JeanBookNerd Storytellers BOX

Let your adventure begin...

Burt Weissbourd

ROUGH JUSTICE Nerd Blast

Sean Penn

BOB HONEY WHO JUST DO STUFF

D.J. MacHale

BEYOND MIDNIGHT Nerd Blast

Tom Bilyeu

Impact Theory

Leah Vernon

THE UNION Official Blog Tour

William L. Myers Jr.

A KILLER'S ALIBI

Kayleigh Nicol and Andrew Rowe

CRYSTAL AWAKENING Blog Tour

E.E. KNight

NOVICE DRAGONEER

Robert McCaw

DEATH OF A MESSENGER

Gregg Olsen

SNOW CREEK Podcast

Josh Duhamel

THE BUDDY GAMES

Mary Ting

THE SEASHELL OF 'OHANA

Evie Green

WE HEAR VOICES

Anna Gomez and Kristoffer Polaha

WHERE THE SUN RISES Blog Tour

Barbara Dee

VIOLETS ARE BLUE Nerd Blast

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Treva Brandon Scharf Interview - Done Being Single


Photo Content from Treva Brandon Scharf 

Treva Brandon Scharf is a late bloomer, born and raised in Beverly Hills by two Hollywood talent agents. She is the product of divorce, an admitted commitment-phobe, serial dater, marriage first-timer at 51, and badass with a heart of gold.

A former advertising copywriter, Treva is an ICF-certified life coach, dating and relationship coach, and long-time fitness professional. When Treva isn't dispensing tough love dating advice, she's a Special Olympics coach and mentor to at-risk kids. She is passionate about politics, policy, and people of all ages and abilities.

Treva co-hosts the podcast Done Being Single with her husband Robby Scharf, a fellow late bloomer. Together, they deliver dating intervention and relationship advice to listeners all over the world.

        
  

Can you tell us when you started DONE BEING SINGLE, how that came about?
I had been writing a blog called “The Late Blooming Bride,” and contributing dating advice to other publications for a few years when I decided it was time to put it all in a book—but not just a compilation or retelling of previously published content; I wanted to write new material that was inspired by my blogs, but with more context, depth, and confessions.

Greatest thing you learned at school.
The greatest thing I learned at school wasn’t academic, it was athletic. I ran track, and the lessons it taught me have stayed with me all my life. I developed discipline, grit, mental toughness, and stamina—everything you need to write a book!

When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?
I don’t consider my writing a creative dream as much as I see it as a higher calling to help and inspire people. As a self-help memoirist, my job is to be a storyteller and a guide. I dish the dirt like a best friend, give advice like a Dear Abby, and impart wisdom like a female Yoda. If I can educate AND entertain you at the same time, then I’ve fulfilled my dream.

What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?
The worst distraction was my fear of being vulnerable and too honest—it still messes with my mind. I’d recall a memory or tell a less-than-flattering story, then put it on paper, only to delete it because I got cold feet. I talked about past boyfriends, dates, sex, insecurities, my parents, menopause, and prayed it wasn’t too much. Memoir writing is scary AF, and I would be lying if I told you I wrote with abandon. There was this fine line between letting it rip and holding back to protect myself. It was very conflicting at times. But as they say, “The truth shall set you free.”

Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo book series didn’t change my life, as much as healed it after a very bad breakup. I went to Hawaii by myself (and my Kindle) to try to recover and decompress. While there, I started reading the first book, but it was so good and engaging--and I was in such pain and agony--that I ended up sitting under an umbrella reading the entire 3-book series in a week. It completely took my mind off from my misery. I’ll forever be grateful to author Stieg Larsson for helping to heal my heart!

Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from DONE BEING SINGLE
“As I can attest, life doesn’t come with a grand plan, but if you’ve got one, follow it. You don’t need a vision of your future, but if you see it, keep it in your mind’s eye. You don’t need a road map, but if you have life GPS, use it. The only thing you need is to be proactive. So start now. Go now. Launch now. Reinvent now. Bloom now. Envision the person you want to be and go be it.”

RANDOM FACTS ABOUT DONE BEING SINGLE
  • 1. I wrote a lot of the book in the evenings with a glass of wine.
  • 2. The scariest moment of the writing process was giving my first draft to my husband to read, full well knowing he didn’t know half the stuff I did when I was single.
  • 3. Writing DONE BEING SINGLE has made me an evangelist for memoir writing. I recommend it to my friends who are nuts because it’s so therapeutic and cathartic.
  • 4. Everything in the book is true, and some of the more cringeworthy moments were more cringeworthy than you think.
  • 5. My first draft was finished in November 2019, but right after, both parents got sick and died, then the pandemic hit, so I went back in and added two more chapters about my experience. There was more to the story that I had to tell.
  • 6. I changed the names and professions of past boyfriends in the book, but they’ll know who they are.
  • 7. True confession: As much as I talk about not relying on external validation in dating, I rely on external validation as a writer and I shouldn’t!
  • 8. First-time author fun fact: You always wonder whether editors are being complimentary because you’re paying them.
  • 9. DONE BEING SINGLE Part II is already being written in my mind.
Meet the Characters
I am the main character! Read the book to get the background story!

Your Journey to Publication
I started on my book in earnest about 3+ years ago. I already had a lot of content from my blogs, so I used them as a road map; I filled in the blanks, added more backstory and gory details. I hired two editors to get it into decent shape, then approached my friend Kathi Sharpe (she’s a publicist and author herself) for further direction. She put me in touch with her editor, who gave me the names of some self-publishing companies that she had worked with. After interviewing three companies who all had interest in my book, I went with Greenleaf Book Group. They were very professional, had a good reputation, and wasn’t specifically a “chick lit” book publisher. That was important to me.

My friends and family were very proud of me. People in general seem to be very impressed that I wrote a book. Me, not so much. It’s an extension of what I was already doing (blogging) so it’s not as big of a deal to me as it is to everyone else. But I love that it’s a big deal to people!

Writing Behind the Scenes
Part of the fun of writing the book was learning from so many smart people as I went along. I did a lot of research, read a lot of inspiring dating & personal growth content, and used a lot it to round out my observations and opinions. The added quotes gave my story more weight, and enlightened me as a coach at the same time.

Best date you've ever had?
The first date with the guy who would become my husband.

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?
I think of my to-do list (includes exercise, errands, coaching clients, or writing) and try not to get overwhelmed!

Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today?
I got into a near-death car accident in 2001 and learned the meaning of gratitude and appreciation for the little things in an instant.

What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?
How lucky I am to have my husband as my husband.

When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought?
Damn, you’re old.

If you had to go back in time and change one thing, if you HAD to, even if you had “no regrets” what would it be?
I’d be more intentional with my life; more directed and committed, less improvisational.

What is one unique thing are you afraid of?
That’s easy. Being out of control.

What is your greatest adventure?
Getting married for the first time at 51 and writing a book about it.

What is the first job you have had?
In 1983, I worked the floor at an original Nautilus gym when I was in college at UC Santa Barbara. This was before you had to pay for a trainer. I walked around and assisted members.


The Tell-All that Helps All: You’re Never too Old, and It’s Never Too Late

​Treva Brandon Scharf paid her dues in the dating world. She survived countless romances, relationships, boyfriends, breakups, heartaches, and heartbreaks. She loved and lost, dumped and got dumped, and finally became a first-time bride at the age of 51. Scharf, a gifted blogger and writer, is ready to share all the juicy details of her long road to the altar.

Her debut book is part self-help/dating advice, part-memoir, and 100% delightful. If you can stop laughing long enough, you’ll realize you’ve just met a one-of-a-kind force of nature who has managed to acquire an invaluable store of knowledge on life, love, and personal growth. Done Being Single: A Late Bloomer’s Guide to Love is a universal source of inspiration and practical advice.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a late bloomer or early blossomer; male or female; single or partnered; millennial or midlifer. It doesn’t matter if you’re divorced, widowed, new on the market, stuck in dating hell, dreaming of getting married, or just dreaming of getting laid, there’s something for everyone.

If you’re freaking out in your 20s, hyperventilating in your 30s, living a life of not-so-quiet desperation in your 40s (like Treva was), or needing a jump start in your 50s and beyond, she's got you covered.

As a late bloomer, here’s what she's discovered: You don’t need to have it all figured out by a certain age. There’s no date to be married by or deadline for achievement. Just because you don’t hit your benchmarks in a timely fashion—or hit them at all—doesn’t make you a failure; it just makes you you. Even if you’re not technically a late bloomer, there’s always time to become who you really are or want to be. But the truth is, everyone is a late bloomer in some way. We’re all works in progress, and the learning, growing, and evolving never stops. Remember—your timeline is yours and yours alone, and you’ll bloom when you’re ready. The amazing thing is that once you do start blooming and see your talent, creativity, power, and potential begin to blossom, you’ll realize you had it in you the whole time.

Some other things she discovered as a late bloomer are: Life doesn’t come with a grand plan, but if you’ve got one, follow it. You don’t need a vision of your future, but if you see it, keep it in your mind’s eye. You don’t need a road map, but if you have life GPS, use it. The only thing you need to do is be proactive. So start now. Go now. Launch now. Reinvent now. Bloom now. Envision the person you want to be and go be it.

You can purchase Done Being Single at the following Retailers:
        

And now, The Giveaways.
Thank you TREVA BRANDON SCHARF for making this giveaway possible.
1 Winner will receive a Copy of Done Being Single by Treva Brandon Scharf.

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Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Lora Leigh Interview - In Isabeau's Eyes


Photo Content from Lora Leigh

Lora Leigh dreams in bright, vivid images of the characters’ intent on taking over her writing life, and fights a constant battle to put them on the hard drive of her computer before they can disappear as fast as they appeared.

Lora’s family and her writing life coexist, if not in harmony, in relative peace with each other. Surrounded by a menagerie of pets, friends, and a son who keeps her quick wit engaged, Lora finds her life filled with joys, aided by her fans whose hearts remind her daily why she writes.

        
  

Greatest thing you learned at school. 
I wasn’t a good student I have to admit but I really enjoyed watching students and teachers and predicting what they may or may not do. The predictions were hit and miss, but I learned about actions and reactions in the process that I learned later how to incorporate in my writing.

When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill? 
The seventh grade I realized I wanted to write when my English teacher stepped in class and had us write a story while he graded papers. I’ve been writing since that day.

Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre? 
I can’t say just one book is my all time favorite. I have moods. So it’s according to the mood I’m in as to which book would be my favorite.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published. 
Anything that puts me face to face with readers where I can discuss books. Any book. The emotions that the stories bring to readers, the heroes or storylines they love the most. Even what they hate. There’s an energy when readers get together that I haven’t felt at any other time.

What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book? 
Reality! It insisted on interfering at every chance no matter how much I tried to hide from it. And trust me, I really tried.

Can you tell us when you started IN ISABEAU'S EYES, how that came about? 
In Isabeau’s Eyes began years ago, with the heroine. I actually put off writing it, because I had no idea how to handle her disability within the story. She actually forced me to step back and re-imagine life from a far different perspective and as I did so, I got to know her in ways I haven’t known many of my other characters.

What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your characters? 
The most surprising thing I’ve learned, I believe, is patience and what you see on the surface where a person is concerned is rarely the person you’ll glimpsed beneath. The complexities and surprising contradictions of human nature fascinate me, and I love everything I learn about my characters when they show me true depth of their nature.

Writing Behind the Scenes
My own process to beginning and finishing a book makes everyone else around me crazy, I think. I often say it’s a good thing my fiancĂ© is patient, and my friends are understanding.

Distractions are my worse enemy, and I barely tolerate them.

A book often begins with the characters already waiting. They chose their names when they first showed up in my imagination. Who and what they are is already there in my head, with just a few details that I have to figure out. Then I sit down with a pen (Pigma micron .01) and narrow ruled journal. It has to be the absolutely right pen and lined paper. When I first get up, I wash my face, brush my teeth and then go straight to work. I don’t plot, I put together character backgrounds and timelines (which always change). I sketch in scenes, make notes. Research any part of their lives that I don’t know and over the course of a few days, put together the motivations of my hero and heroine. As I’m doing this, I have to have plenty of coffee as well as a bottle of Coke at my side. 80’s pop music in the background with a scattering of country music as well.

If I get up and leave the house, its over for the day. Any break in my concentration can take days to catch up from. When I begin writing, I can’t deal with reality, don’t want to hear about reality, and please don’t let it interfere. (The last six years reality has kicked my butt.)

I often don’t hear the phone ring, promise to answer texts later but more often than not, I forget. I stay immersed in whatever world I’m writing in, because if I don’t, then I can’t keep a handle on it, or my characters. The ideas will fracture, the characters will stop talking to me, and putting the story together will take months rather than weeks and the story becomes a mess in my head and on paper.

Writing by the seat of your pants can become torturous rather than the fun adventure it should be when reality happens…

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? 
My first thought when I wake up, is whatever story I’m working on, or want to work on. The characters take over my imagination and my life while I’m in their story.

Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today? 
The final lesson I was given, that just because you love someone doesn’t mean they love you. But they’ll still lie about it. They’ll still take everything they can steal and then lie and demand more. I wish I could say it taught me to be cautious, but I’ve found I’m only cautious with those who have already hurt me, not everyone in general. The thing about betrayal though, and broken hearts and broken promises, of having your life feel broken, is that it makes your characters more vivid, gives them a depth, at least in my imagination, that they wouldn’t have had otherwise.

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before? 
This is probably the easiest question. I’d always choose love. I have always chosen love. My heart is broken, patched, in pieces and scarred. But I still love.

What do you usually think about right before falling asleep? 
I go to sleep thinking about the same thing that I wake up thinking about. Whatever story I’m currently immersed in. They take over my life and I don’t think I’d really have it any other way.

First Love? 
Do you ever forget your first love? I was fifteen, and he was the bad boy my parents had nightmares about. He’s my fondest memory.

What is your greatest adventure? 
When I think of adventures, I always think outside the everyday events of life. So I have to say my greatest adventure is whichever book I’m writing at any given time. My characters fascinate me. I fall in love with each one, get my heart broken by them as I’m writing their story, and let each one go reluctantly, when they’re book is finished.


The first novel in a new series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh—you've met the Mackays; now it's time to meet their friends.

Danger is stalking Isabeau Boudreaux. After the deaths of her parents ten years ago during a violent attack that left her blind, remnants of her vision are returning. But a series of accidents has convinced her friends the Mackays of Somerset, Kentucky, that someone wants her dead. When a roadside blowout proves to be almost fatal for Isabeau and her good friend Angel, Angel’s brother mercenary Tracker Calloway knows this was no accident.

After a particularly bloody job, the last thing Tracker wants to do is get involved. But whoever is after Isabeau almost hurt his sister, and Isabeau is the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. Tracker is determined to protect her but knows staying away from Isabeau is impossible. He begins a steady seduction to tempt the innocent woman into a world of hunger like she could have never imagined. And keeping her is the only option—if he can save her from an unknown enemy as her sight begins to slowly return.


You can purchase In Isabeau's Eyes at the following Retailers:
        

And now, The Giveaways.
Thank you LORA LEIGH for making this giveaway possible.
1 Winner will receive a Copy of In Isabeau's Eyes by Lora Leigh.

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Thursday, March 16, 2023

Lynn Painter Interview - The Love Wager


Photo Content from Lynn Painter 

Lynn Painter is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author who writes romantic comedies for both teens and adults. She lives in Nebraska with her husband and pack of wild children, and when she isn't reading or writing, odds are good she’s guzzling energy drinks and watching rom-coms.

        
  

Greatest thing you learned at school.
Obviously, the greatest thing I learned at school was how to read, allowing for endless fantastical journeys!! But also I think one of the most important things I learned at school is how to laugh at myself. Once self-deprecation became a THING to me, where I was able to make light of my personal…struggles lol, I discovered that other people have the same struggles and it’s okay to just put them out there. And laugh about them.

Did you experience a defining moment during your youth when you realized you wanted to be a writer?
NOPE. Sadly, even as I voraciously devoured books, thoroughly enjoyed every lit class I took and enjoyed writing assignments, it never occurred to me that I should write. Duhhhhhhhhh J

What fiction most influenced your childhood, and what effect did those stories have on THE LOVE WAGER?
Okay, the Judy Blume canon was everything to me. I read and re-read all of her books. When I was in fourth grade, I somehow got my hands on Forever (where the heck were you on that one, Ma?!!!). I had so many questions and to be honest, didn’t even understand half of what was being referenced lol. But when Michael and Katherine didn’t end up together, my world was shook. How could you, Judy Blume???? I feel like that book totally drove me toward HEA’s because I couldn’t handle it. (Also I felt the exact same way when I saw La La Land a few years ago. It was Michael and Katherine all over again.)

What’s one thing that readers would be surprised to find out about you?
Probably that in my free time (hahahahahaha), I mostly read psychological thrillers. I’m a sucker for unreliable narrators and plot twists.

Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?
Looking For Alaska by John Green. I’d been trying to get an agent for a looooooong time, writing contemporary romance, and I happened to read Looking For Alaska and felt a connection to the voices in YA. I thought maybe I should try writing a YA. I did, and I finally got an agent!! (That book didn’t sell, btw, but it was the beginning)

Are there authors that you’re excited to engage/work with?
I love Christina Lauren books and they seem like delightful humans, so I’m excited to meet them someday. I’m also mildly obsessed with Roxane Gay because she is a GENIUS and cool AF, but I’m fairly certain I’d never get an invite to any event where she was appearing. J

Which character have you enjoyed getting to know while writing THE LOVE WAGER?
All of them. It’s just such a blast to take flat characters, generalized ideas, and play with them until they feel real. Ruthie, Hallie’s roommate, was probably the most fun to write.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?
I don’t know that I’ve ever received any real advice because I fangirl around authors and just mumble derpily until they walk away. The worst advice I ever received from another author was to not worry about deadlines. This person told me, “Just set your own timeline and give it to them when it feels right. It’s fine to be late – they expect you to be late.”

That advice was absolutely untrue. JJJ

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life in writing?
There is no job that will pay you a salary and benefits for writing a novel, so it will always be your side hustle until it isn’t. So find a career you enjoy and set aside time – SET ASIDE TIME BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER JUST “FIND” TIME – to write and make it a priority.


Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it’s time to become a full-on adult.

She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs into the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she’d snuck out of.

Through the app, and after the joint agreement that they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie become partners in their respective searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don’t go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off.

As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they each struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.
You can purchase The Love Wager at the following Retailers:
        

And now, The Giveaways.
Thank you LYNN PAINTER for making this giveaway possible.
1 Winner will receive a Copy of The Love Wager by Lynn Painter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
jbnlatestinterviews

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Guest Post with Jesse Q. Sutanto - Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers


Photo Content from Jesse Q. Sutanto

Jesse Q. Sutanto is the award-winning, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, Well, That Was Unexpected, The Obsession, and Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit. The film rights to her women’s fiction, Dial A for Aunties, was bought by Netflix in a competitive bidding war. She has a master’s degree in creative writing from Oxford University, though she hasn't found a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious. Jesse lives in Indonesia with her husband, her two daughters, and her ridiculously large extended family, many of whom live just down the road and provide her with endless inspiration for her books.

        
  

WHAT FICTION MOST INFLUENCED YOUR CHILDHOOD, AND WHAT EFFECT DID THOSE STORIES HAVE ON VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS?
What’s one thing that readers would be surprised to find out about you? That I am an extremely mediocre person. I’m not saying that to be humble, genuinely, when people who have known me for a long time find out that I am now a successful author, they are SO SHOCKED. Like, flabbergasted. And you know what? I don’t blame them! Because I was completely aimless for a lot of my life. I always knew I wanted to be writer, but even then, I didn’t have the discipline required to get the words down on paper. I would go through months without writing a single word, and of course I had the worst self-esteem and at one point I was so depressed I found it challenging to even get out of bed. Even after I managed to get out depression, I was still very much aimless and had no idea what to do with my life. I knew I wanted to write, but I also knew chances of getting published were slim to none, so I was just really sad and lonely. I didn’t get my publishing deals until I was in my mid-thirties, and I can still remember being in my early twenties and thinking that once the twenties were over, that meant my chances were OVER. I just really want everyone to know that you can start as late as you want and still make it on your own terms. Now, I enjoy people’s shocked reactions when they find out that yes, I have a legit career in publishing, and yes, actually, I do have a Netflix deal, even though I seem so very unimpressive in person. I revel in the fact that in person, I come across as a bubbly airhead, because I’m confident enough in my writing ability to know that my outward appearance doesn’t affect the quality of my writing, and I love challenging people’s perception of what it means to be an author!

YOUR FAORITE QUOTES/SCENES FROM VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS
My favorite scene has to be when Vera sends a text at 4:30AM to her son to wake up because there’s a whole day for him to seize. Because this is literally what my dad does, and I’m glad that I finally get to bitch about it to the whole world.

TWN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS
  • Vera is 100% based on my mom.
  • My mom approves of Vera.
  • My 4yo saw the book cover and said, “What is Ah Ma (grandma) doing? Why is she peeking like that?”
  • It’s the first cozy mystery I’ve written, and it broke my brain
  • I wrote it in one month. I did my solo writing retreat where I wrote the entire second half of the book in three days. It was the most magical time of my life.
  • My favorite character to write was Sana because I related to her the most, especially the feeling of wanting to create something beautiful and not being able to.
  • I went to UC Berkeley, so being able to set a story in San Francisco was just the best experience.
  • I got the cover for Vera before I finished writing the book.
  • When I had calls with producers for Vera, one of them was openly shocked and said, “OH! You’re so young! We were expecting someone in her sixties!” I was so flattered!
  • Vera has had the best film journey and we hope to be able to announce exciting news on that front very soon.
WHAT'S ON YOUR DESK?
I have a very fancy writing desk, which is basically a bunch of boardgames stacked on top of one another to make a standing desk. I’m a firm believer that writing should not require expensive tools, so I’m very determined to make any space work for me.

MEET THE CHARACTERS
The main character is obviously Vera, who is basically who I want to be when I grow up. She is my mom with the dial turned up to a hundred! Vera does not respect anyone’s boundaries, and she absolutely knows best for everyone, and god help you if you happen to be in her way.

DELETED SCENE FROM VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS
Hmm, can’t think of any. I write really clean. Hahaha I KNOW THIS SOUNDS LIKE BS but really, I can’t think of a scene that was entirely deleted.

YOUR JOURNEY TO PUBLICATION
It took me ten years to get published. In that time, I avoided telling anyone that I was writing because I was kind of embarrassed by it. It was like a rash or something? I didn’t want to go around telling everyone I had it. It was such a roller coaster. I had multiple agents, a couple of whom were awful and made me question everything I thought I knew about writing. But I also made a bunch of amazing friends through the process, and they’re now basically my family. I’m so thankful for their presence in my life. My best piece of advice to anyone on this journey is to find your people, because my friends were the people who got me through everything!


A lonely shopkeeper takes it upon herself to solve a murder in the most peculiar way in this captivating mystery by Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties.

Vera Wong is a lonely little old lady--ah, lady of a certain age--who lives above her forgotten tea shop in the middle of San Francisco's Chinatown. Despite living alone, Vera is not needy, oh no. She likes nothing more than sipping on a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy detective work on the Internet about what her Gen-Z son is up to.

Then one morning, Vera trudges downstairs to find a curious thing--a dead man in the middle of her tea shop. In his outstretched hand, a flash drive. Vera doesn't know what comes over her, but after calling the cops like any good citizen would, she sort of . . . swipes the flash drive from the body and tucks it safely into the pocket of her apron. Why? Because Vera is sure she would do a better job than the police possibly could, because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands. Vera knows the killer will be back for the flash drive; all she has to do is watch the increasing number of customers at her shop and figure out which one among them is the killer.

What Vera does not expect is to form friendships with her customers and start to care for each and every one of them. As a protective mother hen, will she end up having to give one of her newfound chicks to the police?

You can purchase Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers at the following Retailers:
        

And now, The Giveaways.
Thank you JESSE Q. SUTANTO for making this giveaway possible.
1 Winner will receive a Copy of Vera Wong's Unsolicited 
Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
jbnlatestinterviews