Guest Post With Author Jennifer Comeaux

Happy Monday, book fans! Today I have author Jennifer Comeaux on the blog! Enjoy the interview and the peek at her book Life on the Edge!

First off, can you tell everyone a little bit more about yourself?  

I've lived in Louisiana all my life and graduated from Tulane University with a degree in accounting. I'm a Certified Public Accountant and work as the Tax Manager for a large corporation. Writing is my creative escape!

What age did you start writing? What inspired you to start?  

I started writing when I was around seven years old. I still have the stories I wrote on loose leaf paper! I don't remember what exactly got me started, but I loved to read and to make up stories in my head, so those were probably two big factors.

Tell us about your book(s)?  

My debut novel LIFE ON THE EDGE was just released by Astraea Press. The book is a YA/contemporary romance, a story of forbidden love between a figure skater and her coach. It's a feel-good story and one that can be enjoyed by all ages! I think my favorite comment so far from a reader has been - "I all of a sudden want to quit my job, pick up skating, and date a ridiculously attractive Russian coach." :)

Are any of your characters a lot like you?

My protagonist Emily shares many of my values and also my love for Italian food. I only dream of being as talented a skater as Emily, though. I've stepped on the ice once in my life, and I clung to the boards almost the entire time!

Do you listen to music while you write? Do you have playlists for your books?  

I do listen to music sometimes when I write. Classical music is especially helpful when I'm writing skating action scenes. I have a soundtrack for Life on the Edge that I burned onto a CD. Music plays an important role in the book, and I make quite a few song references in the story. On my blog, I have a playlist of part of the soundtrack here=> http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com/2011/09/power-of-music_28.html 

 What are you currently working on?  

I'm currently working on ideas for a sequel to LIFE ON THE EDGE, continuing Emily and Sergei's story. There's still much more to explore!

Do you have a certain place/time you write?

No, I can pretty much write anywhere, and I write on both my laptop and freehand in my journal. I've found I'm often more successful when writing in my journal because I'm not distracted by other things on my computer, like that pesky internet :)

What do you do when you're not writing?

I'm an avid Tulane baseball fan, so in the spring you'll find me at the ballpark almost every weekend. I love listening to music and I have certain TV shows I can't miss (Once Upon a Time, Pretty Little Liars, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory are a few). I also love to travel, especially to figure skating competitions. I've made some incredible friends through my travels!

Do you read all the reviews about your books?

Since this is my first book, I've been anxiously looking for reviews everywhere :) It's still a little surreal, reading strangers' thoughts about my story!

Tell us about your journey to get published?

About a year ago, another writer told me about Astraea Press and how she thought they might be a good fit for my story. I started reading some of their books and following their authors' blogs and really liked what I saw. I commented on one of the author blogs that I was writing a sweet romance, and the author asked me to tell her more about it. She loved the sample writing I sent her and encouraged me to submit! I was pretty much jumping up and down in my office. I still had some work to do on the manuscript, and once I finished, I submitted it and received a contract less than a month later! It was a day I'll never forget.

Do you read? Who is your favorite author?

I haven't been able to devote as much time to reading lately, and I'm hoping to change that soon. My current favorite author is Rachel Hawthorne. I love her YA romances.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors like myself?

Definitely work with critique groups, whether it's through an online site like Critique Circle or with a few writer friends. The support and advice I received from my "critters" was invaluable. 

Random questions:

Favorite band? The Fray, U2, Coldplay

Movie? This is a hard one because there are so many! The Notebook, Center Stage, Beauty and the Beast, Phantom of the Opera, to name a few :)

Great movie choices! Some of my favorites as well! :)

Color?   Blue-green

Food?  Italian

Where can fans find you? 

My blog:  http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/jennifercomeauxauthor

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/#!/LadyWave4

Goodreads:   http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5368434.Jennifer_Comeaux

Anything else you'd like to tell everyone?

If you read LIFE ON THE EDGE, I'd love to hear your thoughts! I'm always online, and you can find me at any of the sites above. I love talking to readers and getting their feedback!

Life on the Edge
by Jennifer Comeaux
Published by Astraea Press
Nineteen-year-old Emily is new to pairs skating, but she and her partner Chris have a big dream–to be the first American team to win Olympic gold. Their young coach Sergei, who left Russia after a mysterious end to his skating career, believes they can break through and make history.
Emily and Chris are on track to be top contenders at the 2002 Winter Games. But when forbidden feelings spark between Emily and Sergei, broken trust and an unexpected enemy threaten to derail Emily’s dreams of gold.


Excerpt:

The wind picked up, rustling the trees and sending my empty cup skittering over the table. Sergei snatched it and noticed the time on his watch.
“Oh, wow, it’s two thirty. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stay this late.”
“No worries. I can sleep till noon tomorrow.”
He rose from his chair, stretching his arms. “Do you think they all killed each other downstairs?”
“My guess is they played so hard they passed out at some point. That’s been known to happen.”
I got up and smoothed my skirt. I’d kicked off my sandals hours ago, and the weathered wood of the patio was cool under my bare feet.
Sergei took a step toward me. “Thanks again for the great meal. And the even better company.”
“You’re very welcome. I’m so glad you came.”
I stood on tippy-toes to give him a quick hug, but Sergei’s strong arms held me against him, enveloping my small frame. His body exuded warmth. I closed my eyes and breathed in the woody scent of his cologne. We’d shared plenty of hugs at competitions, but this felt so different, like we belonged nowhere else but in this embrace.
After what seemed like both an eternity and a split second, Sergei pulled away, his hands brushing down my back. He glanced downward and gestured to the door.
“I can let myself out.”
My head bobbed weakly. “Okay. I’ll see you Monday.”
“See you.” He held my gaze a moment longer than necessary. Then he was gone.
I stood paralyzed, listening to the blood pulse in my ears. My heart beat so fast I thought it might pound out of my chest. I couldn’t have imagined the electricity I’d felt in Sergei’s arms. It was too real. And I had no idea how I could ever forget it.
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Life-on-the-Edge-ebook/dp/B006T89A4Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325724001&sr=1-1
Barnes & Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/life-on-the-edge-jennifer-comeaux/1108128017?ean=2940013689534&itm=1&usri=jennifer+comeaux
Astraea Press link: http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=8347323
Author Website: http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5368434.Jennifer_Comeaux
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/jennifercomeauxauthor.com
Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/#!/LadyWave4

Happy Reading!
Kristina