Romance novelist Q&A: bestselling author Francis Ray

I’ve recently had a chance to catch up with New York Times bestselling romance author, Francis Ray, whose novel, And Mistress Makes Three, caught my eye among the June 2009 releases. According to Victoria Christopher Murray, Essence bestselling author, “And Mistress Makes Three is a wonderful story about imperfect people searching for perfect love… an emotionally charged novel that will pull at every one of your heart strings, have you holding your breath and cheering for the characters until the very end. . . . Francis Ray at her best!”
Here’s the teaser:
Gina Rawlins is dealing with a cheating husband, a messy divorce, two unhappy children, and a floundering travel business when the very handsome new owner of the local B&B, Max Chaneau, enters her life. Not only does he make her heart pound, but it soon becomes clear that they need each other. Max needs to turn the B&B around and the first thing it needs is a woman's touch. And not just any woman. He offers to redesign her website for a bit of interior design help. As they work closely together, Gina realizes that her ex-husband wasn't her only chance at love, even if Max has some scars of his own. However, when her ex (and all his baggage) abruptly reenters the picture, Gina's love life is turned upside down, while her daughter and son are ecstatic to have their father home again. However Gina is left wondering what she should do? Be with the man she loves or take back the father of her children for the sake of her family?

Q: You’re now a bestselling multi-published author, but I’d love to hear about the excitement of your First Sale experience. How long had you been writing and how many novels had you written before getting published?
A: I sold my first book, FALLEN ANGEL, December 24, 1992. I’d just returned from shopping and asked my daughter to tell the caller to please leave a message. When my daughter said it was Odyssey Books, you should have seen me racing down the hall to take the call. I’d struggled for five long years to sell a full-length book. I celebrated for days with family and friends. I still have the congratulation cards, the pictures my husband took with me grinning from ear to ear. The encouragement of my family, fellow writers, and selling confessional stories to magazines kept the hope alive. I had one other book written at the time, a historical romance, Hidden Fire, that Elizabeth Lowell was gracious enough to read. She kindly said it needed work.

Q: What else do you have coming up for publication?
A: My next release is ONE NIGHT WITH YOU, Book # 3 in my Grayson Friends Series coming out November 03, 2009. IF YOU WERE MY MAN, the last mainstream in the Invincible Women Series is set for release February 2010. Book # 4. IT HAD TO BE YOU, in the Grayson Friends Series is coming May 2010.

Q: Please tell me your favorite “when I was doing research for this novel you wouldn't believe what happened” story:
A: AND MISTRESS MAKES THREE is set in Charleston, SC. I’ve made at least 4 trips there, the last two strictly for research, but I wanted to know if things had changed. My daughter, who is my research assistant, contacted the chamber of commerce. Within days, my mailbox was flooded with post cards, letters, and packages from Realtors.

Q: Who is your favorite romance author? Who’s your favorite non-romance author, if any? What books are you reading these days?
A: I have several favorite romance writers. I adore Roxanne St. Claire, Bette Ford, and Sherrilyn Kenyon. I don’t have a favorite non-romantic author, but I recently finished No Matter What by Lisa Nichols, and I’m reading President Barack Obama’s The Audacity of Hope.

Q: If you were going to write a non-fiction book, what would the title be? (this is my novelist’s version of the Barbara Walters’ special question of “If you were a tree what kind would you be?”)
A: My book title would be Staying Sane and Happy in the Publishing Industry.

Q: What makes your stories unique compared to other romance or women’s fiction novelists out there?
A: There are some wonderful romance stories out there in romance and women’s fiction. Both my romance and women fiction stories revolve around strong, loving families. They respect and care deeply for the other. My romances are filled with incredible men you can fall in love with and intelligent women you can root for. In the Invincible Women Series, as the series name implies, the stories are about women who are down for the count – divorce, loss of job, cheating husbands, sinful lives, shattered dreams – but they find it within themselves to turn their lives around. In addition, they do it in a way that they can look themselves in the mirror the next day and be proud of themselves.

Q: How long, on average, does it take you to write a novel and how long are your novels?
A: I’m a slow writer and slower plotter. The last mainstream, IF YOU WERE MY MAN, probably took 3-4 months and came in around 80,000 words – which is long length for me. Today I finished (Yeah!!!!) IT HAD TO BE YOU. It took less than 5 weeks (I’m stunned) and came in around 67,000 words. I’d say my average time to write a mainstream is 4 months at 70, 000-75,000 words. 3 months for a romance at 65,000-70,000 words

Q: Describe a typical day while you’re writing on deadline or working on a novel:
A: This summer I’ve tried to be up by 7:30 because I have to water all the potted plants. I might grab a cinnamon raisin bagel or go straight to the computer to start writing. I’m up and down every couple of hours or so, getting something to drink or just stretching or eating. If I get stuck, I answer Email for a bit, then return to writing. I can stop at 10PM or continue as I did this morning until 2AM.

Q: What do you consider to be the most difficult thing about being a writer? What’s the best thing?
A: For me, the most difficult thing is coming up with plots and then writing them. Or is that two? The best thing is the connection with readers though the stories you create. It is simply incredible.

Q: What is your day job and do you plan to write full time any time soon?
A: I’m a School Nurse Practitioner for a large school district. The plan is to work one more year then write full time.