Hi friends! I’m thrilled today to be back with something I haven’t done here in a while: an author interview, yay! Today, I’m SO happy to have Jensen Parker, romance author of the upcoming UNTIL NOW (releases on August 1st, 2023!), a lovely adult romance I had so much fun reading.
We’re talking about her upcoming book (obviously), tropes, writing, publishing and more, so stay tuned for some fun! ❤️
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All the images from this interview are taken from the author’s instagram page and belong to them.
The Book, Until Now
Until Now (Strangers, #1) by Jensen Parker on August 1, 2023
Genres: adult, contemporary, romance
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
NINA VILLA NEEDS A BOYFRIEND - A FAKE BOYFRIEND.ENTER NICK DAVIS.Nina Villa told her mother she's bringing her new boyfriend to Haven for family vacation. The problem? She doesn't have a new boyfriend. But, what are you supposed to do when your mother invites your ex-boyfriend's family to the summer house? Now everyone is eager to meet the man who has managed to capture the attention of the workaholic Nina.Her best friend says she should hire someone. They do it in the movies, right? It could be fun in a no strings attached kind of way.Nick Davis seems like the perfect fit considering he doesn't like her, so cutting ties at the end of the summer will be easy, right? Nina makes Nick an offer: pretend to be her boyfriend for the summer in exchange for more money than he's ever seen in his life. It's an offer he can't refuse - the money could help pay off his brother's tuition and maybe send his dad on a vacation for once.Little do either of them know, this simple favor is going to have big consequences. And neither is prepared for when feelings begin to grow and the truth about who Nick really is comes to light.
Until Now is a fake dating, second chance, spicy contemporary romance with a smidge of enemies to lovers! It is the first in the Strangers series.
UNTIL NOW is a fake dating, second chance, spicy contemporary romance with a smidge of enemies to lovers! It is the first in the Strangers series.
Buy the book:
The Interview With Jensen Parker
Hi Jensen! We’re thrilled to have you here on the blog today. To start us off, could you quickly introduce yourself?
Hey there! Thank you so much for having me 🙂
A quick introduction…Hi, I’m Jensen Parker, romance author, wife, and dog/cat mom. If I could spend my life traveling the world with my husband and our animals (because I can’t leave them) while writing books, that would be my dream.
I will always be a Midwestern girl at heart, but I currently live in South Carolina. I’ve always been an avid reader, but I mostly read thrillers growing up. I recently got deeper into romance in the last few years.
About the book: Until Now 📖
Could you describe UNTIL NOW to us… only using tropes?
- Fake Dating.
- Second Chance.
- Protective Cinnamon Roll.
- Two Worlds Collide.
- Grumpshines (my best friend and I came up with this combo of grumpy x sunshine because both MCs are a little grumpy, a little sunshine) ☀️
Family takes a big place in this story. From complex mother/daughter to beautiful, close father/daughter relationships (and siblings!), we get a lot of different relationships. Did it matter to you, in a romance, to feature family prominently?
Actually yes! When you’re talking about a love story, you’re not just talking about you and the prospective partner, it includes your families, friends, and everyone around you. I love seeing family dynamics, whether it’s actual family or found family.
I think family is an important part of who we are as people, so knowing how each person fits in the puzzle is something I really made time to understand about my characters.
Obviously, the story is about Nick and Nina, but to understand who they are as people, you need to know their family and how they interact with them.
One thing I especially loved was how vivid the setting was, from New York City to Winchester (SC) to the wild mountain trails… Did you travel a lot or were you inspired by your own roots, your own trips to write this story?
Thank you! One of my favorite things about reading is drawing a mental picture using the descriptions of the author. I love when I can vividly picture the surroundings and see what’s going on – it’s kind of magical, you know? I’m a very visual person, especially when I write. So, I wanted to make sure my readers could see what I was seeing as I wrote.
But yes, I do travel a lot. And, we moved around a lot growing up and spent a lot of time traveling. I definitely draw on those experiences when I’m considering my settings! Colorado, Texas, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Arizona are some of my favorite places to visit, so you will probably see them show up in my books a lot.
Your main character, Nina, has Italian roots and it’s something that really shines through the story. As someone deeply in love with Italy, I loved that! Was it important to you, to have an Italian main character?
I wouldn’t say it was so important to have an Italian character, but I knew I wanted Nina to have roots outside of the U.S. I think Italian was my obvious choice because I love, love, love Italy. Sadly, I’ve never been, but it’s on my bucket list. Besides Iceland, Italy is probably my top dream destination.
One of my favorite things about Nina is that she speaks Italian, unlike her brother. This was not an original trait, the idea actually came to me around draft #1065 (that’s an exaggeration, but that’s how it felt). Nina’s love for her Italian heritage and making her bilingual definitely forced me to step outside my comfort zone because I had to research the culture and language, I didn’t want to put something offensive or totally wrong. Luckily, some of it is similar to Spanish and Latin – which I took in high school and college – so that helped when it came to reading and translating.
While it was a little challenging, I enjoyed doing the research. I think giving at least of the characters roots outside of the U.S. will be a tradition I carry forward.
Buy Until Now:
UNTIL NOW is the first book in the Stranger series: can you tell us a bit more about what’s coming, next?
Totally!! The Strangers series will include four books. I am currently working on Book 2, which will take place two(ish) years after the end of Until Now and follow Michaela. Nick, Nina, and the rest of the characters will be there too. Book 3 and 4 are still in the works, but I have the main points narrowed down, I just need to flush them out.
👀 Keep an eye on the author’s instagram for all of the updates!
Anything else down the line that’s not a series? (Or not even romance!)
Yep!! I currently have two other WIPs besides the Strangers Series. I have one that is kind of a thriller x horror x romance with maybe a smidge of fantasy – this will potentially turn into a series. The other is a fantasy x romance. I’m actively working on those, but I do have other romance books in the pipeline, as well.
About writing & publishing 📝
In your website’s bio, you mention that you began writing at a young age. What made you want to take a step towards publishing, now?
Why did you choose self-publishing instead of traditional publishing?
I was always kind of shy when it came to sharing my writing, my parents didn’t even know I was interested in it until I went to Harvard in 2011 where I took Writing classes. Even after that, I didn’t share much with anyone except my best friend. I always knew I wanted to publish something, but I think the fear of what people might think and the fear of failure kept me from doing it. As far as my family knew, I always planned to be a doctor or work in the FBI, which I definitely considered and enjoyed the topics, but I always wanted to be an author.
I considered traditional publishing, but as time went on, I decided self-publishing was the right choice. I know authors on both sides, I see the pros and cons of each, but at the end of the day, I want my characters to be free to be who they are. I don’t know that traditional publishing would allow them that freedom, where self-publishing does.
While some may disagree, I felt like traditional would take longer and be more stressful. When I looked at the number side of it, yes, you get paid up front going traditional, but that money isn’t free – you will pay it back. Self-publishing just requires you to pay that money upfront instead of paying it back later. You’re paying the money either way, it’s just a matter of when you want to pay it. And, how much time are you willing to wait for an agent and a publisher to like your manuscript? Because it can take some time before you get interest.
I’m sorry, that was very long winded, but I think it’s a very interesting topic… traditional vs self publishing.
What has been your favorite part of this writing journey, so far? Drafting, editing… or maybe even the whole marketing part of self-publishing?
Honestly, probably editing. I’ve started drafting a little differently than I used to, so my first drafts are heavy on the dialogue and light on descriptions. I want to get through the conversations because sometimes a conversation may take a different turn than I initially planned which leads to a domino of changes.
I like drafting, I like getting the story on paper, but I enjoy editing because that’s when things really come to life.
In editing, you add description, you add movement, and you really get to know each character and add their own personal touches. Editing is where (if I haven’t already) I really figure out someone’s backstory and their true purpose.
My other favorite part is designing. I designed my cover art and put together my physical book cover myself. There is something special about being able to say you created this thing… this whole thing from the inside out and put it out in the world. I’ve definitely gotten a little emotional seeing it come to life and when I got my first physical copy of the book… PHEW, I shed a few tears.
As a self-published author, I do enjoy marketing, but it’s a lot of work. Sometimes, I dread having to make content and worry about posting. I try to do content in bulk and schedule it out, but that doesn’t always happen. Not to mention, fighting with the algorithms – these websites don’t make it easy.
Fun questions ☀️
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Italy or Iceland. There are other places I want to visit, but those are my top two. I love everything about Italy, plus I’m a wine fanatic. Andddddd, I’m a Star Wars nerd, so I want to go to Lake Como to see where Anakin and Padme get married. And, Iceland is such an interesting and beautiful place, I want to see it in real life.
Can you recommend any books you’ve read recently, and loved?
Happy Place by Emily Henry and Under the Magnolias by T.I. Lowe are probably two of my favorite ones I’ve read recently. Some notable mentions include: Only You by Michaela Jean Taylor and After the Bees by Allison Paige.
Finally… Can you share one of your favorite lines or passages from UNTIL NOW?
“I jump when his hands graze my sides. He pulls me impossibly close, our bodies fit together like missing pieces of a puzzle. I meet his gaze and molten honey stares back. That feeling is back. The warmth that spreads wherever we touch. It draws us closer, inching until our lips just barely touch. It seems like forever, but finally… He kisses me. The first one is soft and nervous. Just like the one we shared on the Fourth of July. A smile on our lips when we pull away. By now, we’re soaked to the bone, but I don’t care. He kisses me again. This time, sure and honest, hungry. And in this moment, I know, I’m falling for Nick Davis.”
About Jensen Parker
Jensen Parker is an emerging contemporary romance author. A former retail store manager and real estate professional, she has always dreamed of publishing a novel. She is an avid lover of traveling, coffee, and wine. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find her reading, playing with her animals, or trying (key word) to catch up on so much needed sleep.
One of her favorite things to do is add more books to her personal library, while the current TBR pile gives her the side eye. Jensen first began writing at a young age and has continued to hone her craft throughout the years, including classes and programs at Harvard University and Loyola.
Though she will always be a Hoosier at heart, she currently resides in South Carolina with her husband and their fur babies.
Find Jensen Parker on: Instagram – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – TikTok – YouTube
About the book, Until Now
Until Now (Strangers, #1) by Jensen Parker on August 1, 2023
Genres: adult, contemporary, romance
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
NINA VILLA NEEDS A BOYFRIEND - A FAKE BOYFRIEND.ENTER NICK DAVIS.Nina Villa told her mother she's bringing her new boyfriend to Haven for family vacation. The problem? She doesn't have a new boyfriend. But, what are you supposed to do when your mother invites your ex-boyfriend's family to the summer house? Now everyone is eager to meet the man who has managed to capture the attention of the workaholic Nina.Her best friend says she should hire someone. They do it in the movies, right? It could be fun in a no strings attached kind of way.Nick Davis seems like the perfect fit considering he doesn't like her, so cutting ties at the end of the summer will be easy, right? Nina makes Nick an offer: pretend to be her boyfriend for the summer in exchange for more money than he's ever seen in his life. It's an offer he can't refuse - the money could help pay off his brother's tuition and maybe send his dad on a vacation for once.Little do either of them know, this simple favor is going to have big consequences. And neither is prepared for when feelings begin to grow and the truth about who Nick really is comes to light.
Until Now is a fake dating, second chance, spicy contemporary romance with a smidge of enemies to lovers! It is the first in the Strangers series.
UNTIL NOW is a fake dating, second chance, spicy contemporary romance with a smidge of enemies to lovers! It is the first in the Strangers series.
Buy Until Now
📌 Pin Author Interview: Jensen Parker, Until Now on Pinterest!
Do you want to read Until Now? What are your thoughts on romance books? I’d love to hear from you in comments!
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This sounds lovely and I always enjoy relationship with parents in books. If I could travel anywhere I would like to go Europe as it has been on bucket list for long time.
I hope you’ll really get to visit Europe sometime soon! <3
Thank you so much for commenting!! <3