Interview: Makenna Lee, Author of HER SECOND CHANCE COWBOY @makennaleeauthor #entangledpub #Interview
Makenna Lee is an award-winning romance author living in the Texas Hill Country with her real-life hero and their two children. Her oldest son has Down syndrome and taught her to appreciate the little things, and he inspired one of her novels. As a child, she played in the woods, looked for fairies under toadstools, and daydreamed. Her writing journey began when she mentioned all her story ideas, and her husband asked why she wasn’t writing them down. The next day she bought a laptop, started her first book, and knew she’d found her passion. Makenna is often drinking coffee while writing, reading, or plotting a new story. Her wish is to write books that touch your heart, making you feel, think, and dream. She enjoys renaissance festivals, nature photography, studying herbal medicine, and usually listens to Celtic music while writing. She writes for Entangled Publishing and Harlequin and believes everyone deserves a happy ending.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
Website: www.makennalee.comAuthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakennaLeeBooks
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakennaLeeAuthor
Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makennaleewriter/
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/65227832-makenna-lee
"She opened the driver’s
side door, then turned to tell him good night. “Thanks for dinner.” Was that
her voice sounding all breathy and wanton?
“You’re welcome. If you
come out first thing in the morning, we can get an early start and go for a
ride. And work on my great-great-grandfather’s mystery.”
“I like that idea.” Get in, Reese. Drive away. Instead, she
brushed a leaf from his shoulder.
His full lips lowered to
the corner of her mouth. The caress was gentle. Brief.
The simple, innocent kiss
hit a switch inside her. One that hadn’t been tripped since their last kiss, over
eleven years ago. One that other men had not managed to tap into. Her entire
body warmed, sparking a shiver and a desire to stay, but she needed tonight to
gather herself.
This was her chance to stay in the cottage and convince him she could
take care of it. Not the start of a summer romance.
But could she manage a temporary romantic reunion?"
--From HER SECOND CHANCE COWBOY
Welcome to The Writer's Life! Now that your book has been published, we’d
love to find out more about the process.
Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning? When did you come up with the idea to write
your book?
Thank you for this opportunity to
share my writing journey. The idea for Her Second Chance Cowboy came to
me several years ago when we were looking into therapeutic horseback riding for
my son who has Down syndrome. I knew I wanted to write books that reflect my
life and include the special needs community. The cowboy in my debut book
starts an equine therapy program for special needs children, endearing him even
more to the heroine who tries to resist opening her heart to him again.
Who is your publisher and how did
you find them or did you self-publish?
When I started writing, I decided
to go the traditional publishing route. A few writers suggested
self-publishing, but when they talked about the list of things I’d have to
manage and used tech terms I didn’t know, it sounded overwhelming. Traditional
publishing took longer but has been well worth the wait. I started submitting
my manuscript and many months later I got the call every writer waits for. Someone
wanted to publish my book! Entangled Publishing has made my debut book a
reality.
Is there anything that surprised
you about getting your first book published?
I’m an introvert, as many writers
tend to be, and I didn’t think about how out of my comfort zone it would be to
do live social media videos. With help from some great writer friends, I’m
learning how to slip on my extrovert suit and smile for the camera.
Do you believe a book cover plays an important role in the selling process?
I believe book covers are immensely important. You only have a few
seconds to catch a reader’s eye, and it needs to be something that makes them
pause long enough to open the book, read the back cover, or click the link. It’s
the first glimpse into the world you’ve created for the reader to fall into. I’ve
waited a long time to see my debut cover, and it was so worth the wait. It evokes
my book’s tone and the brand I’m building.
How hard was it to write a book
like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the
journey easier for other writers?
Her Second Chance Cowboy
is my first book, and while working on it, I was still learning the craft of
writing. I knew the small town I wanted to create and the main characters, but
I didn’t plot the whole story out ahead of time, and that led to many drafts of
this manuscript. I’ve learned to at least sketch out a rough plot with the
knowledge that things can change. This was an important step for me because the
direction of the story often comes to me as I write. Once I start, the
characters help guide the story and frequently tell me who they want to be. The
two books I’ve written since then have been an easier process. Thankfully, they
didn’t take years or countless drafts.
My advice to new writers is to learn to take critiques of your work. Sometimes
it’s painful to hear what others have to say about the words you put your heart
and soul into. It’s okay to take a moment to be upset and even cry a few tears,
but then go back and look at the critiques with a fresh eye and see what makes
sense, especially if multiple people are saying the same things. Keep writing
and do not give up.
What other books are you working on and when will they be published?
I’m working on a three-book
series for Harlequin Special Edition called Home to Oak Hollow. The first is
titled A Sheriff’s Star and will release in November of 2020. It’s the story
of a single mother of a little girl with Down syndrome. This book is very close
to my heart and dedicated to my son who has made me appreciate the little
things in life. The second book in the series is about a man who becomes the
guardian of his autistic nephew. It releases in July 2021. I’m currently
writing the third book that will be available in November of 2021.
What’s one fact about your book
that would surprise people?
I found the page of a 1944
newspaper behind an old photo of my grandmother. It gave me the idea for the
family mystery and treasure hunt that I wrote into this book.
Finally, what message are you
trying to get across with your book?
The messages in Her Second Chance
Cowboy are to follow your heart and passions, the importance of family and
traditions, and the power of forgiveness.
Thank you again for this interview! Do you have any final words?
It has been my pleasure to be here. My hope is to take
readers on a journey that makes them feel, think, and dream about what can be. Happy
reading!
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