Dark Legends Block Party!

J.L. Weil

Featured Book: White Raven

I am super thrilled to be a part of this amazing boxed set and be in the company of such awesome authors. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Jennifer Weil, but I write under J.L. Weil, and I'm most known for my Divisa Series.

Hello, Jennifer! How long have you been a writer and how did you come to writing?

For me, it all started because I love to read. I daydream a lot, and then one day, I started to write down the scenes running in my head. When I actually sat down to write my first book, I felt utterly ridiculous and excited at the same time. Luminescence was the end result, my very first novel. For the next two years, I literally wrote non-stop, releasing nine books. White Raven was my twelfth novel, and I currently have written a totally of fifteen books.

My publishing journey has had its ups and downs. I've learned so much, and most of it from trial and error (lots of error). I virtual knew nothing about self-publishing when I started, and even though I have done the traditional route, for me personally, self-publishing fits. I enjoy the creative freedom and flexibility of making my own schedule.

How did you come up with this storyline?

Umm, I do a ton of daydreaming. Actually, I sleep with a notebook and a pen on my nightstand. There have been many times I've woken up and scratched something down. The fun part is trying to decipher it in the morning.

I love myths and legends, particularly those Celtic inspired.

What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?

I absolutely love being a writer. My favorite part would be sharing the excitement of something I created with my readers. I love the interaction and the shared love for the characters. It is absolutely amazing hearing how excited readers get for release day, and I definitely feed off the energy. It motivates me to keep writing.

It's also pretty to cool to work in your PJ's and not have to care what my hair looks like.

Are there bad aspects of being a writer?

For me personally, my biggest obstacle to overcome is negativity. I'm kind of a sensitive person, so developing a backbone has been a challenge. No matter how many hundreds of readers tell me how much they've enjoyed a book or loved a character, it only takes one negative comment. It doesn't always affect me in major ways, but it might stick with me, maybe sneak back while I'm writing.

For readers who don't know about your books, tell us a little about them?

Romance is my favorite genre. And I adore young love. There is nothing better than exploring that first kiss, those intense crazy feelings, and being so blissfully in love that nothing else matters.

I love to write about headstrong females with smart mouths that get them in loads of trouble, and drool-worthy alpha males who get knocked on their butt all in the name of love. Add a bit of paranormal and magic to the mix and that's my recipe for a novel.

What do you think makes a good story?

A really hot, mouth-watering bad boy. I am a sucker for them. The more possessive and snarky, the better. Lots of kissing and stuff, if you get my drift. I also like my heroine to be sassy and empowering.

Are you a Plotting (plot out) and Pantsing (free writing) writing?

No plotting here. I pretty much fly by the seat of my pants. My style consists of a bunch of scribbled notes of ideas and scenes that come to me in the most inconvenient times, like when I'm stuck in traffic, in the shower, or waiting in line at the grocery store. Trying to piece those together in a story that flows can be interesting. Most of the time when I get to the end of a book, I'm shocked it all came together. I also think I suffer quite a bit from procrastination thanks to Twitter and Facebook.