Debut Novel--Forever My Lady by Jeff Rivera

Jeff Rivera's debut novel hits the book stores today! And just for Dangerously Sexy readers Jeff has stopped by to answer a few FAQ. He'll be giving away a copy to a lucky commenter so here's your chance to ask Jeff a question or drop your name into the virtual hat...

So Jeff, what does Forever My Lady really mean to to you as the creator?

To me Forever My Lady is more than a love story, it's a story that hopefully gives readers a glimpse into my life, what I've been through and the people that are close to me how they touched my life. It's a story about everlasting love and heartbreak but it's also about the feeling of longing for someone and wanting them to be who you want them to be even though very clearly they are who they are and will never change. So much went into this story.

How did you hook an agent?

I do everything out of the box. So, I sort of spammed the publishing world not even with a query letter just my excerpt and I was fortunate enough to have quite a few people respond to it. The right person came about at the right time. That's the way it always works.

Your book has been acclaimed by both critics and real readers. How does that feel?

It feels really good to be validated because as a writer, I know this being my first novel you're plagued with self-doubt. You start questioning your abilities. It's only when people give you feedback that you start realizing that "hey" maybe you have something worthy.

How did you keep your spirit intact when you were rejected?

I'm generally a positive person and I think one of things I did was stay away from negative people. There are some great writers out there who were mentors and supportive but there were also writers who (how can I put this best) were infected by what I call the bitter writer disease. These are writers that hang together sometimes in person, sometimes online and all they do is bitch and complain. Those type of people I learned to steer away from. There are too many positive people out there to focus on.

Did you have any input in the book's cover?

I really trust the people at Grand Central and I trust their judgment. I was shocked at the choice at first but I've come to really like it. It'll be interesting to see how people respond to the new cover.


Where cab we get our hands on a copy of Forever My Lady?

You can get a copy at: www.Amazon.com, www.JeffRivera.com or of course, bookstores everywhere. Don't forget to support the indie bookstores too!