1--What is the title of your latest release?
TEMPLE OF SWOON
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
A rookie archaeologist leads her first expedition to search for a lost city in the Amazon rainforest alongside a handsome journalist who is documenting the excursion for a magazine, only his true mission is to sabotage the team.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
The archaeological team is searching for a lost city, so I chose the Amazon rainforest as the setting since so much of it is still uncharted and could possibly contain an ancient city that’s been lost for hundreds of years.
4--Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
Absolutely. She’s hilarious, quirky, and she always brings snacks.
5--What are three words that describe your hero?
Compassionate, loyal, mysterious
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Cannonball trees in the Amazon have 8-10” fruit containing hundreds of seeds that can fall from the tree and injure or kill people below.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
Edit as I draft
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I love chips of all kinds, especially potato chips (just like the heroine in Temple of Swoon).
9--Describe your writing space/office!
My writing space is a dedicated spot in my place with a stand-up desk that’s usually covered in various papers. On my desk I also have a mug warmer, a mug that says “write” that I use for a pen holder, a snake “slap” bracelet wrapped around my monitor stand, noise cancelling headphones, and a box of cards with daily “affirmations for a badass.” Next to my desk are not one, but two dog beds for my one dog that he rotates between throughout the day.
10--Who is an author you admire?
I really admire Jesse Sutanto for her discipline and dedication when she’s drafting. She has a 15-minute sprint method that’s definitely to be modeled.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
It’s probably cliché to say that every book you read changes your life in some way, but it’s true. If I had to pick only one, I’d probably say Matilda by Roald Dahl. It feels like the book that cemented me as a capital B Booklover.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)
Well, this is my second book in a two-book contract, so I didn’t get a “call” for this one. But for my debut, RAIDERS OF THE LOST HEART, I got an email from my agent just saying “OMG” and to call her when I was up (we lived in different time zones) and she let me know an editor (my now editor) wanted to schedule a call with me. We scheduled the call right away and by the end of the day, they said they’d be making an offer. And then by the end of the week, I accepted. It was a whirlwind and at the time it almost felt unbelievable.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Romance, obviously. But if I am reading something other than romance, I tend to gravitate toward suspense/thriller.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
It’s hard to pick one, so a few that come to mind are About Time, The Princess Bride, and, of course, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
15--What is your favorite season?
Fall
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
With good food surrounded by the people I love.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
TV, Shrinking and What We Do In the Shadows; Movie, Wicked; Book, Is She Really Going Out With Him by Sophie Cousens; podcast, How Rude, Tanneritos
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Pretty much an Asian cuisine (Japanese, Korean, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, you name it), but my absolute favorite thing to eat is pho.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
I love working on puzzles, reading (of course), and going for walks.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
Book 3 in the RAIDERS series, THE LUST CRUSADE, will be coming out in early 2026! This one features yet another new couple, this time searching for an ancient artifact in Greece.
Her mission: find the Lost City of the Moon in the Amazon rainforest.
His mission: protect the holy temple . . . and his heart.
While her mentor may be the world’s most badass archaeologist, the only thing bad about Dr. Miriam Jacobs are her corny jokes. But when Miri is charged with leading an unmapped expedition through the Amazon for the fabled Lost City of the Moon, she finally has her chance to prove to her colleagues that she’s capable—and hopefully prove it to herself, too.
Journalist Rafael Monfils has joined the archaeological team to chronicle their search for the lost city. Or at least, that’s what they think he’s doing. Rafa’s real goal? Make sure the team does not reach the Cidade da Lua, stopping the desecration of the holy city and protecting his mother’s legacy. All he needs to do is keep them on the wrong path.
If only the endearingly quirky Dr. Jacobs wasn’t so damn tenacious—each of Rafa’s tricks and purposeful wrong turns only seem to fuel her determination. Even worse, he’s charmed by her goofy attempts to channel Lara Croft as they traverse the dangerous Brazilian rainforest. But they’re not the only crew hunting for the lost city, and soon the untamed jungle—and their untamed hearts—might be the least of their worries...
Romance | Action [Berkley, On Sale: January 7, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593547489 / eISBN: 9780593547496]
Jo Segura lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and doggo, who vies for her attention with his sweet puppy dog eyes whenever she's trying to write (her dog, that is... though sometimes her husband, too). Her stories feature strong, passionate heroines and draw upon aspects of her life, such as her love of good food, her Mexican heritage, and her fascination with archaeology. When she's not writing you can find her practicing law, shaking up a mean cocktail, or sitting out on the patio doing Buzzfeed quizzes (though she doesn't care what the chicken nugget quiz said—her favorite fruit is not banana).
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