Wednesday, March 7, 2012

5 Easy Questions with Jenna Rutland!

Every Wednesday, I ask a writer the same five easy questions. In an effort to support and promote fellow wordsmiths, I feature authors who write a variety of genres, from sweet inspirational to mainstream thrillers. The writers themselves may be aspiring, published, or best-selling--all have made an impact on my life.

Thank you for joining me in welcoming…Jenna Rutland!!

I met Jenna when I joined MVRWA, the Toledo chapter of Romance Writers of America, and we just get each other! A gifted writer of contemporary romance, a hilarious friend, and a great hugger, Jenna means the world to me. I wish you all could join us for lunch—you would laugh more than you have in years. I’m thrilled to have Jenna here today.

Let’s get to it!

1. Beverage of choice?

Well, it depends on the time of day. I need some caffeine, but hate coffee/tea. So I knock back a few Diet Pepsi’s in the morning before switching to H2O. If I’m really dragging in the afternoon, I might have another DP. While making dinner, it’s definitely a fine glass of Cabernet. Some days it may be a big glass.
2. Any pets?

We adopted a stray kitty 14½ years ago who has brought a smile to my face every day of his life. Griffey, who was named after the baseball player, Ken Griffey, Jr., spends his days napping in the sun, eating, playing/exercising for 1-2 minutes, and using the litter box. Other than the latter, I think his life sounds pretty darn good.

3. Dream vacation?

I’d love to go to the South Pacific. Bora Bora. Tahiti. Which is actually kind of odd because I’m not a swimmer and don’t really enjoy being in the ocean. But the beautiful weather, the incredible color of the water, and those grass hut thingies that go out over the ocean call to me. Go figure. Also, I’d love to take my whole family—husband, son, daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. Having us all together in that tropical paradise would be heaven.

4. What are you listening to right now?

In my car, I’m currently listening to The Fray. I’ve got Sirius, so sometimes I tune in to a jazz station while driving, or 70s or 80s music. While I’m writing, it’s either the neighborhood kids screaming and dogs barking, or smooth jazz on Pandora.

5. What's for dinner?

I love to cook and try new recipes (much to the dismay of my husband and son). Tonight, I’m relying on an old family favorite – Cashew Chicken. I love to share my recipes, so stop over to my blog on Fork It Up Fridays and see what yummy recipe I’m sharing that day.
***

Jenna, I’ve recently gotten hooked on Coke Zero, but I like Diet Pepsi a lot too. I’m guessing the level of neighborhood kids screaming affects the size of the wine glass at dinner? Ha! Your kitty sounds so sweet, and hey, 1-2 minutes of exercise is plenty! No fair teasing us with Bora Bora ideas. I’m picturing us in one of those hut thingies with a frozen tropical beverage just lounging and looking out at the ocean. Wow, I’m feeling relaxed! Who else wants in on this?

Your dinner is making my mouth water. I’m coming over. Make your cream pie recipe you shared last Friday too, okay? Not that I’m demanding or anything… Thanks so much for being my guest today, Jenna!
***
Jenna Rutland lives in a small Michigan community with her husband, son, and senior cat. While her days are spent working as a medical transcriptionist, her nights are filled writing contemporary romance—stories of love, laughter and happily ever after. Guess which one is more fun?
She is a member of RWA and her local group, Maumee Valley RWA. After several years on the board, she now chairs the MVRWA annual Brainstorming weekend as well as acts as food coordinator for several other events.

Jenna enjoys spending time with her family and has recently been given the awesome title of grandmother! She also gardens and loves the challenge of a new recipe. To learn more about Jenna, head to her website, be friends with her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter!

Daylight savings time is this weekend. Do you have to adjust your clocks? We do!

Have a marvelous day!

16 comments:

  1. Nice to meet you, Jenna! I like Coke Zero better than diet Coke. And I'm a big fan of the Fray! :)

    We're losing an hour right? I don't wanna talk about it. lol

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  2. Love the interview! Nice to "meet" Jenna. :)

    I LOVE Coke Zero too. It's my beverage of choice as well when I need a caffeine jolt. I don't like coffee or tea either.

    And I'm one of the lucky few who never has to worry about DST. I'm in Arizona, where we don't participate. The only thing that stinks is being 3 hours difference from EST during the summer. Makes it much harder to find time to chat with one of my best friends in Virginia.

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  3. Hi, Jenna! *waves*

    Thanks for being a guest on Jill's blog! She's a sweetie, isn't she? "Found" cats are the best, aren't they? So glad you've enjoyed yours (and I'm with Jill - 1-2 min of exercise works for me!). I love trying out new recipes - I'll have to check out your blog!

    Have a great week,
    Kathy

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  4. Jessica: Yes. Grr... I like gaining the hour, not losing it!

    Lindsay: Mmm, Coke Z! Yeah, the time difference makes it difficult to call friends on the other coast. But at least you don't have to worry about forgetting to move your clock. :)

    Kathy: Aw, thanks! I'm thinking 1-2 minutes of exercise is good for adults too? No? Ha!

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  5. Hi, how wonderful to meet you, Jenna!

    Why don't we all pack a bag and horn in on your Bora Bora getaway!

    I love cashew chicken! Since we live near the cashew chicken capital of the world, we actually have it quite often. Yum!

    And yay, for Griffey! Adopted pets are so sweet.

    Thanks, Jill, for officially introducing us to Jenna. :) Side thought...I want to visit Michigan sometime. How far away are you from Mackinaw (sp?) Island? Isn't that where no cars are allowed?

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  6. Bora Bora here we come. I call writer's retreat! And cashews...that's what I haven't cooked w/ chicken in a while. Thanks for the tip.

    ~ Wendy

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  7. Eeek! I forgot about Daylight Savings!

    I love great huggers. Jenna sounds like a lovely lady. :-)

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  8. Thanks for introducing us to Jenna. She sounds like fun. I especially enjoyed the description of her cat's day.

    I'm not looking forward to losing the hour this weekend, but I remind myself how great it will be to get it back this fall.

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  9. Jessica: Nice to meet you, too. Yeah, I hate when we lose that precious hour. I've never tried Coke Zero. I'll give it a try.

    Lindsay: Nice to meet you. Sounds like Coke Zero is a hit.

    Kathy: Yes, Jill is definitely a keeper! Please stop by my blog on Fridays to try a new recipe!

    Cynthia: Nice to meet you. I think we would be inspired by Bora Bora. Think we can claim the trip on our taxes? LOL. Adopted pets are great. I wish we'd taken all of them. Mackinaw Island is in Northern Michigan, quite a ways from me. I have never been there before, but I think Jill has.

    Wendy: How awesome would a writer's retreat to Bora Bora be? Jill and I actually have a co-member who is planning a writer's retreat in Mexico. Something to think about...

    Jessica: Thanks! I'm a touchy-feely kind of person. Can't help it, just love people!

    Keli: I love that it stays light longer at the end of the day, but losing that hour is aweful.

    Thank you, Jill, for having me today. And for everyone who has stopped by, I appreciate your comments. If you're looking for a new recipe, stop by my blog on Friday.

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  10. Diet Coke with Lime all the way!

    Yes, I have to adjust my clock this weekend. Waaahh, losing an hour. Boo!

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  11. Nice to meet you, Jenna! Thanks for hosting, Jill.

    Tahiti sounds romantic, and mysterious...

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  12. So very nice to meet you, Jenna! I love to travel and have never been to the South Pacific. Tahiti and Bora Bora sound wonderful. Time to update the bucket list. Blessings!

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  13. Cynthia: Oh, you HAVE to get to Mackinaw Island!! It's so pretty. First, it's between the two peninsulas, which is really cool. You take a ferry to get there, and there's the cutest little tourist strip with fudge and shops. Victorian summer homes line the bluff, and a neat fort perches high on a hill. The best part, besides the vehicle-free status, is the nature. Tons of trails dot the island. You can bike around the whole thing! And don't forget to ooh-and-ahh at the Grand Hotel. I love it there!

    Wendy: Yay! You're in! Bora Bora, here we come!

    Jessica N.: Jenna is one of the best huggers. I know from experience. :)

    Keli: I hate losing the hour. It feels stolen. I like my sleep!

    Jenna: Thanks so much for popping in!!

    Melissa: So you put lime in yours? Interesting! And I'm with you on the boo-ing of daylight savings. Yuck!

    Loree: Yes. I'm picturing a romance on Tahiti as we speak... :)

    Donna: Update my bucket list too, okay? They sound magical!

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  14. Melissa: Oh, Diet Coke with lime sounds interesting. I'll have to try!

    Loree: Nice to meet you too. I definitely think Tahiti would be inspiring.

    Donna: So good to meet you too. Somehow that bucket list is getting long!

    Thanks again, Jill, for having me. And thanks everyone for joining us.

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  15. I will go to Tahiti too! Great interview--fun answers:))

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  16. Terri: Glad you enjoyed the interview. Thanks for stopping by. (And sorry for the late comment. I'm in SC this week visiting my daughter, SIL and granddaughter.

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