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Monday, September 28, 2015

Review & Interview with Jayne Conway, author of What if I Fly?

We are joined today by local (well to Kari) indie author, Jayne Conway.  She is promoting her debut book, What if I Fly?  Enjoy her interview after some thoughts in the book.


Publisher: Plain Jayne Ink
Date of publication: July 2015

Julia and Will grew up in the same small Rhode Island town, but their lives couldn’t be more different. But when their paths cross one fateful summer night, Julia and Will are captivated by one another and their lives forever changed.


They share a deep bond, a passionate love, and are truly alive together – but love isn’t always enough. Can Julia and Will overcome the roadblocks of betrayal, loss, judgment and pride to navigate the sharp twists and turns of the road less traveled? As the dramatic events of their story unfold, they are both forced to open their eyes and find the strength within to live life on their own terms.


My thoughts:


What if I Fly? was recommended to me by several local people.  So of course having semi-grown up in Bristol, RI, I had to buy it and give it a shot.  Sometimes you never know what you are going to get with an indie author, but I was pleasantly surprised.  I found myself drawn into Julia and Will's story and read it in a couple of hours. 


You all know I am a sucker for second chance love.  The story is not all hearts and flowers.  It's raw and gut wrenching at times.  But, then, isn't real romance like that sometimes?  I found that this story had an element of reality that some romances don't have. Some couples are meant to be together, but unfortunately it takes a long time to get to that HEA.  Both characters had a lot of baggage that they had to overcome in order to find their way to each to happiness.


This is a good book to curl up on a crisp fall day with a cup of tea and just let yourself get lost in. I thought it was a well written  debut novel.  Ms. Conway is definitely an author to keep an eye on.  I look forward to seeing what story she comes up with next!



Kari& Autumn: What inspired you to become a writer?

Conway: It wasn’t a conscious decision. I’ve always been a journal writer and would write short stories about my life for fun. The few people I let read my short stories told me I was a good writer and eventually I added ‘write a book’ to my bucket list. Last year I hit a crossroads in my life and I decided to write my way into an alternate reality. What would my life be like today if I had taken another path? These musing turned into a book and I discovered a newfound passion.

Kari& Autumn: Where do you come up with the ideas for your books?

Conway: What if I Fly? is my first novel and the idea came from posing the question ‘what if?’ What if I hadn’t parted ways with that certain someone? What if I didn’t move back to RI after college? What if I lived the life I imagined? I got really creative with the possibilities associated with that question.

My life (and the lives of those around me) has been rich with drama. If I crammed it all into one book it would be too much. But focusing on one granule of truth and building from there…the wealth of my personal experiences should keep me busy writing for decades to come!

Kari& Autumn: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?

Conway: Recently, I finished the first draft of my second novel with the working title, As it Seems, as in ‘nothing is as it seems.’ I am fascinated with illusion. The images people project to the world via social media, or even in their personal interactions, are rarely a true representation of actual life. The main character of this book discovers her own life is an illusion and she embarks on a quest for truth.

Kari& Autumn: Who is your favorite literary character and why?

Conway: Tough one, but I’d have to say Emma Harte from A Woman of Substance. She overcame a great deal of adversity, created something from nothing, knocking down gender barriers as she built her business. She was independent, strong, brave, loyal and passionate. I admire those traits in anyone and when I first read this book back in high school, I wanted to be her.

Kari& Autumn: Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?



Conway: A bird. I’ve always wanted to fly.



About the author:


What if I Fly? is Jayne Conway’s debut novel.  Jayne has written dozens of short stories, poems, song lyrics, and other meandering thoughts, for her own amusement. One day, she decided to share the stories dancing in her head with others. What started off as a daydream, something to tick off her bucket list, has turned into a passion. She lives in Rhode Island with her three beautiful children and is currently writing her second novel.






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