
Author Chat Q and A with D.G. Kaye Featuring Jacquie Bigger Romance Writer
Welcome back to my first Author Chat interview for 2020. Today I’m thrilled to be featuring Romance Author, Jacquie Biggar here today with her latest book – NEW RELEASE – Sunset Beach, Book 2 in the Blue Haven series. Jacquie has quite a collection of hot sellers on her shelves so I’m excited to have her over today and introduce you to her and her work.
About the Author:
Jacquie Biggar is a USA Today bestselling author of romance who loves to write about tough, alpha males and strong, contemporary women willing to show their men that true power comes from love. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and loves to hear from readers all over the world!
In her own words:
“My name is Jacquie Biggar. When I’m not acting like a total klutz, I am a wife, mother of one, grandmother, and a butler to my calico cat.
My guilty pleasures are reality TV shows like Amazing Race and The Voice. I can be found every Monday night in my armchair plastered to the television laughing at Blake and Adam’s shenanigans.
I love to hang at the beach with DH (darling hubby) taking pictures or reading romance
novels (what else?).
I have a slight Tim Hortons obsession, enjoy gardening, everything pink and talking to my friends.”
Available Now on Amazon!
Blurb:
An explosive secret threatens the peace and tranquility of Sweetheart Cove.
Single father Trace Michaels has his hands full coping with a rebellious teenage daughter, troublesome ex-wife, and campaigning for the mayor’s election. He doesn’t have time to get distracted by an old flame from his past– one he’s never forgotten.
When an unknown source leaks surprising news that could damage his career, Trace turns to the one person he trusts for the truth.
Single mother Mona Samuels knows how difficult it can be to raise a daughter. She
empathizes with Trace, but when he comes to her for advice, she’s conflicted. They say the truth will set you free but unburying the past could destroy everything she’s worked so hard to build.
~
Debby, thank you for inviting me to your lovely blog! Your questions were interesting and made me think, lol.
Thrilled to have you over Jacquie. Happy to share a bit about you and your writing here today, and of course your newest release! So let’s get down to it!
Do some of your own character traits or personal experiences spill into your book’s characters?
I use my husband’s traits more than my own. He has a wicked sense of humor and can always pull me out of a bad mood with just a few words or one of his songs (he likes to make up lyrics from famous songs- it’s a hoot!).
As for personal experiences, I’ve written about type 1 Diabetes (my grandson was diagnosed with at age seven), Dementia (my grandma had this for five years before she passed away), and cooking (I owned a restaurant for many years).
I think personal experiences enrich our writing because we know what the characters are going through and can build empathy with our audiences.
D.G. – I have to believe that all writers take from their own experiences and work them into stories. It’s always fun learning about the conception of our stories.
What hobbies do you enjoy when not writing?
DH and I both love gardening. We are full-time RVers, so our yard is postage stamp sized, but that doesn’t stop us from filling it with a range of plants from apples to cherry, apricot, Asian pear, plum, kiwi, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, fig and nectarine, along with my roses, hydrangeas, wisteria, trumpet vines, herbs and more! And they’re all grown in planter pots as we’re not allowed to dig into the soil in the park where we stay.
D.G. – Okay, that is just amazing!
What are your writing goals for this year?
I’m trying to publish a book every month or other month to see if it helps build up my
readership. I have several series going and I would like to see them done, or in the case of Wounded Hearts (7 books so far) added to before I lose the fans who love that series.
It’s a tough balance to keep up with one series when you have so many other ideas and commitments to fulfill. My ultimate goal for the year is to create at least two more box sets of my own books and get them listed in Kindle Unlimited. It’s surprising how many readers prefer to read box sets.
D.G. – Wow you are such a powerhouse Jacquie. I commend you on the way you discipline yourself and the way you can churn out your books!
What’s the worst part of publishing for you and why?
The hardest part of publishing is definitely getting reviews. I don’t mind marketing; I usually sign up for a book tour, do some newsletter crossovers, use paid ads, and of course, post regularly on Facebook groups. But asking for reviews feels a lot like begging and I hate that.
I’ve slowly built up a review crew through my newsletter of almost four hundred people, but even then, as you can see by my reviews, a lot of them either read the book and don’t post their review, or they don’t ask for the book in the first place.
I’m much happier gaining organic reviews, though it’s a sloooow process!
D.G. – I hear you girl! Reviews are truly an author’s gold, sadly, many readers don’t get that.
Do you have a difficult time choosing titles for your books? How do you choose your titles?
Interesting question. My titles come to me in different ways. Sometimes, like Tidal Falls, it’s the setting of the book, and other times, like The Sheriff Meets His Match, it’s the theme of the story. If none of those work, I turn to song titles. You can’t use lyrics as they are copyrighted, but titles fall under public domain and can be inspirational to your story.
My upcoming release, Sunset Beach, falls under the first category. It takes place on the small island of Blue Haven in the Pacific Northwest and uses my personal experience as a restaurant owner as one of the main settings in the story.
D.G. – Sounds fabulous! Funny how a certain place or time can spur a whole book. Thanks so much for sharing some of your creativity with us today.
Jacquie is tempting us now with an excerpt from her hot new release!
Excerpt
His eyes, those gorgeous blue orbs she’d dreamed of, stared at her with such a deep intensity butterflies took flight in her tummy. She hadn’t been this close to Trace in years. Her vision blurred, caught in a time warp between past and present. He smelled the same, an intoxicating mix of pine and sun and ocean breezes. She remembered the night she’d given him her virginity, the night she fell in love.
“Do you ever go back to Sunset Beach,” she asked, half afraid of what his answer might be. If he’d ever taken…
“No,” he answered, his voice rumbling over her emotions the way his feet had done to her heart. “Do you?”
Her laugh lacked humor. “Back to my biggest mistake? Not likely.” She was being
deliberately cruel but couldn’t help it. He’d ruined her for anyone else that summer—it wasn’t fair.
He tipped her chin up, his thumb close to her bottom lip, causing those butterflies to beat themselves against the walls of her chest. “I still remember everything about that night. You wore a pretty white dress and your hair was done up in a ponytail. I wanted to wrap my hand in it and kiss you senseless.”
“I think you did.” She smiled, caught up in the memories he wove like a master tailor. “I
knew what you were up to with that blanket and picnic hamper, but I didn’t care. The great Trace Michaels wanted me—I could barely believe it was happening.”
He brushed his thumb over her lip, igniting the embers of a long-ago fire. “We were good together, Mona. I’m sorrier than you can ever know that I screwed it up.”
She yanked free, angry and embarrassed at her weakness. “Screwed Sally, you mean? You were a free agent, it didn’t matter.” Or so she’d spent the next ten years trying to convince herself. “It’s all water under the bridge now anyway. I’d sooner stick to the subject at hand. What are you going to do about the spa?”
His dark brows drew together, and he opened his mouth as though he had something to say, before letting it snap shut. Instead, he leaned back, crossed his leg over his knee, and took a sip of his coffee before eyeing her over the rim of the cup. “I think I’ll leave the politics for the debate table. After all, you’ve known for some time who your opponent would be, I need time to study mine.” He tipped his cup at her and winked.
Follow Jacquie on Social Media:
Amazon | Website | Facebook | Newsletter
Twitter | Pinterest | GoodReads | Bookbub


46 Comments
Toni Pike
Hi Jacqui and Debby, I loved this interview – and agree that getting reviews probably is the hardest part about publishing. I must download a copy of your book – it sounds like the perfect medicine for the next few weeks. Toni x
dgkaye
It does, doesn’t it Toni! Thanks for visiting. Perfect escape read! <3
Norah Colvin
I enjoyed this interview with Jacquie, Debby. It’s so nice to hear a little of her life and the inspiration for her stories.
Sunset Beach sounds like a fun read.
dgkaye
Thanks so much Norah. <3
Jacquie Biggar
Thank you, Norah. Author interviews intimidate the heck out of me (introverted much? lol). I’m glad it came out okay 🙂
dgkaye
Me too, and I’m not an introvert! LOL
Jacqui Murray
Great interview. I am always amazed by Jacquie–her blog, her life, and her books. A book a month, Jacquie–oh my! And I’ve read your books. How the h*** do you do that???
dgkaye
Seems to be the big question from us here, lol? Disciplined writing for sure! 🙂
Jacquie Biggar
Truthfully, I commit myself to a muti-author box set and then I have to follow through, lol
Stevie Turner
Wow, to be able to write one book every month is quite an achievement! Well done Jacquie!
dgkaye
We want to know more about this right? Lol. I think it’s great discipline if you’re going to do a series and can hold back the anticipation of putting out book 1 before book 2 is out – I couldn’t lol. 🙂 x
Jacquie Biggar
It won’t last, but I’ll take it while I can get it, lol
Jacquie Biggar
Thanks for inviting me onto your wonderful blog, Debby! Your questions were so interesting, I wanted to take my time answering. I hope I did them justice 🙂
Sunset Beach has elements of romance- as you can tell from the above excerpt- but it’s more about family dynamics and two single parents raising teen daughters. Part of the book is told from the perspective of a fifteen year old and took me back to some of my own experiences at that age.
I hope your readers will consider giving the story a try!
dgkaye
Thanks Jacquie. I love a beachy read! And thanks so much for coming over, happy to introduce you to some of my readers here, and many you already know! 🙂
Jacquie Biggar
Thank you, Toni. I hope you enjoy it!
Balroop Singh
A book every month!! I am in awe of your proficiency Jacquie! Wishing you great success with the reviews too. I like your style of writing, it flows naturally.
Thank you for this lovely interview Deb, nice to see you back. Distance hugs. 🙂
Jacquie Biggar
Thanks for the wonderful compliment, Balroop! My muse is with me at the moment, so I’m chaining him to my side 🙂
Vashti Q
Hi, Debby! I loved the Q&A. It was fun getting to know more about Jacquie. I also enjoyed the excerpt, and the book cover is gorgeous. Congratulations to Jacquie on her new release! Thanks for hosting, and you both have a fabulous and safe weekend! <3
dgkaye
Hi Vashti. Thanks so much for your lovely words. Yes, Jacquie does have some beautiful book covers. I have at least 4 of her books awaiting my eyes. <3 <3
Jacquie Biggar
Thank you, Vashti! Michele Hauf did a wonderful job with my vision for these covers.
Mary J McCoy-Dressel
Hi, Jacquie and D.G. As a Tim Hortons fan, Jacquie, do you like their fruit explosion muffins? I’m lucky to have a Tim Hortons right up the hill from where I live. Oh, the muffins are my weakness. Your excerpt left a big question… Needing time to study his opponent sounds fun!
dgkaye
Hi Mary. Thanks for visiting. And so LOL on the Tim Hortons 🙂 🙂
Jacquie Biggar
The muffins are great, Mary, but the London Fog tea is to die for- try it!
John Maberry
Welcome back! You must be feeling better. 🙂
dgkaye
Thank you John. I’m on the mend! 🙂
Diana Peach
A book a month? I just fell over and had a heart attack. Lol. Oh my, a powerhouse if right. I write full time and am happy if I can get a book out every six months, which I can’t. A fun interview, Jacquie, and so nice to learn a few new details about you. Great post, Debby. 🙂
dgkaye
We are all in astonishment Diana, lol. Please, no heart attacks! Stay safe! <3
Jacquie Biggar
Diana, your books equal about three of mine! Fantasy is by necessity, large books. I’m awed by the worlds YOU create!
sally cronin
Fantastic Debby and Jacquie.. wonderful to read and love the cover of the new book, mind you all your covers look great Jacquie.. great job ladies.♥
dgkaye
Thanks bunches Sal. And thank you for sharing on your blog too <3 xx
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dgkaye
Thank you Lovely Sal <3 xx
Mary Smith
Great interview, you two. Really enjoyed it. I’m in awe of how many books you turn out, Jacquie. You make me feel sooooo slow 🙂
dgkaye
Amazing right Mary? Thanks so much for stopping by <3
Jacquie Biggar
Hi Mary,
Thank you for the lovely thoughts. I don’t always write this fast, I’m just on a roll at the moment 🙂
Jacquie Biggar
Thank you, Sally. The talented Michele Hauf created the covers for this series- I love them, too!
Carol
Lovely interview I always love seeing Jacquies beautiful flowers on FB…A book a month I can only dream… such passion and committment…Stay safe and healthy, ladies…Hugs xx
dgkaye
Thanks Carol. Yes, between Jacquie’s output speed and her expert garden, she is certainly a dynamo! Yes, stay safe Carol!!!! <3 xxx Hugs back.
Olga Núñez Miret
Thanks, Debby. It’s great to learn more about Jacquie and her writing. I’m envious both, of her productivity and of her garden! I love fruit! Good luck with your books and the reviews. ♥ (Oh, love the new cover!)
dgkaye
Hi Olga. Thanks so much for visiting and your kind words. I’m happy to see you pop by, I’ve been thinking of you there in Spain. I sure you’re well. Please stay safe. 🙂 xx
Colleen
What a lovely interview with Jacquie. I love her books. They always make you feel good. <3
dgkaye
Thanks Sis. What a fab compliment! <3
Carol Balawyder
Nothing but admiration and wishing you all the best, Jacquie. Thanks, Debby, for this insightful interview. 🙂
dgkaye
And thank you for visiting and leaving your lovely comment 🙂 xx
Robbie Cheadle
I think my previous comment got lost, Debby. If not, I am sorry there are two. I was very interested in learning more about Jacquie’s life and the fact that she still finds it difficult to get reviews is a revelation to me. I thought for someone as established as Jacquie, it would be easier. I love Jacquie’s garden and have seen a number of lovely pictures on FB. I didn’t realise they were all potted for the reasons she stated thought. An interesting restriction, no digging.
dgkaye
Thanks Robbie. I did see two comments from you here Robbie, sorry for the trouble my site is doing. Yes, Jacquie sure is one busy girl. And having a garden is a great thing to have, especially these days 🙂