An interview with J. Sterling and Win a SIGNED paperback of THE PERFECT GAME

**PLEASE NOTE: This giveaway is now over and the winner has been contacted.  The name of the winner is show in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the post.  Thanks to all who entered!**

I love signed books.

You love signed books.

WE ALL LOVE SIGNED BOOKS!!!!

Sorry to yell...but signed books get me really excited. And when I get to giveaway a signed book, I get even more excited. And when that signed book is by the fabulous J. Sterling, well I pretty much run around like a crazy person, flailing my arms and screaming at the top of my lungs.

That's right! I get to give away a SIGNED copy of J. Sterling's newest book THE PERFECT GAME. [commence screaming here]

First, I must gush about this book. Have you read it? If not, you must! There is baseball, a hot guy, a girl with trust issues, a fabulous best friend, a hot guy, angst, love, a hot guy, an "incident" that will have you gritting your teeth trying to avoid throwing the book (or in my case, my Kindle) across the room.  Wait...did I mention there was a hot guy?

Okay, so that doesn't really tell you much about what it is actually about so if the mention of a hot guy doesn't make you want to read it, click HERE to see a synopsis of the book and to read my review.

Now, on to that signed book...

Jenn Sterling was very generous in agreeing to my request to offer a signed book and to do an interview. Isn't she wonderful? So...interview first...signed book second...

ME: The Perfect Game is different from your other two books in that you strayed from the YA genre and more into the Mature YA/New Adult genre and included a couple sex scenes in the mix (which I am completely happy about). What made you decide to write a book for a little more mature audience and was this an easy transition for you?

JENN: It was more that this particular story needed to feel more raw… more loose with my language, etc. I didn’t intend to write sex at first, but once I started to tell this story, Jack DEMANDED that I did not fade to black! Typical male. lol

ME: So it's obvious from the cover, anyone can see that this book is about baseball. Out of all the sports with hot guys, why did you decide to base this one on baseball?

JENN: Because I love baseball!! And this book incorporates a lot of my very real past, so writing about a baseball player working toward the goal of getting drafted and exactly what that takes and entails, was easy for me... I’ve lived through it.

ME: You've mentioned that some parts of the book are based on events and people from your past...some happy...some not so happy. Was it hard to write those not-so-happy parts since writing them meant reliving them?

JENN: No. Actually, it was really easy. The scene where Cassie gets the crap beat out of her and all the guys run really happened to me. I wrote that scene exactly how I still remember it happening (minus the theft). It was emotional for me to write it, but it wasn’t really difficult…probably because I’m over it for the most part, you know?

ME: And the real life "Jack"...does he know about the book?

JENN: He not only knows, he is reading it as we speak.

ME: There are some chapters in the book that are written from Jack's perspective. Do you find it hard to write from a male's POV?

JENN: Actually, I sort of find it easier. And I’m not sure why that is. But when I’m writing from the guy’s point of view, things seem to flow almost more naturally for me. Maybe it’s because I’ve been a tomboy my whole life and always been “one of the guys”… The only part I got nervous about was the sex scene from Jack’s point of view… I was like, how the hell am I gonna pull this off?!

ME: The Perfect Game is currently sitting at #14 in the Amazon top 100 Kindle books and was on the USA Today Bestseller's list. Did you ever, in your wildest dreams, imagine the book to be this successful?

JENN: NO! Hoped, strived and worked toward it every.single.day… but expect or truly imagine? Not at all. It’s mind blowing to me. But I’m so freaking thankful and appreciative, you have no idea! It also makes me feel like “YES! FINALLY! I’ve done something right!!” as far as my books go. lol


ME: Many people have compared The Perfect Game to Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. Have you read Beautiful Disaster? And how does it make you feel to know your book is compared to such a phenomenal book?

JENN: I have not read Beautiful Disaster yet but I have heard the most amazing things about that book! And honestly, I’m sort of scared to read it now with all the comparisons. It feels incredible and I’m beyond honored to have people say that they loved TPG and flattered when they compare it to BD in a positive way. Unfortunately, not all the comparisons are positive. Comments saying I’ve straight up copied BD sting and are truly hurtful. Mostly because I consider myself a professional author and I would never intentionally copy another author’s work. I am definitely a “do unto others” type of person.

ME: So, what's next? Will there be more Jack and Cassie or are you giving them a break and working on something else?

JENN: I really would love to write more about Jack & Cassie to tell you the truth, but I just don’t have a story forming yet and I absolutely refuse to force it. I think I will start back on Before the Dreams, which is the follow up book to In Dreams (although each can be read as stand alones). I owe it to all the fans of that book to finish what I originally promised them… which was MORE of those characters.

ME: What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

JENN: Boxers or briefs, dur? To which I’d get to say NEITHER! ha

Isn't she wonderful? And if that doesn't make you want a copy of TPG with her cute bubbly signature on it, I'm not sure what would. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter for a SIGNED paperback copy of The Perfect Game by J. Sterling. 

The fine print:
*Must be 18 or older. 
*Open internationally.
*The winning entry will be verified. For example, if the entry that won was for a blog comment, it will be verified that a blog comment was left from that participant. If the entry cannot be verified, a new winner will be chosen.
*Any receipts for the book sent as a entry to the contest, must be from a new purchase with the date on the receipt being October 31 or later.


a Rafflecopter giveaway