Jay Crownover Interview Published on: 20, Feb 2018
Did you grow up in Colorado? What was the name of the street you lived in?
I did. I am a Colorado native. I grew up in a small mountain town called Woodland Park. The street was Julie Court if I remember right.
What was the first job you ever got? How would you describe your experiences there?At a xmas themed amusement park called Santa's Village. I was 15 and I ran the boat ride and the big slide It was a ridiculous summer job, but pretty good for a first one.
What was one of your favourite books as a kid? What about now? Was it this book that sparked your love for reading and writing?I loved everything Nancy Drew when I was younger. As an adult, I tend to stick to romance, contemporary and romantic suspense in particular. Honestly, the book that made me want to write was Cather in the Rye. I loved the character of Holden and how he wasn't a typical hero. I also really loved George Orwell as a teenager and SE Hinton. I loved main characters that were challenging
When did you first try you hand at writing? What did you write and did anyone else read it?I had an English teacher in high school that always encouraged me to write. Short stories, novellas, poetry. I wrote it all and passed it along to him to read. He often entered my stuff in writing contests. I won a few along the way. I didn't share my writing on a large scale until I published my first book.
What started the Marked Men Series? What did you enjoy most about writing this series?I liked that it was a series comprised of people and places I think I would enjoy spending time with and at. The whole series revolves around things I like and that define who I am. The characters feel like old friends.
Where did you get the inspiration for hotties Jet, Rule and Rome? Which of these men would you most like to take out on a date and why?Jet came from a metal head I had a crush on in high school, Rome came from some of the young soldiers that frequented the bar I was running at the time of writing, and Rule... well rule is pretty much me as a boy. Which I know is weird, but totally true.
Besides the memorable men in your books, you also feature a lot of strong female characters. Who do you normally model these women after? Which female character did you model closest to your own personality?I don't model them after anyone in particular. I just write them the way I hope real women would react in similar circumstances. I honestly want all women to see themselves in my female leads. As for who I'm most like, hands down Leo from Retreat. She is very much based off my own prickly, standoffish when it comes to feelings and real connections personality.
Between Brynn, Leo, and Emrys, who would you like to switch lives with, if you had to? Why?Uhhh...I think Em. I love Sutton and wouldn't mind an hour or two cuddled up next to him. I also think she had the strongest support system in her life which is really nice.
Will you be adding any more books to the Getaway Series in the future? How do you know when a series is over or when you want to add another story to the mix?I have a couple of characters I would still like to write about for sure. It usually is a financial determination. Are readers responding to the series and will it make financial sense to invest time and money in another book based in that world. We just have to wait and see.
How would you describe the book "HONOR (The Breaking Point series)" in three words? What are you most satisfied about writing this novel?Dark, Dangerous, Romantic. Finally getting to share Nassir's history with readers that were fans of the Point. There were so many good reasons for him to be as bad as he was and it was awesome to shine a light on that.
Why did you write the Saints of Denver novels? Which book in this series took more time to write? How long does it usually take you to write a book?I wrote it because I had too many characters that still needed their story told, too many loose ends were dangling. Salvaged took the longest. The last book in a series tends to because you are wrapping up so many storylines. It usually takes me 2-3 months to write a rough draft. Sometimes faster or slower depending on my travel sch.
Out of all your books, which one are you most satisfied with? Which one has had the most success so far?Rule is hands-down the most successful, worldwide. My favorite is Better When He's Bad. I like that Bax is such a different kind of hero and that he doesn't have to change who he is to find the person that loves him unconditionally.
What does it take to be a bestsellng author, to you? What are some messages you want to spread with your writing?I mean, you have to sell a shit-ton of books to be a verified bestseller. Hitting a list is very hard and never a guarantee. To be a good, successful author, I think that means being able to write full time and pay your bills and run your business with nothing but the profit of writing. A list can't give you that and honestly if that's what you are chasing after you are going to be disappointed because the rules to hit are always changing and are always more difficult for romance titles. I think the overall theme of my books is, that you are enough. No matter how you look, or where you come from, or where you are headed, who you are is enough. I also tend to focus on the fact that you can only find real happiness with someone else when you are happy with yourself.
