This week in The Loft: Author J. L. Regen!

Joining me today in The Loft is author Joan Ramirez. Joan writes contemporary romance, mystery, and suspense under the pen name, J. L. Regen, and also writes non-fiction books for children on a variety of subjects, including autism and leadership. Trained as an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor and a journalist, Joan has taught ESL courses in South Korea, Hong Kong, and Vietnam, and teaches workshops on business communications for corporations and public agencies. She lives in the NJ/NY metro area. 

Author J. L. Regen

S:  Good morning, Joan! Welcome to The Loft!

How has romance changed in your lifetime? 

J:  In my day, men made the overtures. With so much internet dating, the romance has been taken out of it. Now, women are asking men out to dinner, etc. I'm old fashioned. I like a man who is assertive. If I make the first moves toward romance, how will I know if he cares and is really interested in me for more than one or two dates? I met my husband through work and my courtship was very romantic. I knew him as a professional and man of integrity before we dated. Today, with internet dating, so much is left to chance and people don't have to be as honest as they do when meeting in person because they can turn off the power button.

S:  The rise of technology has certainly affected how people communicate and relate to others. I'm not sure that's been a positive thing.

Is true romance--the wooing, courtship, passion, seduction, the little gestures of affection, etc.--dead? 

J:  I’ve been married a while, but I would hope all of these elements still exist because how else can you form a lasting relationship?

S:  If you were suddenly transported back to Victorian England as a member of the aristocracy, would you thrilled or appalled? Would you be willing to stay there permanently?

J:  In that era, women were not allowed to have careers, so I would be a rebel. I’d leave immediately.

S:  Complete this sentence: “I almost married him/her, but…”

J:  I almost married a man who I found out dated me on Friday, someone else on Saturday, and then married his high school sweetheart.

S:  That was a busy guy! What do you appreciate more--Brains or brawn/beauty?

J:  I value brains and brawn in the right amount. A man can be strong but he has to be loving and caring.

S:  What inspired "Secret Desires?"

J:  "Secret Desires"  was inspired by a short relationship with a man who couldn't get over his first deceased wife to form a relationship with me. I built a story around it.

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Secret Desires?" 

J:  It is now on sale as an audiobook at Audible.com and will soon be available on iTunes. "Secret Desires" is about taking a second chance on love and a young girl's search for many kinds of meaning in her life, career, and motherhood.

Here's the blurb--

Nothing in Margo Simmons’s life comes easy. She can’t claim the inheritance on a condo apartment her uncle has left to her until she is gainfully employed in a job for a year. She meets the man of her dreams, but anguishes over a loving relationship because he is still emotionally tied to his deceased wife. With great difficulty, she becomes the guardian to a recently orphaned child she had been tutoring. Margo evolves from an insecure, newbie elementary teacher into a woman determined to fulfill the secret desires locked in her heart. 

S:  Where can readers buy the audiobook?

J:  It's available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Desires/dp/B07GFTNFN3.

S:  Joan, thanks so much for joining me today to announce the release of your audiobook. If you'd like to learn more about Joan and her books, please visit www.Joansbookshelf.com.