RABT Book Tours and PR Blog: Tour Kick Off- Meet and Greet

New Adult Contemporary

Date Published: 5/25/2012

The heroine, Melanie Evers, is a plucky young working-class woman from Akron, Ohio struggling to support herself in Chicago in the post-9-11 economy. TEMPLAND follows Melanie's journey through the temporary employment world from a college student on "just a summer job" to a 28-year-old woman with a lot of intelligence (and a heap of student loan debt to match) through multiple layoffs and a series of ever-more-wacky temp assignments, as she struggles not only to survive, but also to find romance and always remain true to the honest, working-class values instilled in her by her beloved grandfather.

In her long, solitary journey through Templand, Melanie encounters adventure and romance on her search for that always-elusive Permanent Job---which she finally gets, along with her man. TEMPLAND is a highly entertaining, wickedly funny social satire, contemporary romance, and mystery novel all rolled into one.

#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?
Yes, absolutely! I studied English Literature and Creative Writing in college with the aim of becoming a writer, and I also started working as a professional writer and journalist while still in college. I have earned my living primarily through writing ever since. I’ve worked as a copyeditor, corporate copywriter, journalist, novelist, and playwright for almost 20 years now. It’s a living!

#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process?

I think it’s always having to be “on,” even when I’m not in the mood to write. When writing is your full-time livelihood, you have to crank out words day in and day out to keep the mortgage paid and food on the table. As with any job, some days you just aren’t in the mood to go to work. My ongoing challenge is keeping the words flowing no matter what, which can be hard when you’ve been doing it as long as I have. The quest to be original is hard work and a never-ending process.

#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with Your Writing Outside of Your Family?

I would have to say it was my high school English teacher Mrs. Stevens. She was a brutal taskmaster that most kids in my high school---including me---hated. She almost never gave out As, ripped everyone’s papers to shreds, and had no qualms about hurting your feelings. Not only that, if she felt you had writing talent, she was even harder on you---and that was certainly the case with me. At first I dreaded going to her class. But over time I grew to appreciate what she instilled in me---especially so after I got to college and excelled at writing, besting my peers both in and out of the English department. I later went back to thank her for being so hard on me when I saw how well-prepared I was compared to others who’d had more lenient teachers. To this day I credit Mrs. Stevens with helping me become a professional writer.

#4 – What is next for your writing?

Right now I have three sequels to get out to various books that are the first installments in multibook series. I’ve written a sequel to TEMPLAND, which is tentatively titled PERMLAND and follows heroine Melanie Evers’ continuing adventures in work and life after she finally secures that elusive Permanent Job. The first draft is done but I’ll be doing some revising before releasing it later this year. I also need to start work on THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT, which is the sequel to my book THE DOMINO EFFECT. I’ll also be working on the as-yet-untitled next book in my Special Agent Zombie series (the first book, out now, is ZOMBIE, INCORPORATED.)

#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing? If so, what are you currently reading?

I’m totally addicted to Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books, so I always look forward to the next book in that series. I am also a big fan of Scandinavian thriller authors like Jo Nesbo, Henning Mankell, and Steig Larssen. And I can never get enough historical fiction, especially anything set in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

DESCRIBE Your Book in 1 Tweet:

TEMPLAND: Poignant New Adult fiction about today’s underemployed youth. No real jobs, but lotsa real laughs.

This or That?

#1 - iPd or Mp3?

mp3

#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla?

Vanilla

#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries?
French Fries

#4 – Comedy or Drama?

Comedy

#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks?

Nicholas Sparks

#6 – Fantasy or Reality?

Reality

#7 – Call or Text?

Text

#8 – Public School or Home School?

Public School

#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate

#10 – eBook or Paperback?

eBook

JILL ELAINE HUGHES is a journalist and playwright as well as a New Adult fiction novelist. As a reporter, she has contributed to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, Washington Post, New Art Examiner, Cat Fancy magazine, and numerous other media outlets. Her plays have widely published and produced in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta, and many other U.S. cities, as well as in the UK and Australia. Before self-publishing New Adult fiction, she published many erotic romance novels under the pen names “Jamaica Layne” and “Jay E. Hughes” for publishers like Ellora’s Cave, Virgin Books, Decadent