Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "Nina's Niche"

Thanks so much for supporting Jackie during her week in the spotlight. Leave a comment on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday's blog and you'll be entered to win a gift certificate from Amazon from Jackie. Remember to leave your email contact information. Jackie and I hope you've enjoyed your time with "Nina's Niche."

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Moderator Steph

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Jake hopped out of his Jeep and waded through the snow to the passenger side. When he lifted Nina, she immediately put her arms around his neck. The touch of her soft hands against his skin sent his thermometer raging.

Inside, he placed her on the rug in front of the fire and kneeled beside her. "Where do you hurt?"

"My head. Front and back. Got any aspirin?"

"I don't think you'd better take any drugs yet."

Nina giggled. "Aspirin's not a real drug."

And what would she know about drugs? "I'll get you something to drink after I call your folks." The lights went out.
"Damn." At least he kept emergency supplies -- flashlights, batteries, candles always on hand.

"Naughty, naughty."

"It's good to see you haven't changed. I'm glad you're still a nice girl."

"No way." She ran her hand over his stubble.

He hadn't shaved this morning figuring he wouldn't see anyone. He hoped his bristles didn't hurt her soft little hand. "What do you mean?"

She put her fingers on his lips and he automatically kissed them.

"I'm through being nice." She pressed his fingers against her lips and smiled.

"What the hell do you mean?" He jumped up. He didn't know how to treat this woman if she wasn't his old friend, Nice Nina. Having a friend like her had been the one good thing in his life -- until she didn't go to the prom with him.

He picked up the phone. "Dead. Damn it to hell. And my cell doesn't work here. What am I going to do?"

"Sit beside me." She patted the rug."

Jake dropped next to her. He couldn't go out in the storm and leave Nina alone. He didn't think he could make it to Julian anyway until the roads were cleared.

"Why didn't you stay down in San Diego?"

"Wanted to have an adventure and I am." She turned on her side. "Lie down next to me."

Jake hesitated for one moment, but there was only so much temptation a guy could take when she was offering him what he'd dreamed of. He stretched out facing her and the fire. The flames made a halo around her head, reminding him she was still a nice girl even if she didn't think so. Nothing much would happen. This would only go as far as a few kisses, and they'd done that before.

Nina put her hand behind his neck and pulled his face down to hers.

In an instant he was lost in the taste and feel of Nina.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Jake from Nina's Niche visits the blog.

Hi, readers, my name is Jake Anderson and yes, I am, or was a bad boy. I cut school, broke the speed limit on my bike—but never when Nina was riding behind me—and got drunk one night like my dad. Once was enough. I fell in love with Nina Jones in high school. She was as opposite from me as you could get. Nice Nina always came to school on time with her homework done, was a cheerleader and taught Sunday School. But Nina was also one of the few people in town that didn’t think I was a loser. She stood up for me when people made fun of my shabby clothes. She studied with me—when I studied—and she loved to ride on the back of my bike. Those were the best times of my teenage years with Nina’s arms around my waist, her front pressed to my back and the wind blowing away all the bad stuff. Of course, as a randy teen I wanted to get into Nina’s pants, but I never got farther than a few fabulous kisses. Fast forward ten years. Nina’s gone through a traumatic engagement and I’ve dated a few women. Now Nina’s sexy and ready to roll, but hey, I’ve had enough of being the bad boy. I want the respect of the town, of Nina’s father and most of all of Nina. So-o-o, even though Jackie likes to write sex scenes, I wouldn’t let her. That’s the secret of why Jackie had to let us wait for the wedding night. Come back tomorrow to see how close we got to making love.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Jackie Leigh Allen talks about the inspiration behind Nina's Niche

I had always wanted to write a novel with a bad boy hero. Well, don’t we all love bad boys—as long as we don’t have to live with them? So Jake was the starting point for Nina’s Niche. I’ve spent many enjoyable hours in Julian, California, but I’ve also lived in a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business. It can be a wonderful atmosphere full of friends and helpers, but it can also be a place where no one forgets any mistake you’ve ever made. That’s Jakes’ situation and they weren’t even his mistakes. No one expected much from the son of the town drunk, so he decided to live down to their expectations. After he left town, he didn’t have the same pressures. He went to college and aced his studies. Of course, he couldn’t entirely leave his bad boy persona behind because he did like to ride bikes. He eventually upgraded to a Harley and had a ball riding with the wind blowing past his leathers. Traveling all over the western states, he saw a lot of beautiful places but no place felt like home to him. So he came back to Julian where he’s a proper, well enthusiastic, business man running a Harley agency. Come back tomorrow and Jake will tell you a secret about Nina’s Niche.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Jackie Leigh Allen talks about the setting in Nina's Niche

In 1869 people found gold in Julian, California.

Today they find treasures of the heart.

That’s the setting for my new trilogy and NINA’S NICHE is the first book. I want to welcome you to the world of Julian, California, or at least the Julian where my stories take place. I’ve changed the main street a little so Carol and Nina can run the Julian Junque Shoppe the way I want them to. I put Jake's Harley Agency on Main Street, too. That’s one reason being an author is so much fun. If I want Carol to sell Double Dutch Chocolate ice cream, she sells it alongside the antiques Carol views as treasures and the flowers Nina loves to arrange.

Every town’s flavor really depends on the people who live there and Julian is no exception. The daughter and nephew of the Julian Hotel’s proprietor were raising money for a trip to Washington, D. C. when I visited. Two walkers took pity on a lowlander and helped me find the elementary school after I mistook the library for a school.

In my Julian, the people shape the town, too. Nina’s father, the pastor of a church I’ve placed in the middle of the town, starts out more concerned for his flock than his family, but learns to bend like we all do in real life. That’s what I like to do in my stories—combine fiction and real life. I hope you will enjoy learning about the hidden gem of Julian where the snow piles up in winter, the daffodils burst with color in spring, the sun brings lazy days in summer and the apples ripen in the fall.
Come back tomorrow and learn more about bad boy Jake.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Q&A wth Jackie Allen

STEPH: I don't know much about Nina's Niche. What's it about?

JACKIE: Nina’s Niche is the story of a good girl who wants to become a bad girl (she doesn’t really succeed) and Jake, the bad boy who reforms so he’s worthy of the good girl.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

JACKIE: I wrote it in about four months, put it aside and wrote An Officer and a Gigolo then went back and did about two months of rewrite on Nina's Niche.

STEPH: Did you have to do a lot of research for it?

JACKIE: I had fun researching the town of Julian, California. I also learned a little about Harleys because Jake runs a Harley agency.

STEPH: How did you come to settle on the title, Nina's Niche?

JACKIE: Since Nina didn’t like being Nice Nina, she had to find out where she did belong. With Jake’s help she learns her niche is Nice and Sexy Nina.



STEPH: What are Nina's strengths? Her weaknesses?

JACKIE: Nina is concerned about others, a hard worker and good at her job as an accountant until her world falls apart. On the other hand she does try some things she could have thought about a little longer when she’s trying to shed her Nice Nina label.

STEPH: How long have Jake and Nina known each other. What does Jake find attractive about her?

JACKIE: They were sweethearts in high school but she tried to keep it quiet because her father didn’t approve. Jake thinks she’s beautiful, sweet and sexy.

STEPH: Hollywood is calling. Cast the characters.

JACKIE: I haven't been going to many movies lately, but I think Anne Hathaway would make a perfect Nina if we could afford her. As for Jake, well of course I think of Jake Gyllenhaal if he'd dye his hair blond or maybe Matthew McConaughey.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? if so, which one.

JACKIE: I have a Nook and just got an Ipad.

STEPH: Fun question: What's your favorite holiday treat?

JACKIE: Over the long haul it’s been going to A Christmas Carol on stage, but this year I know the best holiday treat will be seeing my three year old grandson.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.