Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Jennifer Marcia

Book Title:  Donnie: A Brotherhood MC Novel

Released:  02/14/23

Genre:  Spicy Romance

Interview by Heather L. Barksdale

What inspired you to write “Donnie: A Brotherhood MC Novel”?

Marcia: That's a great question. Donnie is the second book in my Brotherhood MC series and I'm pretty obsessed with all the guys. For Donnie,  I'd have to say it was a combination of a television series I would have written differently, the concept of miscommunication and the difficulty of loving someone who is simply unattainable at times. My books and characters are not based on my experience or people I have known but rather a culmination of everything I've experienced or wish I could experience. They are the result of years of people watching and the fun of choosing a storyline, often a painful one, and wondering what would happen if….

How did you come up with the names of your main characters?

Marcia: The characters and their names just kind of come to me. When I am trying to name a business or a town there is a lot of research and thought involved. I try on a lot of different names and see what "fits". Characters though, seem to name themselves. Sometimes it feels as if I'm simply writing for them rather than making up their stories.

Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?

Marcia: I am an indie romance writer who writes spicy suspense romance about strong woman and morally gray men who live in a world of criminal enterprise. My characters are beautifully broken and make questionable choices. The world they live in can be dangerous. Please check my website for trigger warnings. Be gentle with yourselves. I adore the men of the Brotherhood MC and the women they love. Still the books have dark themes and can have some triggers. That said, I do hope you enjoy the world of Whispering Pines and the Brotherhood MC as much as I do. I am active on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, as well as my website JenniferMarcia.com, please drop in leave a comment or share a post. I would love to hear from you.

If "Donnie: A Brotherhood MC Novel" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?

Marcia:  Wow this is a hard question. I honestly have no idea. Donnie and Aurora are so real to me that it's hard to imagine them embodied by well known actors. I would have to say Donnie would have to be someone unknown. Dark, dangerous and a bit older. Aurora is a strong woman in her thirties. She is gorgeous and fit with a powerful sense of self. I love these characters because they are a little bit broken and somehow that is really beautiful to me. If I had to choose, I think perhaps Pedro Pascal and Eiza González.

When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?

Marcia: Ugh. Writer's block is painfully real and so frustrating. It is almost unbearable to live with all these characters in my head day in and day out. They are bursting with the excitement of getting their stories out and as an author and creative, I love them and want to be able to get it all down on paper. And then when I finally have time to do so, it's eerily quiet. That demanding voice in my head is MIA and I simply have no idea where to start or pick up. This is what writers block feels like for me. Personally when writer's block hits I try to relax, distract myself with a cup of coffee, yoga or a walk outside. Take a bath or a shower. I change my headspace and more often than not, the words start to flow again.  

Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?

Marcia: The best advice I have is to sit down and write. Writing can be wonderful and easy and free flowing but it can also be painful and a catalyst for our own insecurities. I've never met a creative who isn't a bit stuck in their own head. Who doesn't have difficulty overcoming their own insecurities. So I would say, just write. Stop worrying about who your reader will be and what they want. Stop worrying about the potential of failure. Just stop. Breath. And write it out.

What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?

Marcia: I absolutely love dark suspense romance. I'm a huge fan of Jessica Gadziala. Emilia Finn and Anne Malcolm are also some of my favorite authors. Jessica Gadziala's books are consistently good with strong female characters and great storylines. Emilia Finn's books are also great. She writes really hot male characters who are flawed but believable. Anne Malcolm is a really powerful writer who drags all of the emotions from you. All three authors are one click buys for me.

What are you working on next?

Marcia: I'm just getting started with book three of my Brotherhood MC series. Joe. I am currently obsessed with his character as well as his love story.  The Brotherhood MC really just grabbed me by the throat and I can't seem to get away from these guys, not that I'm complaining . I loved Luca and Donnie, they really spoke to me and I'm finding Joe to be just as complicated, sexy and broken as the rest of the guys. Book two, Donnie released on February 14 and I've been pretty much all consumed with the ARCs, getting the Book ready for publication, promotion and trying to drum up reviews. And throughout all of that, I had my newest couple tapping on my subconscious and demanding to be heard. I'm super excited to be getting their story down on paper. I love all my characters and promoting the books is exciting but it feels good to be writing it out again. I love the early stages of the writing process. I love discovering who my characters are and how they need to grow to get the love they deserve. It's very satisfying to give them that transformation and eventual HEA.

Interested in checking out the book for yourself?

Find it for purchase here or Kindle Unlimited

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