CMWAS Exclusive Interview with Jacquie Rogers

I thought it was about time for another exclusive interview. Here is an interview straight to you from Jacquie Rogers. The interview questions are bolded, her responses are italicized, and my comments will be underlined!

Tell a little about yourself. (short bio)

I like the three R’s: Reading, Rodeo, and Restaurants.  You’ll find all three of those in my books.  I’m from Owyhee County, Idaho and I grew up on a dairy farm wishing those danged Holsteins were longhorns.  Even though I never gave a single thought to being a writer until much later, I’ve always lived in a rich made-up world.  Now I live in the burbs of Seattle but we’ll probably be moving back to Owyhee County in the near future, and I’m really looking forward to the sagebrush and alkali dirt.  It’s part of my DNA.

I'll have to admit, I was on the phone with a friend when I was reading these responses, and being a country girl myself, I did not know what a Holstein was and I had to ask. I know, that's bad. I'm so glad I've got a chance to read your book and I cannot wait for the time to do so. I tried moving to the city, too... needless to say, once the children came along, I found myself back here in Small Town, USA.

What can you tell us about your books?

They’re all fun—a little grit, a little heartwarming, and a lot of action.  My goal is to write stories that take people away from the real world for a few hours—a little emotional vacation.  Also, I’ve never quite found my way into the box that people keep talking about, so my stories have a tendency to run on the quirky side.  Or so I’m told. 

I have found that any good book takes you away from the real world for at least a few hours! That is something that I adorn in an author!

I have several western historical romances novels out, five books in the Hearts of Owyhee series, and a few single titles.  Also, I’ve written several faery stories, a contemporary western romance, and the first two novellas of a traditional western series, The Muleskinners, all of which will be reissued later this year.  As Ford Fargo (one of the many authors who write under that name), I’ve written traditional western stories for the Wolf Creek series.

But my latest release doesn’t fit any genre.  Hot Work in Fry Pan Gulch is the first in the Honey Beaulieu – Man Hunter series.  This series is Honey’s story, set in the Old West and you’ll meet up with a ghost, find a little mystery, a little romance, and a lot of action and adventure.  I’m excited about the series and I adore the cover.  The cover artist used my granddaughter as a model and I can’t wait to see what the artist does for the second book, Sidetracked in Silver City. That book should be released the first week of June.

Mostly, I hope readers have fun with my characters.

I definitely see myself with more than one of your books in the future. I want to read a few of them already! Why can't you

What genre do you write and why?

Honey Beaulieu is her own genre (I guess you could call the series a “wacky western”), plus I write traditional western, western historical romance, western fantasy romance, fantasy romance, and have dabbled in YA fantasy.  The reason I like western and fantasy is because I grew up in Owyhee County, which is still the Old West by most people’s notions of it, so it’s not hard to get the characters to talk to me.  In fact, it’s usually hard to get them to shut up and let someone else on stage.  Fantasy is awesome because you can make up any durn thing you want. 

Fantasy is my favorite! :)

If a fiction writer, is any part of your book based on events in your life?

Many of the events are based on things I saw, heard, or did in Owyhee County, Idaho, when I was growing up, and I also mine family stories for ideas. Jake, the heroine in Much Ado About Mavericks (Hearts of Owyhee #4) is the person I wanted to be but obviously never could be (because she’s a larger-than-life character), although I can shoot as well as she could—but I’m seriously pathetic at roping.

Yeah, I'm sold. I'm getting that book next!

What was the greatest challenge you faced with publishing your work?

Juggling.  At any given time, I’m simultaneously plotting a new book, writing a book, editing the next release (so working on a minimum of three books at a time), while creating graphics, coding my website, and marketing.  Sometimes all those balls in the air all end up on the ground and I’m chasing them every which way.  But eventually I get it together and manage to make some forward progress.

I have that issue myself. I have a few books that I have started, that seem to jump in the way of one another when writing... eventually!

What are you currently working on?

I’m writing Sidetracked in Silver City (Honey Beaulieu – Man Hunter #2), plotting a mail-order bride book for Prairie Rose Publications, and also plotting Honey #3—no title yet.  Oh, and getting Hot Work in Fry Pan Gulch (Honey Beaulieu – Man Hunter #1) and Mercy: Bride of Idaho (American Mail-Order Brides #43) in print.  In fact, I’ll be ordering copies later tonight.

You are very talented and have more books than anyone else I have met. I am sure I will be stuck on your books for a while. Only one other series got me like that though, I mean I love to read, but I had all of the Sweet Valley books when I was a kid!

Do you have an interesting writing quirk?

Maybe my short attention span would be considered a quirk.  I seem to have about a ten-minute limit, then I’m surfing the net for some tidbit that ends up being a two-hour tumble down the rabbit hole.

I can relate to that, lol.

Do you have a favorite author or book?

That’s always such a hard question because until I started this gig and became acquainted with other writers, I never bought by author, mainly because I’ve always had an awful time remembering names.  In college, I read Mary Renault’s books, so I could choose her, but of course there are several others who are just as fabulous, and some of them are my close friends.

I have a hard time choosing my favorite author and book, too. There are so many good read, especially the ones I have come by lately, that I can't choose between them.

Describe yourself in three words.

Fun-loving weird writer.

But don’t believe reports of stubbornness.  I am not.

Thank you so much for taking the time to let me interview you. You're an amazing person and I cannot wait to read your books! I am sure I will have the whole collection by the time I am done!

I had such a wonderful time talking with Jacquie Rogers. She's a wonderful person and author! A special thank you to my friend, Lisa Klass, for sharing her interview questions with me! Lisa, you're an amazing person and a wonderful writer, yourself. 

Interview done exclusively for use with CMWAS