Q&A with Jennifer Probst discussion

Straight Talk with Jennifer Probst. Q&A discussion here.

Out of your books, which is your favorite?

Now this is a questions I would like to read an answer to! Can you be biased and say The Marriage Bargain? After all everyone else loved it!

Yes, to be perfectly frank, it really is The Marriage Bargain! Now, that being said, The Marriage Trap was almost the same. Maggie flew off the page, demanded every twist and turn, and I adored writing her story. She challenged me a bit. A writer always looks as her manuscripts as her children, and we like each one at different times, and are madly in love with each of them at different times lol! I can still look back and say I struggled the most with The Tantric Principle, but it was worth it because I think it ended up being a great story.
But Nick and Alexa have changed me so they are def my faves!!!

I've heard numerous authors say "*insert character here* wouldn't shut up. They just kept on until I told their story, their way." Do your characters talk to you? Have you wanted a character's story to go in one way, but once it was written it was totally different?

I love that question Tiffany! Maggie wouldn't be quiet and took over the Marriage Bargain until I pulled her away and promised her own story. Then she finally hushed! Carina - Michael's youngest sister who you will meet in Trap, also weaved her way onto the page and I needed to give her her own story in The Marriage Mistake. That book turned out completely different than what was planned! It may not be the most organized way, but if my character wants to go in a certain direction I let them. It's more fun, exciting, and I can always edit later. And of course, there was a character from Mistake who is now demanding things in my head...sigh...so there may be one last book coming in the series!

When writing do you write in sequential order from beginning to end or do you right out of order?

HI Sarah! I have to write from beginning to end. I can't jump around to different scenes at all. I forge right through and by the time I reach the ending, I know my characters well enough to realize what I missed. Then I go back and layer, add scenes, cut, etc. I am definitely a complete sequential writer!!

Thanks for sharing your writing process, Jennifer. It sounds like a very good process!

I have another question how do choose your character's names? have you ever changed them mid story?

Naming my characters are SO important to me! I pore over meanings of names, nationalities, and the type of image I want to create. I scour the Internet with lists and meanings. Alexa was originally Alexandria and called Alex but my publisher wanted me to change it to Alexa so I agreed. I have a new book coming out January 2013 where my hero's name was Alexander (I guess I like that name lol! it's my son's middle name!) and I changed it to Gavin since it was way too close to Alexa's name. I never changed a name mid story - I put too much thought into the beginning process - it's like naming a brand new baby each time!!

thank you. I started writing... and was wondering if I was crazy about being particular names

Not at all! But I will tell you a secret: I think all writers are a little crazy. That creativity has to come from somewhere lol! good luck with your writing!