A couple of days ago, I had the opportunity to read and review Best Selling author Jessica Lauryn’s novel, A Passionate Play. It’s a whodunit mystery filled with twists and turns and romance. What you have before you is a look into Jessica Lauryn’s work as an author, so without further ado, I give you Jessica Lauryn.
“I always loved books as a child, and when I was six, watching soap operas with my mother, I fell in love with romance. I kept the idea of one day writing for the soaps in the back of my mind for years. But along the way, I discovered romance novels and realized that writing a full-length novel was something I had to try for myself. When I graduated from college and was looking for my first job, I spent a lot of time asking myself what I’d do with my life if I could do anything at all. Writing kept coming into my mind, and I perused several non-fiction books regarding how to get started with a career in writing. I remember reading in one of the books that writers spend their entire lives in basements doing nothing but writing. I believe the comment was intended to discourage people, but I remember thinking that being left alone to use your imagination and write for hours on end sounded more fun than anything I could imagine!”
MLR: What advice would you have for someone interested in becoming an author?
JL: Write what you know and what you love! I would also take that statement a bit further and say that you need to fall in love with your hero with regard to writing romance. Write, write, and write some more! Be yourself, own your voice; let your imagination take you wherever it will!
And this is what Lauryn has continued to do writing both The Pinnacles of Power Series and her work in progress, The Rabourn Theater Series. “
“I am the #1 bestselling author of two Romantic Suspense Series, The Pinnacles of Power Series and The Rabourn Theater Series, a work in progress. In The Pinnacles of Power Series, amidst diamond heists and deadly secrets, five determined young men struggle against all the odds to get what—and who—they want. In The Rabourn Theater Series, as the Rabourn and Nathanson families battle for control of the world they love, five unlikely couples come together and discover a different sort of passion.
For years, Dangerous Proposal [The Pinnacles of Power Series # 2] was my favorite story for various reasons, not the least of which is that I fashioned the hero, Alec, to be like the sort of man I dreamed of meeting myself. Years later, having found my real-life hero, a man who reminds me of Alec in so many ways, I decided to expand my horizons. An Amorous Dance [The Rabourn Theater Series # 2] took me by surprise. In this second-chance romance, theater owner Hannah Rabourn battles for control of the world she loves against her greatest rival and former lover, Evan Masters. Evan wishes to have revenge for an injustice done to him long ago, and he plots to take control of Rabourn Theater by way of persuasion…and seduction. I worked with a slightly older heroine and hero than I typically have, and I was amazed by the way these two characters and their story took off as they battled in the boardroom and the bedroom! Their feistiness and determination blow my mind. As I was reading An Amorous Dance for the hundredth time during the final edit, I found myself still laughing out loud at the nervy things Evan says to Hannah throughout the story. I’m currently with my editor on book 4 in the series, An Intoxicating Interlude, and writing book 5, An Enchanting Song.”
Lauryn is determined more than ever and has worked tirelessly to see her dream come to fruition.“No matter what life throws my way, I always keep going. This year hasn’t been easy for any of us. But I try always to look at things positively and stay focused on my goals, of which I have many.” It hasn’t always been easy for her, however. She talked about some of her struggles and how she dealt with them.
“When my publisher cut their Mainstream line, it caused a major disruption for me as I was right in the middle of producing the Rabourn Theater Series. I attempted to find a new home, but few publishers are keen on publishing the final few books of a series that another publisher already has rights to. So I decided to self-publish the final three stories. There was a bit of a learning curve involved, but I found I liked having more control over the publication process, especially creative aspects like formatting and cover design. In the end, I became such a fan of what I was doing that I asked my publisher if they would reverse the rights to my previous titles. They agreed, and I’ve been working steadily to rerelease them all. Dangerous Magic [The Pinnacles of Power # 5] and An Amorous Dance [The Rabourn Theater Series #2] will release later this year!
When asked what advice she’s received either professionally or personally that’s been beneficial to her life, Lauryn stated, “Let me say that the single piece of advice that made me a strong writer was, show vs. tell. A fan of older publications, I have a natural tendency to narrate everything, and I fight this every time I write a new story. This is “telling,” essentially, whereas “showing” engages the five senses through dialogue, description, and action taking place in the here and now. It makes our stories move faster, and it brings them to life in a rich, colorful way. One of the most effective ways I’ve found for getting this accomplished is to write the story as I would instinctively (for me, this means just getting my thoughts out, and doing so by “telling”) and then adding the “showing” later on, as I edit. I do the best I can with a rough draft, but I work a lot faster by just getting my ideas down on paper. I do what works for me. But my stories definitely came to life (and I was published for the first time!) when I mastered the art of “showing.”
MLR: What or who inspires your writing style and the type of books you publish?
JL: One of my favorite things to do when I’m writing is to reform a former villain, a man or woman who’s lost their way for a time, having committed any wrong from white-collar crime to murder. I’m greatly inspired by characters and people who fit that bill, because, let’s face it, we all make mistakes, and it is incredibly uplifting to see another person bring themselves back from their lowest point—it reminds us that we all possess the same ability. It demonstrates just how powerful the phenomenon of love is, as love is always at play somehow when a villain turns his life around. And let’s face it guys when you take a former villain and place him in the role of hero you get to satisfy your dream of kissing him and even meeting them between the sheets!
Suspense inspires me (nothing too graphic or violent for my taste, I’m not one of those romantic suspense authors!), but I definitely want to see my characters in danger, perhaps several times leading up to the climax, or beyond it. Characters are often highly motivated to act on their desires when they fear their lives are in danger, and passion is what my readers and I want to see the most! That said, I’m also inspired by the amazing stories some of my closest author friends tell, and real-life scenarios and quite often, whatever crazy ideas find some other way inside the well of my imagination.
When she’s not creating best-selling books, you can find Lauryn with her husband in their newly purchased home or painting a room, or in her garden, which she joyfully admits that she loves flowers. As for what people can take away from this interview, Lauryn states, “I hope, no matter what your favorite genre is, you’ll always take the time to read for pleasure because we all deserve that no matter how busy we think we are! Books are such a wonderful part of life.”
Morgan Lee Reviews would like to thank Jessica Lauryn for this opportunity and wish her much success with her endeavors. Links to Lauryn’s social media will be available below, and as promised, here is a sneak peek of Lauryn’s newly released novel, Dangerous Ally! Enjoy!
Dangerous Ally Excerpt:
Feeling the warmth of tears in her eyes, Lilah rose from the table. She never became so emotional over nothing. What in God’s name was wrong with her?
Lucas’s strong hand came against her shoulder. She didn’t pull away. In fact, she had the strangest urge to just lean into him, like somehow, he would take away all her doubts.
“Lena’s happy in her life with her children, and with Alec Westwood. I’d never begrudge her that. All I ever wanted was her happiness.”
The way he said the words, she almost believed them. He seemed to care, or at least, maybe was trying to be a better person.
“You’re trembling.” He reached in before she could stop him. His finger brushed her quivering lip.
Her instinct was to smack his hand. But the tingling sensation racing from mouth to spine kept her in place. Lucas’s touch was so soft. It made her crazy. She was consumed by the strongest desire for his lips to be where his finger was now.
He took her wine glass and held it out to her. “Here,” he said. “This’ll calm your nerves.”
Senses returning with a bang, Lilah held up two hands in protest. “Are you trying to get me drunk?” she snapped, not entirely sure whether it was him she was angrier at or herself.
“Am I that obvious?” Lucas laughed as if the whole thing was funny and set the glass back down.
She enjoyed being in the company of a monster—there was nothing lighthearted about it!
“I’m guessing you’ve probably been down this road too many times, hmm?” Lucas replaced his hand on her shoulder.
“What road would that be, exactly?”
His eyes looked into hers. “I’m sure I’m not the first man who’s tried to get you into a relaxed state, Lilah.”
“Actually—” Lilah hesitated, not wanting to get so personal yet feeling she could probably tell him anything and he’d somehow understand. “It’s been a long time, longer than you’d imagine. After I finished college, I had every intention of becoming a journalist, meaning I’d be out most of the time chasing a story despite whatever danger came with it. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, for as long as I can remember.”
Lucas nodded, coming closer. “You must have been very persistent. It takes a good deal of perseverance and sacrifice to become a success at such a young age.”
Lilah sure knew that. While her friends had been enjoying their last semester of college, she’d been frantically gathering writing samples, sending them out to every newspaper who would give her the time of day. But had her father noticed? Even when she became one of the youngest reporters at the New York Times, he’d barely raised a brow.
Deep down, she knew this was why she’d accepted Raphael’s offer, even in spite of the danger that came with it. A story about Raphael Ramone’s family laundry wasn’t going to impress Blake Benson. But exposing Lucas’s diamond smuggling operation would be a print-worthy unearthing that would win her father’s admiration as well as her first Pulitzer.
She lowered her gaze. “I haven’t given up anything so wonderful.”
Lucas lifted her chin. “But if it came to that, do you think you’d be willing to make that sacrifice, give up something you want—maybe something you want more than anything—to attain some ultimate level of self-victory?”
A chill came over her at his words. Lilah stepped back, unsure of what had just happened but wanting desperately to pretend it hadn’t.
Lucas cleared his throat. “Let’s get some air, shall we?”
Something she needed desperately. She followed him to the balcony, welcoming the cool night breeze as it caressed her hot skin.
“It’s beautiful here,” she said, hoping very much to steer the conversation in a new direction.
“It is.” Lucas came beside her, bracing the rail with one hand. He slipped an arm around her back.
His body was warm, like a furnace, and he felt strong, as if he spent his days loading lumber instead of dabbling away at a computer.
Lilah shivered, goose bumps forming along her arms. It felt so nice being close to Lucas, too nice. Maybe she’d just stay there with him a few minutes longer. They weren’t exactly hurting anyone by being in each other’s company.
Lucas leaned into her, speaking in a tone she could only describe as husky. “Those men you never met,” he said, “that was their loss.”
Lilah blinked, keeping her eyes on the night sky. “Please. A man’s the last thing I need in my life.”
“Are you sure about that?” Lucas asked, his warm breath coming against her ear. “Or is it possible you’ve been hiding behind your work for so long, you don’t even know how things could be?” His palm brushed her bare shoulder as he turned her to face him. “No one knows what it’s like to be hidden from the world more than I do, Lilah. You can trust me on this. I think we’re more alike than you realize. And it’s possible we’re both missing out on something incredible.”
She didn’t push his hand away as it cupped her cheek, or his arm as it encompassed her waist. No, she let him do what he wanted. She wanted him to touch her.
Want to purchase Dangerous Ally? Find it here:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08B1NTJG4
B & N – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dangerous-ally-jessica-lauryn/1103392690?ean=2940162983040
Connect with Jessica Lauryn
Morgan Lee Reviews 