Clarissa Carlyle - Rock Star Romance

Clarissa Carlyle has been an avid reader and writer since her earliest school days. Reading was her first and earliest passion, often finding solace in the sanctuary of her room or the library, where she would immerse herself in books of all kinds. Romance has always been her favorite genre. In high school, she penned romantic poetry and won school awards for her short stories at the age of 16. During college, she would spend days hibernating in the library, consuming every short story and novel she could find. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, a diploma she is very proud of.

Clarissa admits to probably drinking too much coffee and indulging in too much junk food, but she balances it out by enjoying outdoor runs when the weather is nice. She loves shopping at the mall, even if she never finds what she is looking for. A hopeful romantic at heart, she prefers stories with happy endings. You can often find her in a coffee shop, either working on her next story or with her nose buried in a book.  As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about her book, Managed 1.

Please give us a short introduction to what "Managed 1" is about.

Jasper and the Weeds are one of the hottest bands in rock music! Jasper, the lead singer has made the band an instant success. At one of his concerts, a well-known socialite from a popular TV series requests to see him, privately, which leads to a very public sex scandal.

Hailey Finch works for a public relations firm and has received the assignment to work with Jasper to restore his public image. Will she be talented enough to help restore Jasper’s image and win back his fans? Or will she find that instead, she is at risk of losing her own heart?

What inspired you to write this story? Was there anything in particular that made you want to tackle this?

I was inspired to write this story because of my readers! Jasper appeared in the Entertianment with Jem series as a rock star who was interested in Jemma. While the romance never developed between Jamma and Jasper, my fans loved Jasper so much they asked me to give him his own story. After more than a few fans asking the same thing, Jasper soon got his own story in Managed: A Rock Star Romance!

Jasper is depicted as both a "bad boy rocker" and a more sensitive individual. What inspired you to create such a multifaceted character, and how do you balance these contrasting aspects in his personality?

Jasper is viewed publically as a bad boy rock star due to the sex scandal perpetrated by his ex. Like many rock stars he portrays this bad boy image to the world, but in private he’s quite different. Hailey has reservations working with him, but learns that things with Jasper are not what they appear to be. She finds she is drawn to him in more ways than one.

Hailey is a PR executive with a more conservative background. What do you think makes her a compelling match for Jasper, and how did you approach writing their dynamic?

They are fire and ice, hot and cold, logical and artistic. As they say, opposites attract. Hailey has a job to do, which she takes seriously. Jasper is all about play, on the surface. She spends much of her time reigning him in, but as time progresses she sees his sensitive side and comes to be attracted to him.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, leaving readers eager for more. What was your thought process in deciding where to end this first installment, and how do you ensure that each book in the series keeps the momentum going?

Each book was designed to end in a cliffhanger to keep the reader engaged. Cliffhangers are tough; some readers enjoy them, some not so much. My hopes as an author is that I’ve done a good enough job that you’ll want to keep reading to find out what happens in the next book. This also keeps the books small enough to enjoy in a reasonable amount of time.

The relationship between fame and personal identity is a central theme in the book. How did you explore this theme through Jasper’s journey, and what message do you hope readers take away from it?

Jasper is a complicated character. It’s tough to be anyone famous and keep a personal identity, as the public sees you a certain way. Jasper spends a lot of effort to keep his true personality hidden, even from those close to him. Including Hailey. If there is a message it would be that people are not always what they seem on the surface. Certainly not what you read in the papers.

This book is the first in a four-part series. How did you map out the arc of the series, and did you always plan for it to be a multi-book story?

Yes, it was mapped out as a four book series.

The book has been described as having complex characters and a well-written plot. How do you approach character development and plot construction, especially in a series where readers will be spending a lot of time with these characters?

I read a lot, watch a lot of TV and movies and base characters in my own stories on many different pieces of other characters across space and time and genres. Sometimes even from people in my own life.

Hailey’s character is very career-driven and ambitious. What kind of research or personal experience did you draw on to portray her journey in the competitive world of PR?

I can be a very driven person, something I believe I inherited from my parents. In my stories I like to give the heroine a strong backbone and strong sense of morality. She may start out as shy or weak, but over the course of a story will grow into someone very self-confident. I prefer stories with strong heroines.

What has been the most surprising feedback you’ve received from readers about Managed 1, and how has it influenced your approach to the subsequent books?

I’ve had a lot of positive feedback for both Jemma and Managed (Jemma came before Managed). I’ve had suggestions for future books based on other characters in these books, but I can’t say yet where that will lead. I do love when my readers give constructive feedback and let me know what they liked, or would like in future books. They keep me inspired to write more.

The reviews mention the appearance of characters from your previous series, Entertainment With Jemma. How do these crossover elements enrich the reading experience for fans of your work?

As mentioned, Managed was born from Jemma because readers asked for it, they just loved the Jasper character so much. I think it’s fun when you read one series, like Entertainment with Jem and can enjoy one of your favorite characters in their own book, like Jasper in Managed: A Rock Star Romance.

Can you give us a sneak peek or hint about what to expect in the next book of the series? How will Jasper and Hailey’s story evolve from here?

The store is complete as a four book series. Readers can read each of the four books, one at a time, or get the boxed set. I’m a big fan of boxed sets and bundle all my series as boxed sets. Again, this was at a request by many of my readers who prefer to get one boxed set that includes an entire series. I price the boxed sets a little bit less too, so if someone wants the full series that would be a great way to get it.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

They can find all my books here: 

Website: http://clarissacarlyle.com

Blog: http://clarissacarlyle.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://x.com/ClarissaCarlyle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorClarissaCarlyle/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Clarissa-Carlyle/author/B008K38024