Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Author of the Week: Jaycee Durant

About The Book
What if you discovered that the sins of your mother's past will forever haunt your future? That finding out the secrets she took to her grave would turn your life upside down? To the rest of the world Corynn Hayes was a brilliant writer and entrepreneur. To Karlee Jones, she was not only a mother but a best friend. Until Corynn's unexpected death, Karlee thought that she knew everything there was to know about her mother. Then, Karlee recieves her mother's diary as a farewell gift. The depth of the secrets within those pages end up devastating Karlee, forever changing the memory of her mother. The Diary: Succession of Lies is a novel that exposes the secret life of a mistress. It is a tale of love, lust, loss, and redemption as well as the trials of two generations of women. The Diary takes a new spin on the mistress image, a woman often vilified throughout literature as a harlot and a home wrecker. It tackles several questions. Why does a mistress stay? Is love possible in such a taboo relationship? Is love enough to endure the consequences that come later.

Meet The Author Interview

A&RBC: How did you become a writer?
JD: I have known that writing was what I wanted to do since I was six years old. I have alwyas had a great love for stories and the way that they are told and it has always been my dream to be one of those writers that people enjoy reading. One day I just started writing and I never stopped. I wrote and studied everything there was to know about the craft of writing. I became a writer because I have always believed that it was what I was destined to be and I never let anyone tell me otherwise.

A&RBC: What are you hoping readers take from your book?
JD: What I want people to understand and take away when they read my book is that things with people are not always what they may seem to be on the surface. You think that you know people and you build them up to what your expectations of them are and when they turn out to be anything different then you expected then there's this sense of disppointment and sometimes even anger. What I hope that people get out of my book is that they should always look deeper within the people in their lives and don't just assume what you know of them to be true but also to not judge them for being different from what you expected. People's actions do not always accurately depict the character of that person.

A&RBC: Who is the hero in your life? How does your hero inspire you?
JD: I guess I would have to say that my hero is my best friend, who is also a writer. She is someone who has such tenacity and determination and someone who always manages to find the positive aspect of any situation. She never seems to let life get her down and if you are lucky enough to be called her friend then she will never let life get you down either. She has had many obstacles and struggles and the way she deals with them is truly inspiring and admirable. I love her dearly and I admire the wonderful person that she is and the fact that knowing her has enriched my life so much more than I would've ever thought possible.

A&RBC: What are two things you want your readers to know about you?
JD: I am not sure that there are any big things to know about me that I don't willingly share. I guess if it had to be anything, it's that I am a hopeless romantic and that I really hate all of this advanced technology.

A&RBC: What are your favorite marketing and/or promotional tools?
JD: I guess I would say Facebook is a great marketing and promotional tool, especially for people like myself who are just getting their foot in the water and don't really have a fan base just yet.

A&RBC: What is one thing you have learned about the publishing industry?
JD: That it takes a whole lot of patience. Patience in the writing field and the publishing industry is extremely necessary. It is pretty much like one big waiting game and you just have to wait until it's your turn unless you're prepared to just give up.

A&RBC: What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
JD: The advice I would give is to never stop believing that it is possible. There will be those moments when people will tell you that what you have written is not good enough. There will even be days when you will hate what you've written yourself. Those are the days where you are going to really need to believe in yourself and not give up. Those are the days where you still need to sit down and write anyway, regardless of whether you fell that there is a point. Writing is hard work but it is more than worth it.

A&RBC: Who was the firs author you read? What was the title of the book?
JD: I can't really remember the actual first book and author that I ever read because I can't remember all the way back to when I was six or seven but the first book that I can actually fully remember was Judy Blume and I think that the book was Are you there God? It's Me Margaret.

A&RBC: Tell us what new projects you are working on.
JD: I am working on a couple of different novels that I am not fully ready to disclose any details about and I am also working on a book collaboration specifically designed for writer's who are guilty of constantly sel-sabotaging themselves and because it is a collaborative effort I am not really at liberty to discuss any further details other than that. I do however plan to expand my horizons in future projects, meaning that I want to write things in many different genres and to not just be a writer who is predictable. I don't really want my readers to think that they will know what to expect from me. I like to surprise people.

A&RBC: Where can your readers find you?
JD: My readers can find me online at Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles online bookstore, as well as Passionate Writer Publishing website at http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/, as well as the Borders bookstore in Largo, MD.

A&RBC: Authors & Readers Book Corner appreciate your time! We are glad you stopped by!
JD: Thanks for having me.

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