#Interview with Jennifer P. O’Keeffe, author of “My Name Is Not Cupid” from Falling For You

Falling for You is a new anthology coming out that features short stories from a number of your favorite authors. Today, Jennifer P. O’Keeffe, who wrote the short story “My Name Is Not Cupid,” is talking to us a little bit more about her story and her other published works. Please also enjoy an excerpt from it and then follow the tour to learn even more about this anthology. Plus there is a great giveaway at the end!

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Question 1: What was the inspiration behind this book?

Hi, Andi, and thank you for hosting me today on my virtual book tour promoting my new story ‘My Name is Not Cupid’ from the DCL Publications Anthology ‘Falling for You.’ As a reader and a writer of romantic comedy, women’s fiction, and chick lit, my inspiration often comes from the need for love within the world and the need for love within one’s self. In ‘My Name is Not Cupid,’ Zeretha is a heavenly angel who has been stripped of her wings and powers and banished to earth – punishment for having fouled up too many prior assignments. She is given a new assignment: to unite a Hollywood actor with his perfect match, with only three days to do it. If she succeeds, she gets her wings and powers back. Sounds great, except Zeretha doesn’t really care for humans all that much. This is the biggest hurdle she must overcome, and it is inspired by a major hurdle our world faces today: judging a culture as a whole based on what is known of only a few. She must learn that each human is different, and hopefully, it’ll all pan out for her. I mean, I know what happens, but I can’t say a peep! 

Question 2: Which character was your favorite to write?

It is definitely a tie on this one, with the winners being Mildred and Milton, my wonderful, loud, and kindly elderly couple that picks up Zeretha off the highway and takes her under their humorous wings. There are none wiser in this world than our senior citizens. They’ve lived through a lot. These two are prime examples of how hilarious and caring seniors truly can be, and how nurturing they often are, even to a stranger on the side of the road. They are part of what makes this world – humanity as a whole – better every day. Mildred and Milton bicker and tease, laugh and joke, and love one another with all that they are. They are what I aspire to have and to be when I am their age.

Question 3: Why should we read your book?

Oh, because it’s an anthology and you’re getting three great stories from it! I’ve told you about mine already and I honestly think you’ll like it. If you like a story that will warm your heart, make you laugh, and send you to dreamland with a smile on your face – that’s exactly what I offer. Once you’ve finished mine, you’ll come to a hilarious story by an author named Adesanya. The story is ‘An Autumn of Incident,’ and it’s a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that will tickle you to the funny-bone even after you’ve finished it. It’s about a young woman named Persephone who moves to a small northern town and immediately injures herself as she tries to rescue her cat. She’s bandaged up by a hot fireman, and things get going from there with a funny, fast pace! Persephone seems to be a klutz of sorts, and fortunately, the fireman is there to catch her when she most needs it. A beautiful, humorous relationship develops, but even as good as things get for her, Persephone just can’t seem to stay on her own two feet. I love it! Then, there’s Jae El Foster’s story. It has two titles, because he’s a diva. But once you’ve read the story, you’ll see he’s earned his diva-crown. It’s called ‘The Joys of Getting Pregnant’ or ‘Sweet Little Angel from Hell’ and it is a hilariously wild ride about a young goofball who is hired to impregnate a sexy young woman. For him, it’s almost love at first sight, until they realize how much they don’t have in common. To make matters worse, his client is the daughter of a powerful business man, and he is none too happy about the situation. You just can’t beat this book if you’re seeking fun, funny, and yes, romantic entertainment. Not to mention it is the Perfect read for Halloween! You’ll like it. You’ll be proud of us. You’ll tell us we did well, and if we’re lucky, you’ll give us a cookie.

Question 4: Tell us about your other published works.

I am relatively new to the publishing game, although I’ve been a storyteller all of my life. ‘My Name is Not Cupid’ is my third release, all from DCL Publications and all in anthologies. My first release was a rom-com called ‘We Made Snow Angels’ in the anthology ‘The Greatest Gift of All.’ It is about a business-savvy fashion columnist in NYC who goes home to spend Christmas with her parents and avoid New York’s snow. Yet, when she gets to Nashville, she discovers that more than just the snow has followed her to the South – so has the hot stranger that she embarrassed herself in front of just before leaving. It’s a holiday tale with a ton of laughs and a lot of love! My second release was for the anthology ‘Queens of Hearts’ and it is called ‘All I want is to be Happy.’ It’s about a young gay man who works in a bookstore during the day and is a drag queen at night. When he wins top Queen at the Drag-Off, he’s on top of the world until he sees how distraught the former Queen is after being dethroned. All of this weighs heavily on him and he begins to question his life’s decisions. Yet, a handsome author who accidentally drops his wallet in the bookstore seems to be just what he needs to take his mind off of things. This story was for my friends in the LGBTQ community, and I sure hope that I did them proud!

Question 5: On what are you currently working?

Fans have been asking me about ‘Runaway Heiress’ – which is slated to be my first full-length novel. It is about halfway done. I don’t want to rush it; I want it to be right. Right now, it’s hilarious and full of adventure. I’m excited for it! I also have coming up ‘A Country Christmas Kiss,’ just in time for the holidays! This one, like ‘We Made Snow Angels,’ takes place in Nashville and is full of hot country boys, sizzling cowboys, country music, and a lot of Christmas fun! Get your dancin’ boots on, ‘cause it’s time to two-step! 

Question 6: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you again for hosting me! To those out there who would like to learn more about my work and what I have coming up, I encourage you to follow me on Twitter and like my page on Facebook. Also, please follow my brand new blog ‘Love, Glitter and Chocolate’ where I will be posting great RomCom and Chick Lit finds, samples from my own work, quick and easy recipes, household tips, and so much more – follow along at loveglitterandchocolate.blogspot.com . It will be fun and I hope you’ll join me! To learn more about that when it launches, check my social media. Thank you for letting me put a smile on your face! I hope I succeeded.

My Name is Not Cupid by Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe

Once a proud angel overseeing the relationships and deeds of humans, Zeretha has been stripped of her wings and sent to earth. After a shaky history in performing her duties, she has been separated from her heavenly powers and made mortal, given one final assignment to prove her worth and re-earn her wings. The assignment: to unite a man she’s never met with his true love. Desperate to earn her wings and resume her life as an angel, Zeretha begrudgingly takes the assignment and sets off on a Hollywood adventure that will change her forever. Unknowing of how to take care of her new mortal body, Zeretha is aided by a senior citizen husband and wife on their way to Hollywood on vacation, and through them, she learns that humans might not be so bad after all. Will Zeretha complete her assignment to satisfaction and earn her wings again, or will she be forced to remain on earth as a human? Find out in this deliciously humorous and light-hearted romantic comedy!

Read an excerpt:

Her powers… she hadn’t tried her powers since landing here. Perhaps, she thought, they hadn’t been stripped after all. Crouching low, she began to run, and with a leap, she jumped into the air to fly. Instantly, she fell back down to the ground.

Okay. She couldn’t fly anymore. Perhaps she could still teleport. She looked at a tree across the lake and placed her focus on it. Then, with the tilt of the head that had always worked before, she attempted to materialize beside it. Yet, no matter how much she focused, she could not teleport.

Immortality was another trait that all angels shared, and so Zeretha began to climb the tallest tree she could find, getting about a third of the way up it. Then, she crawled out onto a sturdy branch and stood up straight on it. Without a second thought about it, she jumped from the tree and fell down hard to the ground.

It hurt like hell. She had a gash on her leg from a sharp rock and when she tried to stand, she felt the bone snap. In the worst pain she’d ever known, she collapsed back down to the ground.

“This is not funny!” she screamed through bleary eyes as she once again looked to the heavens. “I did not deserve this!”

“You broke your own leg,” she heard a voice tell her. “God didn’t make you jump from that tree.”

Looking over, she saw Titus – one of God’s impish assistants. Dressed in a suit and tie, he held a clipboard and made notes as he looked Zeretha over through the lenses of his glasses.

“You…” Zeretha groaned, and for a moment, she thought she’d rather deal with the pain of the broken ankle than with Titus.

“Yep, me… I’ve worked my entire existence trying to move up the ranks, and I get stuck following you around on Earth.” The tone of his voice was droll and he held a resting bitch face. “You think you’ve got it bad? You don’t have to follow you.”

“Then go home,” she told him, holding her ankle with both hands. “I’d rather deal with this than deal with you.”

“Okay,” he said, adding more notes to his clipboard. “Fine. But with that ankle, you won’t make it ten feet. Come morning, you’ll be breakfast for the bears.”

“Bears?”

“Big ones.”

Zeretha sighed and shook her head. The last thing she wanted was Titus’s help. He was a brown-nosing suck-up to God, and if she was to be perfectly honest, she detested him. He made the life of angels so much harder than it should have been. He was the one that noted failed good deeds, shirking duties, and anything else that could have caused angels to lose their wings.

Buy on Amazon

Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe is an author of romantic comedy and anything quirky. She resides in Tennessee, just outside of Nashville where she shares a home with her cats. Ms. O’Keeffe loves to make the world laugh and to find humor and love in the least likely of places. Her first full-length novel, Runaway Heiress, is currently in the works. Readers may keep up with her and her writings on Twitter. @authorjpokeeffe

The authors will be giving away a $25 Amazon/BN gift card + signed goodies from the cover model. Enter via Rafflecopter to win and remember to visit the rest of the tour for more chances!

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