Tell us about your release.
My Seductive Innocent is
book 2 in the Once Upon A Rogue Series. Though it is the second book, it can
definitely stand alone. Here is the blurb!
Miss Sophia Vane, a hoyden of the first order, makes
an unlikely match when she weds Nathaniel Ellison, the rich and wary Duke of
Scarsdale. What starts with an unexpected friendship soon blooms into a fiery
passion. But a betrayal plunges Sophia into the thorny world of London Society
and entangles her in a labyrinth of manipulation and jealousy that will test
the strength of her marriage. Behind her husband’s sudden icy facade, Sophia
believes dwells the caring, passionate man she loves. To break through the
barriers and reclaim their happiness, they must do more than simply cast away
their pride. They must fight for their very lives.
Buy Links:
What makes your story special to you?
I love to write books
that force the main characters to question everything they have ever believed
in, and this story does that in a huge way. I also love a romance that has
suspense woven in, and depending on the story I’m trying to tell, sometimes I
get to explore suspense and sometimes I don’t. This story not only allowed me
to weave suspense into the tale, but I got to explore a bit of a darker side,
which I adore.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a
writer?
I had a friend in fourth
grade whose mother was a writer. She would sit us around the coffee table when
I would spend the night, give us paper, and tell us to write stories.
Sometimes, she would start the story and sometimes we would make them up. I’m
certain the seed was planted then!
What is a typical writing day like?
I start every day by
getting my kids off to school! Then I usually head to the gym and workout to
clear my mind. If I’ve already done the research for a story, I will usually
sit down at my computer and write for three to four hours, getting up at
various times to do a few chores here and there. I work best by setting myself
a word count goal. I know how many words I have to write a day to get the story
done about when it needs to be. Of course, sometimes the story tricks me and
ends up being a lot longer than I planned, like this book!
Do you have an interesting writing quirk or
habit?
I’m not sure how
interesting it is, but I have to write in complete silence. I cannot stand
distractions!
What was one of the most surprising things you
learned as a published author?
The end is only the
beginning. Once I have written those two words a whole other round of intensive
work begins like editing and promoting.
What authors or friends
influenced you in helping you become a writer?
Well, I do believe my
friend’s mother was my first influence. However, I would have never dared to
take the chance without the encouragement of my parents who told me I could do
anything I wanted to. I also would not be where I am today without the constant
encouragement, help and advice of many published authors who are my friends as
well as critique partners. As to authors I admire that made me want to try to
write, I’d say as far as the romance genre goes that Julie Garwood was my first
influence.
What does your family think about your career as
a published author?
My kids are so funny!
They love it! My youngest child wanted to give all his classmates bookmarks and
books of mine last year for Christmas. Of course, we didn’t! They’re only 8,
after all! My oldest son was rather indifferent until a magazine featured me,
and he had his picture in the magazine. And to top that off, a classmate’s
mother told him she was a fan of mine, and he thought that was pretty cool! My
husband is incredibly supportive as are my parents.
Besides writing, what other interests do you
have?
Well I’m pretty
fanatical about working out. It’s my stress relief. I love to spin, do yoga, do
cardio classes and lift weights. I love to cook and have recently started
making my household a non-processed household. I love to read, of course! And I
love to travel!
Can you tell us about what’s coming up next for
you writing wise?
The rest of this year is
busy, busy! I’m currently writing book 3 in the Once Upon A Rogue series, and I
am also writing book 5 in the Whisper of Scandal Series. I’m also going to be
in a huge box set with a bunch of other fabulous authors that will be coming
out later this year, and I am hoping by the end of the year to have book 2 in
the Lords of Deception series finished.
How can readers connect
with you online?
On Twitter:
@juliejohnstone
Excerpt:
Sophia trailed
her fingers over Nathan’s strong jawline. She would reveal some of her fear in
hopes that one day he would reveal some of his. “You’re like Michelangelo’s David. I’m afraid one day you will wake
up and wonder who the stray puppy is that you married.”
He stood so
abruptly she feared he was about to agree with her and then walk out of this
room and her life. He looked down at her from his towering stance, reached
behind him to tug off his shirt, and revealed a rippling abdomen and muscled
chest. She stared in awe and wistfulness; his body―marred only at his shoulder by the bandage covering his healing wound―was every bit as
beautiful as his face.
“I’m no statue,
Sophia,” he growled as he yanked his boots off, then his pants and
undergarments. She gaped at the size and power of his body that could not be
denied now that he stood there without a stich of clothing.
“You are
perfect,” she whispered, ashamed that she was so far from it, so very unmatched
to him.
His gaze grew
hard. “Expecting perfection from me will hurt us both. I like that you’re not
perfect. Do you understand?”
She understood
that he’d been hurt deeply and that he was trying to tell her how without
saying it explicitly. “I do.”
He lowered
himself over her, and something fierce glittered in his eyes. “I’ll hurt you
and I’ll fail you, and then you’ll see. You won’t think me perfect. You won’t
want to love me then.”
“Come to me,
Nathan,” she replied, knowing arguing was futile. “Show me your imperfections.”
About the author:
Julie Johnstone is a USA TODAY
best-selling
author of Regency Romance and the author of a new urban fantasy/paranormal
romance book. She’s been a voracious reader of books since she was a young
girl. Her mother would tell you that as a child Julie had a rich fantasy life
made up of many different make believe friends. As an adult, Julie is one of
the lucky few who can say she is living the dream by working with her passion
of creating worlds from her imagination. When Julie is not writing she is
chasing her two precocious children around, cooking, reading or exercising.
Julie loves to hear from her readers. You can send her an email at
juliejohnstoneauthor@gmail.com
or find her at
www.juliejohnstoneauthor.com, or on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/juliejohnstoneauthor
and
www.facebook.com/authorjuliejohnstone and on twitter at @juliejohnstone. You
can join Julie’s newsletter here:
http://juliejohnstoneauthor.com/extras/subscribe/