Day 7: Author Spotlight & Interview: The River Walk Collection - Author JLE (Jennifer Lassalle Edwards)

by Sarah Reads - 3:00 AM

You have no idea how thrilled I was to find out Jen Lassalle Edwards (JLE) was part of the River Walk Collection. I've known JLE for some time now and knew Al Daltrey and she would write seamlessly together.

I absolutely adore JLE, she is fun, witty, and always telling me something that has me snorting. And besides that she is one hell of an author. She writes in a way her readers can feel as if they are part of the story.

What was your first thought when Al Daltrey approached you about the River Walk Collection?

I thought that he was joking. I think I said, “No way!” I was actually really surprised to be asked.

Did you know the author’s involved with the River Walk Collection before the project?

I had been friends with Al, and with Tiffany, Jaycee, Ali, Melissa, and had been a stalker of Lena’s. I was just getting to know the others, and what a super group of ladies! {snickers} Not gonna lie, hearing that an author stalks an author made my day!

How was it working with everyone on the project? You all seem like such a fun group.

There were definitely laughs, lots. I love being in a group where pretty much we all have the same deviant thought process. We all seem to be able to take something innocent and completely turn it into utter dirty filth. I can co-sign that. You all are dirty pervs! Made a girl feel right at home! {laughs hard, wiping a tear a as I squeeze my tush in between Jen and Tiffany on the couch, getting all comfy.}

Tell us a fun memory you will take with you after this project is complete.

I love the support given by everyone in the group.

Plus, I thought it was fun that we were all on a super, secret mission of kink. It was so fun to finally let the cat out of the bag because Al would bring up River Walk, but no one could say that they actually knew what it was about. Yeah, I like being sneaky. mhmm.. You are a sneaky girl.

Can you give us a little tease of your story in the River Walk Collection?

I fumbled with his jeans, the hard ridge of his erection straining against his zipper. He helped me in my struggle, pushing his jeans down and footing them off to the ground, and I was held in fascination of the sight of his stiff, thick cock presented before me. Apprehensively, I held my hand just an inch away from it, stroking the air, almost afraid to really touch him. When my fingers made contact with his skin, the thing twitched. I was startled when seeing the beast had a life of its own. I knew at that second, that I would be a slave to this entity that was attached to men. {fans my face} Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?! That was... we need more Jen!!

Will you continue your story after River Walk is complete?

I’m not sure. At times, I think, ‘Well, there aren’t many stories that deal with really mature characters in BDSM.’ Then there could be a story about where one of the other characters were Through the Ages too. In all honesty, I would love if you did, Jen. I love finding books with the leads in their 30s-50s. Hell, I am in my thirties and there are some fine ass men above 30! You know what I am talkin' about!

What was the hardest part of your story if there was one?

There wasn’t a hard part, necessarily. For me, I was, and still am nervous, about being included among these established authors.

And sometimes, I worried that I pushed scenes a little too far. {gasps} Never! You did a smashing job!

Is there anything you would like to tell your readers?

A big THANK YOU! I honestly have been very surprised at the feedback and support that I have received from the release of my first book. It was a little bit of an odd duck of a book, so I was apprehensive on how it would be accepted. I have absolutely loved talking with those who have read it. Who would have thought that being filthy and open about it was loved?! I only hope that I am able to continue to make those who read feel a little something, in the pants.

What was your inspiration that started your writing career?

It’s funny, but I’ve written since I could string two sentences together. My mom still has all of those loose leaf stories. I have always had a great and rather odd imagination.

Believe it or not, English Lit was one of my many changing majors when I went to college. I then took a summer semester in Madrid studying Expat Lit., along with a few other literature courses. I was so enamored with the thought of being a writer. I really did romanticize the idea of being a wandering word artist. We are lucky that you decided to take these Lit classes.

I started by doing band interviews and reviews and then editing for the same online music site back in New Orleans. I have a few novels that I had started way back in the early 90’s. We just discovered those floppy disc’s!

What book influenced you the most growing up?

Lord of the Flies was one that is etched in my memory. Gone with the Wind, I read this one after being obsessed with the movie when I was in grammar school. Then, in high school, Stoker’s Dracula and Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle really left their mark. They are a few of the books that I have read multiple times.

Name someone other than a family who has been a huge supporter during your writing career.

Excluding my husband since you said no family, Al has been a wonderful support, mentor, and friend during this journey. We’ve been friends for, wow, a while now. As we were working together on different projects, I sent him a portion of what is now R&T. I believe he was the first one to read anything that I had written and encouraged me to continue in this crazy journey. So, I am eternally grateful that he pushed me to go through with it. After all, I wouldn’t be right here if it were not for him. A huge THANK YOU to Al!

How did you become interested in writing this genre?

I read the infamous Sleeping Beauty series when I was eighteen. Let’s just say that trilogy, opened my mind and imagination and so much more to the world of BDSM and kink. After that series, I searched out those types of books. To a lesser degree, I think the horror and torture books that I also love have had an influence. I am a self-proclaimed gore-whore. Hehe. Gore-whore. Man you really opened up your eyes at eighteen!

What is one question you have always wanted to be asked during an interview but never have been.

This is my first interview! I have never thought of it.

What is your writing style? Do you outline or just write it as it comes to you and let the story unfold as you write?

I have a loose outline to begin. I also do a bunch of free writing. Vignettes just pop into my head, and I will jot those down on whatever is available. I now carry a little notebook with me.

There have been times when the whole story has changed from what I originally planned as well. Sometimes, the characters just decide they want to be someone different.

How has becoming an author changed you?

Oh gosh, I guess my foul mouth and gutter sense of humor has gotten worse, or rather, flows more freely than it used to.

Where did the idea of your current book come from?

Ah, Candy & Kink, was spurred from an incident in a bar we used to frequent back home in New Orleans. Also, I was a burlesque performer for six years, and I used to love to visit ‘gentleman’s clubs.’ Many of those ladies are really talented. I got to know many while I bartended nights when I was younger too. I thought to turn all of those experiences into this exotic dancer’s.

Just like in Ripped & Twisted, my idea spawned from my time competing and spending seven days a week in the gym around all of these other male and female competitors. I guess all of my time on the treadmill and stepmill after lifting gives me tons of time to zone out and daydream.

I think all of my books, stories will have a little piece of me, my experiences and people that I actually have met in them. Although, overly dramatized!

Can your fangirl/boy find you anywhere this year?

Nope, but maybe one day I will get to attend one of those crazy signings. Otherwise, I’m going to be in the mountains typing away.

When you write do you listen to music? If so, what music was your muse for this story?

I do. Usually, it varied between iHeart radio The Cure Station, Volbeat Station, and Five Finger Death Punch station… That doesn’t really seem like it goes with Through the Ages, does it?? No, but I am loving your taste in music!

How much research goes into your stories?

It depends. Luckily, I also went to school for Respiratory Therapy & Cardio Pulmonary Technology. My knowledge from that education lends greatly to TTA. As of now, most of the stories that I have been writing deal with subjects, places, experiences that I know about. I realize that will change with some ideas for future projects that I have swimming in my head.

Side note: All of these freaking schools and majors that I tried, nope, no degree. I’m still not sure what I want to be when I grow up!

Can you let us in on what your next project will be?

It is a novel called Candy & Kink: a confectionery tale of love & tasty perversions.

I will say the title gives it away, sort of .

Coke or Pepsi - water

Steak or Chicken – Dang, I eat both pretty much daily. It’s a toss up!

Lace or Cotton - Cotton

Black or White - Black

Morning or Evening - Morning

Chicken or Egg - Chicken

Rope or Whip - Whip

Fast or Slow – Well, that depends…

Blurb:

Faith Dumont is a witty, confident, fiery fitness competitor, or so she appears to everyone else. Yet no one knows the horrors that she's endured and escaped to create this seemingly perfect life. No one knows the battle of self-loathing and deviant urges Faith battles daily.

She keeps her demons under control by her regimented, disciplined lifestyle. Faith has also implemented “rules” into her life, specifically a “no dating” rule. This rule was made to protect her heart. Life in the gym keeps her sane, to an extent, however, just because there is no dating does not mean there is not a bit of kink.

Slade is smoking hot physique competitor who works with Faith in the gym. Not only is Slade a co-worker, he is Faith's only friend, and a kin of the kink. He has always willingly followed Faith’s conditions... that is until tattooed trainer Ty enters their lives throwing all that Faith has created into a tailspin. When Slade sees Faith falling for Ty's seduction, he decides to refuse Faith's rules and introduce her to his.

With her normalcy crumbling around her, Faith is slammed by the carnal and emotional enticement of both men. Can they make their triad of passion work or will Faith’s past come back to decimate any spark of hope for love that she ever had?

Warning: This book is fictional and depicts acts of violence, graphic sex, including BDSM, M/F/M menage circumstances, and oodles of kink. This book is recommended for mature audiences (21 and over) who are not offended by scenarios such as these.

Buy Links:

Amazon US:

Amazon CA

Amazon UK:

Createspace

JLE is a Cajun girl from Louisiana who now resides in Colorado with a husband and a furry menagerie. While attending college, JLE majored in Biological Sciences, Civil Engineering, English Literature and Respiratory Therapy/Cardiopulmonary Science. Constantly changing interests, she still does not know what she wants to be when she grows up, mainly because she refuses to ever become a stagnant adult. She believes in living life to the absolute fullest.

In JLE’s pursuit of an abundant life of adventure, she has spent time as a burlesque performer, a roller derby referee, a bartender in the French Quarter, writing for a music site in New Orleans, and currently is an amateur fitness competitor. She has a penchant for all things that sparkle, and on a completely different note, is a self-professed food whore. However, one interest has never faltered through the years, daydreaming and penning those warped thoughts to paper.

Now, you can also enjoy as she reveals all of those deviant fantasies that play in her head daily.