INTERVIEW WITH DEVNEY PERRY

With her third release (almost) out this year, Devney Perry is on a role. She’s quickly moved to my one-click, pre-order category. And, you guys, not only can she write great romances, but she’s also super sweet. And she has great hair.

I started The Lucky Heart (book 3 of the Jamison Valley series) when she asked her author friends if they’d like a sneak peek. I said: DOES A BEAR…..I'm not quite sure I worded it like that but to say the least, I was excited.

Oh. My.

Oh. My.

OH. MY. GERRRRRRRD!

I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I started The Lucky Heart on 7/30/17 and finished on 7/31//17 with tears. I’m not a crier in books!

YOU GUYS! I’m a wife, a mother, I work a big-girl job, and I write books. How in the heck was I going to function without reading the first two books in the series (The Coopersmith Farmhouse and The Clover Chapel) with everything I have going on in my life?

HOW?

Well, we make time. Because that very same day I finished The Lucky Heart, I started The Coopersmith Farmhouse.

Dear goodness…DEVNEY PERRY FOR PRESIDENT!

At any rate, now a huge DP fan (sorry, Devney, that’s your nickname now <3), I wanted to know more about her, and she graciously agreed to answer my questions.

All right, Devney! Here we go:

1. Lipstick or lip gloss?

Lip gloss. Usually in pale pink.

2. Right now, what’s in your purse?

A diaper. A pack of wipes. Blue swimming goggles. An apple sauce pouch. About a thousand pens-none of which work. Oh, and my wallet.

3. If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?

A puppy. Unless you can find an animal that has a better life than a puppy, because then I’d be that.

4. Who was your first crush?

A boy in my seventh-grade math class. ** sighs ** He was so cute. Unfortunately, I wasn’t even a blip on his radar. I was, erm . . . awkward as a pre-teen. I grew out of it but not until years later after he had already moved away.

5. Did you have real-life people in mind when you wrote Silas and Felicity’s characters? If so, are you willing to share?

Not really. I’d say that Felicity’s feisty spirit was inspired somewhat by my own. Silas was just the character that came to me. The ranch setting is probably the most real “character” in the book. My husband’s family ranch in Central Montana was a big inspiration for the setting.

6. What’s your writing routine?

Routine? What’s a routine? I write whenever I have a free moment between chasing kids, cooking meals and playing chauffer. Mostly I write early in the morning or late at night.

7. Do you listen to music as you write?

Does Disney Junior cartoon music in the background count? If so, then yes, I listen to a lot of music when I write.

8. Is Prescott, Montana similar to the place you grew up?

Not where I grew up but it is similar to a real-life town, called Ennis, Montana. Ennis is my dad’s hometown and I spent a lot of time there as a kid. It’s a super cute town, and if you’re ever in the area, it’s worth the stop.

9. If you could have lunch with anyone (Gandhi, Oprah, Colleen Hoover, your BFF, etc.) who would it be and what would you order?

The entire cast of Friends but I would require they be in character. What would I order? Pizza. Or Tacos. Or pizza. No wait! Ice cream.

10. Favorite book and why.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I love the mystery and the love story. I love that you never learn the main character’s name. (Whoops. That was kind of a spoiler if you haven’t read the book.)

11. Is Ben (from The Coppersmith Farmhouse) based on a character in real life? Love that man, by the way. LOVE HIM!

Nope, he’s all fictional. But I love him too.

12. What made you start writing books?

Honestly? I was bored. That, and going a little crazy at home with my kids. I'd just quit a very demanding job and had my youngest son. I was reading a book a day-or more-and it just wasn’t cutting my need for a mental challenge. So, I opened up a Word doc and started writing away. Let’s just say the first draft of The Coppersmith Farmhouse was . . . rough. I still have a lot to learn but it has been so much fun to try.

13. You wrote so many vivid scenery scenes from The Lucky Heart. Are those similar to the Perry Ranch? If so, the Baileys are moving in, just so you know. ( ;

Yes! There are a lot of similarities between Silas’s ranch and the Perry Ranch. It’s a beautiful place–come and visit!

14. Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Plotter. I like to know where I’m going.

15. How long did it take you to write each book in the Jamison Valley series?

The Coppersmith Farmhouse took about nine months from start to publish, but it wasn’t continuous writing. Most of that time was spend editing. The first draft took about two months to write, but it was crap. Even now, I read it and want to change things. There was a lot of back and forth with my editor during those long months (seriously, she is a saint!) and a lot of time spent refining. The Clover Chapel was faster-about six months. I spent less time editing, but still that was the bulk of my writing time. After that, I approached writing with a bit more structure. The Lucky Heart and subsequent books have all had more defined schedules – that’s because of the Project Manager in me. I spend about two months writing and self-editing and then kick the draft off to my editor. We go back and forth for about a month to get things just right. The three-month schedule works really well for me right now, and I doubt I’ll ever try to go faster than that-at least not until my kids start school.

16. Who’s your most favorite character you’ve written so far? Who’s your least favorite?

Least favorite: Everett.

Most favorite: Maisy.

17. When you started writing the Jamison Valley series, did you know which characters would have their own books?

I didn’t until after I finished The Coppersmith Farmhouse. Then I decided to make the series a five-book series and picked the characters who would get their own stories.

18. Which authors are on your one-click list?

To name a few (because the list is long): Nora Roberts – yes, even at $14.99 for an eBook Mia Sheridan, Colleen Hoover, Harper Sloan, Kylie Scott, Alessandra Torre, and Rebecca Yarros.

19. In honor of your third book release this year, do you want to share the third picture on your camera album? Hehehehe.

Here you go.) He doesn’t like hats.

Awwww! What a cutie! <3

In honor of Devney's release (AUGUST 15th, AUGUST 15th, AUGEST 15th, people) and because I loved this book so much, I'll be giving away THREE ebooks of The Lucky Heart. To enter, just comment on the *pinned* post here.

To buy the rest of the books in the series (trust me, you won't regret it and you'll NEED them once you're done with The Lucky Heart, click below:

BUY HERE: The Coopersmith Farmhouse

BUY HERE: The Clover Chapel

PRE-ORDER HERE: The Lucky Heart

And guess what? The final two books in the Jamison Valley Series will be released in November (The Outpost) and in January (The Bitterroot Inn).

PRE-ORDER your copy HERE: The Outpost

PRE-ORDER your copy HERE: The Bitterroot Inn

I know you all will fall in love with Devney's work just like I have. I am so excited for you meet Silas and Felicity in The Lucky Heart!

Happy Reading!

HAPPY (almost) Release Day, DEVNEY!

All my best,

j.