Welcome Guest Blogger…MARY JO PUTNEY
We are thrilled to welcome the incomparable MARY JO PUTNEY to the jungle today! 
Mary Jo Putney is the multi-published author of more than twenty-nine romances in several genres. The first time I ever heard of her was probably 18 years ago when I saw an article in the Baltimore Sun about a local author who was writing traditional Regency romances. That article led me to attend my first RWA meeting…and I was star-struck to meet Mary Jo herself.
She didn’t stay in traditional Regencies for long. Mary Jo went on to write long historicals full of depth and substance, suspenseful contemporaries, and wildly imaginative paranormals full of charm and magic. A two-time RWA RITA Award winner, she has also made all of the national bestseller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly.
On a personal note…Mary Jo is just an incredibly gifted, kind and generous woman whose witty words of advice and wisdom have inspired countless other writers. Including me. And we are all just thrilled to have her here.
PS: To shake things up a little for Mary Jo’s visit, I developed some “interview” type questions for her…things I have long wanted to know, and things I thought our visitors to the jungle would like to know, too. Mary Jo will be popping in all day, so feel free to ask additional comments, share your feelings about MJP’s books or just shout out hello!
Also…Mary Jo will be giving away an autographed copy of THE MARRIAGE SPELL! A random winner will be drawn from among all commenters today.
Now, please welcome…MARY JO PUTNEY! 
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Hi, there, Plot Monkeys!
I’m known most of the various Monkeys for years. For example, Leslie and I are probably the only romance writers in the business whose Main Men are industrial hygienists. (This is a specialist area of health and safety that obviously attracts very high quality people!)
I first became aware of the Plot Monkeys group blog at last year’s RWA conference in Atlanta. One of the pleasures of such conferences is running into people you know—and if you’re a career writer, who has been publishing books regularly for years, you tend to know a lot of other writers.
Anyhow, I was a member of www.wordwenches.com a new blog of historical writers, and fellow Wench Pat Rice and I ran into a gaggle of Monkeys in the conference bookroom on that fateful day. The Plot Monkeys were very generous in sharing their experience and expertise about group blogging, for which we Wenches were very grateful. One of the really lovely things about being a romance writer is how genuinely nice and helpful most of our sisters writers are. And now on to our Q&A!
LK: You got your start in romance fiction by writing “traditional” Regency romances, among them RWA RITA Award winner THE RAKE AND THE REFORMER. And you are one of the few authors who then took some of your original traditional Regencies and lengthened them into long historical romances. Whose idea was that…and was the experiment a success?
MJP: Revising the traditional Regencies was pretty much my idea. My publisher wanted to reissue anything that might make them some more money. I didn’t mind that since I’d make money too,
She was fine with that, so I was off. A lot of what I did was tightening my leisurely Regency prose, and also narrowing the points of view. In traditional Regency, you can jump all over in pov—even the butler and the cat, which I’ve done. With historical romance, restricting the point of view to two or three characters deepens the emotion. I learned a lot with those rewrites! In some books, I expanded the stories a bit where I thought it would enhance the book. These revised versions sold well and people seemed to like them, so yes, they were a success.
There are two ironies here. One is that when I revised The Rake and the Reformer, I a didn’t lengthen it—the revised version, The Rake, is actually 4K words shorter because of tightening the prose. The other is that I didn’t revise my very first book, The Diabolical Baron, because it felt too inherently Regency to make a good historical. (The only one of my Regencies I felt that way about.) Yet it’s been reissued at least three times, under different covers, most recently this past January along with a novella in a compendium called Dangerous to Know.
The story always sells well, and even though I knew nothing about writing then, there are still people for whom The Diabolical Baron is their favorite of my books. I think the excitement of learning to write makes our early books glow. We learn more about writing over time, our work gets technically better, but maybe we lose something along the way. But that’s a topic for another day.
LK: Your Bride trilogy featured what I think were your most unusual heroines–one didn’t speak, another was a martial arts expert in disguise as a man, the third an English slave in the East Indies who has to be “saved” by the hero in an extremely controversial, humiliating public sex scene. How did your readers react to this departure from the more typical MJP historical heroine you’d done before that point? Did researching this trilogy–with its worldwide settings–differ from your other Regency historicals?
MJP: Romance readers are very polite—if any of them hated my Bride book heroines, they didn’t say so to my face. 
She had been so traumatized as a child that she didn’t speak, didn’t interact, and was generally considered crazy. Why should she speak? She was a great heiress and she had everything she wanted on her family estate. Until the hero came along and danger threatened and she had to change or else….
As for the other two heroines—Troth in The China Bride was Scottish and Chinese, raised in a Chinese compound and used as a translator after her parents died. I’ve always been intrigued by mixed-blood characters because it’s such a powerful metaphor for the outsider part in all of us. Plus, in our contemporary world, there are more and more mixed marriages, so it’s a good theme to explore. (The book I’m working on now has a mixed race hero.) 
Researching the exotic settings was definite a chore, but for some reason, I’ve always been fascinated by the vast, mysterious spaces of Asia. In the 19th century, East and West were discovering each other, which provides lots of great plot possibilities. The Bride Trilogy is actually my second trilogy with Asian settings, and I’ve been moving steadily east. Silk and Secrets was based on a real rescue mission to Bokhara, Veils of Silk was set in India, The China Bride was China and Britain, and The Bartered Bride was the East Indies and Britain. Not everyone likes the exotic settings—but those who like them really like them!
LK: Speaking of controversy…let’s talk about your contemporaries. The first, THE BURNING POINT, raised a lot of sparks, yet it addressed a very basic issue about whether people truly can learn from their behavior and change who they are. What was the final verdict on this book, after all the smoke cleared, from your loyal readers? Do you regret making the choice to delve into that subject (abuse)?
MJP: Ah, The Burning Point! Yes, I got flamed on the internet for that one, but no, I’m not sorry I wrote it. So many domestic abuse stories are black and white, while life is full of grays. I wanted to write a book where the abuser was basically a good guy who’d had a hard life and did some bad things, but who had the capacity to change. Because of the specific circumstances of his life, plus his commitment to change, he did manage to grow beyond the mistakes he made. Rebuilding trust with a partner who has been wronged is perhaps even harder than changing oneself. But romance is an essentially optimistic genre, so my characters succeed. Just as some people do in real life.
The Burning Point is in some ways a primer on domestic violence, and how it can creep up. It isn’t like people appear with a big red A for Abuser on their foreheads. Change in a relationship can be insidious. Not every day is a bad day, so situations can get really bad, like the frog in a pot of water that is gradually heated up. You just don’t notice until things have really deteriorated.
Was it worth writing a book that was so edgy? Well, after it came out I got an e-mail from a woman that basically said, “I read your book, realized it wasn’t all my fault, and I left him.” If that story helped just one woman escape an abusive relationship, it was worth the flames. And a lot of readers loved the contemporaries, though all are edgy.
LK: You’ve also dipped your pen into fantasy/paranormals. Do you find writing those to be more like writing your historicals, or your contemporaries? Or is it something altogether different?
MJP: While I think my contemporaries are good books, writing them made me I realize that at heart, I was much more of a historical writer. The historical paranormals were quite a different matter. I’m a life long reader of science fiction and fantasy, and I found that braiding fantasy elements together with history and romance was a perfect fit. When I was writing the Bride books, I really felt in danger of burning out on historical romance—I mean, The China Bride starts with the hero dead and The Bartered Bride started with the heroine dead. How desperate is that?!!! (Trust me, they’re romances with happy endings. Really.) (Note from LK: Yes, they are. Though I was a little worried at the start of The Bartered Bride…I mean, the hero was in prison for killing the heroine!)
That fear of burning out and writing books that might be sub par is what drove me to try new kinds of stories. I particularly loved the fantasy books, but after four of them, I’m changing publishers and going back to straight historical romance, since that’s what the editors wanted. And I’m fine with that—after wandering in different pastures for a while, I feel like I’m coming home.
LK: Your paranormal novel THE MARRIAGE SPELL, which the Library Journal named one of the top five historical romances of 2006 and was an All About Romance “Desert Island Keeper” is now available in paperback. How did you come up with the idea to develop a Regency England in which magic and sorcery are acknowledged (though disparaged) abilities?
MJP: I’d been having fantasy romance ideas for years, starting with the unicorn and maiden idea that evolved into Stolen Magic. I had another idea which could be connected and was set in the Scottish Rising of 1745, so that made Georgian settings logical. The period is wilder and woollier than the Regency, so that worked well. My third book in the Guardian series, A Distant Magic, will be out in mid-July. All three of these books had strong history behind them, and the series was moved to Del Rey, Ballantine’s sff imprint. When it was time to do a new proposal for Ballantine, I still wanted paranormal, but different from the Guardians.
So I decided return to the Regency, always my favorite period, and instead of having magic be secret, I made it an accepted part of the world. My best stroke was to have the upper classes consider magic to be really, really tacky. This whole alternative Regency world, where aristocratic little boys are sent to a school to have magic beaten out of them if they show too much interest, stemmed from that premise.
My hero, Jack Langdon, was such a little boy. But when he is mortally wounded in a hunting accident, the only one who might save him is a wizard’s daughter who is a powerful healer—and who has always fancied Jack from a distance. After that, Things Happen.
The book was great fun. I didn’t know it was a Desert Island Keeper, so thanks for letting me know!. The book is also an RWA RITA finalist, which proves that there is room in the market for a marriage of convenience historical. With magic.
LK: Your next entry into your Guardian series comes out next month. What is A DISTANT MAGIC about? 
MJP: The heroine, Jean Macrae, was a secondary character in my first two Guardian novels. In Marseilles for a wedding, she is kidnapped by Nikolai Gregorio, a piratical sea captain with a serious vendetta against her family and a passionate hatred of slavery. They manage to come to terms with each other and their erratic magical gifts, and together they swear to fight slavery any way they can. Then Adia, a West African sorceress and former slave, appears to enlist them as protectors of the fledgling abolition movement. It’s a combination of romance, history, and fantasy—and was really complicated to write!
LK: You’ve written in so many different forms–short historicals, long historicals, contemporaries, novellas, non-fiction articles, paranormals. Where does your true writing heart lie?
MJP: My true writing heart lies in romance first, historicals second. I love writing about wounded people who become whole and find lasting love. I adore happy endings. All the rest is just icing on the cake.
LK: Any advice for other writers out there struggling to make it in this crazy business?
MJP: To survive, you have to love telling stories more than you hate the craziness. And the single most important trait for building a lasting career is persistence. Tenacity doesn’t guarantee success, but quitting guarantees failure.
Not that I think writing is the best and only path! There is much to be said for having a real life, and maybe even a living income. But if the writing compulsion is strong (and it is a compulsion), hang in there! I have a friend who hadn’t sold a book in something like five years, ever since her publisher stopped doing the kind of book she wrote. She kept writing, tried new things, sold a few short pieces—and she has just gotten a two book offer from a major publisher. Persistence counts.
I didn’t actually come here to promote someone else’s books, but since the subject has come up—the best writing about the writer’s life that I’ve ever come across is the Comely Curmudgeon columns that my friend Laura Resnick wrote for the Novelists, Inc. newsletter for several years. Laura is smart, funny, and occasionally crazed, and her collected columns are being published at the end of June in a collection entitled Rejection, Romance, and Royalties. If you want to know about the writer’s life, or if you want a good laugh, look for the book. (For excerpts, go to http://lauraresnick.com/ and click on the RRR cover.)
Thanks for having me here, guys! And if you readers have any questions—ask away!
Mary Jo Putney
Welcome Mary Jo. I haven’t read any of your books, but they sound good! I can’t believe I am the first poster.
Comment by katie — June 18, 2007 @ 9:22 am
WELCOME MARY JO!
My favorite MJ book is THUNDER AND ROSES and I approached Mary Jo at a regional conference years ago when I was unpublished and she’d just done a workshop and asked her to sign which she did. I was awestruck. Still am.
Enjoy your time here in the Jungle. I know we’re thrilled you’re here!
Comment by Carly — June 18, 2007 @ 9:28 am
Welcome, Mary Jo! My keyboard went wonky this morning (wireless…new…go figure) and my post disappeared. Ah, technology.
I second Leslie’s sentiments on how gracious you have always been. I’m over it now (we’ve known each other long enough now, LOL!) but I used to always walk away after talking to you muttering something along the lines of, “Mary Jo Putney knows who I am!” Starstruck, I admit it.
I don’t think I have a question…I love the Guardian series! I remember when I first read the first one, I had no knowledge of the Georgian era or the Jacobite rebellion. Now I’m researching it myself for my contemporary paranormals. I think I’m going to go back and re-read the book now that I know something about the era!
Oh, here’s a question…what’s your one favorite research source for this time period?
Julie
Comment by Julie Leto — June 18, 2007 @ 9:32 am
I loved the Gyspy and the Demon Earl thing … He was just so sexy. I still remember the pool table scene … OK back into my cave. Write, Carly, write. (if only the kids would stop having activities!)
Comment by Carly — June 18, 2007 @ 9:36 am
Welcome Mary Jo!!
I am not a big regency reader, but I do pick ones up that sound interesting. I prefer contemporary and paranorma. Which lead me to Stolen Magic. Which I loved!!
I am so glad to know that there is a sequel, The Marriage Spell. I will have to go and find it and take it with me on vacation. I think I will be packing more books than clothes.
Hopefully, I will be able to pop back in later. got lots to do before Saturday!!
Comment by ev — June 18, 2007 @ 9:43 am
Welcome and thanks for stopping by. I have read several of your stories and enjoyed them all.
Loved the interview!
Have a super day!
Comment by Debbie — June 18, 2007 @ 9:48 am
Welcome Mary Jo. I enjoyed reading the interview and learning more about you. I’m not a big historical romance reader, but plan to pick up one of your books next time I’m at the library. The Guardian series sounds really interesting and I’ll look for that one first.
Comment by Liza — June 18, 2007 @ 9:57 am
Hi Mary Jo. I really enjoyed reading the interview today, and just popped in to say hi. I find it fascinating that one person can write so many genres and be so good at them all.. thanks for stopping in to the plotmonkeys site and sharing with us all…
Comment by Jolene Fehr — June 18, 2007 @ 10:11 am
Welcome, your books sound great!
Comment by barbaraV — June 18, 2007 @ 10:15 am
Wecome Mary Jo to the plotmonkeys. I’m so excited you’re here.
My questions for you are:
1. How novels had you written before you where published and now that you are have any of those books made it the published world or are they still lurking somewhere under the bed?
2. How long does it take you to finish the first draft of your novels?
Comment by Vicki — June 18, 2007 @ 10:27 am
From MJP:
What a great welcome to the jungle! Not only are the natives wonderfully friendly–but NO MOSQUITOES!!!
Carly, now that you’re a star yourself, I’m sure that you’ve learned it’s a great pleasure to sign a reader’s book! And I’ll bet there are authors of tomorrow who walk away from your talks saying “Carly Phillips signed my book! And she’s nice!” Personally, I think that writing books is hard. Being nice to nice people is easy.
Julie, I remember exactly how we met. How could I not remember a writer so dynamic and entertaining? (And who can do really scary books!)
As to my best research resource for the Georgian period…. Well, for A Distant Magic, it was Adam Hochschild’s amazing book, BURY THE CHAINS. That focused on slavery and abolition so it isn’t the best general resourch, though he does talk a fair amount about the 18th century in general. A terrific resouce for London in any time period is THE LONDON ENCYCLOPEDIA by Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert. It’s expensive, but it tells all kinds of historical stuff about London through the ages, including streets and buildings and things like the London police, street peddlers, lighting, etc.
I also have a huge reference tome called BRITAIN IN THE HANOVERIAN AGE, 1714-1837. It’s set up encyclopedia style, with lots of useful entries on things like politics, clothing, wigs–you name it!
Ev, I’m with you on packing more books than clothes for a vacation! I’m waiting for a really good e-book reader so I can get 15 books into the size of one paperback. Note, though: THE MARRIAGE SPELL is not a spin-off of STOLEN MAGIC. They are two separate series in different paranormal worlds (though still very British.) The spin-off of Stolen Magic is A DISTANT MAGIC, out in hardcover in mid-July. The first in the Guardian trilogy is A KISS OF FATE. This doesn’t mean you can’t take The Marriage Spell on vacation, though!
Vicki–I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I don’t have books in the closet. I sold my first Regency, The Diabolical Baron, before it was even finished because the business was booming, I had a natural Regency voice–and Regencies had such low advances that it wasn’t much of a risk for my editor.
Times were very different in the late 80s!
As to how long for the first draft–I’m not a first draft writer. I’m the caterpillar type who crawls through really slowly, editing as I go, and at the end, I have to send it to my editor immediately because I’m up against the deadline. That said, it takes me usually 8 or 9 months to write a book, though I keep trying to figure out ways to be faster.
I’ll be back later today. I also realized–DUH!–that I forgot to say that I’ll be giving away a signed copy of The Marriage Spell today. I’ll go tell Leslie how she’d like to handle it.
Till later–
Comment by Mary Jo Putney — June 18, 2007 @ 10:59 am
Welcome Mary Jo
I enjoyed reading your blog this morning.
I’m not a big historical romance reader, but plan to pick up one of your books next time I’m at the library.
Comment by Cherylann — June 18, 2007 @ 11:08 am
Thanks again, so much, for coming today, Mary Jo!!
I did add a note to the top of the blog, mentioning your free book offer. We’ll do it the way we do all our contests here…I’ll ask one of my kids to pick a number between 1 and whatever the last numbered comment is. As long as it’s not either a monkey, or our guest, that person wins the prize!
Comment by Leslie — June 18, 2007 @ 11:19 am
Thanks, Mary Jo! I just called my library to get me copy of BRITAIN IN THE HANOVERIAN AGE, 1714-1837, which of course, it doesn’t have. They’re trying for an inter-library loan…in the meantime, I might break down and shell out the $$ to buy it since I am writing 6 books with these Georgian characters.
Thank you!!
Comment by Julie Leto — June 18, 2007 @ 11:26 am
So happy you’re here, Mary Jo. I haven’t read any of your books yet but you’ve been on my TBB list & I’ll be getting to yours soon. I can’t wait because so many of your books look amazing.
Comment by Stacia Helpman — June 18, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
Hi Mary Jo,
It is wonderful to see you here. I enjoyed reading your interview. The Marriage Spell and A Distant Magic both sound wonderful.
Comment by Cherie Japp — June 18, 2007 @ 12:35 pm
Great interview, Mary Jo! I’ve loved your books for a long time.
Lisa
Comment by Lisa Plumley — June 18, 2007 @ 12:50 pm
Enjoyed having you here today. Keep up the great writing!
Comment by Teresa W. — June 18, 2007 @ 12:55 pm
Hi MaryJo and welcome; you are new to me so I will keep checking on the comments here today.
Comment by RobynL — June 18, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
Hey Mary Jo. Love reading your books.
Comment by Annie — June 18, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
As a teenager, I read regencies. They have to be particularly fresh in someway for me to read them now. But your books sound interesting. You seem to have a knack for delivering some unusual plot twists in a very credible way.
Comment by Patricia W — June 18, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
I love reading your books. How long does it usually take you to write one and where do you get most of your ideas?
Comment by Kimmy — June 18, 2007 @ 1:07 pm
Hi Mary Jo!
Here’s a big wave from Word Wenches
(I like these little icons)
I’m new here, so won’t take up too much space, except to say that Mary Jo’s books are fantastic. And, that it’s all her fault I finally gave into my writing compulsion and started a romance novel.
I was so happy before… Love ya, Mary Jo!
The littlest wenchling, who enjoyed Saturday’s post on Agents.
Comment by NinaP — June 18, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
Hi Mary Jo and welcome to The Plotmonkey’s. I enjoyed reading about you and how you got started in the business.
One thing that I would like to know from any of you ladies is about the love scenes in your books. I just finished reading one of Janelle’s stories and let me tell you, it got pretty hot.
Believe me, I love the scenes but I have dabble with writing since I was about 12 years old and for my own pleasure. I’ve never tried to be publishd. But if I ever was, some of my relatives would probably disown me for some of the sex scenes.
My question is do any of you get any heat from family members or friends for writing such graphic material? Or do you just tell them and let them know that it may not be something that they would want to read?
This is something that I have always wondered about and would love to hear your comments.
Comment by Tina Byrd — June 18, 2007 @ 2:56 pm
Tina, not to hijack Mary Jo’s answer…I’m very curious to hear her take on this…but no, I do not get any heat from my family because I simply don’t allow it. I’m not shy–and if they want to talk about the love scenes, I’ll TALK about the love scenes, if you get my drift. My attitude is, love them or shut the hell up. Most of my family loves them–or at least, they love me enough to not judge. In fact, I have no idea if anyone doesn’t because they’d have to have a lot of guts to tell me!
I’ve had friends try and give me grief, but I have such a sense of humor about it and am not the least bit embarrassed…which steals their thunder, you know? Most people who razz about the sex, I think, mean to make you uncomfortable. If you don’t bite, they leave it alone. You have to own your writing. No one should write outside of their comfort zone for exactly this reason. If you write it, you should be proud of it and willing to embrace it with anyone. And if people criticize, you need to be ready, willing and able to knock them down. My books are my babies…love scenes and all!
Comment by Julie Leto — June 18, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
Hi Mary Jo. Your books sound great. You have some beautiful covers.
Comment by Crystal B. — June 18, 2007 @ 3:22 pm
Welcome Mary Jo.
I’ve enjoyed reading about you & the books you have written. These days I rarely read any type of historical romances but your comments have grabbed my interest. Over the weekend I was going through a bag of books that was passed to me many ages ago & I found your book The Wild Child. I think I will have to read it! I’m going to look for your contemporaries.
Thanks for coming to visit us today.
Comment by Donna M — June 18, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
Mary Jo, thank you for the interview, which pointed out a number of books I need to read.
Comment by Sue A. — June 18, 2007 @ 3:43 pm
Wonderful interview. I can’t remember not reading and loving your books. You were the reason I started reading romance.
Comment by Paula — June 18, 2007 @ 4:40 pm
MJP again:
Hi, Nina!
Nice to see you here. Nina is one of our valued regulars at WordWenches, and I’ll bet she’s enjoying the jungle just as much!
For those of you who are regular readers of mine, thanks for the kind words! If you haven’t read my work but are going to give it a try, thanks for being willing. No writer is for every reader, and historical and contemporary audience are somewhat different (with some overlap, of course.) So I’m always glad when someone is willing to pick up a book they might not usually try.
Julie, I freaked when I sent to Amazon and checked what Britain in the Hanoverian Age is selling for. I know I didn’t pay anything like $195 for it! I think I might have bought it new from a stack of remaindered books for one heck of a lot less. So you might want to look at a copy before you order!
Not that there isn’t a ton of useful info in the book–there is. But it is encyclopedia style, and it may not give you a sense of what it was like to live then. A book that might be a better place to start is Liza Picard’s DR. JOHNSON’S LONDON or perhaps Derek Jarrett’s ENGLAND IN THE AGE OF HOGARTH. They’re both more narrative history’s which could give you a grounding in the feel of the era.
Tina, Julie’s answer about family reactions to love scenes is pretty much what I’d say. My family is generally proud that I’m an author, and if they find some of my work racy, they don’t say so. Again as Julie said, it’s important to write within one’s own comfort zone. I’m not the hottest writer, but I don’t close the bedroom door, either. The love scenes are part of the developing relationship, and they suit the story. My own mother never read my historicals, though she did read the traditional Regencies. She was apologetic about not reading the sexier books, but hey, she’s entitled to read whatever she wants.
Crystal, you’re right–I’ve had some beautiful covers!
As to where I get my ideas–everywhere. A story telling mind is a particular talent, just like a number-crunching mind is a talent. One of my books was inspired by an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation (not the plot, but a certain kind of character), while other books grow from secondary characters in earlier books. If I get interested in such a character, I start gnawing on what kind of story would highlight what’s unique about that particular person? And what kind of mate would best suit??
Ideas are everywhere. It’s execution that’s hard!
Mary Jo
Comment by Mary Jo Putney — June 18, 2007 @ 4:44 pm
Hi Mary Jo - just wanted to jump in and say welcome. I enjoyed reading your interview and answers.
Tina - I liked your question and I loved Julie’s answer!! Mary Jo’s as well. I struggle with that same thing but from somewhat of a different angle. I live in a small town (heavy on the Baptist) and am married into a family that everyone knows -literally because they own the local funeral home! When hubby and I decided to “live in sin” the entire family had a screaming fit because of the scandal we were going to cause.
Of course, no one really cared, but I still worry about my husband or another one of his family members having to hear about something I might do. I’m just about to the point of not caring, but it’s taken me a really long time (and lots of support from hubby) to get there!
I also think of a great saying from Mary Kay Ash: “You wouldn’t worry what others thought of you, if you really knew how little they do.”
Sorry to be so long winded. I’m off to see what I missed on Saturday…
Comment by Jodie — June 18, 2007 @ 5:03 pm
Mary Jo - I have an e-bookman that can hold anywhere from 13 - 17 books (depending on the length of the books). It did take me a little bit to figure out it’s quarks but I’ve had it for about 2 years, and it has travelled hard! Just an fyi…
Comment by Jodie — June 18, 2007 @ 5:22 pm
Julie, thanks for your reply. I loved your answer. As far as I’m concerned, there is nothing to be ashamed about with the sex scenes because it’s a romance novel and that is apart of life and the growing process of real life love.
Shoot, the sex keeps us coming back for more.
I just know that I have some very old fashion southern relgious family members, my mom being one. Like I said, she would probably disown me if she ever read some of the stuff that I’ve written. Of course, any of my friends that have read my material have loved it.
But that was a great comment and glad that you responded.
Comment by Tina Byrd — June 18, 2007 @ 5:24 pm
Mary Jo, thanks for your response. I love both you & Julie’s answers.
I guess if I ever do decide to try to sell anything, I’ll just tell my Mom to buy it because I wrote it but don’t read it….
Jodi, I love the quote and I’m going to write it down because it is so true.
Comment by Tina Byrd — June 18, 2007 @ 5:33 pm
Welcome MaryJo. I’m sorry to say I haven’t read any of your books so far either. I lean toward contemporary. But I did find the interview interesting and enjoyed learning more about you. The Marriage Spell sounds like a story I would definitely enjoy reading.
Comment by Cheryl S. — June 18, 2007 @ 6:12 pm
Gasp…shock…AHH…Jodie, you…you LIVED IN SIN?
My answer is the same as Julie’s and Mary Jo’s. I write super hot stuff and my family is entirely supportive though I do get the occasional, “When are you going to write a, you know, more…serious book?” (Meaning–when are you going to stop with that sex stuff.)
I react the same way Julie does. I’ll talk about it head on, but don’t even think about trying to embarrass me or humiliate me about what I do, because I’m not a bit ashamed of it and have been known to make fools of people who act as though sex is some big, dark, no-no.
Comment by Leslie — June 18, 2007 @ 6:52 pm
I just wanted to let you know I’ve read several of your books and enjoyed them immensely and looking forward to reading more! I also enjoyed the interview.
Comment by catslady — June 18, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
Good for you Leslie because I love your books and they just wouldn’t be the same without the sex. Thanks for responding.
Comment by Tina Byrd — June 18, 2007 @ 7:49 pm
From MJP:
I grew up in a small town, so I understand that societal disapproval can be rough. One possibility is a pseudonym and anonymity. In fact, I know a woman who is a member of a very sheltered religious community who did exactly that. A few of her fellow writers, like me, knew her secret, and her husband supported her, but she kept a separate writing identity. Luckily, that isn’t necessary very often!
Jodie, I’ll have to look into the e-bookman. Thanks!
Comment by Mary Jo Putney — June 18, 2007 @ 8:22 pm
Leslie - back before I was willing to show anyone my wip hubby asked me why I was afraid to let anyone read it. Well, I used the sex part as an excuse, I realize now I was just afraid to hear criticism in general but, anyway I said, “It’s the sex.”
The absolute blank stare he gave me was priceless. He finally said, “What about it? It’s life! Everyone does it, well…everyone should do it so what’s the big deal?”
I laughed at them all 15 years ago when they freaked out about our co-habitating but I can see some little old lady approaching him and beating him with her umbrella because of his wicked wife.
And it seems ridiculous, but the town isn’t that big, minds tend to be that small and I can so see it happening. But you know what? I’m gonna go for it anyway and hopefully, someday, I’ll know exactly how they might react!!
Comment by Jodie — June 18, 2007 @ 8:22 pm
FWIW, I wrote my first–really really sexy—historicals while living in a small town. And I sold the first one the same week I took my first job as an accountant at a firm owned by two Baptist deacons. The Baptist preacher’s wife helped me find the job and told everyone all about my books, so I wouldn’t worry a whole lot about how a small takes your writing! Just beware that you might end up on the local celebrity tour.
Hey, Mary Jo, good job–now it’s back to the wenches where you don’t get to monkey around!
Comment by Patricia Rice — June 18, 2007 @ 8:26 pm
Patricia, don’t be a jungle-pooper. All the wenches are more than welcome to monkey around here anytime!
And Jodie…you go, girl! If anyone gives you flack, just give me a name and I’ll call my Uncle Guido. He’s very discreet.
Comment by Julie Leto — June 18, 2007 @ 8:32 pm
I’m going to have to try to find one of your books to read!! The only like bookstore that is in town is like wal-mart
BUt there are a few used book stores around so *prays* maybe someone gotten rid of one so that I can enjoy it!
Comment by Melissa — June 18, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
Welcome to the jungle, Mary Jo. I am such a fan!!!
Comment by Carol R — June 18, 2007 @ 9:01 pm
Okay, going to have to add another writer’s books to my TBR. The Bride Trilogy sounds really interesting. Thanks for stopping by Mary Jo!
Comment by Kelly R. — June 18, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
From MJP:
Julie, you have an Uncle Guido, too? My SO, who is half Italian, is always threatening to call his Uncle Guido when publishing isn’t nice to me.
Pat, you are a role model for writing sex in a small town!
Mary Jo, having fun monkeying around!
Comment by Mary Jo Putney — June 18, 2007 @ 9:20 pm
MJP- ok, now I will have to go get the Marriage Spell and wait for Kiss of Fate.
I have looked at the Sony Reader which we have in the store. I just don’t think that there are enough of what I read for me to buy it. Yet. And I get a good discount too.
I tend to borrow audios from the library and put them on my ipod which is defiantely much smaller.
I have to go pack. And clean out the bathrooms. We are having major work done on the ceilings in both of them, and have them painted and some electrical work while we are gone. At least I won’t have to be here for it!!
Comment by ev — June 18, 2007 @ 9:23 pm
Oooh…maybe your SO and I are related! All Italians have an Uncle Guido!
Comment by Julie Leto — June 18, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
From MJP:
Ev, A KISS OF FATE is available now. (It came out a couple of years ago.) A DISTANT MAGIC is the one that will be out in mid-July. The middle book of the trilogy is STOLEN MAGIC, also available now. As is The Marriage Spell. But all are books with magical elements, which I enjoy writing.
Julie, John’s Uncle Guido is a metaphor, not a real uncle. He says if he really wants to see knees broken, he’d call his Sicilian cousin, who isn’t a Guido.
The metaphor works very nicely, though!
Mary Jo
Comment by Mary Jo Putney — June 18, 2007 @ 10:35 pm
Hi, Mary Jo!
Please forgive me for not being here all day long — between having the kids home from school and having to run errands for and with them, along with a husband who recently had major foot surgery and can’t get around on his own very well, It’s been a non-stop day! 
But I did want to stop by and give you a warm (and belated) welcome to the jungle. You’re one of those authors who I admire and enjoy so much — I feel like such a “fan”!
Comment by Janelle — June 18, 2007 @ 11:05 pm
CONGRATULATIONS TO…
CATSLADY! Message # 37. You’re the winner of Mary Jo’s giveaway today. Please drop me a line at author@lesliekelly.com with your snail mail addy and I’ll forward it to Mary Jo so she can get your prize out to you.
Once again, BIG HUGE THANKS to Mary Jo Putney! You’re wonderful and charming and I’d really love to be you when I grow up. Or, at least to be as talented, and nice as you!!
Comment by Leslie — June 18, 2007 @ 11:06 pm
From MJP:
Leslie, you’re not only talented and charming, but BLOND. So I think you’re doing just fine.
Nice to see you, Janelle! I hope your husband recovers from that surgery soon. Being laid up is not good for one’s tempter.
Congratulations, catslady! There are cats in just about all my books, fwiw.
Thanks for inviting me to the jungle! I’ve truly had fun with this.
G’night, all–
Mary Jo
Comment by Mary Jo Putney — June 18, 2007 @ 11:19 pm
If anybody else was inspired to buy the research books Mary Jo recommended, you can find some helpful information on copies sold at various prices if you do a search on http://www.bookfinder.com
I used that yesterday and bought yet more research books to add to my too-full bookcases. I already have all her novels - and they’re all so wonderful.
-Michelle
Comment by Michelle — June 19, 2007 @ 12:15 pm