A very warm welcome to our third author joining us here are Love Bytes on our GRL featured blog tour 🙂
Jaime Reese / Reese Dante is stopping by and talking about balance , she answered the tour question and she brought along a wonderful giveaway for our readers
Welcome Jaime / Reese 🙂
Balance and failure – all part of being human
First, I want to thank Dani and the Love Bytes team for hosting me today during the GRL Blog Tour.
It’s a little tough for me to decide what to talk about so I figured a subject I struggle with on a daily basis would be a good topic – balancing time.
A little about me…
For those of you who may not know, I have a split persona – well, a triple split if you take into account my RL self. My author persona is Jaime Reese and my cover artist persona is Reese Dante. I’m also a wife to an amazing and wonderful hubby, and a mom to an incredibly lovable and spoiled, 120lb dog named Rocco. Aside from all of this, I also help organize the GRL Retreat. This will be my 4th GRL – my 3rd as an organizer and my first as a Featured Author.
Side note: I’m all kinds of stressed out and excited at the same time about attending as an author. So if you see me mumbling in a corner in October, you now know why. 🙂
Freelance juggling & being human
One of the perks of freelance design and writing is the flexibility in deciding what I do, how I do it and when I do it. Ultimately, I’m still trying to figure out a balance on how to do this for my design, writing and personal life.
I’m often asked – how do I do it all? It is with deepest regret that I acknowledge that I am not Wonder Woman. *hangs head* Here’s the big secret, it’s truly a juggling act, and sometimes, I fail miserably. I hate failure but I do realize there are things that I can’t control. Well, that’s what my mind keeps telling me but I often fight that premise. 🙂
I completely fail at maintaining a social presence compared to other authors and I’m certainly not as prolific. I still haven’t mastered releasing a new book more often than once a year, but I’m trying. Writing grants me the most flexibility. I refuse to rush the process and I will endlessly tweak a scene until I’m happy with it. Sadly, that means writing is the one thing I grudgingly set aside until I finish a project with a strict deadline. And it’s extremely difficult to set the writing aside, especially when a demanding character (like Aidan in the current story I’m working on) commands my attention and time.
I’m a work in process, just like my characters. If I fail at something, it’s not so much the failure – that’s part of being human – it’s more about what I learn from that experience and how I improve and move forward that counts. So if that means I try to juggle a few things and fail, I’m okay with that. It’s a balancing act and often tough keeping a steady grip when some elements are heavier than others.
Overall, it’s fulfilling and exciting and best of all, I don’t see it as a job…it is my passion. So do I mind those days when I work sixteen hours to make a deadline or write down that scene that’s been nagging me endlessly? That’s a resounding hell no. It’s a blessing and not one I take for granted.
GRL Tour question from Kim Fielding:
My question for Jaime Reese: Is there a particular genre, theme, or plot that scares you and yet you’d like to take a stab at writing?
Oh, I’m going to get in so much trouble for answering this one. LOL This is the kind of question you answer then it keeps nagging you until you kick yourself and finally do it or you get enough readers pushing you to jump into the unknown.
I’ve been itching to write a vampire romance. I have an entire world I’ve created, a list of characters I’ve defined and a mental plot clearly outlined for the first book. I’ve had that in my mind for over three years now. But I haven’t written a single word of it. I initially debated if it would be best to write in 3rd person or 1st person. I think the biggest reason I haven’t explored this further is because it’s new and a little scary. World building is a gift and there are a few writers who are phenomenal at it. So I see an obsessive number of rewrites in my future when I decide – someday – to tackle this. It’s intimating, but something I’d definitely like to take a stab at writing. Even if only to say – I did it.
My question for Andrew Q. Gordon:
What is the one regret you have as it relates to your writing (story or character) or being an author?
The Men of Halfway House series
Buy links for series (all vendors listed for each title):
http://jaimereese.com/men-of-hh-series/
Series buy link from Amazon (all 3 books thus far)
NOTE: Books can each be read as a stand-alone
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AUTHOR SOCIAL LINKS:
Website: http://jaimereese.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeReeseAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jaime_Reese
Goodreads – Author profile: http://www.goodreads.com/Jaime_Reese
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/jaimereese
Thanks for an interesting post. I was first introduced to the design persona as I had wondered who was behind so many of my favorite books’ covers. Then I found out about the author persona. 🙂
Thank you! 😀
LOVE your books, Jaime!!! Cam & Hunter are my fave!!! I can (not so) patiently wait for Aidan’s story! 😉
Hi, Laina *waves*
LOL I’m working on Aidan.
That sounded so wrong but you know what I mean. 🙂
Your covers are beautiful. I haven’t read The Men of Halfway House series but they’re going on my TBR. The books sound great. Thank you for the giveaway!
Thank you! 😀 And thanks so much for stopping by!
Thanks for the post and contest! I have The Med of Halfway House on my TBR list – they sound really good. And, love your cover art!!
I agree that world building is an art; I am impressed by the authors who do it well.
Thanks so much! 😀
I love your covers, they’re so beautiful.
Thank you, Laurie! I love doing cover art and I’m incredibly grateful to work with such awesome authors. <3
My father lives in San Diego. So sad I will not be there.
Hi, debby236, sorry to hear you can’t attend GRL. Maybe it will be in a closer for you next year! Thanks for stopping by and visiting me here. 🙂
This is one of fav series I was lucky to discover last year and the covers are sooo sexy! Good luck with your upcoming works!
Thank you so much!
Great post i didn’t know Jaime Reese and Reese Dante are one and the same person LOL. I love your writing style and i love The Men of Halfway House serie. The covers of those books are great i especially like the cover of the first book A Better Man (those eyes) 😉
After reading this post I just had to sneak a peak at the website of Reese Dante and i discovered you also did a lot of covers for Kindle Alexander and i have to say those are HOT !!
Thanks for this post and the giveaway chance.
Yup – it’s me. LOL I kept the “Reese” connection but wanted to have the writing stand on it’s own. That’s why I went with a pen name. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the series. <3
And yes! I started working with Kindle since Texas Pride.
Thanks for stopping by!
This will be my first GRL! So excited its in my hometown of San Diego. I loved your post. I had no idea you were also the cover artist Reese. Your books have been on my wishlist – would love a chance at winning one.
Hi, Lisa *waves*
Thank you! Yes, some people don’t make the connection because I write under a pen name but I did try to keep the “Reese” connection. 🙂
So glad you’re attending GRL! It’s our first one in San Diego. I love the retreat and hope you enjoy it!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. <3
I didn’t realize Jaime was also Reese Dante. Very talented indeed. I really enjoyed A Better Man and have the others on my wish list.
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the start of the series. 😀
Love your books , have the first two of the series.
Thank you!
Also didn’t realise your dual personalities – both done excellently!
I do like your question for Andrew, looking forward to his answer
*blush* thank you. <3
I'm curious to Andrew's answer as well. Although he's probably cursing me out right now. lol
I really enjoyed the halfway house series!
Thank you! 😀
Great post! Thank you for sharing. I love your Men of Halfway series and if you ever write that vampire romance…well..I’m not going to say I won’t be excited =)
Thanks, H.B.! I’m seriously tempted and I know I’ll cave one of these days once I get a better handle on managing my schedule. But I’ve had this one in my mind for quite some time so I know I’ll eventually cave. Thanks for stopping by. <3
I loved the Halfway House series! And you have created some beautiful covers for other authors as well. Busy lady!
*blush* Thank you so much! <3
Love this series! And your covers are amazing!! <3
*blush* Thank you, Karen! 😀
This was great to read. Loveeee your series Jaime. And the covers of yours i’ve seen are amazing. Thank you for chance.
Hi Janie! <3 Thank YOU for stopping by!
Definitely a cool interview, and how great that you get to work with all your different aptitudes!
Thank you! And it truly is a blessing to be able to have two creative outlets. <3
I just love this series!
Thank you so much, Amy! I’m currently working on Aidan’s story then comes Drayton’s. 🙂
Hi Jaime!! I’ve read them all and absolutely love them!!!! Can’t wait for more!!! Your covers for your books as well as others are always so gorgeous!! Thanks for the interview!!! 🙂
Hi, Amy *waves* <3 Thank YOU for stopping by!
Ahh aiden *sigh* i think i’m hooked , can’t wait to read it and GOD help me go through this torture of waiting till the release of the book *treary eyed* though i wish you the best luck in your writing :*
LOL- Sorry, Islem. 🙂 I can’t rush his story and hopefully readers will understand why when they read it. I promise to post updates as soon as I have any news. Thank you!