Today I'd like welcome Jill Blake, author of "This Time For Keeps" to the Thursday interview. Before we get started, a quick intro!
When I was kid, my mom would take us walking in the park. Whenever someone would stop to coo over my baby sister and ask how old we were, Mom inevitably answered: "The doctor is 7, and the lawyer is 1." Fast-forward a few decades, and what do you know? Doctor and lawyer, bingo! I love practicing medicine. I especially enjoy the rewards of taking care of entire families over long periods of time. But secretly, I always dreamed about writing. Over the years, I dabbled as time permitted: freelancing for various local newspapers, doing a summer stint as a teaching assistant at a creative writing program, penning a few manuscripts that promptly got relegated to the bottom of some desk drawer. Thanks to my wonderful husband, who encouraged me to blow the dust off one of those manuscripts, I'm finally pursuing my dream! Not full-time, to be sure. I'm still a physician with a busy practice, and a mom with three kids. But after the charts are done and the kids are asleep, it's just me and my laptop---and, boy, am I having fun!
Why romance, you ask? Because I love a guaranteed happy ending. I hope you do, too!
OK - HERE WE GO !!
No.1 Would you break the law to save a loved one? .. why?
Yes, assuming:
⦁ the situation didn’t result from a morally reprehensible action on the part of that loved one (or if it did, he should at least be remorseful)
⦁ my actions in breaking the law wouldn’t cause irreparable harm to innocent people.
No.2 What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
It’s the difference between active and passive. When you “truly live” you actively engage in the world around you by choosing pursuits you enjoy and spending time with people you love. “Being alive” means passively accepting what life throws at you, failing to take control and make changes when things aren’t going well.
No.3 What motivates you to write?
All the characters running around in my head, asking “what if?”
No.4 Why do humans want children?
Vanity and desire for immortality: we create mini-me’s who will survive us, be our “living legacy.”
Biological imperative: we’re driven to reproduce as many copies of our genes as possible.
Desire for unconditional love: children provide this, at least for a while.
No.5 What was the biggest challenge in creating your book "This Time for Keeps"?
Finding the time to write regularly (amid the chaos of real life: full-time job, husband, children).
No.6 What is the most important thing you have learned in life so far?
Pick your battles. You can’t win on all fronts, so choose the things that are important to you and stick to your guns. Nicely.
No.7 How did you come up with the title "This Time for Keeps"?
This Time for Keeps is a story about two people who rush into a relationship without knowing each other, at a time when their desires and goals are at odds. Some years later, after undergoing life-changing experiences, they encounter each other again. Luca recognizes the opportunity as a chance to get things right, but he’s got an uphill battle convincing Isabelle that this time is for keeps.
No.8 How do you handle personal criticism?
I look at it as an opportunity to improve my craft.
No.9 Why should people read your book?
It’s got…
a smart heroine who doesn’t take sh*t from her man
a sexy hero who evolves from being bit of a jerk to truly enlightened
a fun cast of secondary characters including great girlfriends and quirky relatives
breath-taking views of Amalfi, Italy
hot sex
a happy ending
…and all that, packed into a quick afternoon read!
No.10 Why is there something rather than nothing?
Because nihilism is no longer in vogue.
Thanks Jill for taking the time to answer my questions & the best of luck with your new book!
Check out her new book "This Time For Keeps" on
A random act of violence...
When a senseless act of violence shatters her perfect world, Dr. Isabelle DiStefano struggles to rebuild: new life, new job, new man.
A second chance at love...
But sometimes the past can be hard to let go of, especially when old flame Luca Santoro reappears in her life and decides he wants to start over...this time, for keeps.
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