Author: Jonathan Anthony Burkett
Title: Friends 2 Lovers
Publisher: Jonathan Anthony Burkett Publications
ISBN: 978-0985297008
Pages: 294, Paperback/Hardcover/Kindle
Genre: Romance
Author Interview with Jonathan Anthony Burkett
Author Interview with Jonathan Anthony Burkett
Title: Friends 2 Lovers: The Unthinkable
Interviewed by: James F. Sadler, Pacific Book Review
PBR: Kelly is a key figure in Claude’s life, both before and after the deaths of his parents, brother, and close friend. Was Kelly modeled after someone you know in real life?
Yes, Kelly is modeled after someone I know in real life. That someone is who I once called my best friend. She was someone that helped to open back up my eyes when I was sitting in the dark, no longer knowing who I was in life anymore or wanting to live. She came into my life out of nowhere and blessed me with her attention, time, and love. I will be talking about her in my childhood story “Neglected But Undefeated: The Life of a Boy That Never Knew a Mother’s Love”
PBR: Similarly, are Claude’s parents and brother based upon actual people?
Yes, While living homeless and on the streets as a teen. I slept in many friends homes and those characters were based three people that lived in different households. One of my friend’s mother, another one’s father and another’s brother.
PBR: The extended title of the book is Friends 2 Lovers: The Unthinkable (Volume One). How many more volumes, if any, do you have planned? Will Claude and Kelly be the central characters in all future volumes?
Yes Claude and Kelly will be the central characters throughout the Friends 2 Lovers book series. So far I am looking at a five book series but hopefully it will be more.
PBR: Will Cory’s desire for vengeance be central to the next volume? How far along are you in writing the next volume?
Yes, Cory’s desire for vengeance will be central to the next volume. So there will be allot of surprises coming up. Volume two is finished I’m just going over it with my editor right now. Making a few changes and allot more to make volume 2 better than volume 1.
PBR: Poetry appears to frame the story, appearing at the beginning and the end. It also appears within the story itself, as in a notebook written by Claude that Brittany finds, for example. What led you to include these verses? What message or messages do you hope a reader will get from these verses, particularly the opening and closing poems?
I always look to inspire one not only about trials and tribulations in life but also in relationships. I look to send messages about love and how it can change one’s life. I look to inspire and uplift broken hearts to never give up. With my words I look to remind readers about what true love really is and to always have faith in everything that we do in this life. Faith and in other words confidence is the answer towards building relationships and making it through life. Furthermore true love which I look at as the best thing we get in our lives from another individual and is more precious than any worldly possession, is all it takes to grow a healthy successful relationship. It’s all a challenge but then again it’s all worth it.
PBR: Since Claude and Kelly end up visiting Italy, have you been to Italy? What led you to decide upon Italy, as opposed to another country- for example, France?
No, I’ve never been to Italy but I would love to go one day. Italy is my dream vacation with the love of my life because of all the romantic and true love history it has.
PBR: How autobiographical is this book? Is it based largely on experiences you either had, or had close knowledge of?
This book is almost 100% autobiographical and its different stories from my past all put together. Friends 2 Lovers is based on both knowledge I have and close knowledge of. I grew up homeless on the streets since I was fourteen. While living from home to home true love found me but I never wanted it for many reasons. One of the main reasons is because I believed she deserved a great man in her life to take care of her and I didn’t look at myself as one. My story will be out soon titled “Neglected But Undefeated.”
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