Interview: Coffee With Romance Author Jade Presley Q & A
Rae: Welcome to the blog Jade Presley. With the warm days of summer fast approaching I’ve switched up my drinks and am enjoying a Coconut Vanilla Latte with a drizzle of caramel in my mug. What is in your cuppa?
Jade: Right now, I’m hooked on a mix of cherry juice and Topo Chico!
Rae: I find that reading is best when I have a beverage and a snack, what do you need to have for yourself when you are settling in to read?
Jade: I usually squeeze reading in anywhere I can in between deadlines so I’m often reading on my device during lunch breaks or right before bed! I take the escape any way I can get it J
Rae: Before we start can you tell everyone about the books you write?
Jade: Yes! I write why choose romantasy (multiple love interests for the main character where she doesn’t have to choose) always set in a fantastical world with high stakes and tons of spice.
Rae: When was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author?
Jade: I’ve wanted to be an author since my second-grade teacher gave us a blank hardback book and told us we could write about anything we wanted. That assignment sparked a passion for storytelling that lives on to this day. From then on, anytime anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always answered author. Every move I made in school, college, and beyond was to achieve that, and I feel so lucky that I get to live out my dream every single day as a full-time author.
Rae: What are your writing rituals?
Jade: Plotting. I always spend a week or so meticulously plotting out any new project I’m working on, right down to a chapter-by-chapter synopsis. This helps me know exactly what I’m working on when I sit down to write and holds me accountable for my deadline goals. And music. I use music to help me get into the mindset of certain characters or scenes, so I’m never without a good playlist when writing.
Rae: Do you prefer pen and paper or type away?
Jade: A little of both! I’ve recently started to jot ideas down in my iPad, which has been a huge lifesaver for my notebook addiction. I like using the iPad for my early ideas because I can drop inspirational pictures in the notes and make aesthetic boards to go along with it. It really helps flesh out the ideas in those early stages. After that, it’s mostly typing but I’ve had to do my fair share of dictation recently (wrist surgery forced that learning curve but it didn’t stop me from writing!)
Rae: What is your writing process? When you start writing a book do you sort out if there is the possibility for it to evolve into a series or do you prefer to write standalone books?
Jade: Whenever I sit down to plot a book, I usually know if it has series potential or not. As mentioned above, I’m a plotter, so before I start writing I know where the book will end and how it will lead into another book or not. Of course, sometimes during the writing process new twists will pop up, but the general direction of the plot will still hold true. I’m a fan of series because there’s so much room for character development and fun side-quests.
Rae: I am so thankful to Entangled Publishing for introducing me to you when they sent me an arc of your upcoming release The Never List that releases on April 8th. I’m so excited for everyone to have the opportunity to read this. Is there a way you can share what inspired you to write this book without spoiling too much for readers?
Jade: Thank you so much! That means everything to me 🙂 The original idea for The Never List came to me after chatting with my publisher about the vibes of my next project. We wanted a rich romantasy with a heavy dose of steam and an empowered female lead who still faces incredible challenges. I played with several ideas but couldn’t stop thinking about a royal event where every woman on the continent wants a chance to be selected as the four princes’ mate…except my main character. She’s against the royal authority for so many valid reasons, but she ends up being selected and must navigate a dangerous set of circumstances to stay alive. The plot exploded from there and I dove headfirst into writing it. It took me three months from start to finish, and then several months of sharpening with my fantastic team of editors.
Rae: They say some readers not only see the words on the page but they also visualize the book with an entire movie playing out in their head each and every time they read. For me, this played like an epic miniseries that I did not want to end. What type of research did you do to bring Lumathyst, the Lords of Chaos and Rylee to life? Did you know from the start this would be a why choose adventure? Were there any challenges to creating a book with four main male characters and one strong female main character?
Jade: I love the idea of it being a miniseries! And that happens for me too. When I write, I always see it play out like a movie, and it’s such a fun experience every time. As for research, I spent weeks reading and researching different royal hierarchies throughout history, gobbling up all the royal facts and nuances I could. I wanted a solid—if not flawed—power structure to base Lumathyst off of. As for Rylee, she came to me fully fleshed out and with a story to tell. I’m always so grateful for my loud characters and she was screaming at me to tell her story. The Legends of Chaos came to me a bit more slowly, but I always knew The Never List would be a why choose. I have too much fun with a genre that is centered on empowering women and having the focus solely be on her. There’s always challenges when handling four different connections for the main character, but it’s something I love about writing the genre. There’s a delicate balance to strike when there are so many love interests and it brings out the most amazing, complex relationships.
Rae: While I have not seen any published details regarding future publications is it fair to assume after that jaw-dropping last page there will be more from the Lords of Chaos in our future? Readers, do not come after me…I am not spoiling anything rather informing you that this story is not concluded when you turn the last page.
Jade: Absolutely! The Never List will continue 🙂 I’m working on the sequel now!
Rae: If readers would like to connect with you in person, where can they find you?
Jade: You can find me on Instagram or TikTok and for in-person events please check out the events page on my website at jadepresley.com
Rae: Thank you so much for hanging out with me today and congratulations on your upcoming release of The Never List.
Jade: Thanks so much for having me! It was so much fun chatting with you!
1. What is your must read book? Why? Oh my goodness, such a tough question! There are SO many amazing books out there right now! I just finished Quicksilver by Callie Hart and I legit couldn’t put it down!
2. If I visit your hometown, where are you taking me, and what’s the best place to grab a bite? I would take you to a small local Irish pub that is my absolute favorite place! Everything on their menu is perfection and the view of the Colorado mountains adds to the vibes.
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you? I’ve never read Pride & Prejudice…or seen the movie…I know, don’t hate me! It’s on my ever-growing TBR! LOL
4. What is your guilty pleasure? Can pleasure be guilty? I’m of the mind that if it brings you joy (and doesn’t harm anyone) go for it! I suppose you could say marathoning Love is Blind whenever it comes out could be considered a GP lol.
5. What are you afraid of? On a basic level? Snakes. I’m Indiana Jones when it comes to those things—why’d it have to be snakes?
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one? Tats! I just recently got my first two! My first one is a crescent moon with lily flowers around it (the flowers represent my niece) and my husband and two children’s names inside the moon. The second one is a paw print of my recently passed English bulldog. We had her for twelve wonderful years and I wanted to memorialize her this way.
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)? I don’t get to watch all the shows I want to, there are way too many good ones releasing ALL THE TIME. I try my best to squeeze them in whenever I have time. I devoured Shrinking recently and loved it!
8. Is there a book you have read that you would love to see made into a movie (besides yours😊)? Seeing Lumathyst on the screen would be an amazing dream come true, but I would love to see The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen as a movie or TV show. That book was fire, and I know it would translate to screen so well!
9. What is the one thing you cannot live without? My family, for sure. They’re my why. The reason I work as hard as I do.
10. What is the one career that gives you the shudders? Hmm, that’s an interesting one I’ve never thought of before. Snake handler?
11. If I opened your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see? The sheer number of snacks I have in there. I don’t usually carry a bag, but if I am it’s because I’m out with my two kiddos and they always require copious amounts of snacks.
12. What app on your phone/iPad gets the most use? I have the Notability app on my iPad that I use daily, mainly for jotting down book ideas or to-do lists.
Thank you for hanging out today. To connect with Jade Presley you can find her at:
Instagram
TikTok
jadepresley.com
Where is your favorite place to read and
what are your must have snacks while reading?
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