Writer Wednesday: Meet J. Arlene Culiner!

jill-culiner2baWelcome to Writer Wednesday, that glorious day of the week where we shine the spotlight on a fellow author. We’re so glad you popped in to share it with us.

Today our mini interview features J. Arlene Culiner, author of quirky characters, great romance, and engaging stories! What’s better than that?

Enjoy getting to know J. Arlene and her writing better, and please, leave some love in the comments!


Creative WritingWhat inspires you to write?

I love stories. I love telling them, hearing them. I love being a fly on the wall and watching other people’s stories unfold. And I love thoughts that begin with, “What if…”

sunset in heart handsWhich type of romance do you love most, and why?

I love romances that are realistic with older characters. I also like rebellious heroes and heroines, the ones who don’t have big fortunes or flashy cars and designer clothes but do things they’re passionate about. And of course the romances I really appreciate have to be well written.

Gobekli Tepe (Pot-belly Hill) is an archaeological siteName one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book:

I learned a lot about archaeology, of course, and I discovered that some very important sites are being deliberately destroyed, covered over by cement and buildings, all in the name of profit.

Name two things people don’t know about you:

I’ve crossed much of Europe on foot — most of the time on my own — and I worked as a translator in Turkey, just like the heroine of my latest release, The Turkish Affair.

Fireworks DisplayWhat one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

Know that writing and trying to find a publisher or an agent can be heartbreaking. Therefore, you have to take care of yourself, congratulating yourself when you’ve achieved a goal, no matter how small: meeting your word count goal; finishing a story; writing one scene beautifully; sending out queries. Give yourself presents, even little ones like a good cup of coffee and feel proud.


turkishaffairA Bit About The Turkish Affair

Danger at the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu:

A top-notch Washington journalist before a liaison with the wrong man implicated her in scandal, Anne Pierson has been hiding in backwoods Turkey and working as a translator. She’s determined to keep her past a secret, to avoid personal relationships. But after meeting Renaud Townsend, her discreet little world is turned upside down.

Archaeologist Renaud Townsend is troubled by Anne Pierson’s refusal to talk about her past, but instinct tells him he can rely on her. Or is it only desire speaking? A lusty love affair for the duration of the summer dig is a very appealing idea.

When Anne’s bad reputation links her to stolen artifacts and murder, the budding romance with Renaud comes to a halt. If they learn to trust one another, her name can be cleared. But is there still enough intensity to give love a second chance?

Published by Crimson Romance

Find The Turkish Affair here:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books


TypewriterA Bit About J. Arlene:

Born in New York, raised in Toronto, J. Arlene Culiner has spent most of her life in England, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Hungary and the Sahara. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest and, much to public dismay, protects all creatures, especially spiders and snakes. She works as an actress, a photographer, a contemporary artist, a musician, writes mysteries, history books and perfectly believable romances. Her heroines are funny and gutsy; her heroes, dashingly lovable; and all are (proudly) over the age of forty.

Want to connect further with J. Arlene?

Website | Anecdotes Blog | J. Arlene’s Blog | GoodReads | Facebook | Twitter


Thanks so much for being here today, J. Arlene – I’m glad you could be a part of Writer Wednesday

11 Replies to “Writer Wednesday: Meet J. Arlene Culiner!”

  1. I can’t believe how many writers you know, Margaret! Good interview and I especially like J. Arlene’s hair in her photo. Wow!

  2. Okay, go ahead, Margaret. Laugh at me. It’s a serious terror nonetheless, one that dates from my girlhood. I always knew that to become an authentic princess, you had to have long hair. Mine was quite long and although I was waiting for the authentic royal prince to come along, I knew I had a long wait: I was only around twelve years old. Then, one day, quite unexpectedly but treacherously, my mother dragged me to the hairdresser and had my locks chopped off into an Elizabeth Taylor cut. The result? The real authentic royal prince with an official title never did show. And I never got to rule a country and have serfs. Sigh.

    • Well, I fully understand now! I wasn’t laughing at you, but with you – mostly about the dentist because, well, I had a fractured tooth yanked 2 weeks ago and am still having problems with the very slow healing process. 🙂

  3. I don’t in the least mind being laughed at; it’s all part of the fun. But a fractured tooth yank is no fun at all. You have my sympathy. It will heal, of course, even if slowly. Are tooth problems so terrible to us because they’re up here, in our faces and near our think centers? A toe problem seems less personal.

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