Jo McNally
Author Interview - Jo McNally
Author of When Sparks Fly
Mike and single-mom Zoey have been very best friends since third grade (along with Mike’s twin sister Mary). They’ve used corny jokes and drinks in Zoey’s repair shop to help each other through Zoey’s divorce and Mike losing his wife. When a storm traps Mike at the house one night, things heat up. They’re putting decades of friendship on the line…but maybe it’s worth the risk? Zoey’s juggling the divorce, moving to her late father’s old house, keeping her teen daughter’s life stable, and now…falling in love. It might just be too much, no matter how much they laugh together. Something has to give. The meddling senior book club has to step in to help everyone navigate their tangled feelings and figure out how to find happiness and true love.
Author Interview - Jo McNally
Author I draw inspiration from: So many! I tend to be drawn to authors who can write a lengthy series and keep it fresh, like Susan Mallery, Mariah Stewart, or Jill Shalvis.
Author Interview - Jo McNally | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book: I love to curl up in the rocking chair in our sunroom to read, with a glass of wine nearby and the dog at my feet.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: My mind immediately went to a few unforgettable heroes. I think I’d choose Braden Carmichael from On Dublin Street by Samantha Young. Strong and steady, plus that brogue!
Author Interview - Jo McNally | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: I’ve wanted to be an author since I was a kid. It seemed like magic to be able to create entire worlds. I knew I wanted to be a romance author as a young teen, after reading my first Victoria Holt novel. All those reformed rakes, tamed by the spirited women who loved them!
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: I’m 98% ebook. I love the convenience and readability (and lack of clutter!).
The last book I read: Everything I Left Unsaid and The Truth About Him by M. O’Keefe. The first book is a cliffhanger, so I’m including them both. It’s from a few years back, and a darker romance than usual for me, but I could not put it down. Dylan and Annie were each other’s “bedrock” and I loved their story.
Author Interview - Jo McNally | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer: I write mostly on the computer these days. I write on a Chromebook, so I can move around for a change in scenery. I’ve always done my edits by hand, but now I use a ReMarkable tablet for it. It feels like paper without killing as many trees!
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: Oh, wow. This is a tough one! I think I could be friends with any of Christina Lauren’s heroines—they’re all so smart, strong, loyal and sassy. So I’ll go with the one who started it all—Chloe Mills from Beautiful Bastard.
Author Interview - Jo McNally | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: Meteorologist! I’m a total weather geek, and all my friends and family tease me about it (after they ask for my forecast!).
Favorite decade in fashion history: I love classic fashion. The fashion of the 1920s is beautiful to look at, but for fashions I could see myself actually wearing, I love the 1950s. All those full skirts and gorgeous suits!
Place I’d most like to travel: I’ve been to Ireland several times, and I’ll be in Scotland in September for the first time, but I’d love to get to the Continent and see Austria, Switzerland, Italy—anywhere with castles! There’s something so powerful about standing in a spot and imagining people standing there over 300 years ago.
My signature drink: A nice Argentinian Malbec, or a pint of Guinness!
Favorite artist: I always have a tough time choosing favorites, as they change weekly, but Chris Stapleton is right up there. His lyrics are so beautiful, and that gravelly, bluesy voice is like no other.
Number one on my bucket list: I’d love to spend a week at Yellowstone National Park and have time to really explore and see all the wildlife and geography there.
Anything else you'd like to add: I forgot to mention that in When Sparks Fly, there’s a secondary romance for one of the sassy book club members, Vickie. She and her contractor (and long-ago high school fling), Gordy, discover they still have chemistry at seventy. Their romance is tender and funny and yes, spicy!
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Author Bio: Jo McNally lives in upstate New York with 100 pounds of dog and 200 pounds of husband – her slice of the bed is very small. When she's not writing or reading romance novels (or clinging to the edge of the bed...), she can often be found on the back porch sipping wine with friends, listening to an eclectic playlist. If the weather is perfect, she might join her husband on the golf course, where she always feels far more competitive than her actual skill-level would suggest.
