Interview & Giveaway: Jaye Frances author of "The Cruise - All That Glitters"

Today I have Jaye Frances on my blog and I'm really excited because she has been on my blog before but this time I actually got to interview Jaye and she's great by the way. She is also going to be sharing a excerpt of her new book "The Cruise - All That Glitters" with us and she will be giving away a Kindle copy of her new book. So lets give Jaye a warm welcome and get started.

I know you get asked this question over and over but can you tell us a little about yourself? Maybe something juicy. ;)

First, the basics. I was born and raised in the Midwest, surrounded by conservative and conventional values. But I always felt those influences were a better fit for my siblings, and I found my own curious nature persuading me to explore more alternative avenues. On a more normal note, I love to cook, travel to tropical destinations, and take pictures—lots of them. I also write a monthly column for the NUSA Sun magazine, published in Florida and distributed internationally.

Juicy?  Hmmmm . . . can I phone a friend . . . use a lifeline? I occasionally allow my alter-ego to rise to the surface and wander out in public, complete with dark tresses, skimpy outfits, and 6” heels. And speaking of skimpy outfits, I frequently receive comments about some of the pictures on my website, mentioning the clothes I’m wearing—or more specifically, the lack thereof. Interestingly, the majority are from women wanting to know where to buy a particular outfit or asking for details about events or venues where a minimum of clothing is not only allowed, but encouraged—and more important, how they can participate!

Oh, and my husband thinks my shoe collection borders on the obscene . . .

When did you first start writing? Are you a full time author or do you do it on the side?

I started writing as a teen, (what girl didn’t?), when logic and hormones began to clash and everyone started avoiding me like the plague. I mean, let’s face it, who wants to talk to a moody, unhappy teenager with lot to say? Back then, my notebook and pen were my chosen outlets, and whenever I run across one of my angst-filled diatribes from those “wonder years,” I’m amazed my parents even let me stay in the house.

Writing has been my full-time gig for several years now, and I put in an average of sixty hours a week trying to get it right.

Do you have an author that has really inspired you?

In my younger years, I loved reading James Michener and Ray Bradbury. Later, I found the work of Anne Rice fascinating. Today, Patricia Cornwell feeds my analytical side, and when I need a good laugh, David Sedaris does it every time.

How long does it normally take you to write an average book or your last book?

Depending on the research and how the characters are getting along I typically have several projects in progress at the same time. When one of my stories begins to reach the boiling point, I’ll focus my attention and stay with it until the end. The Kure, for example, took 2-1/2 years due to the large amount of background and history that I had to sift through and authentically incorporate into the story. The Possibilities of Amy and The Cruise – All That Glitters were both originally part of a novella-short story collection that had been rambling around in my computer for over two years, begging to be set free. This year, I finally listened.

What do you think makes a story great?

I believe it starts by building a solid connection between the reader and one or more of the characters. In my own writing, I try to establish that reader-character bond with honest emotion, giving the reader an opportunity to experience a character’s personality, environment or challenge—even when such an encounter might be a bit outside their comfort zone. 

Can you describe your book "The Cruise-All that Glitters" in one sentence?

The humorous adventures of a girl-chasing bachelor who confuses fantasy with love, and then finds—and loses—both on the deck of a cruise ship.

Have you done lots of research for your books or do the stories just come to you?

The research and storytelling seem to go hand-in-hand, with the story emerging first, then enhanced and expanded with historical detail or contemporary authenticity. I tend to be most comfortable creating characters and circumstances that could exist in reality, however, lately, I find myself obsessed with storylines that can only be explored in the unnatural world. And I’m hoping it continues.

What are you currently working on?

I’m finishing up my next release, titled The Beach, a sci-fi fantasy tale about a cocky, self-assured man who is given the opportunity to wish for his heart’s desire, and is horrified when his wish actually comes true. The book will also include a bonus novella called Short Time, a story about a man who exchanges his future for six months of excess and indulgence, only to find out the price he must pay for his hedonistic self-gratification is beyond anything he could have imagined.

Can you tell us about some of your prior achievements?

The transition from writing for others to establishing my own brand was a huge personal step.  While giving up the financial security of doing work for hire was a big leap of faith, being able to establish my own characters, storylines, and subject matter is something I’ve always wanted to do. I’m essentially starting from scratch, but it’s definitely been the right decision and I don’t regret it for a moment.

Is there anything that I didn't cover that you would like to talk about or say to your potential readers? 

Today, readers have a greater choice in the number and variety of books from which to choose, especially with the emergence of new and effective self-publishing platforms. And that influence has dramatically changed the role of writers and the relationship they have with their audience. Instead of taking their cues from publishers, authors are listening to readers, often engaging them on a one-on-one basis, asking for feedback and comments.

The result is more diverse genres, greater specificity in meeting reader’s expectations, and just plain better writing.

From a personal standpoint, the fact that someone decides to pick up or download one of my books is incredibly gratifying. Especially when I remember that a successful writer must not forsake their commitment to satisfy an intelligent and demanding audience who will not settle for anything short of an author’s best work. 

Thank you so much for the interview. You’ve been wonderfully thorough, Danielle! And I hope I’ve been able to pique the interest of some of your followers.

Just for fun:

Hardback or Paperback?    Paperback – just seems to feel friendlier in my hands
Dog ears or Bookmarks?   Bookmarks – they’re re-usable and keep the pages neat
YA novels or Adult novels?    Adult – that’s just the way my mind thinks
Library or Bookstore?             Bookstore – and if there’s a coffee shop inside, I’m camping out!
Reading glasses or No glasses?    Contacts!
Snack while reading or No snacks?    Snack, of course, with a generous pour of merlot
Beach or Mountain?     Yes, can’t choose between them—I’ve got to have both
Vampire or Werewolf?    Neither, unfortunately.  I’m concerned the vamps would keep me up at night (and I really cherish my beauty sleep), and the stray hairs left on my comforter from an alpha wolf would make me crazy
Hot or Flirty?    Flirty – because it can (hopefully) lead to hot, given the choice or the opportunity to explore the possibilities
Movie 1st or Book 1st?     Book first – I need the details to make the picture come alive
Contemporary or Historical?     Contemporary – which will one day become historical
Page-Turner or Tear Jerker?      Page-Turner – I hate it when my make-up runs!

 It’s love on the high seas for Dean, a thirty-something bachelor taking his first cruise, hoping for a shipboard romance. On the prowl for the elusive hard-body, he quickly becomes disillusioned, wondering if his expectation of a boatload of beautiful sea nymphs is something found only in travel brochures.

Until he meets Angel.

She is the girl of his dreams, brought to life as a bewitching goddess, ready to engage in every sensual delight. Quickly lured into submission by Angel’s seductive charms, Dean is ready to surrender his heart and soul to this provocative beauty.

Until he meets Marcie . . .

The Cruise – All That Glitters is available now

from Amazon for only $0.99!

And don’t forget, the kindle reading app is available for your cloud reader, computer, Smartphone, and tablet—FREE from Amazon. Here’s the link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=sa_menu_karl3?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

 

Thank you, Danielle, for having me back on Romance Book Junkies with my new romantic comedy, The Cruise-All That Glitters.

In the following excerpt, the main character, Dean, finds himself scrambling to get back in good graces with Marcie, a pretty girl who showed an interest in him, but who he passed over for another prospect, Angel.

Here’s an excerpt

I wondered how I had made such a mistake, choosing Angel over Marcie. I had to make up for lost time. “Instead of the lounge, why don’t we take a walk on deck, find a place to talk, just you and I?”

“Sounds like you’re trying to get out of buying me a drink.”

“How about if we walk first and drink later?”

She nodded as she held out her hand.

Outside, the air was light and cool, the gentle breeze playfully flirting with Marcie’s dress as we stood by the rail. We spent several minutes in easy silence, watching the faint points of light on the horizon flicker like earth-bound stars.

Marcie turned and looked directly into my eyes. “So? How did it go last night?”

I took a deep breath and reached for her, needing more of a connection before I could continue. As I slid my hand around her waist, I leaned in until her shoulder was sure and certain against mine.

And then I told her.

All of it.

I told her how out of control I had been—even helpless—the first time I’d seen Angel. I left nothing out—the unused sailboat, the shopping trip in St. Thomas, the bracelet and earrings, and even last night, when Angel had replaced me with someone named Franco.

She listened, never interrupting.

As I finished my story, we stood silent, our shoulders still touching, as if we both needed time to put it all behind us. I brought her hand to my mouth, tasting the cool, pink glaze covering each nail as I moved her fingertips slowly across my lips.

Without warning, she pulled away and leaned back against the rail, a roguish smile spreading across her face. “Eighteen hundred dollars? Are you kidding me?”

I shook my head. “I shit you not.”

She began to laugh. “You know, I would have done it for a lot less. Of course, I have no idea what a good tour of the city costs these days, but if I had to guess, I would suppose a couple of hundred would get you there and back, not including the optional blowjob. But then, you didn’t get the blowjob, did you? Of course being on the open sea, there’s not a lot of competition, so I could be figuring low. But even with inflation and cost of living adjustments, eighteen hundred should—”

“Bite me,” I hissed.

Marcie jabbed me with a saber fist, twisting it against my ribs. “You’re never gonna forget it. I’m never gonna let you.”

It sounded prophetic. It sounded good. Maybe it had worked out for the best after all.

“Okay, I admit it. I was stupid. Hey, I’m the one who spent eighteen hundred bucks on the crazy bitch, remember?”

Marcie shook her head. “I know I should feel sorry for you, but frankly, you should have seen it coming. Someone who really cared about you wouldn’t have let you spend that kind of money on her. She wouldn’t want to be so obligated that early in the—”

“Okay, okay,” I interrupted. “You’ve made your point. So why don’t we continue this conversation in my cabin?”

She looked surprised, even a bit taken back.

“So now I’m the one who has to ask twice?” I sounded impatient. I didn’t mean to, but it came out that way.

“Why do you want to go back to your cabin? It’s nice out here.”

“All right, I get it. What am I going to have to do to make this work? Run naked around the deck three times? Eat a can of cooking grease? What’s it gonna take?”

“That grease thing sounds good.”

“Then you set the speed. I’m fine with that.”

She looked back at me with feigned confusion. “The speed for what?”

It was impossible to hide my building frustration. “You know what I mean.” I cringed as I said it. It sounded like I was trying to describe some kind of illicit, under-the-counter merchandise.

“No, I’m afraid I don’t.” A broad smile returned to her face. “Why don’t you tell me all about it?”

She was making me grovel, insisting I disclose exactly what I had in mind. “I thought it would give us a chance to be together,” I said, wincing at the way I was beginning to talk—like a teenager trying to convince my date to jump into the backseat.

“We are together.”

“You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?”

Marcie began to slowly shake her head. “Nope.”

“What I’m trying to say is that I want to spend time with you, alone, in my cabin.”

“So you can f**k me?”

I smiled, relieved that one of us had finally said it. “Yeah, if I’ve got to come right out and say it, so I can f**k you.”

“Oh. I see.” She turned away from me, resting her elbows on the rail, cradling her face with both hands as she looked out into the blackness.

My website is:  http://www.jayefrances.com

My blog is:  http://blog.jayefrances.com

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5232105.Jaye_Frances

My Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/jayefrancesauthor

Link for The Cruise – All That Glitters on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Cruise-That-Glitters-ebook/dp/B0081IST8S/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336568258&sr=1-3

Jaye has offered to giveaway a Kindle ebook copy of her new book "The Cruise - All That Glitters". To enter just fill out the rafflecopter below. Leave a comment or question for Jaye and that's it all the rest of the entries are extra.

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