Jaci Burton, author of ALL WOUND UP on Romance and the Play-by-Play Series

Jaci Burton sits down with Fresh Fiction Reviewer to talk romance, the Play-by- Play series, and what fans can look forward in the future.

Miranda: Jaci, thank you so much for joining us on Fresh Fiction! You’ve written in so many romance sub-genres – paranormal, cowboy, sports – what’s your favorite and why?

Jaci: Contemporary romance—which includes sports romance, cowboys or whatever you want to put in there—is definitely my favorite genre to write. It’s because we’re grounded in the present, and I believe readers can identify with the heroes and heroines, with their careers, and their day to day lives. And even if sometimes the characters might seem a bit ‘larger than life’, it’s still real, and something a reader can relate to. It’s certainly something I can relate to, which is why I enjoy writing in this genre.

Miranda: With his “Clark Kent” glasses and his sweet ways, Tucker from ALL WOUND UP strikes me as a perfect “nice guy” hero. Do you enjoy writing “nice guys” as much as “bad boy” characters?

Jaci:I love a bad boy hero as much as any woman would. But there’s something about a nice guy that makes me swoon. And when he’s in active pursuit of his heroine? Now that’s a heart-melting hero.

Miranda: I love how character-driven and fun your Play-by-Play books are. When you start writing a book in that series, do you feel like the focus is on the main characters?

Jaci: Thank you! I’ve had so much fun writing the Play-by-Play series. The focus in each of the Play-by- Play books is always on the main characters. While the hero may, at times, take a time out(pun intended) to focus on his sport, the action soon gets back to the romance between the characters. Everyone has a job, even our heroines, so I like to show my characters at work as well as at play. I feel it makes them well rounded. I also like to give them friends and families, and have the main characters interact in and around these dynamics, because romance never (or typically never) occurs in a bubble. But the main thrust of the book is always going to be about the main characters and their love story.

Miranda: Do you have a favorite character you’ve written or is there a character from a book you wrote years ago, who you always wish you had time to write a story for but never had the time?

Jaci: Actually, there are a few. Crush from my Wild Riders series, Noah Devlin from the Devlin Dynasty are two who’ve always lingered in my head and I never got around to writing their stories. Nathan Riley from the Play-by- Play series needs his story told, and I hope I have the chance to write it.

Miranda: Do you see a difference between erotica and regular romance?

Jaci: There’s a difference between erotica and erotic romance. Erotica is a story about sexual encounters. Romance doesn’t have to be a part of the equation. Erotic romance is a romance with a heavy dose of sexuality included. As far as the difference between erotic romance and other romances, the only difference is the level of sexuality shown on the page.

Miranda: What can we look forward to from you in the future? Will you be writing in a new sub- genre?

Jaci: Jaci: ALL WOUND UP released August 4th and is book 10 of the Play-by-Play series. Coming up in October will be HOT HOLIDAY NIGHTS, a Play-by-Play holiday novella. MAKE ME STAY, Book 5 of the Hope series, will release in December. Next year will be more Play-by-Play and Hope books.

At this point I have no plans to write in a new sub-genre, but I never say never.

Miranda: Wow! You've been busy. I can't wait! Thank you so much for joining us.

About Jaci Burton

Jaci Burton is a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author who lives in Oklahoma with her husband and dogs. A lover of sports, Jaci can often tell what season it is by what sport is being played. She watches entirely too much television, which she considers “book research”.

When she isn’t on deadline, Jaci can be found at her local casino, trying to become a millionaire (so far, no luck). She’s a total romantic and loves a story with a happily ever after, which you’ll find in all her books.

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About ALL WOUND UP

In the latest Play-by-Play novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Quarterback Draw, a sexy baseball player is done striking out...

Tucker Cassidy is going through a slump—both with his curveball and in his dating life. After having a painful altercation involving his ex-girlfriend’s knee, the professional baseball player is convinced things couldn’t get worse…until a gorgeous doctor comes to the rescue at his most embarrassing moment. As the daughter of the owner of the St. Louis Rivers major league baseball team, Dr. Aubry Ross has been around jocks all her life. She knows the ins and outs of all their games, and she isn’t interested in playing.

When Tucker repeatedly lands in the hospital where she’s working, Aubry starts to think he’s getting injured just to see her. Tucker is both funny and sexy, and Aubry is pleasantly surprised to discover he actually respects her job. But when her father disapproves of their relationship, will Tucker let threats of a trade get in the way of a game-changing love?