Today I’m
interviewing Jake Hennessey, who appears in the Oak Grove Mysteries.
I ran into Jake at one of the small corner bars in Oak Grove when I
was there on other business. And I mean literally ran into him. I had
my face buried in my phone texting my mother and wasn’t watching
where I was going when I bumped into him. I knew who he was because
of my previous interview with Harmony Duprie, the main character of my Oak
Grove Mysteries. Of course, I offered to buy him a beer to replace
the one that got spilled. And to keep him company while he drank it
since he was alone. Which was surprising, because I noticed other
women in the bar eyeing him the whole time we were together.
interviewing Jake Hennessey, who appears in the Oak Grove Mysteries.
I ran into Jake at one of the small corner bars in Oak Grove when I
was there on other business. And I mean literally ran into him. I had
my face buried in my phone texting my mother and wasn’t watching
where I was going when I bumped into him. I knew who he was because
of my previous interview with Harmony Duprie, the main character of my Oak
Grove Mysteries. Of course, I offered to buy him a beer to replace
the one that got spilled. And to keep him company while he drank it
since he was alone. Which was surprising, because I noticed other
women in the bar eyeing him the whole time we were together.
After we got
introductions and pleasantries out of the way, and after I bought him
a second beer, I got down to business. He agreed to answer my
questions as long as I didn’t ask about any of his legal issues. I
reluctantly agreed.
introductions and pleasantries out of the way, and after I bought him
a second beer, I got down to business. He agreed to answer my
questions as long as I didn’t ask about any of his legal issues. I
reluctantly agreed.
Me: So is this your
night off or are you still job hunting?
night off or are you still job hunting?
Jake: It’s the
middle of the week, so I have the night off. The club I’m working for
doesn’t get enough business to justify a bouncer except on weekends.
Luckily, they let me bartend a few nights too, but when I’m not
working I like to scope out the competition.
middle of the week, so I have the night off. The club I’m working for
doesn’t get enough business to justify a bouncer except on weekends.
Luckily, they let me bartend a few nights too, but when I’m not
working I like to scope out the competition.
He flashed a toothy
grin and I couldn’t help but smile back. His eyes followed a waitress
as she wandered past.
grin and I couldn’t help but smile back. His eyes followed a waitress
as she wandered past.
Jake: (with a wink.)
I especially like checking out the staff at the competition. The
waitresses at the club are off-limits.
I especially like checking out the staff at the competition. The
waitresses at the club are off-limits.
Me: Your rule or
theirs?
theirs?
Jake: By mutual
agreement. They’re fun to flirt with, but I wouldn’t want any of them
to think I was seriously interested in them.
agreement. They’re fun to flirt with, but I wouldn’t want any of them
to think I was seriously interested in them.
Me: Is there anyone
you are interested in?
you are interested in?
Jake: Nope. I’m
still letting my broken heart heal after being dumped by Harmony. (He
thumped his fist against his chest, and flashed his grin again. I
wasn’t sure whether to take him seriously so I switched topics.
still letting my broken heart heal after being dumped by Harmony. (He
thumped his fist against his chest, and flashed his grin again. I
wasn’t sure whether to take him seriously so I switched topics.
Me: I know you’ve
traveled a lot. What is your favorite city?
traveled a lot. What is your favorite city?
Jake: San Francisco.
So many cool old houses. A lot of them have been restored, but there
are still more falling apart. I wish I had the money available to buy
a couple and fix them up.
So many cool old houses. A lot of them have been restored, but there
are still more falling apart. I wish I had the money available to buy
a couple and fix them up.
Me: Doesn’t Oak
Grove have houses needing restored?
Grove have houses needing restored?
Jake: Sure. But the
real estate market here is slow, and there’s no guarantee I’d be able
to sell them at a profit. In San Fran, they’d get gobbled up in a
heartbeat. Besides, no one there knows my reputation and I could
start over again. Oak Grove is too small for that.
real estate market here is slow, and there’s no guarantee I’d be able
to sell them at a profit. In San Fran, they’d get gobbled up in a
heartbeat. Besides, no one there knows my reputation and I could
start over again. Oak Grove is too small for that.
Me: So why do you
stick around?
stick around?
Jake (shrugging his
shoulders) : For Harmony. She needs someone to look after her. That
girl attracts trouble like no one else I’ve ever known. Me included,
of course, but at least I’m trying to make up for it. I wish Eli was
here to take care of her, but he’s too busy down in Florida.
shoulders) : For Harmony. She needs someone to look after her. That
girl attracts trouble like no one else I’ve ever known. Me included,
of course, but at least I’m trying to make up for it. I wish Eli was
here to take care of her, but he’s too busy down in Florida.
I notice him
studying my ring and knowing his reputation as a jewel thief, moved
my hand into my lap. He shook his head, smirked, and took a drink of
his beer.
studying my ring and knowing his reputation as a jewel thief, moved
my hand into my lap. He shook his head, smirked, and took a drink of
his beer.
Jake: See what I
mean? Even you do it. I can’t admire someone’s jewelry without them
getting all uptight. Nice ring, by the way. Was it passed down to
you? Looks antique.
mean? Even you do it. I can’t admire someone’s jewelry without them
getting all uptight. Nice ring, by the way. Was it passed down to
you? Looks antique.
Me: Thanks. It was
my grandmother’s. And sorry about that.
my grandmother’s. And sorry about that.
Jake: Yeah, I’m used
to it, unfortunately. By the way, you might want to ask someone to
check the setting of the opal. It looks loose. I’d hate for you to
lose the stone.
to it, unfortunately. By the way, you might want to ask someone to
check the setting of the opal. It looks loose. I’d hate for you to
lose the stone.
Before I asked him
how he could tell, he downed the rest of his beer and stood.
how he could tell, he downed the rest of his beer and stood.
Jake: I’m headed
out. Enjoy the rest of your visit. Tell Harmony hi if you see her
again.
out. Enjoy the rest of your visit. Tell Harmony hi if you see her
again.
Then, without a
backward glance, he swaggered to the front door of the bar, without even stopping to flirt with a waitress, and
disappeared.
backward glance, he swaggered to the front door of the bar, without even stopping to flirt with a waitress, and
disappeared.
The Oak Grove Mysteries are available here https://www.amazon.com/Oak-Grove-Mysteries-3-Book/dp/B072F4WBWH or check out the My Books page of this blog.
And now that I’ve managed to offend Jake, I’m going to finish my beer and go check out the character interviews by the rest of the authors.
November 6, 2017 – Pick a character from one of your books and interview him or her.
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:
Custom Blog:
An InLinkz Link-up
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As someone who doesn't interview my characters except for this blog hop, I'm enjoying seeing the different ways authors do this.
Thanks! I think it's fun to do.
Find doing character interviews is a good way to dig deeper into, lear more about my characters and find their voice.
I had to be careful in this interview. Jake is up to something and I'm not sure what it is. He plays the long con. I guess I'll figure it out when I write the next book!