I have cover art...

Love Syneca...

And I love David Nieves...what's not to adore? So what do you think? I hope the edits (coming in about three weeks, according to my editor) are as quick as the art work. I'm hoping that this book gets out before year's end.

Almost halfway through my next wip. I think my muse is back on board and ready to rock. I sure as heck need to keep busy and to get my fanny in gear.

Congrats to Gloria Shaw, winner of my birthday giveaway. Enjoy the book, darlin'...

Hugs,

Fran

I'm having a birthday party for me...

And I'm giving away a copy of Licking Her Wounds!

I will officially be OLD AS DIRT on Monday, and to keep my mind off my deteriorating body and mind, I will happily give a copy of this one to one of the few people who comment on my posts. (So that gives you a one-in-four chance of winning!)

There IS a catch, though...in your comment, you must tell me which of my books you like the best (that means, of course, that you must have read at least one of them), and which part you liked the best. PLUS you must put your e-mail address and your name so I know who gets the prize.

Easy peasy...so go on and leave me a comment.  I'll choose the winner on August 30th at midnight.

Hugs!

Fran Lee

What's in a name? One heck of a lot!

When I am madly searching my mind for character names...

I try to come up with something that hasn't been overused...something that has a definite zing to it. My heroes must have names that remain firmly embedded in a reader's mind. My heroines must have names that symbolize what kind of woman each is. And that is not an easy task. Take Uncertainly Yours, for example...

Jacqueline O'Halleran (aka "Jack") and Lance Blackfeather. Of course, my heroines are often tomboy types, so Jack lives up to her name. And of course, the name Lance brings to mind amazing phallic images for most of us with happily dirty minds. It also keeps with the Native American imagery.

And, of course, Woman on Fire had a few twists, so to speak...when the heroine (who was a red haired, blue-eyed pale face) was named Cheyenne Red Wolf. And our hero was named Azrael (the Arabic/Hebrew name for the angel of death) Thunderhorse. Cheyenne was raised by her Native American adoptive father and grew up more Indian than Anglo. And Azrael's mom didn't think he deserved to be saddled with a name like "Bubba" or Jim Boy". 

 Now, Never Tempt Fate has a heroine with a simple, traditional name that has a connotation of prim and proper. Christine (Chris) Lange is not your world wise, jaded gal, and she has absolutely no luck when it comes to men. In spite of her age and her experience, her experience of men is nil. Antonio hates to have anyone call him by his full given name, and prefers "Tonio"...so to prove she isn't under his thumb, Chris calls him Antonio. 

When I used to write my stories back when I was a brat, I used the exact same name for every hero and heroine, just to keep it simple. But when I subbed the stories many years later to a publisher, I had to think up something unique for each couple. Or think up a unique twist on the way each character views their own name.

Names are very personal, very important issues for authors. I sometimes start reading a book or story I have purchased, and I cringe when I try to place the name given with the hot, sexy character I am reading about. Unless the story is tongue-in-cheek...and then I totally suspend my own thoughts, and go with the flow and the fun.

What are your thoughts on names for characters? Do you often find yourself making up new, sexier names for the characters you read about in books? Something that flips YOUR switch? I have to admit, I certainly do from time to time. LOL!

Hugs!

Fran Lee

http://franleeromance.com    

Some of my favorite man-pics...

When I need something to stir my libido...

and get my muse to perk up...

 I run through my "hot guy" files...

 And I wear my drool bib...

 Then I check out my Facebook page for more hot guys...

And then I check out my Caveman photos...

  I can usually get some great ideas for heroes by doing that...but the big problem is...I sometimes just keep staring and forget to write. Sigh.

Multicultural and interracial romances...

I never really thought about it when I was writing these stories, but each one of these has a non-white hero. A hero of "color". To me, the heroes are simply heroes...sexy men with enough alpha appeal to wipe out any woman's resistance. In Never Tempt Fate, the hero is Hispanic (or as many reviewers say, "Latin/Latino). Tonio is one of my special men...hot and sexy and vulnerable. But his vulnerability makes him stronger.

My identical twins in Double Your Pleasure are Native American. Hot, delicious, and total opposites in personality, if not in looks. Hard-headed but soft hearted. They share cars, clothes, an apartment, and sometimes, women. Jonathan and Jason are modern big city guys. But they never forget their roots.

In Nothing but Sex, the hero, Mike Running Elk is a down-to-earth Native American. Strong and loving, and in love with an older woman who was once married to a man with looks and charisma...something Mike doesn't believe he has. But those who have read this book know that this man has more than enough of both to sink a battle cruiser.

The hero of My Sexy Sensei is Korean-American.  A man with a mission. And that mission is to overcome the resistance of one hot female black belt who thinks that work and sex don't go hand-in-hand. But James Rhee can't afford to let her off the hook, because she's the first woman in a very long time who has exactly the combination of attributes he wants...

Azrael Thunder Horse is one hard-headed, powerful man who firmly believes that Native Americans should stick with Native Americans. In Woman on Fire, our hot, sexy hero tries his damnedest to fire the new teacher he just hired...because she isn't a "real" Indian. But he can't seem to get the sexy red-head out of his thoughts...and he sure as hell can't keep himself out of her bed.

Each one of my "men of color" has very real issues...issues that helped make him what he is.  But I didn't write my stories with the color of his skin in mind...rather his cultural difference that builds conflict and tension in the story. But I am learning that there are many readers and reviewers out there who buy these books because they love romances between interracial or intercultural couples.

Never thought about that until my books began to show up on review sites that specifically review such books. I am learning as much from my readers as they are learning from me. And I love it!

My latest wip is about a Native American hero who is also a shapeshifter...now there's a combination of cultural conflicts if ever there was one. Again, I never thought about that while writing. But if my editor likes it enough to contract it, that will bring my special heroes to a total of seven. And it will be my first Native American heroine...

What do you think about interracial/intercultural stories? Any thoughts?

Fran Lee

I'm never sure when I post to this blog if anyone will read it...

I don't always go to the loops and ask for folks to come and read...

And when I do, I still only get a few folks who drop over and read.  So I blog mainly for myself...talking about how I feel and what is bugging me. I have a couple of good pals who drop over and comment, and I count myself lucky to have them.  To those of you who drop in every now and then, my deepest thanks.

 It's wonderful that you are kind enough to encourage this old broad. LOL!

Some of us have been friends since I first started writing, back in 2008-2009...and it thrills me to see you writing and getting your work published.  I know what a challenge it is to keep fighting to get your muse to work, and to get your work accepted.  Some of you have gone to mostly self-publishing.  Others have branched out to other smaller publishers.  It amazes me how proud I am to know each of you...for many of us began writing and getting published around the same time.

Thanks so much for your courtesy and concern.  And thanks for being there for me.

Hugs,

Fran Lee

WIP subbed...looking for inspiration...

There are things that inspire us...

and there are things that get our libidos up and running...

And I love to combine those things when I write...

Have you ever walked down the street, or strolled through the mall, and had that OMG! gut clenching, heart-shaking feeling just at the sight of a person who catches your eye?  We all have certain physical preferences in mind...but there is always that one image that jumps out at us and just screams "Come and get me!"

Ever been introduced to someone at a party or an event, and couldn't quite make your mouth work to get out a simple "Hi, there...how ya doing"? because your pussy clenches and your heart races and your thoughts get totally scrambled?  What makes that happen?  Do you think that pheromones can affect us that way?  Or is it our inner voice that tells us we are about to embark on the hottest ride we could ever imagine?

I can be driving along the street and some dude saunters along the sidewalk...and it takes iron nerves to keep driving without doing the rubber-neck thingy.  And oddly enough, that same dude probably doesn't even look hot to hundreds of other females driving along...so why did he effect me so much?  What inner ideal or feeling made me want to flip a U-turn and drag that guy into the nearest bush and have my lascivious way with him?

What flips your switches when someone simply captures your imagination and takes it on a roller coaster ride?  I think that my muse (as lazy and recalcitrant as she's been lately) is trying to inspire me to write something.  And it sometimes works.
 

It makes you kinda wonder.  Has that ever happened to you?

Fran Lee