Posted in Creekside Cafe, interview

On The Porch with Debut Author, A J Andersen

A J Andersen, author, happy wife, firefighter mom, book reviewer

Current release: Finding Faye

Upcoming release: Acquiring Analise

I met A J through a Romance Loop on Instagram. I meet the coolest people online. A J is a debut author of romantic suspense.

Welcome to my Creekside Café. You describe yourself as a happy wife and firefighter mom…How many years married and tell me who is a firefighter?

I’m also a firefighter mom, my youngest son is a volunteer firefighter and first responder, as well as on the water search and rescue, and land search and rescue teams. We live in a rural area. He’s also a diver for underwater recovery.

AJ: My husband and I have been together for 21 years. Married for 16. We have one son and he is both a volunteer firefighter and first responder with our rural fire department and a wildland firefighter for the US Forest Service.

Sherri: Your son is probably like mine, living in a rural community, they have to wear a lot of hats. Whenever anyone asks for volunteers for more training, my son is one of the first to step forward. He recently spoke at our local writers’ group and he is the muse for my upcoming novel, Red Steel.

I just started reading Finding Faye, it is a fabulous story. I can’t believe this is your debut novel. Tell our readers about it?

AJ: Finding Faye is the story of childhood friends (with a large age gap) who become separated due to circumstances beyond their control.  There’s suspense and excitement, as well as love and sexy times when they find themselves reunited.

Sherri: You write reviews, how would you review your own story?

AJ: Oh, cheese and crackers! I have such a hard time writing reviews.

AJ Andersen introduces her K&S Securities Series with Travis and Faye. Childhood friends despite a significant age gap. The pair keep in touch into Faye’s teen years when all hell breaks loose in her world.

One short letter reaches him while serving active duty overseas, and though he wants to be there for her he can’t just leave… and by the time he can, he’s too late.

For several years, Finding Faye becomes his main prerogative, even while building a life out of the military and a successful business, he does it all with the goal of helping the girl who he cared about like a little sister.

When they reconnect, their worlds collide in the best, and scariest of ways. Taken by the mob, Faye needs Travis’ help and this time he swears he will not let her down

Finding Faye is AJ Andersen’s debut romantic suspense, it is a fast paced, never let you go ride. It sets you up with great supporting characters that you will want to take the time to get to know!

Sherri: A very good description, and harder to write than the novel itself.

I love the cover of Finding Faye, did you design it yourself?

AJ: Talia at Book Cover Kingdom designed my cover! She is amazing and I highly recommend that anyone looking for a designer check her out.

https://www.bookcoverkingdom.com/

Sherri: What are some of the things you have learned since publishing your first novel that you had no idea about before?

AJ: Lol! This whole process was new to me! I didn’t know anything at all! I have been fortunate to meet some awesome people along the way who were willing to share their knowledge and that has been everything! The funniest thing I learned is that I never knew that the rules had changed regarding double spacing after a period.  Let me tell you, finding all those double spaces during my final edit was a nightmare!

Sherri: You have a great presence on social media, have you worked in marketing or in the computer industry?

AJ: NO! I’ve literally been winging it since the day I discovered there was this thing called bookstagram! I have worked my entire adult life in healthcare.

Sherri: You read a lot of books and do reviews on your blog, what are your favorite genres, your favorite authors?

AJ: I’m pretty much a sucker for romance. I LOVE a happily ever after, even if getting to it is painful. I have way too many favorites to list, but I would love to meet Meghan March and Melissa Foster!

Sherri: Who or what has been the greatest influence on your own writing?

AJ: This is a hard one. I would have to just say that reading has been my biggest influence. That and my relationship with my husband.  Times get tough and love is often the only thing that holds things together. 

Sherri: Have you always been a writer?

AJ: Yep. I neglected it for a while… years really, but I always said someday I will write a book. So, I finally did it!

Sherri: What’s your next creative project?

AJ: I’m currently editing the second book in my K & S Securities Series. For anyone who has read Finding Faye, it will be Ana and Xavier’s story.  I have 2 more stories in the series started and notes for at least 2 more. Each story will focus on a different couple, but all / or most of the usual characters will be involved. They DO need to be read in order to get the full story.

Sherri: Where do you see your writing career in five years?

AJ: I will still be writing. I know that much. I’m having way too much fun with it to stop. I hope to be at least selling enough of my books to cover my overhead, but either way I should still be around!

Sherri: Thank you so much of joining A J and I today at the Café. Check out A J’s social media sites and don’t forget to look for Finding Faye on Amazon.

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VP3KYDB

AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07VP3KYDB

CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07VP3KYDB

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VP3KYDB

TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47413826-finding-faye

Follow A J on Social Media:

Instagram

Https://instagram.com/ajlovestoread

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19415735.A_J_Andersen

Bookbub

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-j-andersen

Facebook

https://m.facebook.com/aj.andersen.904

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Blog: Books, Weeds & My Crazy Life

https://smutweedsmycrazylife.wordpress.com/

Twitter

Https://twitter.com/ajlovestoread

Bio:

Since she was a teenager AJ Andersen has plotted and planned to write romance, but life got in the way… until one day the stories in her head woke her up in the middle of the night and she started writing them down. On her phone. For months. Until she broke down and bought a laptop of her own.

She is a sucker for nice guys and the women who love them! There are enough jerks out here in the real world and she just doesn’t want to give them any space in her writing. The bad guys get to be jerks, her heroes will always be good men who will go to any lengths to love and protect the lovely women they give their hearts to.

When she isn’t writing, AJ is busy traveling with her husband of 21 years, caring for her menagerie of farm animals and tending her garden and a jungle of house plants in the Pacific Northwest.

Author:

I write suspense with a hot romance and a southern accent. I like strong characters with attitude and charm. Heroines who can rescue themselves and heroes who aren't afraid to love them.