Welcome back. I am one tired female. I am working on a fourth novella and the second book in my five-part series, and my brain is working overtime. How about you? How’s your writing going? And you wonderful readers, have you read any good books lately? 😊

This week, I promised to tell you who my favorite author is. Not one of them, but my absolute favorite. Drum roll please… the perfect romance writer, Brenda Jackson. Twitter @AuthorBJackson.

I was and still am a rabid reader. In 2009 when I stumbled upon a Silhouette Desire novel titled ‘Quade’s Babies’ and I couldn’t put it down until I finished the entire book in an hour. I read it again and again. I have that original copy in my library to this day. The plotline, characters, dialogue, intrigue, twists all worked so well and were captivating. Enthralled, I checked out the writer’s other books. Fortunately, Silhouette Desire always lists the writer’s previous books in the new one. And so, I went searching for all the books ever written up till 2009 by author Brenda Jackson.

I love her style of writing, particularly her family series. You know, the scenario when you read about ‘the main couple’ and you want to know more about that fascinating side character. She does an amazing job of keeping her readers hooked with her unique way of writing connecting stories, and sometimes, her books connect various family series for example, ‘Quade’s Babies’.

After reading 'Quade’s Babies’, I read all the books in the Westmoreland and Steele series from the beginning. The way she incorporated two characters from two separate family series was brilliant. I ordered all her past novels, even combed through many used bookstores in Georgia just to find every book Brenda Jackson had ever written. I told myself I would read all the books in order, no matter how long it took me to find each book.

I went back and read the first book in the Westmoreland series, ‘Delaney’s Desert Sheikh’. One of the first African American romances in Silhouette Desire line up. The original book cover had an African American female on it. Before then, I had never read an African American romance story on the Silhouette Desire label. After reading Delaney’s story, I devoured the remaining Westmoreland books. Ms. Jackson delivered excellent work, writing unique stories for the Westmorelands. After that series, I dove into her other series: the Steeles, Grangers, Madaris, Bennets, Montgomerys, Masters, to name a few, and all her other stand-alone books. I have an extensive collection of her books now.

Some say romance books always have the ’happily ever after’, a must of its genre. Ms. Jackson has a way of taking you for a ride before you hit that happily ever after, and I love her books for it. As a writer, Ms. Jackson has influenced my writing, especially my series books. I got my love of writing series from Ms. Jackson. I want my readers to know more about that secondary character they fell in love with from my original story. The romance part is still a struggle for me, but I have the part about writing a series down to a science.

Ms. Brenda Jackson was born on February 2, 1953. She has published over 125 novels and novellas. Over 15 million books in print. According to Brenda Jackson’s biography, the best romance is the one she had with her dearly departed first love, husband, and father to her two sons, Gerald Jackson Snr. They met when she was fourteen and he was sixteen and he subsequently asked her to be his girlfriend. An event she wrote in her diary as the ‘best day of my life’. She still proudly wears the going-steady ring her husband, Gerald, gave her at fifteen. Now if that doesn’t fit the description and makings of a romance writer, I don’t know what does.

I believe that a talented author should be an avid reader, so I devour all of Ms. Jackson’s books and other brilliant authors like her. Learn more about Brenda Jackson @ https://www.brendajackson.net/

Now that I’ve told you mine, so who’s your favorite author? And why? Comment below and let me know.

Be good to each other.

Toodles!

Today’s Tip: How to Make Your Self-Published Book an Amazon Bestseller by Dave Chesson

https://book-editing.com/make-my-self-published-book-amazon-bestseller/

Reader’s Challenge: Leave me a one-sentence review of your favorite book and I may check it out.

Next Blog: OMG! I found my doppelganger. No not a physical one, a writing one…guess who

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