The Do It List
Book 1
Jillian Stone
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Publisher: Jillian Stone
Date of Publication: June 19, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-9963459-1-0
Number of pages: 334
Word Count: 90,000
Cover Artist: Jillian Stone
Book Tagline: 10 sexual encounters. No strings attached.
Book Description:
Hotshot copywriter Gracie Taylor-Scott has a reputation—for her artfully edgy ads. A rising star at Darcy Wexler Dean, New York, the long hours are perfect cover for Gracie’s fear of intimacy issues.
Great job. Great pay. No life—including her on again off again sex life. Then one night, she is plunged into darkness with a handsome stranger.
Bradley Craig is the new head of DWD’s research division, and this ad man has secrets of his own. Much lauded in his field of consumer behavior, there’s a darker side to the attractive ad man—his erotic, list-maker side.
Gracie and Bradley are assigned to work on the biggest new business pitch Darcy Wexler Dean will be in all year, and the two tangle immediately, battling copy concepts and focus group findings along with their explosive attraction to each other.
Bradley has a proposition: they make a list. Ten erotic sexual encounters, no strings attached. What’s at stake? Two Super Bowl spots and two fragile hearts.
“Close the door, Gracie.”
I checked the hallway through the floor-to-ceiling glass by the exit. No one was about. Coworkers were in their offices, filling out time sheets, getting ready to call it a day.
I shut the door with a soft click.
“I believe there’s a light switch on the wall.” He used a huskier voice, more like the elevator Bradley.
I pressed the controls, and the conference room dimmed enough not to be seen by passersby, as long as we kept things quiet. Nose to the door, I stared at the smooth, matte-black surface.
“I know things got a little heated––” I stopped myself and cringed. Was I talking about last night or the testy words between us several minutes ago? And since when weren’t things heated between us? I sucked in a calming breath and exhaled silently.
It occurred to me, this attraction to Bradley might well be the hottest, most erotic experience of my life. I pivoted away from the door to face him.
“Sorry I can’t be more enthusiastic about creative testing, it’s just that I’ve been screwed by research in the past, and not in a good way.”
Bradley flopped down on the sofa and raked me over with his gaze. He patted the seat next to him. “You and I need to build some trust.”
I approached slowly. “Have you any idea how many focus groups I’ve sat through where smirking research geeks underlined every word or phrase that didn’t test high enough—some of them the best words and phrases I’ve ever written in my life?”
I dropped my bag on the floor for emphasis. “Just once, I’d like to believe research has my back.”
He clasped my wrist and tugged. “Since we’re going to be working closely together…” He pulled me lower.
I settled a knee to each side of his thighs and straddled him. It was about time I climbed on the man. “How close?”
“Intimate close.” He easily worked through the buttons of my pants.
“You’re staring at my belly button.”
“You have a piercing.” His gaze turned darker, hungrier—as if I were a mocha chocolate truffle and he had a craving for Godiva.
Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I’ve always been a storyteller. When I was an art director in advertising I told visual stories in print and film.
When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?
I still have moments where I question whether or not I’m a writer. I have to remind myself that I’ve written seven full-length books and two novellas. I don’t think any creative person should ever get too cocky, but I also dislike fake humility. Steve Jobs closed his Stanford commencement speech with the words: Stay hungry, stay foolish. I think that’s where I’m going to stay.
How long did it take to get your first book published?
The second book I wrote won the 2010 RWA Golden Heart and was published by Pocket Books, so I guess you could say I published very quickly. Looking back, I’m not sure that was such a good thing. I was not prepared for the business of being an author so the learning curve was severe and painful.
Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?
I still work as a creative in advertising, but not full time. I freelance so that I can schedule in writing time.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?
THE DO IT LIST is my latest release, and the book draws heavily on the contemporary world of big time advertising. Mad Men meets Mad Women––instead of Don Draper, it’s Gracie Taylor-Scott’s story.
Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?
Pocket Books and Kensington Brava publish my historical romance titles and my new release, THE DO IT LIST is self-published.
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
Oh gosh, I’m so slow compared to some of the other writers I know. I write about two books a year.
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
I enjoy writing in different genres while I discover who I am as a writer. I have a several book ideas in development right now, including a graphic novel. I am currently writing the sequel to THE DO IT LIST and the first novel in a Gentlemen of Scotland Yard spin off series this year.
What genre would you place your books into?
THE DO IT LIST is a contemporary romance with erotic elements. CODENAME: DRAGON is Historical Romantic Suspense. I’m working on a graphic novel with
Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
I create a playlist for every book, and the music becomes so embedded in my brain that months, even years later a tune will play and it brings back a particular scene in detail.
Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
I use a working title until something in the story triggers the title you publish. The first book in a series is always the hardest title. Once you get the series title theme going, it becomes somewhat easier.
Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
I pretty much know the character’s backstory and traits before I write a word. That doesn’t mean I don’t get to know them better as I write them, which always happens in the process of writing a novel.
Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is…")
There are themes in all my books that I put there on purpose. Agent Gunn, the hero in A PRIVATE DUEL WITH AGENT GUNN fought in Afghanistan and suffers from Soldier’s Heart, which would be called PTSD today. I don’t make judgments, I just put it out there for people to read and hopefully digest.
Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?
I have a Kindle Fire, which is like having a library and entertainment center in your pocket. But I also still love traditional print books.
Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is your favorite/worst book to movie transfer?
Series books like Outlander and Game of Thrones translate really well to episodic TV. The longer format allows for character development and richer, more complex storytelling.
Tea or coffee?
Coffee. At least two cups of French Roast every morning.
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Jillian Stone was born a storyteller. A skill that got her into considerable trouble as a youth until she solved the problem by becoming an advertising creative. And the career did seem to suit her as she won many national ad awards including the Clio and the New York Art Director’s Club Gold. What more could she ask for? Create her own worlds? Become goddess of her own universe? Yes! So, she began to write fiction. Her Victorian Romantic Suspense novel AN AFFAIR WITH MR. KENNEDY won the 2010 Golden Heart and sold to Pocket Books. Her sexy, controversial steampunk novel THE SEDUCTION OF PHAETON BLACK won the 2010 Romance Through The Ages Erotica category and sold to Kensington Brava. Jillian lives in California and is currently writing a new spin-off novel to the Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series as well as book #2 in the DO IT LIST series.
Website: http://jillianstone.com
Twitter: @gJillianStone https://twitter.com/gJillianStone
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillianStoneBooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4946569.Jillian_Stone
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