I met Jen Turano a few years ago at a writing conference. She took me to coffee and told me about how she started as a writer and asked me about my own projects. I am very excited to have the opportunity to interview her about her latest book, Storing Up Trouble. Make sure you leave a comment to be entered to win a copy!
I noticed you dedicated this book to your husband. I have to ask, was your meet cute and romance as crazy as some of your characters?
In all honesty, no, it wasn’t crazy at all, although the first time I met Al, I turned down his invitation to dinner. We met at a bar in Buffalo, NY, and he came up to me about a minute after I arrived at that bar with my sister. I thought it was rather strange that he asked me out to dinner so quickly, so I turned him down. What I didn’t know at that time was that he was actually late to have dinner with another lady that night. He left soon after I refused his dinner invitation and I ended up going out to dinner with one of his friends (which didn’t work out because I just didn’t feel a connection to that man.) Anyway, a couple of weeks later, I went to this event called The Up-Downtown Party that Buffalo held for professionals every month, and the first person I saw was Al. He just had such a wonderful smile, and seemed genuinely delighted to see me again. We started talking and I definitely felt a connection with him. We’ve been together ever since, which is now going on thirty-one years.
I loved the cats, especially Phantom. Are you a cat person or a dog person?
I’m a dog person, although I don’t currently have a dog. My favorite breed is Australian Cattle Dogs, but after my Cattle Dog, Sasha, died three years ago at the ripe-old age of fifteen, I decided to wait a while before getting another dog. Al and I were thinking about getting a dog during this whole shelter in place business, but dogs are rather hard to come by these days, so we’ll be waiting a bit longer.
What’s your favorite part about writing?
Writing “The End.” Hahahaha – not really. My favorite part is editing because, for me, at that point I’ve gotten the hard stuff out of the way, and it’s really fun to go back through and fluff everything up.
I have never heard of a pistol purse before this book. Where did you discover this weapon?
I was researching different pistols that ladies frequently used during the Gilded Age and I found this picture of a pistol purse, and then I found a video of a man demonstrating how one worked. I knew I needed to fit one of them into a story, and “Storing Up Trouble” seemed the perfect place for me to do that.
Have you ever done something crazy in the name of research?
Not really crazy, although I have been known to drag my friends to historical sites, no matter if they’re history buffs or not. I normally bribe them with lunch, dinner, or whatever enticement I think is needed to get them to accompany me.
Who is your favorite classic author?
Edith Wharton, although Charles Dickens is also a favorite.
I know one of your treats of choice is potato chips. What is the weirdest flavor you’ve ever tried?
Those Flaming Hot ones are interesting – and not in a good way.
I appreciate that all your books have an interwoven spiritual truth. Do you have an idea of what it will be before you start, or does it flow from the character’s journeys?
I rarely know what the spiritual arc is going to be when I start the book – they just seem to show up as I’m writing and I take it from there.
The scenes in the store fascinated me. If you had to choose one of the jobs to work, what would it be?
Since I have a background working in department stores, I’ve done all of the jobs Beatrix works on in the book, except for the coat check because none of the stores I worked in offered that service. Frankly, though, I don’t really care for sales at all, so I wouldn’t want to work any of the positions I gave to Beatrix, preferring the buying offices to anything on the floor.
You are known for giving your characters unique–but historically authentic–names. What is the absolute favorite name you’ve ever found/used?
Gertrude Cadwallader – probably because my sister used to have a hamster named Gertrude.
Storing Up Trouble was the last book in the series, do you ever feel sad to let the characters go?
Nope – by the time I’m done with a series, I’m normally tired of the characters and am perfectly happy to see the last of them. I also never read my books once they go into print because, well, it’s not like I don’t know how they end.
Can you share any teasers about your next book?
My next series surrounds a group of ladies who, because of necessity, form a most unusual agency – The Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency. The first book in the series, “To Steal a Heart” releases in November, 2020, and it’s about Miss Gabriella Goodhue, who spent her childhood living on the means streets in Five Points as a thief. Gabriella has some interesting skills that aid the Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency, and when she runs into Mr. Nicholas Quinn, a friend from her past, while in a rather tricky situation, they soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery that could very well see both of them dead.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Some special notes.
- My review of Storing Up Trouble is included below.
- As a lover of happy endings, I was excited to hear that Jen and her husband adopted a sweet new dog! There was a slight delay in posting this to make sure the post office open.
- The post office needed to be open because Jen has offered to send out Storing Up Trouble. To enter to receive a copy of Storing Up Trouble, comment below. A smiley face, photo of your pet, or emoticon are also acceptable. 🙂
When Storing Up Trouble started out with a Frankenau Pistol Purse packing heroine, I knew I was in for a fun read. From the zany supporting characters to the fascinating historical details to the interwoven Spiritual truths …well, this book was just what I needed right now.
So, what were my favorite parts?
I love the hero and heroine, but I also adored the supporting characters. More than one romantic pairing meant more opportunity to root for Happily-Ever-Afters.
The cats. Yes, this book features heroic cats. As a cat lover often saddened by the heroism attributed to dogs that is denied to cats, I appreciated that in Storing Up Trouble cats get the full credit all felines will tell you is their due.
I liked the relationships beyond the romance—siblings, friends, and a man and his mule—to name a few.
I came away grateful that I do not have to wear a bustle, secure 200 buttons on my dress with a buttonhook, or work in a meat-packing plant.
This book is a fun and light-hearted read, but it also includes truths about caring for others, relationships, and finding the path God has for you in life. I highly recommend it.
I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy for the purpose of review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I love that there are cats in this book since I love cats! I can’t wait to read this book!
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I tried multiple ways to attach or copy/paste a picture of my Shar pei/bulldog with no luck. Mac is a fun loving slobber with neckerchief. I am the moon. When I get home from the hospital I work at as a nurse. He wants to give me lots of love. All my animals 🐕🐕🐈🐈
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Congratulations, Melanie! Your name was selected to win the copy of Storing Up Trouble. Please email me your address. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. 🙂
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I love cats, too. They are my favorite animals. 🙂
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Hi Jody, LOVED this interview and that’s so amazing you met Jen in real life! Thanks SO MUCH for this giveaway, truly one of the best interviews I’ve ever read 🙂 🙂 I’ve been reading Jen’s books since Change of Fortune came out in 2012 and looking forward to this one, the title itself is SUCH a hoot! Thanks also for the special notes you included, big smiles to you.
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I’m so glad you enjoyed the interview. I think this cover is my favorite of Jen’s books so far. 🙂
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I was going to share a pic of my cats but seem to be not clever enough to find how. 🐈 🐱
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Thank you for commenting, and pet your kitties for me. 🙂 I love cats.
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I love reading Jen’s books! I can’t wait for her new series!
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I’m excited about that one, too. 🙂
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I love Jen Turano’s books because they are funny without being ridiculously silly and there’s always a mystery, too. I’m happy that she got a new dog, and Remee is very cute. As a cat person (but allergic), I think they will be a fun part of the new novel.
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Jen’s books are always so fun. And I think Remee looks really sweet in the pics I’ve seen.
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It sounds like a great book!
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It is. 🙂
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Hello Jen & Jody, and thanks for the fun interview! This series has been so much fun, I’m sad to see it go! I have no doubt that the Bleeker St girls will be just as charming! 😁😁
Terirose22 (at) hotmail (dot) com
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I am looking forward to that series, too. 🙂
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So excited there are cats in the story! I’m writing a Christian fiction and struggling fitting a cat in. Can’t wait to read it
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I write Christian fiction, too. I think my current work in progress is the first time I have featured a cat. Her name is Penelope. 🙂
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Thanks for sharing the interview. I can’t wait to read this book!
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You’re welcome. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did. 🙂
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Great interview! I’m really liking her books! I’ve read 3 so far and look forward to reading more.
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I’m so glad you’re liking her books. 🙂
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I recently finished reading Diamond in the Rough and really enjoyed it. So it was great to see the little sneak peek of Storing Up Trouble here. It sounds like a fun read.
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I’m glad you enjoyed the sneak peek. It was a fun read. 🙂
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This sounds so interesting! The interview was wonderful! I can’t wait to read this! The cover is gorgeous!
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I think this might be my all-time favorite cover of hers. 🙂
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I would LOVE to win this book. It sounds fantastic!! Thank you for the chance! 😉
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You’re welcome. Thank you for taking the time to enter. 🙂
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I prefer dogs over cats too! This book looks very good! ☺️
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It was good! 🙂
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I certainly enjoyed the interview and the review. Now I want to know what exactly is a pistol purse and about the heroic cats. In my home we have one cat who knows how to manipulate the various humans to get what he wants.
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I think your cat knows my cat. 🙂 She definitely sees herself as the queen.
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She is an amazing author! I live near Utica, NY where she met AL!!! Funny.
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She is a wonderful author. 🙂
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🙂
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🙂
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I enjoyed reading the interview. I liked the part of how you met your husband.
I have read several of your books and would love to add this one. 🙂
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I’m glad you enjoyed the interview. I thought Jen’s story about meeting Al was fun, too. 🙂
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Jen’s books are always light hearted and so very entertaining! I cant wait for the next series! 💜
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I know. I think it comes out this fall. 🙂
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I love Jen’s stories and characters. I am really looking forward to reading her latest book, Storing up Trouble.
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Her characters are always a lot of fun. I think Theodosia was one of my favorites in this one. 🙂
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Oh my, this book sounds so interesting. Loved the interview!
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I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
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I love this interview!
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It was fun! 🙂
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What an interesting and insightful interview! I very much enjoyed learning more about Jen’s background and her writing process. Her books have the perfect mix of humor with one or more lessons learned. I, too, have an Australian Cattle Dog, a rescue girl.
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She does a great job mixing humor with truth. 🙂
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This book came at the right time for me as I was not doing well with self isolation. It actually made me laugh out loud.
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It came at the perfect time for me, too. It’s amazing that God knew when Jen was writing it that we would need it at this particular time. 🙂
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I love Jen Turano’s books. Can’t wait to read this one!
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I know you’ll enjoy it! 🙂
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soundsgood
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It was! 🙂
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Well done interview, good questions. Jen’s comment about enjoying editing was interesting, as I had read an author blog post this week about how editing was the more serious focused side of writing.
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It is to some degree, but it is also rewarding. 🙂
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I would love to win this book! I have read all of her books and enjoyed them all very much! It was very interesting to read your blog post too!
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I think you’ll really enjoy this one, too! 🙂
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I love Jen’s books and I can’t wait to read this new one!
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I have no doubt you’ll enjoy it! 🙂
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I would love to win a copy of this book. I truly enjoy the humor in her books😂😅🤣
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Her sense of humor is so fun! 🙂
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I’ve read all of Jen Turano’s books and always look forward to the next one’s release. I love her sense of humor and gentle reminders of how God is always working in our lives.
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She does such a wonderful job of mixing those two things together! 🙂
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Love all Jen Turano’s books! I can’t wait to read it!
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I’m sure you’ll enjoy it! 🙂
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My son-in-law is a policeman and decided it would be good to get a well trained protection dog for his family. A police buddy of his started Priority 1 Canine Training company (featured on Shark Tank) so that’s where he got Cyrus…a beautiful Belgin Malinois Shepherd. Cyrus is trained as a protection dog and could do bodily harm if given the right command. However, Cyrus is also a family pet and loves nothing better than to carry around his “blankie.” As his grandma, I keep him supplied with blankies by scouring thrift shops. Since Covid 19 has kept me from doing that, I bought some material and made some for him. We want to keep Cyrus happy! I am kept happy by reading Jen Turano books. Her stories and characters will tickle your funny bone and gladden your heart…something we can all use with the abundance of doom and gloom news we constantly hear.
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I agree. This book really cheered me up. I’m glad you are able to keep Cyrus supplied with blankies. 🙂
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Thank you to everyone who commented! I had to wait until the drawing closed to reply. (I use a random generator to select a winner and didn’t want to mess that up. There probably is a work around, but technology is not my strong suit. :)) I hope you all enjoy reading this book as much as I did.
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