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Get in the ring with Jennifer Fusco…

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Could you tell us a little bit about what we have to look forward to in GOING THE DISTANCE?  

I’d love to. GOING THE DISTANCE is a road-trip romance. Control freak and ultra-hotty boxer Mike Perez doesn’t fly. So, when he is forced to travel from Las Vegas to NYC, he drives. Sports reporter Ava Phillips tags along intending to dig up a story to make her career.  They uncover their feelings for each other, and these two probably would have never found each other unless they were trapped in a car together for thousands of miles.

 

What inspired you to write about the brutal, edgy world of boxing?

Well, that’s an easy one. My father was a professional boxer. So I’ve grown up around boxing all my life. He started as a professional Heavyweight, and Golden Gloves Champion. After he retired, he coached and became a boxing promoter. Having in-depth knowledge of all facets of the sport came easily to me. And that was easy to build a love story around. Over the years the stigma around the sport has changed, but it still attracts a very tough, alpha male kind of guy. That’s who my dad is, and they’re the kinds of guys I know best. Tough on the outside, tough on the inside, but once you break through, they’ll love you better than anyone else.

 

Who is your ultimate book boyfriend?

Hands down, Jamie Fraser in OUTLANDER. Oh. My. Goodness. What a man!

 

There’s so much interest and excitement around romance fiction right now. What do you think that romance readers are looking for in the romances they read today? 

I think they want it all, and that’s a good thing. Readers are demanding believable characters who are real, people they’d like to know in their own lives. Today’s romance reader is smart; she knows a junky story line when she sees it. Therefore, plots have to be tighter than ever.  She knows she has a lot of choices, so we have to deliver the best book possible to keep her coming back. Personally, whenever someone reads one of my books I consider it a privilege. A reader today has lots of options. So, thank you for considering me.

 

Have you always wanted to be a writer? What do you love most about your job?

Yes! When I was a little girl I would make up stories and tell them to my mom. I’d force her to write them down because I couldn’t spell. My poor mom. She had to listen to all those stories that, I’m sure, made no sense at all. What I love most about my job is there’s no schedule, no time-clock. If I’m not feeling particularly creative one day, I’ll not write, and wait until I work out the story in my head before putting it on the page. Having the freedom to do what you love is a true gift.

 

Do you have the most fun creating your heroes or your heroines?

Heroes. I think inside I’m part guy. Or, I have guy envy. It’s great making up what it must be like to be a guy. How they think and feel. There’s more going on inside their heads than their willing to let on. Putting myself in the hero’s shoes is a true thrill.

 

Do you have a favourite hero or heroine from your books or by any other author?

Jack in FIGHTING FOR IT is my favorite so far. You never know what is going to come out of his mouth. J

 

Who are the authors you read for pleasure?

I love to read. Stephen King, Dennis Lehane and Nora Roberts are my top three go-to authors. However, most of my friends are romance authors and I tend to read them as well.

 

If you could take only three essentials with you to a desert island what would they be?

Chocolate, my cellphone, and my cellphone battery charger. I have to stay connected!

 

Who would be on your dream dinner party guest list, dead or alive? 

Jon Stewart, Melissa McCarthy and Stephen Colbert. I love to laugh.

 

What are your guilty pleasures?

Well-written television shows, like Breaking Bad. Reese’s Cups and any episode of The Walking Dead. I’m a total TV fan-girl. I love shows I can really get into. I own The Walking Dead graphic novels, and I binge watch the shows. I even have a few of the toys and models. And, my all-time favorite bad guy is the Governor. So, turn on a Walking Dead marathon and pass me Reese’s Cups. To me, that’s Heaven.

 

GOING THE DISTANCE is out on 15th March!

And don’t miss the first instalment of Jennifer’s sizzling Ringside series, FIGHTING FOR IT, out now!