Welcome back to Meet the Author Friday, where we strip, poke and prod any brave enough to take the hot seat. Today’s contestant is Jaye Frances, paranormal romance author. Nice to have you here, Jaye. Fears tell us a lot about a person. Do you have any phobias?
I don’t know if I’d ca
ll them phobias, but I really freak out over spiders (especially the brown, furry, jumping-bean kind), snakes (all varieties – no discrimination here) and raw cotton. I know – go figure!
Ha! Raw cotton, now there’s a new one on me. Mind you, I freak out if I have to touch wet wood, so … 🙂 There are a lot of stereotypes cast in a romance novelist’s direction, like they must sleep in slinky lingerie when most I’ve met are dressed from head to toe in flannel jammies when they hit the sack. Are you a warm and comfy girl? Or an in-the-buff or silk and satin kind of girl?
Okay, so here’s the deal. Before I hit the sack, I might cuddle up in a soft cotton shirt, wool-lined slippers, and a quilted blanket. But before I slip between the sheets, every stitch comes off – right down to the headband and toe ring.
So a little from column A, and a little from column B, huh? 🙂 Boy shorts, granny panties, thong, g-string or commando?
Given the choice in any situation, public or private, I’m going to strike out commando. (Sorry, mom – guess if I’m in an accident we’re all going to be a little surprised . . . ) The only exception would be on those Saturday night visits to a club where the combination of an extremely short skirt with a thong is the expected outfit.
Whew, flashy! Or it could be without the thong. *snort* If you met a man at said club who had a time machine, where would you ask him to take you, and when?
This one is easy . . . I would ask him to take me to dinner at a romantic restaurant on the edge of the sea, where we would dance in perfect sync, oblivious to anyone else around us. Over several bottles of heady wine, we would share an incredible meal specially prepared by the chef, followed by a gooey, decadent dessert. After one last twirl on the dance floor, we would take a bare-foot stroll down a silky-sand beach, letting the warm, gentle surf caress our toes. Then we’d head to our hilltop villa, shedding our clothing along the way, where we would enjoy a midnight swim in a private salt-water pool. After drying each other off with thick, plush towels, we would head to the bedroom, holding hands and trading soft kisses as we playfully flirt in the moonlight. And the next morning, we would climb into his time machine, and I would ask him to take us back exactly one day . . .
Huh. Seems like that fantasy has been brewing a while. 🙂 While on that beach, you trip over a genie in a bottle, what would your three wishes would be?
(1) To have as many wishes as I want, (2) to have the ability to change the outcome of any wishes that don’t quite work out, and (3) to retain all my memories and travel back to the moment just before I found the genie in the bottle . . .
Okay, I suppose I probably should have put some parameters on that statement. 🙂 Cheeky. Favorite food, as in need-to-get-a-room-to-be-alone-with-it, favorite. Other than the gooey, decadent dessert you’re enjoying with Mr. Yummy, of course.
Home-made pasta with fresh veggies and chicken, crunchy garlic bread, and chocolate anything – may as well write me off for the night. Or perhaps join me . . .
Mmm, sounds nummy. Love me some pasta, too. Tell us about your road to publication. Was it short and sweet? Long and winding with many bumps?
The road to publication was a rather circuitous one with lots of detours. I initially pursued the traditional approach, believing my books had to be in a bookstore before anyone would buy them. But two years ago—about the same time as Amazon and the Kindle began to revolutionize the publishing industry—I realized I wanted more control over the marketing and sales process. I also began finding books from new authors—really great authors—who were self-published. For me, it was confirmation that writers could reach an audience without the frustrations, delays, and politics of traditional publishing. And just as important, it also meant the stigma attached to self-publishing was being replaced by expectation and possibility. So I jumped in. The biggest hurdle since is trying to wear all the hats in both a creative and business mindset. I’m still learning, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
That’s awesome. Are there any other fantastic novels waiting to burst free from your imagination in the future? Can you tell us about them?
My next release, titled Love Travels Forever, is a collection of poignant short stories and essays and scheduled for a November 2012 release. The Karetakers, book two in The Kure paranormal-occult romance series, is under construction and evolving as we speak. And rather than be too specific about the other projects I have simmering on a low boil, I’d rather grant my imagination the room to wander.
And an author’s imagination needs a universe to wander in, doesn’t it? Do you have any odd rituals when you write, like stand on your head to get the blood flowing or turn around three times before you sit at your desk?
That stand on your head thing sounds interesting, but I’m not sure I could pull it off. There are, however, a few things that help get my creative juices flowing. The choice between a mug of green tea or a generous pour of merlot is based on what I’m writing. If I need to tighten up a ho-hum scene or do the final edit on an article, the tea is perfect. However, if I need that virtual first-hand experience with a new lover, adding a little merlot to the mix is like taking the training wheels off a bike, giving me the opportunity to put it through its paces and really see what it can do.
From an external standpoint, a must-have is a quiet environment devoid of boom boxes, crying children, and revving motorcycles. Oh, and I usually write in the nude.
I’m going to have to try this wine and buff thing now that I’ve switched gears into the PNR genre. *taps chin* Perhaps I should put up some curtains first? *snort*
Thank you, Jocelyn, for hosting me on Meet the Author Fridays. I really appreciate this great opportunity, and wish you the best of luck with all of your books!
My pleasure. Now for the pretty!
Back of the Book
John Tyler, a young man in his early twenties, awakens to find a ghastly affliction taking over his body. When the village doctor offers the conventional, and potentially disfiguring, treatment as the only cure, John tenaciously convinces the doctor to reveal an alternative remedy—a forbidden ritual contained within an ancient manuscript called the Kure.
Although initially rejecting the vile and sinister rite, John realizes, too late, that the ritual is more than a faded promise scrawled on a page of crumbling paper. And as cure quickly becomes curse, the demonic text unleashes a dark power that drives him to consider the unthinkable—a depraved and wicked act requiring the corruption of an innocent soul.
Ultimately, John must choose between his desperate need to arrest the plague that is destroying his body, and the virtue of the woman he loves, knowing the wrong decision could cost him his life.
Connect with Jaye:
Website Blog Facebook Amazon Author Page Goodreads Author Page
Purchase Links:
About the author:
Jaye Frances is the author of The Kure, a paranormal-occult romance novel, The Possibilities of Amy, a coming-of-age romance novella, The Cruise-All That Glitters, a humorous adult satire about searching for love at sea, and The Beach, a sci-fi fantasy about a man who is given the opportunity to receive his ultimate wish and lives to regret it. Her next book, scheduled for a November release, is titled Love Travels Forever, a collection of poignant short stories and essays. She is also a featured columnist for the NUSA SUN magazine. Born in the Midwest, Jaye readily admits that her life’s destination has been the result of an open mind and a curiosity about all things irreverent. When she’s not consumed by her writing, Jaye enjoys cooking, traveling to all places tropical and “beachy” and taking pictures—lots of pictures—many of which find their way to her website. Jaye lives on the central gulf coast of Florida, sharing her home with one husband, six computers, four cameras, and several hundred pairs of shoes. For more information, visit Jaye’s website at www.jayefrances.com, or Jaye’s Blog at http://blog.jayefrances.com
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Jocelyn Adams 