Interview--KELLEY ST JOHN

Thanks for being here Kelley. It’s a pleasure!

Thanks for having me!

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

I’m a Southern girl, as you can probably tell if you read my books. And I’m married to the sexiest Cajun on the planet, who just happens to be a former All-American gymnast.

#2- We both are fellow members of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and you are now on the Board of Directors for them. What do you feel you have gained from your membership and would you recommend it to other aspiring romance genre authors?

In my opinion, the primary advantage RWA offers to writers is the fact that the organization open to membership by both published and pre-published authors. There are several organizations that you can join after you are published, but the benefit of a pre-published author being able to learn from those who’ve succeeded in the business is priceless. At my very first RWA chapter meeting, I sat next to Gayle Wilson and Linda Howard. You can’t beat that for inspiration.

#3- As you know, I reviewed your title Flirting With Temptation, for Bookpleasures, and loved it. But how do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

By the way, your review made my day – thanks so much! Regarding the negative reviews, I can thankfully say I haven’t received that many. When I do read something negative, I simply remind myself that reviews are subjective, and not everyone will think my baby is beautiful. And again, I’m glad you did.  I’m particularly fond of Babette’s story, because I think there’s a little Babette in every female, and it was a lot of fun to tell about her journey to love.

#4- You have won over fifty awards throughout your career. Tell us what it felt like to accomplish that, do you have any new goals for yourself, and do you still feel the same way today?

I still squeal like a kid each time I receive an award, particularly when it’s an award that is judged by readers. I love knowing a reader truly connects with my characters. That’s my one primary goal. I want readers to feel the same way I do about the story. When I can tell that they really became a part of the story, I know I’ve done my job.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites?


I think the book that stands out the most from my childhood was one that dictated my future of writing romance. Young and Fair by Rosamond Du Jardin was the very first romance novel I ever read, and I was hooked big time. Currently, favorite authors are Linda Howard, Gayle Wilson, Stephenie Meyer, Karen Kingsbury and Dean Koontz.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

My newest release is Flirting with Temptation. I believe watching the video is the best way to “see” the story…

My web site is www.kelleystjohn.com and readers can write to me at Kelley@kelleysbooks.com


#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Just another thank you for the interview and for the terrific review! Have a fabulous day!

Kelley