All Author Interview

I've been interviewed by All Author, so if you want to know more about me, here's your chance.

https://allauthor.com/interview/Janeobrien/

Let me know what you think.

Netflix vs. Reading

     Maybe you know that March is National Reading month, and that's all well and good, but if you live anywhere in the northern part of the U.S., you know that February is the time to hunker down and stay indoors.  It's a short month but it can be ferocious.  This is when I get most of my reading done, well that is until I let Netflix take over my life. I'm currently binge watching Jane the Virgin and I can't get enough.  But when I get tired of TV, I will read until my eyes can't take it anymore and then it's back to Jane Gloriana Villanueva in Miami.  I also like a good laugh out loud, and Jane and her telenovela father, her Spanish speaking abuela, her sexy young mother, the two handsome men she loves, and her darling little boy, provide that for me.  And don't forget the romance -- so sweet. And if you've read my books, you know how I love romance. But I digress.
    So even though I'm watching TV, I'm also doing research on my next book.  I love to study human behavior and see how they react in certain situations.  I can do that by reading also, because I am transported to that time and space where the author has placed her characters.  It's a new experience every day, and if I don't like where I am, I can close the pages and move on to another book.
     What I find fascinating is that when I read I can be in a totally different venue than my husband who is reading right beside me.  He might be chasing a bad guy through Washing D.C. in the latest spy thriller, and I could be kissing Rhett Butler in Atlanta.  It's truly magical when you think of it.
     If I were to take a poll I wonder how many of you would choose a book over television.  I'm still a book lover, and always will be, but I have to admit that when Gone with the Wind comes on TV and I can see Rhett Butler in living color on my large screen TV, there is no choice.  So, Netflix vs, Reading.  Let me know your thoughts.

A Great Review!

Ivy and Fox

I am so happy to announce that Book 3 of The Unforgettables is finally here.  You can find both paperback and Kindle versions at Amazon.com.  Believe me, if you have already read Ruby and Sal and Maisy and Max you won't want to miss this latest installment in the lives of Ivy and Fox.  Starting in 1868 in the mountains of Ukraine to the present day in Whitehall Michigan, this romantic story will take you on a magical ride of mystery and suspense.  Sexy?  Yes.  Clean?  Also yes, because it can be done.  Give it a try.  I promise you won't see the twists and turns coming.  

Ivy and Fox

Now what else do you want to add to your list for Christmas?

Merry Christmas

 



     The time is nearing for the newest book in The Unforgettables series, Ivy and Fox,  to be published.  The proof copy should arrive this week, and if I like what I see, I will agree to publish it immediately.  I am hoping to get it to you in time for Christmas to order either in paperback or Kindle. 
     In the meantime, since I am in such a holiday spirit, I'm working on a novella for next Christmas.  It will be difficult to shelve it for next year, but I think it's best rather than try to push it through for this year.  
     Don't forget, you can go straight to the Jane O'Brien Author page on Amazon and see all of my books in one place.  Here's the link: 
 https://www.amazon.com/Jane-OBrien/e/B00XRPNCG4

P.S. Be sure to read any series in order.  That way you won't spoil the surprises.  Jane O'

A Wonderful 5 Star Review

Ruby and Sal

I am honored to receive this wonderful review from Reader's Favorite.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
Ruby and Sal by Jane O'Brien is the first book in The Unforgettables
series, gripping and utterly fascinating. Encouraged by her friend,
Ivy starts writing the story of her great-grandmother, Ruby, a
woman who lived to be 102 years old. Now, the author is
transported into the life and experiences of her great-grandmother,
living through the challenging times of the Great Depression in the
1920s and the 1930s. What follows is a tale of hardship and
romance. It is interesting to notice the historical elements of the
period within which this story is set. This is a novel that will capture
the hearts of fans of women's fiction and historical novels as well as
those who love romance. A story that connects two lives in a
mysterious way — one ebbing and another budding!
The story starts in the nursing home, with Ivy feeling feverish with
quickened breathing, trying to calm her nerves. The author
captures her mood and feelings every time she visits the place. I
found it to be a very interesting way to open a story that is
emotionally and psychologically intense. The characters, especially
the heroine of the story, are well-developed and readers will enjoy
watching them evolve against a memorable background. Jane
O'Brien has a unique gift for setting and the ability to blend
political, historical, and cultural elements into the story in a way
that makes it cinematic, feeding readers vivid images. Ruby and Sal
is a satisfactory read, indeed. You won’t find it easy putting it down.

A Wonderful Review!

A Magical Theater

    On Saturday night, I was able to attend the Buster Keaton International Film Festival at the Frauenthal Theater in Muskegon, Michigan, my hometown.  I grew up going to this theater which was called The Michigan Theater then.  But on October 7th I saw it through different eyes.  It is truly a magical place, and a throw back to an era long gone.
    If you have read the Unforgettable series, you will immediately recognize the Frauenthal as the theater where Maisy meets a mysterious woman who gives her sage advice, while attending that very same film festival.  It is the same place where she also meets a young woman who will become important in her life, someone instrumental in solving more family tree mysteries. 

     I wonder, now, when I was a child going to see the newest Walt Disney movie, did I ever look up to see this glory?

     And as a teen when I watched Beach Blanket Bingo, was I so intent on Annette Funicello's hairstyle and the style of bikini she wore that I neglected to look at the scrolls and artwork?

     Or when we held our sides laughing at It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, was I too busy wiping tears from my eyes to see this ceiling?

     But more likely the theater had not been cleaned in a very long time and the details were hidden.  It was just an old theater then, and I was too young and foolish to look around.  After all, I was dreaming of my future husband while seeing West Side story for the first, only to discover later that he was thinking of me also, because he thought I looked like Maria.

     But Saturday night, while I waited anxiously for "The General" to begin, I took a good long look around.  I only wish I had taken pictures of the lobby.  It is breathtaking. 
     As the organ music began, I forgot all of the beauty and focused on Buster Keaton.  He wowed me again as he always does.  I have seen The General several times but this was the first time on a large screen and with the organ adding to the excitement.  If you have never seen a silent film, you should give it a try.  You can rent them from Netflix and other places, too, I suppose. What Buster did for the film industry was amazing.  To this day The General is rated in the top 10, of all movies EVER produced, and that includes all genres.  There was no CGI, only pure genius and maybe a little bit of stupidity with the death defying stunts. Buster always called Muskegon his home, and we are proud to call him our favorite celebrity.

Please read Ruby and Sal first if you haven't started the trilogy, and then move on to Maisy and Max, where you can get a touch of what life was like when Buster Keaton lived in Blufton, a lakeside community in Muskegon.  And if you ever get a chance to get inside the Frauenthal (there are concerts and other activities there regularly) do so.  You won't regret it.

   

Another Kindle Countdown

Starting today The Tangled Roots of Bent Pine Lodge is only $.99 on a Kindle Countdown, which means tomorrow it will be $1.99, and then the next day it will be $2.99.  So get in on the deal, and read my first series.  It's a clean romance set in West Michigan (although the names of the town are fake, but I know where they are.) Have fun! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NKLQ4WO

Kindle Countdown

It;s a Kindle Countdown! What does that mean?  For you Kindle readers, today The 13th Lighthouse is only $.99, tomorrow it's $1.99, and the next day it will be $2.99.  After that the price will revert to the original $4.99.  And don't forget, if you do not have a Kindle you can read all of my books on any Android device with the Kindle App which you can download from Amazon for free!!  Read on your smart phone or iPad.  Update your pages from one device to the other by syncing, so you'll never lose your place.   Now read, read, read, and enjoy my Michigan, romance, and suspense through the travels of a young woman following her heart.