Dictated By Fate by Fran Lee
I’d like to welcome our Guest Fran Lee who is also published with my newest publisher Resplendence Publishing. One of the great things about getting another pub is it expands the guest I lure to the Clog Blog. Well lets get to it shall we?
Welcome Fran! Would you tell us a little about your most recent book?
A: Wow! I have a couple of recent books, but I assume you are asking about the one that will be released July 31, Hallie’s Cats? It is a shape shifter about a divorced gal who moves to a small Nebraska town to escape bad memories and a nasty ex. What she doesn’t realize is that when she randomly picked her destination for her escape, she picked the very town where her destiny awaits. And her destiny is in the form of a hot pair of brothers who are not exactly what they appear to be.
Q: What was the most difficult aspect of this book?
A: The most difficult aspect? I would say it was stopping long enough for bathroom breaks and yogurt. Once I got started, I didn’t stop writing until it was finished.
Q: How much research did you conduct for this book and what was the most interesting thing you did while conducting your research?
A: How much research? About ten minutes worth, I think. I got onto the Internet to research cat sexual behaviors. I wanted to know why cat sex seems to be so painful. LOL! But when I Googled “cat sexuality” I got some pretty gnarly sex sites popping up. Not exactly interesting, but educational!
Q: How do you make time to write?
A: I have few distractions. I spend about 9-12 hours each day at my computer since writing is currently my “job”, and I take an hour here and an hour there to brush up stories that I wrote many years ago and stockpiled. I wrote a great number of romance novels long ago when I was in need of hot distraction from life. I write mainly in the wee hours. With Cats, I simply sat down at 1:00 a.m. and started typing. Didn’t budge until it was finished. I set it aside and got back to it a week later to read and decide whether to toss it or submit it. Decided to submit it.
Q: When you are writing, who is in control? You or your characters?
A: Neither! I sit down to write, and things just start flowing out. I have said many times, ‘I don’t write books…I channel them’! It’s like something takes over completely and the words just keep flowing. Very weird.
Q: What advice do you have for other writers?
A: My advice to other writers would be, “Don’t listen to any advice Fran gives you. She is a total nut case and you would do well to avoid her if you wish to maintain a modicum of sanity.” Kidding! I would advise other writers to realize their greater potential…and get involved! I know we are all terribly busy, but unless we extend our circles and become more socially acclimated to a degree with other authors, readers, and publishers, we tend to be so insular that we miss many great opportunities to be better known and to have so many great friends!
Q: Would you tell us your story of getting “the call?”
A: I was in sixth grade. I had just read 1,000+ pages of Tolstoy’s War and Peace that I had found in a “to be burned” trash heap and pulled out. I was so impressed, I sat right down to write my own epic! I got eight pages out, and decided I didn’t know enough about Russian history to finish it. ROFL! But I kept writing little stories about Halloween and Christmas…things that capture a kid’s imagination. But at fourteen I discovered I had a flair for romance. I guess you could say that was the actual “call”.
Q: What was the most exciting thing that happened to you after you signed your contract?
A: Besides getting so excited I fell off my chair? Hmmm. I would have to say, signing the second contract. Then the third…and the fourth. My life isn’t very conducive to excitement, you know. I only write about hot romance. Oh…and I ogled a bunch of hot cover models. Does that count?
Q: If you weren’t writing, what would you be doing?
A: Reading romance.
Q: What books can we expect to see in the near future?
A: I have a full length romance titled Dictated by Fate coming in August from Resplendence Publishing. I also have an anthology piece coming in November from RP, titled “Carnal Reunions ~ First and Ten”. In February 2010 RP will release A Brief Moment of Pleasure. I have a couple of short novels in edits with Ellora’s Cave, but have no release dates. And, I am once again picking old writings out of my stack and reviewing and editing (now that I know how to submit properly!) so that I can submit them, as well.
Q: Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?
A: My primary website is at: http://www.franleeromance.com
I am also on Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube. (I create cover trailers)
I have two blogs: http://franleesromanceblog.blogspot.com
And http://franleesbookreviews.blogspot.com
Join me on Saturday when we read an excerpt from Hallie’s Cats by Fran Lee.
Until then Be Naughty!
Tina
The Clog Blog 