As many of you know, I was recently in Melbourne for Queermance. While I was there I was able to catch up with RJ Jones, a fellow Aussie author whose first novel Out of the Blue came out at the end of March. We had a chat over coffee and I asked her a few quick questions.

First things, first. Ebooks or print?

RJ: Umm, I’ve been an ebook girl for a while but I love the smell of a fresh book. It’s like the new car smell. However, last night I was reading a print book and tapped the page to turn it. I was lucky my husband didn’t notice. I felt like a bit of an idiot.

Do you buy a book because of the cover, the blurb or another reason?

RJ: I stopped reading reviews of books because I found that if someone didn’t like it, for whatever reason, their comments would stay with me and influence my thoughts. I’ve dnf’d a couple of books just because of someone else’s opinion that’s stuck in my head, and that’s not fair, to me or the author. Now if I see a great looking cover and the blurb is interesting, I’ll read it.

Any recent reads you could recommend?

RJ: With or Without Him by Barbara Elsborg.  It may just become my read of the year and it’s still early. I was sucked into the story from the first chapter. I started it late at night and was only going to read the first chapter, but I just couldn’t put it down.  It’s along the lines of Pretty Woman, but it was compelling from the get-go. I need to look at her other works now.

Tell me something about yourself that I can’t find out by reading your bio.

RJ: Two years ago I had spinal surgery. They had to go through my stomach to get access to that part of the spine. The surgeon removed a disc from my lower back and fused the two vertebrae together using a small piece of bovine cartilage. Now when I say I’m a bit of a cow, you know I’m not kidding  🙂

LOL. Okay, final question. Coke or Pepsi?

RJ: Coke. I think Pepsi is an acquired taste. Like brussel sprouts.

Show us your new release, Out of the Blue 

BLURB:

When everything happens Out of the Blue…

Lt Cameron Cooper has been with the San Francisco Fire Department for fifteen years. He’s seen and dealt with a lot of horrifying situations.  He’s always considered himself mentally tough, but when he attends a multi-vehicle accident and sees a dead boy with features remarkably similar to his long-time boyfriend, his mental health takes a hit.

All Jake Montgomery wants is to propose to his boyfriend on their ten-year anniversary. He’s already bought the perfect rings, but when Cameron struggles to look at him after a tragic accident, he has doubts about their future. Cam is withdrawing, and Jake doesn’t know why.

With heated arguments and cold shoulders, Cam and Jake’s life starts to fall apart. Just when Cam thinks he can overcome his issues and finally talk to Jake, memories from Jake’s past threaten to push them apart forever.

Where can we find Out of the Blue, and where can readers find you?

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Out-Blue-RJ-Jones-ebook/dp/B00UJRDLSC/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1427516661&sr=1-4&keywords=out+of+the+blue

Amazon UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Blue-RJ-Jones-ebook/dp/B00UJRDLSC/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1427516749&sr=1-2&keywords=out+of+the+blue

ARe – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-outoftheblue-1720958-145.html

Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/526585

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23668630-out-of-the-blue?from_search=true

Author blog – http://rjjonesauthor.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/robyn.j.jones.1711

Twitter – @rjjonesauthor

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/rjjonesauthor/

Email – rjjonesauthor@gmail.com

Your author bio:

I started as a reader and eventually made the progression to reviewing. It wasn’t until two men popped into my thoughts, insisting on telling me their story that I started to write. It started with one scene. A hot and dirty one in the shower.

My initial thought was if I could write their scene then they’d shut up and allow me to concentrate on other aspects of my day. That shower scene was 3000 words long and three hours of work.  But they didn’t shut up.  They told me their entire story and I didn’t sleep for days.  Sometimes I couldn’t keep up with what they were telling me and I had to keep a notebook by my bed.

Whilst I was writing their story a side character decided he needed his story told too. Then other characters followed suit.

You see the problem? If I ever want to sleep again then I need to write.

I’m a wife and a mother to two boys. Even my dog is a boy.

I am surrounded by males.

Thanks for talking to me today RJ. I hope you can come back again sometime.

RJ: Thanks for having me Nic, it’s been great to catch up again. 🙂