FROM JOCELYN KELLEY

answer to comment # 25 (andreina65)

Oh, I know the feeling of not having enough bookcases for all my books. I have my research materials, plus friends' books and then books by authors I don't know but want to read. And books I am reading for market research -- to see what's being published currently. I once had a shirt that had the quote from Eramus: “When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.”

My publishers choose the book covers. And I'm glad they do! My older daughter is an artist, but I cannot draw. I am really pleased with both the American and Italian covers of my Ladies of St. Jude's Abbey books. The Dutch and French covers have been nice, too. The German ones are very different from the others. I also saw one from Russia (found by a lady who works for my husband and speaks Russian) and another from Brazil. Getting foreign copies is so much fun, but we have to be patient -- it can take more than 6 months for a book to get from a publisher in another country to me.

answer to comment # 26 (Hatshepsut81)

Thanks for reading my books. I've gotten the comment before that the heroine of the first Ladies of St. Jude's Abbey book was stronger than the hero in the first book, and it was because I was trying to have the hero babysit his brother and try to teach the brother not to give into fighting at the least provocative. But I have to say Christian felt the rewards were enough to let Avisa step up and take the lead on occasion. After all, he got the girl and the happy ever after

As to your questions, pen names are really difficult. It has to be something you are comfortable with...and something that no one else is using. When I was asked to take a pen name for Signet and the Ladies of St. Jude's Abbey, I wanted something that started with the same two first letters as my real name. That way, I wouldn't start signing the wrong name! And Kelley is my great-grandfather's name. So that's how I became Jocelyn Kelley. I went to google and amazon to see if anyone else was using the name. Also I typed in jocelynkelley.com to see if anyone was using the web name. When I discovered the name wasn't in use by any other romance authors (although there now is a publicist for romance authors with that name), I chose it. Hope this helps!

I went to travelocity.com and put in Boston to Rome because I simply have no idea what such a trip would cost. According to the site, a flight and 7 nights hotel would be about $1500. I don't know the level of the hotel, but it's a starting point. Of course, that doesn't include meals. The flight alone was around $1000.

Jo/Jocelyn