11 GMT

The Queen of Wands.

All of his adult life, J.T. Forgarty has worked to keep his vast, politically active family safe from scandal. When his late cousin’s son Charlie Tate returns to their hometown for the first time in twenty years, J.T. realizes there’s more to life than covering up other people’s mistakes.

J.T. has dealt with his guilt about the accidental death of Charlie’s father by being the “cleaner” for his family, guided by his cousin Dilys. With Charlie back in her sphere of influence, Dilys intends to guide Charlie’s career, and his life, in the same way she has with so many others.

However, J.T. is so taken with Charlie that he rebels against Dilys and takes Charlie under his wing, allowing himself to return the attraction Charlie feels for him. Can J.T. and Charlie move beyond the secrets in their past and find a way to stay true to each other?

The Queen of Wands is available in ebook from Torquere Books. Read a sample here.

Mirrored from Jenna's Blog.

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:34:30 GMT

Sorry about the sudden flood of entries: I'm completely overhauling jennajones.com and forgot I had the crossposter plugin on. My bad!

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 01:55:23 GMT

Stormy Glenn has been kind enough to promote Four of Cups, and will be interviewing me after the new year.

Originally published at JennaJones.com.

Apples and Gin excerpt

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:11:38 GMT

I think it's time for a snippet, don't you? This is for the wedding stories anthology that will be out next June (dates subject to change, as always.)

"...You're Sawyer Shaw, right?"

"Yes, sir," Sawyer said.

"Don't call me sir; it makes me feel like you should be saluting me and they don't like my kind in the military. Okay. You're cute, Sawyer Shaw, which, I'm sure, is why the record label loves you. But cute is not going to move units all by itself: it has to be properly-packaged cute. So that's my job here: the label has decided on your image and I'm going to give it shape and form. Okay?"

Sawyer blinked, lost in a sea of verbiage. "Um."

"Exactly. Cute but dumb. Easy. Okay, people, let's get him made up and dressed." A young woman with magenta hair joined them, carrying what looked like a tackle box. "Anna, do your best with him. Jonathan, I want an inch off the hair all around. We'll start with the basic white t-shirt and jeans and go from there." He turned to the rack of clothes an assistant wheeled over for his approval.

"Hey!" Sawyer said, hopping off the stool. Noah Kingston and Roddy and Terry all looked at him, Terry's eyebrows drawing together like when he was afraid Sawyer was going to say something he'd have to explain with a "no comment." Roddy looked stressed. Noah just looked interested.

Sawyer fidgeted with one of his rings and said, "I'm not dumb and I don't want to be cute."

"Oh, Sawyer," Terry said, holding his forehead.

"No, no, I get you, kiddo," Noah said. "You want to be unique in a sea of blandness, right? You want to stick around a while, not just be this summer's cute kid in a cowboy hat. Right?"

"Yes," Sawyer said.

"Okay," said Noah, "I'm going to tell you two things, and you can take or leave them as you like. First, you are cute, and there's nothing you can do about that because your mommy and daddy blessed you with some fucking fantastic genes and you didn't do anything stupid like scrape your face up on a highway in a motorcycle accident. For which I personally thank you. Second, the record label has done this many, many, many times before and they know what they're doing. And I know what I'm doing. So I'm going to take some pictures of you just like how the label wants, but then -- and this is the important part -- then I'm going to take some pictures like how I want. And I may even take some pictures like how you want. And when we send them all to the label, if you're lucky, they'll choose some of the other pictures for your album cover and publicity pictures instead of the ones where you're merely cute. Deal?"

"Deal," Sawyer said and held out his hand to Noah.

Noah looked at his hand and laughed as he clapped his hand into Sawyer's grip. "You're really the old-fashioned kind, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir," Sawyer said, grinning, and pumped Noah's hand a few times before letting it go.

Originally published at JennaJones.com.

Now available

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:39:45 GMT

From Torquere Books:

Zack and Quaid have been lovers for more than a decade, but things aren't going well between them. Quaid is dependable, but Zack is bored, dissatisfied with their routine. At a family wedding in Las Vegas, Zack does his thing, with little consideration of what Quaid wants or needs, until he notices how much attention one of the other guests is paying to Quaid. And how much Quaid is loving it.

Zack has always known Quaid was the best man for him. Now, can he prove he's the best man for Quaid?

Four of Cups: the Best Man is available in ebook.

Originally published at JennaJones.com.

Arcana: the Four of Cups published

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:39:27 GMT

Title: Arcana: the Four of Cups published
Description: My Arcana, the Four of Cups: the Best Man is published today
Date: 2008-12-13

Originally published at JennaJones.com.

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:54:44 GMT

I've installed a guest book for people who'd like to say hello but don't want to comment on a specific blog post.

I've also changed the name of the wedding story preview in the Upcoming section: "My secret music boyfriend" was always intended to be a working title, and I think I've found a title that's a bit more evocative of the story as it's currently shaping up: "Apples and Gin", as in a song lyric by one of the characters.

(Insert Yours Humbly giggling with glee here.)

I've also updated the excerpt, as a lot's happened with that story since I first posted about it.

Two more titles have also been added to the Upcoming section, though they do not have excerpts yet as I don't have anything to post. A Taste of Honey is the next in the San Francisco series, and will focus on Ben and Jamie again; and The Queen of Wands is another in the Arcana imprint for Torquere Press. I'll activate those links as soon as I have something to show.

Originally published at JennaJones.com.

first lines meme

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:44:52 GMT

I do a lot more of these in my personal blog, but it's appropriate here, this time around. These are the first lines of everything I'm working on right now (minus the script). There's some fanfic in there too: I'm in thrall to a new obsession, and it manifests itself in fic.

Untitled Dean/Castiel sequel:
Sam slept soundly in the other bed, but Dean was awake when Castiel joined him.

the going to the chapel story:
It was a small party, only thirty or so people.

Untitled Supernatural post-series thing:
His name is Daniel.

A Taste of Honey, attempt #9576777:
The cake was a traditional three-tier wedding cake, chocolate, with white fondant and intricately-piped white decorations like Victorian wallpaper.

Cartography for Beginners:
The moment Leo Bellamy finished introducing the band, the crowd leaped to life and the music began.

Edit: Since this keeps getting hits from people looking for fanfiction, you can read my fanfic at misslucyjane.com. Enjoy.

Originally published at JennaJones.com.

changes

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:36:41 GMT

I've decided, for various reasons, to move away from this journal. I never use it, the name no longer applies since I don't use the quixoticquest.com domain anymore, I forget I even have it most of the time . . .

So I've friended everybody on jjquixoticquest's friendlist over at the journal I actually do use, misslucyjane. Hope to see you over there.

test post

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:44:08 GMT

Originally published at JennaJones.com. Please leave any comments there.

This is a test post. Whee, new plugins!