Interview with author Jennifer AlLee

Today we are interviewing author Jennifer AlLee. Her most recent book, The Pastor's Wife, is available through Abingdon Press.

As a child, Jennifer AlLee lived above a mortuary in the heart of Hollywood, California, which may explain her unique outlook on life. Her publishing credits include The Love of His Brother, a contemporary romance from Five Star Publishing (November 2007) as well as skits, activity pages, and over one hundred contributions to Concordia Publishing House’s popular My Devotions series. Her latest novel, The Pastor’s Wife, releases February 1, 2010 from Abingdon Press. She’s an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and serves as the Nevada Area Coordinator. Jennifer resides in the grace-filled city of Las Vegas, Nevada with her husband and teenage son. Visit her website at http://www.jenniferallee.com/

The Pastor's Wife: Maura Sullivan thought she knew what she was getting into when she married soon-to-be pastor Nick Shepherd. But when “the other woman” in her marriage turned out to be her husband's congregation, she ran. Three years later, she’s back in the small community of Granger, Ohio, for the reading of a will that names both her and Nick as beneficiaries. Now Maura must face the husband – and the congregation – she left behind.

 View the book trailer on YouTube.

Jennifer took a few minutes to talk about publishing from a writer's perspective with Tiffany Colter.

Tiffany Colter: What do you do when you're not writing? How do you maintain balance?

Jennifer AlLee: Maintaining balance hasn't really been a problem. My husband and son understand that sometimes I need to lock myself in my office, but that doesn't happen very often. They're both extremely supportive of what I do.

During my non-writing times, I enjoy movies, TV, live theatre... I'm something of a pop culture junkie. And I love playing non-traditional games like Carcassonne, Settlers of Catan, and Small World (which isn't nearly as sweet as it sounds).  One of my favorite things to do right now is meet friends at church for Saturday night service, then go to dinner, and then head to a local game store for their open game night. You never know who will be there or what you'll end up playing. It's all kinds of fun!

TC: How do you market yourself and your writing?

JA: The internet is probably the single greatest tool a writer has available right now... and it's mostly free! After I sold my first book, I realized I needed a web presence. I also realized that while I could figure out how to put up a website, my efforts would be best spent elsewhere. So I found a great web designer. (Not free, but absolutely worth every penny.) One of the things we put on the site was a sign up for my eNewsletter. Three years later, l have a growing list of subscribers who receive my quarterly emails.
 
I'm also active on Twitter and Facebook. The trick about social networking is to find a balance. I make a point to connect with people on a friendship level first. The last thing I want to do is make every tweet or status update a commercial for my books. And I avoid most of the time suckers, like games, pokes, pillow fights, etc. If you've been to Facebook, you know what I mean. It's fine for some people, but I just don't have time.
 
On top of that, I've got a blog tour going right now. I've made a book trailer to garner more interest. I'm taking advantage of speaking opportunities. And I'm available to speak to book clubs, either in person (if they're local to Las Vegas) or via speaker phone. It's amazing how many different ways there are to market a book.

TC: Who has influenced you in your writing career?

JA: There are so many people, but two women stand out: Deborah Raney and Sharon Hinck. My personal interactions with them have been minimal, but without knowing it, they've both spoken into my life just by the example they set in their dealings with others. They display such loving, giving spirits, and the love of God just oozes out of them. Of course, they're incredible writers, as well. They set a very high bar for how I want to conduct myself professionally.

TC: Anything else you'd like to add?

JA: I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to share with your readers. And I'd like to invite everyone to visit me in cyberspace. You can find me at Twitter (http://twitter.com/jallee), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/jennifer.allee), my blog (http://jenniferallee.blogspot.com), and my website (www.jenniferallee.com). Many blessings to you all!

Read more of Jennifer’s interview at Writing Career Coach and learn how she plans and writes her books.

YOU COULD WIN!
Leave a comment on this posting and you could win a copy of The Pastor's Wife. The drawing will take place on Feb. 9, 2010.  This give away is for US residents only. There is no fee to enter.

Other books by Jennifer AlLee:
The Love of His Brother