Monday Author Interview ~ Jenna McClure

Our guest today is the fantastic Jenna McClure. She's a Wild Rose Press author and friend. And since she's here on the couch, well, let's get this thing started! Grin. How did you come up with the title?

It sounds clichéd to say it, but it’s true…it just came to me. Since my two main characters are an animal lover and a cattle rancher turned land conservationist, I wanted the title to reflect something to do with animals. And since their relationship is based on physical attraction, my subconscious put two and two together! Some may think the title is a bit cheesy, but it really does reflect the two main components of the book.


Nothing wrong with a little cheese from time to time. Besides, it is a great summary of the book. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
There is, but I don’t want it to be the only thing readers remember about my book. I want my readers to like the characters, the plot and the writing first, and think about the message second. To be blunt, the message is that eating meat is not good for the environment. Not only does it waste precious water, it also contributes more to the destruction of the ozone layer than all forms of transportation combined. But that’s another book…



It might not be good for the environment, but if you come from a cattle raising family, like I do, that's money on the table. To each their own. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Of course, and I bet I’m not the only one who thinks this about their work! Besides the small grammar mistakes I missed during editing, I would probably add another scene or two with the main characters to help support their character growth. I’d also want to fine-tune one of the sub-plots to provide more support for her book, which I’m currently working on. Do authors ever really feel 100% confident their work is the best it could be?

I never feel 100% confident. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
There were two distinct experiences actually…The first was in 7th grade, when our English teacher gave us an in-class assignment…to look at a group of pictures, pick one and write a one-page paper about it in 30 minutes. She picked the top three papers and read them to the class, and mine was one of the top three! Then, in my senior year of high school, in AP English, we had to write an in-class paper about a book we’d recently read. I picked Death of a Salesman. It was the first time I used the word “albeit”, and I actually got it right even though I wasn’t completely sure what the word meant! The teacher gave me an A+, which was extremely rare for her. And finally, I’m sure my sister had something to do with my becoming an author. Grin. She’s the one who started me on romance books as a teenager, and we’ve been trading favorite authors and books since then. If she likes my book, then I know I have a bit of talent!

How cool. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
A veterinarian. I’ve always loved animals, but when I got to college and realized how much science I would have to master to become a vet, I changed majors. I’ve never lost my love for animals, which is probably why I have more animals than I currently have ideal room for. If I didn’t have animals in my life, making me laugh and getting fur all over my couch, life would definitely be much less satisfying.

I love critters, too. 2 cats, 2 dogs, and one totlet is more than enough for me, though. What is one thing scientists should invent?
The Transporter or Beamer, or whatever that thing is from the Star Trek movies, that disperses you, then reassembles you somewhere else. This would, hopefully!, reduce our dependency on cars and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. There is probably one in progress in some top-secret facility somewhere, but come on, get it finished already!

Can't rush science. If we did, who knows what evil would lurk around every corner. Oh wait. That's another show. Back to the questions. Do you like thunderstorms?
Love them! They are so relaxing and great for sleeping. They wash the world clean and make it new again. I love to watch all kinds of extreme weather, either on television or from a safe distance. It’s amazing to watch how powerful nature can be, and fascinating to learn how storms/extreme weather form.

IMHO thunder storms, when the power is fine and dandy, are great for writing sinfully hot scenes. Hee hee. What animal do you think makes the best pet and why?
Now that I’ve had a Greyhound for a few years, I have to say they make the best pets. Yes, they are big and can take up a lot of room in a small space, but they are so laid back and low maintenance, it’s like having a cat. They sleep most of the day like cats do, but then they have these brief moments of frantic energy that make you laugh and wonder how you ever got along without one. They’re just big four-legged goofballs with such sweet personalities. Plus, they aren’t barkers as a breed, so they’re great for condos or apartments.

Dogs are great. Do you have any strange handwriting habits, like capitalizing all your “r”s or dotting your “I”s with heart (or anything like that)?
I do – I write in a strange half-print, half-cursive combination. I don’t remember exactly where or how I picked it up, and it’s slowly getting more and more illegible, but I think that’s genetics. My paternal grandmother’s handwriting became more slanted as she got older that I stopped being able to interpret it altogether. I used to dot my lowercase “i’s” with hearts, but that took too much time, and I could never get the hearts to actually look like hearts. No one ever really appreciated it anyway…

Teens. They never appreciate anything. Grin. Have you ever cried during a movie? If yes, which one and why?
Of course! The first one I remember crying at was Bambi in the 3rd grade. I knew it was a cartoon movie, but I am not sure I realized that it was really fiction. Another one was E.T. I was with my father, and I think he even had tears in his eyes. I cry every time I watch Armageddon because Bruce Willis’s sacrifice is just so brave and courageous, and his last scene with his daughter very touching. The Last of the Mohicans is another tear-jerker. Very emotional, with a musical score that makes you cry even when the movie isn’t playing. Is that enough??

Yeah. A great soundtrack does make a movie great. Now that you've read the interview, and thank you Jenna for being here, want her links?Of course you do. Here you go:

Site: http://www.jennamcclure.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenna-McClure/141729892552797
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JennaMcClureRW

Want to know more about Animal Attraction?

Environmental consultant Emmalyn Ashmore is outraged when she discovers the last minute
replacement for guest speaker at her annual conference is none other than Adam McLean, a cattle rancher, whose lifestyle represents everything she loathes.
Adam McLean has never met a more contrary woman. From the moment Emmalyn opens her mouth, he knows she's exactly the type of woman he doesn't need in his life—ever.
As the sparks fly, Emma realizes there's more at stake than conserving the environment. She has to figure out how to conserve her heart, before she loses it forever.

Buy here!