Authors Interviewing Characters: Emma St. Clair
In this grumpy-sunshine romance, school nurse Josie and her brother’s best friend–hockey player Wyatt Jacobs–are tricked into spending a summer together that’s anything but smooth sailing.
When Josie’s brother sends her to a random address for their (sometimes) annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza, she finds neither siblings nor extravaganzas. Instead, ends up at a run-down cottage on the Northern Neck of Virginia occupied by a hockey player she knows and loathes.
A hockey player who isn’t just one of her sports agent brother’s clients. He’s also his best friend. And Josie’s sworn enemy.
Oh–and her brother wants Josie to help Wyatt recover from his injury.
Dragging grumpy hockey players to physical therapy is a far cry from bandaging skinned knees, but for the price her brother offers to pay, Josie is willing to try.
Even if it means sharing what she dubs the quaint little murder cottage with Wyatt.
Begrudgingly, Josie starts to see a little more of the man behind the grumpy exterior. And when she finds out he was supposed to sail the Intracoastal Waterway south to Savannah scattering his uncle’s ashes, Josie surprises even herself by offering to be Wyatt’s first mate.
Smooth sailing is nowhere to be found, and Josie begins to wonder if they’ll be able to make it home without killing–or kissing?–each other.
And yet, the longer they share cramped quarters and canned food, the more of Wyatt’s layers she peels back until Josie realizes she misunderstood him, their shared history, and perhaps herself as well.
If All Else Sails Character Interview
ES: Thanks for making time for this interview! I know you’re both busy with the school year and the hockey season starting up soon.
Josie: Absolutely! We’re thrilled to be here. Despite what Wyatt’s face might indicate.
Wyatt: What’s wrong with my face?
Josie: Nothing. It’s a great face! But you look like you just got jumped in an alley, not like you’re being interviewed.
Wyatt: [grumbling] Same difference.
ES: I promise this won’t be that kind of interview. No gotcha moments or tricks. I’m just interested in hearing about your recent sailing trip, your relationship—and this adorable dog. What’s her name?
Josie: This is Princess Jib-Jabberwocky, but we call her Jib. Isn’t she so cute? This is her professional interviewing outfit.
ES: I wish I could pull off a bow tie and pleated skirt. How does Jib feel about sailing?
Wyatt: [scoops Jib off Josie’s lap and into his own] She loves it.
Josie: She was a perfect crew member. Other than the one time she ran off with a dog at a marina. Though she did come back.
Wyatt: Pregnant. She came back pregnant.
Josie: [waves a hand] The vet said she was probably already pregnant when we found her. She was a stray. We adopted her right before the trip.
ES: And is it true the two of you weren’t close before the trip? Tell me how this came about.
Josie: In short, it came about because my brother doesn’t have any boundaries, and Wyatt doesn’t know how to accept help.
Wyatt: Because I don’t need help. [Pauses. Meets Josie’s stare and clears his throat.] Usually. Though I do appreciate your help.
Josie: [laughing] See what I mean? Anyway, my brother is Wyatt’s agent, so we’ve known each other for years. But no, we weren’t close. We didn’t get off to a great start. I thought Wyatt hated me.
Wyatt: I never hated you.
Josie: I know that now. [leans forward and whispers dramatically] He actually had a crush on me, but he did such a bad job showing it that I thought we were mortal enemies. Anyway, my brother and I had this summer trip thing we keep trying to do. He’s so busy I don’t see him otherwise. This year, he gave me an address where I should meet him and was all mysterious about it.
Wyatt: Should have been your first clue.
Josie: In hindsight, obviously.
ES: So … where did the address take you?
Josie: He sent me to a cottage on the Northern Neck in a little town called Kilmarnock. I found Wyatt instead of my brother. Except Wyatt didn’t recognize me and called the cops.
Wyatt: You’re never going to stop bringing that up, are you?
Josie: I told you I wouldn’t. But it’s funny now. It was less funny then. Wyatt signed autographs for the cops while I was sweating in the back of the cop car.
Wyatt: [groans] I didn’t know they didn’t have the AC on in the car! And I hate signing autographs. I play hockey; I’m not some kind of hero.
Josie: Clearly, Wyatt plays hockey for the sport, not the fame.
Wyatt: Next question, please.
ES: Josie, why did your brother send you to Wyatt? Was he trying to play matchmaker?
Josie: Ultimately, yes. But he also was concerned about Wyatt, who was at the time ignoring medical advice after an injury. They’re friends, but Wyatt’s also a client, so my brother was concerned about his well-being and also things like contracts.
ES: Hockey is a rough sport. I know injuries are common.
Josie: They are. But Wyatt didn’t get hurt playing hockey. How did you get hurt again?
Wyatt: You know how. Is this even relevant?
ES: Our readers will be interested, I’m sure.
Wyatt: Fine. I hurt it playing disc golf.
Josie: He’s fully recovered now. Wyatt just needed a little encouragement to get back on track.
ES: And you were able to help because you’re a nurse, correct?
Josie: I am a nurse, yes. For an elementary school, so I don’t usually deal with grumpy hockey players.
Wyatt: She’s an expert at lice. Allegedly. I don’t know from personal experience.
Josie: Yet. Remember with lice, it’s always not yet. Also, did you just try to make a joke? I love it. Truth be told, I didn’t do much actual nursing. I was more the person with a figurative cattle prod getting Wyatt to appointments.
Wyatt: No actual cattle prods were used.
Josie: Just good, old-fashioned bribery. I promised to go with him on his sailing trip if he’d go to physical therapy. Worked out well for us both.
ES: It definitely seems like it. Wyatt, tell me about the sailing trip. I understand sailing is something you did with your parents?
Wyatt: No.
Josie: His family is a little complicated. [She reaches over and squeezes Wyatt’s hand.]
Wyatt: My parents would—[clears his throat]. I spent a lot of summers with my uncle in Kilmarnock. We’d sail down the Intracoastal to Savannah. He taught me everything I know.
Josie: His uncle passed just before the summer, leaving Wyatt his house and sailboat. Wyatt planned to do their trip on his own. But with his injury, it would have been impossible to sail by himself.
ES: I’m sorry to hear about your uncle, Wyatt.
Wyatt: Thank you.
Josie: Did you also have experience sailing, Josie?
Josie: Oh, no. I’d never been. Before we left, I read everything I could. Wyatt also taught me a lot, but most was a trial-by-fire kind of thing once we pulled away from the dock. I still feel like I don’t know what I’m doing. The first time Wyatt asked me to take the wheel, I almost ran us aground. I thought I’d have a panic attack. It’s a lot of pressure. I know more than I did, but I definitely wouldn’t sail without Wyatt.
Wyatt: You’ll feel more confident the more you sail, Rookie.
ES: So, the two of you went from not being close at all to falling in love—all while sailing? That’s very romantic.
Josie: I’d say sailing is a good relationship test. The quarters are close. People talk about sailing like a relaxing hobby, but it’s a lot of work to keep on course. If two people sail together, I think they’re likely to either disembark as enemies or … the opposite. [she smiles at Wyatt]
ES: Any particular special moments you remember?
Wyatt: I think I’d like to keep the personal details private.
ES: I understand. But is there anything you’d be willing to share with our readers about your relationship? Anything at all? Everyone loves a good happily ever after.
Josie: I’d say we’re more … happily just beginning.
ES: How does your brother feel about the relationship?
Josie: Smug. Like we have him to thank. [rolls her eyes]
Wyatt: We both have some boundaries to set with our respective families.
Josie: I think when you get to the point of choosing a partner—choosing your new family, essentially—it’s a good time to reevaluate relationships. We’ve got some work to do. It’s a universal truth, I think: family is complicated.
ES: I think that’s someone most people can agree on. Do you see more sailing trips in your future?
[Wyatt and Josie exchange smiles. Jib barks.]
Josie: That sounded like a yes to me, right, Jib?
Wyatt: There will be sailing trips—and a lot more—in our future. We might be at the happily just beginning, but the happily ever after is coming.
Josie: Aw, who knew you were such a romantic?
Wyatt: [stands and tucks Jib under his arm] Are we done here?
ES: I guess we are. Thanks so much for your time. Would it be too much to trouble you for an autograph?
[Wyatt glowers. Josie laughs.]
Josie: I think Wyatt’s hit his limit for peopleing today. I’ll have his agent send something to your office. Thank you!
BUY HERE
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Emma St. Clair is a USA Today Bestselling Author who loves sassy heroines, witty banter, and love stories with heart and humor. Her books have sizzling chemistry while keeping the bedroom door closed. She has an MFA in Fiction and lives in Katy, Texas (go, Tigers!) with her hubby, five children, and Great Dane. Her favorite place to write is tapping on her phone while on the elliptical machine. No Emmas have been hurt in the writing of these novels. (Yet.)
Category: Contemporary Women Writers
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