Interview with CJ Love

Today, we welcome CJ Love for our weekly Wednesday Interview. My first question is obvious . . . at least for me, who is known for her curiosity . . .


What does CJ stand for?
CJ stands for Calamity Jane!

I already bust out laughing when I read this delightful answer. My curiosity then turned to CJ's latest release. Please tell us about your latest book, For Love of Laura Lee.

Well, there's a lot of monkey business going on in Victor City, which is the setting of my first novel For the Love of Murphy. Wade and Katie's youngest daughter has the same crime-solving bug as her father did when he was sheriff of the same town, but Lauralee's story begins when the train station employee goes missing and there's a sudden outbreak in thievery at the local boarding house. To stir her further, a handsome young lawyer comes to town and refuses to have anything to do with her.

So readers will meet favorite characters again. I bet they are looking forward to it! What do you personally like most about this novel?
What is actually a Who, Dante Quinn. I think he's marvelous, not only because he's my hero, but because he's got so much going on in the story. He's searching for a gypsy who put a curse on him, he's stealing jewelry in his sleep, and he's got relationship phobias. He's a lovable mess.

This sounds hilarious. What a wonderful, non-perfect hero! Have you developed the plot from something you've experienced personally?

No, the plot didn't come from something I've experienced but the character of Lauralee Murphy is based on my niece Lauralee Miller who who passed away in 2003. Her appearance and fun-loving nature is the spitting image of my sweet niece.

As authors, we can create our own, very special and unique memorials for people we have lost, and while it does not bring back the loved person, it makes them live on in a different way. It must be a very special book for you. Have you already published any other novels before this one?

Yes, Avalon has published three other novels: For the Love of Murphy, A Horse Called Hustle, and Ring Around His Heart.

I particularly like A Horse Called Hustle! What an evoking title! When did you start to write your first novel and how long did it take you to become published?

I wrote For the Love of Murphy in the summer and fall of 2000. It published in 2009. Future author, don't tell me about your frustrations of rejections. I lived it too. Hang in there. You only fail when you give up!!

This is a sentence I should pin up above my desk! Coming to a lighter topic: What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you as an author?

I don't know if you'd call it funny or tragic. I began a final rewrite on a chapter of Ring Around His Heart. I was really into it and loving what I had written, when my cat Callie jumped up onto the desk and something happened to the computer. I lost everything. I still had a third draft to work on but I was really satisfied with the rewrite. I don't think it came out as well the second time around. Yes, I'm still bitter about it.

What a nightmare! Boy, can I relate - but if you use that feeling in another novel, it will have served a purpose! Here comes our last question . . . What do you do when you're not writing?

I craft and read and garden, hang out with my adult daughters, Mary and Sarah, and I love to eat (especially while crafting, reading, and hanging out with my daughters).

This sounds so tempting! Thank you very much for your time, CJ!