NK Chats To… Jaime P. Bradley

Published August 30, 2026 | By Laura

Hi Jaime. Thank you so much for joining me today and for inviting Novel Kicks onto the blog tour for Reasons To Act. Can you tell us a bit about it?

Reasons to Act is the third novel in my 3000 Reasons series. It’s about Olivia, a Marine who is unexpectedly made the military consultant on the set of an action movie starring Chris Blackstone, who has private reasons for needing the movie to be a success and doesn’t trust a newbie like Olivia on his set. They butt heads immediately, but of course sparks also fly. Ultimately, this story is a romance but it’s also about acceptance and respect. (Think the movie Fall Guy meets The Hating Game)

What are the challenges of writing a book within an established series? What’s been the best part?

Reasons to Act is actually a great example of the challenge of a series because it wasn’t supposed to exist, but then this fierce character Olivia came along as I was writing Reasons to Risk and she wouldn’t leave me alone. After I accepted that I’d have to give her a story, it was supposed to be an offshoot novella, but I found in the writing process that I needed more space to do them justice, so it became a novel. It’s difficult to be flexible, but I think it’s most important to give the characters their due and make the romance believable, even if it wasn’t part of my original plan or the characters don’t fall into the structure I originally imagined. At the same time, one of the most fun and wonderful things about writing a series is returning to characters over and over. They’re like friends and watching them interact as each one gets their own story is really rewarding.

What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any writing rituals – coffee? Silence?

I’m an early bird with four kids, so my typical (ideal) writing day starts with a workout session followed by copious amounts of coffee, farm chores, more coffee, and getting the kids off to school. Once they’re out of the house I sit at my desk or in a comfy chair and do about an hour or so of email and social media, then I change gears and get into the manuscript. I usually listen to music, but it depends on what kind of scene I’m writing and what kind of mood I’m trying to get into. Often instrumental pop works, but I have playlists for steamy scenes or those with more energy. When I feel stuck—or the dogs want to go out—I’ll often take my phone and dictate as we walk around our fields. Sometimes the change of scenery, movement, and nature sounds will help me through a difficult scene. When the kids come home I try to quit for the day, although I often keep notes and ideas for dialogue on my phone or in a notebook as they come to me and put them in the manuscript the next day.

What was your route to publication and what advice do you have for someone looking to follow a similar path?

I initially queried with agents and tried the trad route with an early version of 3000 Reasons to Stay and had some interest, but ultimately no takers. I ended up doing a massive rewrite once I found my developmental editor, Jen, and decided to indie publish because the trad route takes so long and by that point I was antsy to just prove to myself I could publish. In hindsight, that wasn’t the best marketing decision (wait, I’m supposed to have an ARC team? Get reviews? Tell people about my book?) But Stay turned out well and I’ve learned SO MUCH since putting it out there. I like being in control of my product and revenue, though it’s a lot of work and I don’t rule out pitching a future series to a trad publisher. However, the trad route is incredibly slow and I’m not sure I have the patience for it! With all that said, my advice for new authors is, Don’t Rush It! Learn the process, the business, build a platform and get to know other published writers for advice. There are tons of people and places willing to share their knowledge, often for free or minimal cost. Take the editorial process seriously, and if you’re writing series romance, have a couple books finished before you put the first one out. Be patient and don’t quit!

What’s your favourite word and why?

I’m not sure I have a favorite word, though I do appreciate a very thoughtfully placed swear. Maybe that’s because I write military and former military characters (and my husband is a former Marine) so a well dropped curse can really set a scene.

If you were compiling a playlist for this book, which songs would you choose to include?

I have a Spotify list for Reasons to Act, but here are a few of my favorites:

i. Incredible- Sia and Labrinth
ii. I was made for lovin’ you- Yungblud
iii. Africa- Toto
iv. Dancing with our hands tied- Taylor Swift

What comes first for you – plot or characters?

Characters. Sometimes it’s just a bit of dialogue or even an attitude. With Reasons to Act, Olivia’s attitude came through right away and stuck with me. And then I thought of this funny bit of banter about which “Hollywood Chris” Chris Blackstone is. And everything built and grew from there.

Jaime’s Writing Space

In your opinion, what are the essential tools of the trade for a writer?

Persistence and a love of reading. I read all kinds of books from all genres and there’s something useful or to learn and appreciate in all of them. Sometimes I get caught up in the “wow, this writer is so much better than me” spiral, but then you remind yourself that every reader likes something different. While I may never be a New York Times bestseller, I already have devoted fans who identified with my characters, and that’s pretty amazing. Don’t quit doing what you love doing because eventually that love will resonate with a reader.

How do you approach the writing process from idea to research to draft, to editing, to submission? How do you know when you’ve done enough research and editing?

When it comes to the heart of the story, I trust my developmental editor, Jen, to tell me when I’ve got the romance right. After that, editing is a game you can keep playing until you die if you’re not careful. I have a couple trusted alpha and beta readers to tell me when things do and don’t work, and sometimes I make changes based on their advice, sometimes I ignore them. I’ve learned over the years that while I am someone who needs to sit with an idea for a while, I can’t give myself a pass either, because the work won’t get done. So, I set deadlines and meet them. I’m not the fastest writer and I’m not the slowest. Like any kind of art, I think it’s natural to go back and want to make changes to your earlier work, but there’s a point when it just has to be let go. In terms of timeline from idea to publication, my books have varied quite a bit. Act was probably the quickest—less than a year. But there were spaces where I was working on the first book in a new series too, and outlining book four for the 3000 Reasons series. I’d like to think I’ll get faster at all of it, but in the meanwhile, I’ll continue to trust my gut and hope I can keep hitting my deadlines!

Do you have any advice on how to overcome writers’ block?

If you’re thinking of writer’s block as the inability to write, I don’t believe in it. I do believe we let fear and perfectionism impact our creative process, and that we’ll avoid the page because of it. I, for example, am a world class procrastinator. Afraid to screw up the meet cute? I go do laundry. Not sure how to write the 3rd act breakup? I’m struck by the need to clean the sheep pens. I’ve learned that about myself and the thing that has worked for me is talking through the story, to myself or with my editor or a writer friend, and then lowering the pressure by writing in a notebook or on my phone. Even a couple hundred words here and there will break the “block” and get me back into the story and excited. I also constantly remind myself that even writing total garbage is better than nothing—at least I can revise garbage. The other suggestion I have is to change your routine. Go for a walk, a trip. Write in a notebook or dictate. Go to a coffee shop or a park. Someplace where your brain is stimulated by different things. Ask yourself questions, like the characters are interviewing each other. Those kinds of changes in approach can dislodge the resistance too.

Would you rather –

Would you rather have the ability to communicate telepathically or know every single language on the planet?

Know every language. Although telepathy would be helpful for warning my kids when I know they’re about to say something dumb!

Be able to have a one-minute conversation with your past self or future self?

Past self. I would have started writing books sooner!

Paperback, hardback or eBook?

There’s something wonderful and comforting about a beat-up paperback.

Live in a world where it is constantly snowing or always raining?

Snow. I love winter sports and to cozy up by the fireplace at the end of the day.

Live in a world without music or movies?

I love movies but I couldn’t live without music. At least with music you could read and then have a kind of “movie” in your head!

Take part in a dating show or a survival show?

Survival. I think dating shows are really cringy!

Have the ability to see into the future or be able to visit the past?

Visit the past. I’m a history buff.

Have the ability to move things with your mind or read minds?

There would be benefits to reading minds, for sure, but I think moving things with my mind would be a lot more practical on a daily basis.

Sing or dance to your favourite song for the rest of your life?

That’s a tough one. I think sing, since I love to dance but I find myself singing a lot more often.

Have money or power?

Power doesn’t interest me much, but money sure is handy!

About Jaime P. Bradley –

Jaime got hooked on romance novels at an inappropriately young age. She’s a New England dairy farm kid turned Wyoming cowgirl turned cattle genetics writer, turned romance writer.

Jaime lives with her former US Marine husband and spends her days wrangling their four children and numerous farm animals, reading or writing romance novels, binging on romance-related podcasts, and adding more things to her to-do list than she could ever possibly get done.

Say hello to Jaime on TikTok, Instagram, Goodreads, Facebook and Pinterest.

About Reasons to Act –

Can a Marine on a mission handle Hollywood’s hottest star? The sparks on the action movie set are nothing compared to the ones flying between them…

Olivia Quinn succeeds through simplicity and discipline, whether she’s dominating in the gym, or serving as a Marine. But when her director brother unexpectedly makes her the military consultant on his latest action film, her structured plans go out the window and she’s thrown into an unfamiliar and unpredictable world alongside hotshot action star Chris Blackstone. The cocky actor is everything she can’t stand, with his chiseled, self-important abs, condescension, and charm—for to everyone except her.

Chris is determined to make Desert Strike the blockbuster hit his new production company needs. A fake PR romance with his popular co-star keeps the public’s attention on the movie and distracts the media from his messy family drama. The last thing he has time for is clashing with a disturbingly hot, no-nonsense Marine consultant who sees right through his act. And he definitely can’t afford to fall for her.

Staged explosions give way to sizzling chemistry neither of them can ignore. But when Chris’s ghosts and the paparazzi twist their connection into a media firestorm, he faces a brutal choice: Will he protect the career and image he works so hard for—or fight for the woman who makes him feel like a real person? And under the burning spotlight, Olivia must decide if a lifetime of building strength means she’s strong enough to be honest with herself and open her heart to the vulnerability of love.

Reasons to Act is part of the 3000 Reasons series and was released in May 2026. Click to Amazon UK, Amazon US, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, Google Play, Bookshop.org – eBook version, Bookshop.org – print, and Waterstones.