Wednesday Promo- Joanna Aislinn

Thanks so much, Paty, for having me today. With Passover in progress and Good Friday and Easter up ahead, this is a busy week for many! I thank you all in advance for taking the time to get to know me by reading about my experiences as an author—more appreciated than I can convey with…well, words!
Okay, Paty, you wanted to know:

Who am I?
An avid reader who decided maybe she could do this too! Actually, my writing roots stretch back to my early teenage days, but life got in the way until ten years ago, when the story playing out in my head insisted I put it down on virtual paper. I’ve been writing and honing my craft ever since. No Matter Why (The Wild Rose Press),my debut novel, hit the virtual shelves on January 15, 2010. I’m an East Coaster who lives with her husband, two boys and three cats who lately seems to live at the laptop. At present, I’m writing more reports than stories, learning all I can about promo, building my web presence and finding time to work a day job and manage a home along with everything else!

Why do I write romance?
Somehow, my favorite Roger Federer answer comes to mind: Because I can. (His reason for using the challenge rule during a tennis match though he often tends to lose the challenge.) What a gift it is to be able to create a character’s image in my head then pit him or her against life situations and watch as each evolves into the best virtual person s/he can be while another story of my heart is formed. Then to be privileged enough to have someone read, experience, come back and ask for more about these people who live in my head? Is there anything better?

Which author has influenced my writing and why?
I suppose every author I’ve ever read influences me. Relative to romance I have to claim Kathleen Woodiwiss as the absolute queen of the genre. I love how her characters come to respect, trust and revel in each other over an extended period of time. Her stories are the ones that have stayed with me—maybe because I happened on them at a fairly young age and have read my favorites (The Wolf and the Dove and Ashes in the Wind) at least five times each, lol?

What are you working on now?
At present, I’m making myself crazy trying to get a timeline straight for my most recently completed story, a follow up to my debut, No Matter Why (The Wild Rose Press). I also started a spin-off from these and would love to hook up with someone (yes, this is a shameless invitation to contact me, lol!) who writes suspense to guide me a little, since this is an area where I believe I have a lot to learn. Some free reads are under construction, too. Look for these as part of the Summer Reading Trail. This wonderful promotional tool is scheduled to run May, June and July and is, I believe, available to any interested author. (Doesn’t have to be romance either! Published or still working on it? Learn more at www.voireylinger.com or visit my blog.)

About No Matter Why:
Trust and stability became empty words the day motherless, sixteen-year-old Carrie Norwell came home to find her brothers murdered. Within moments, her father arrived and his heart gave out at the scene. Five years later, is it any wonder the walls with which she's barricaded her heart are virtually impenetrable to anyone looking to get close and offer what she wants more than anything? The security only a loving family can give? Or someone with whom to build her own?
Billy Jay Eldridge wants to offer exactly that to the right girl. Operating on a heart and spirit rivaled only by his looks, he’s two years out of college and where he thought he wanted to be, managing a store at the assistant level and on his way up PharmSmart’s chain of command. He never counted on not synching with the corporate/retail atmosphere—enough to toy daily with the idea of a major career move that promises to make nobler use of his God-given talents. Neither did he think he’d blur the fine line between supervisor and peer to the young ladies in his charge—that is, until shy, quiet Carrie joins his crew. Intrigued and charmed by the girl’s haunted eyes and withdrawn ways he sets out to know her better, clueless that his life’s calling will be the biggest setback to getting her to accept from him what she wants and needs most.

For an excerpt, click the link: http://www.joannaaislinn.com/Readanexerpt.html
Learn more about me (and find a great recipe or six) at my website: www.joannaaislinn.com.
Or, read some of my mental meanderings along with a slew of other author interviews at www.joannaaislinn.wordpress.com and lately, at different blogs; anyone who so desires can follow my growing blog trail! Check my blog for a list of appearances.

Thanks again, Paty, and to all of you who stopped by!
Joanna