J.L. Campbell is an award-winning, Jamaican author who writes contemporary/sweet romance, romantic suspense, women’s fiction, new and young adult novels. She has written sixteen books, seven novellas and two short story collections.
Her novels include the Island Adventure Romance series, which currently has five exciting, stand-alone stories that feature feisty women and determined men. Campbell’s mission is to write stories that entertain and educate readers. She is a certified editor, who also writes non-fiction.
BPM: Tell us about your new book. What topics are discussed? Available on Nook and Kindle?
Persuasion is the third book in a series of new adult romances featuring young ladies connected to each other by their parents’ marriages. The main character is Yolanda, a popular blogger, whose reputation is put at risk by a hacker. She’s attracted to the web developer who is helping her fix her website, until she suspects he’s the source of her problems. The book deals with family, relationships, social media etiquette and critical illness. Persuasion is available on Kindle.
BPM: What was your hardest scene to write, the opening or the close?
The closing scene was harder since all the story threads needed to be tied together efficiently and in a way that would please readers.
BPM: Do you try to deliver to readers what they want or let the characters guide your writing?
I’ve come to realize that not every story is for every reader. Therefore, it’s best to follow the characters on their journey and tell a great story, rather than trying to write to satisfy readers’ demands.
BPM: Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
I don’t think I’d take on anything to do with demonic forces.
BPM: Is there a certain type of scene that’s harder for you to write than others? Love? Anger? Erotic?
Any scenes that brings grief to my characters are the hardest ones to write. This is mainly because I get inside each character’s head, so if they suffer, I also suffer.
BPM: What made you want to become a writer? How long have you been writing?
I’ve been reading for as long as I can remember – thanks to my mother – and that’s what inspired my love of writing. My first ‘novels’ were written when I was in high school, but I stopped writing for twenty years. In 2004, I started writing again.
BPM: How has writing impacted your life?
Writing has brought more discipline and focus to my life. To be successful at anything, we have to put in time and effort. Shifting my writing from a hobby to a business helped me prove to myself that I could stay the distance and do the work it took to stay in front of readers. It has been wonderful knowing my stories have touched other people’s lives in a meaningful way.
BPM: Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?
Yes, at times it serves as a way of purging negative emotion and can be a source of discovery and healing. That’s why journaling is so important for some people.
BPM: What was one of the most surprising things you learned from this project?
I learned that young people are far wiser than we think. They are also smart enough to realize when they need to do something different to move forward with their lives.
BPM: Share one specific point in your book that resonated with your present situation or journey.
Gary feared losing his mother to her illness. His anger and bewilderment reminded me how painful it was when I lost my mother. You never get over losing a parent and so I was sympathetic to his plight.
BPM: Is there a specific place/space/state that you find inspiration in?
Being on a golf course always reminds me to relax and appreciate nature and the simple pleasures in life. Story ideas also come when I’m surrounded by nature in all her awesomeness.
BPM: Does writing energize or exhaust you?
No matter how tired I am, when I sit down to write, my story fuels my body and spirit.
BPM: What are the top three things that make you feel happy and fulfilled?
I believe fulfillment comes from within. With that said, I’m happy that I’m able to pursue my passion for writing, I have excellent relationships with friends and family, and my husband and I are raising a young man who I’m proud to call my son.
BPM: What makes you forget about the world around you?
A good book has the power to make me forget everything else but the storyline in which I’m immersed.
BPM: What strengths did you use to achieve two major goals in life?
If I enjoy something, I persist until I’m good at it and I also stick with tasks until I complete them, so I’d say consistency and persistence are character traits that have served me well.
BPM: What other projects are you working on at the present?
I’m juggling a women’s fiction story about a family in crisis and a friends-to-lovers romance.
BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
They can visit my website or connect with me at any of the links below.
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/n29ZH
Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/2ow87Zz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JL_Campbell
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+JLCampbell
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jl.campbell/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thewriterssuite
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jcampbellchambers