Hi, everyone!  Today it is my pleasure to have my local RWA chapter-mate, Fran McNabb, as my interview victim. Fran is one fabulous and talented lady! Welcome, Fran! Thanks for answering my interview questions!

Photo by Hank Krieger

1.    Please tell us a bit about yourself and the genre (or genres) that you write.

I’m a retired English and journalism teacher so writing has always been a part of my life. I live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and that coastal setting is used in most of my manuscripts.

Right now I write tender romances for Avalon Books, a library publisher.   I have two contemporary romances on the shelves and one historical which will come out in February 2010.

2.    Describe your current  release in 15 words or less.

ONCE IN A HALF MOON is a “friends to lovers” romance set on the Gulf Coast

3.    Okay, now use as many words as you’d like to describe your story.

Nikki Clark returned to the Gulf Coast to start a new life after her divorce, but her world is turned upside down when she comes face-to-face with Russ Preston, the former husband of her best friend in college. Russ is raising his little girl alone.  After a serious accident and multiple operations, his daughter attached herself to Russ. Now he is unsure whether to introduce someone like Nikki new into her life. Nikki and Russ must decide whether it’s worth risking their friendship for a chance at the sort of love that comes along once in a half moon.

5.    Which character do you like better from ONCE IN A HALF MOON—the hero or the heroine?  Why?

Russ, my hero, is a charter boat captain who is raising his daughter alone after his wife ran off with a doctor. He’s my dream hero: Gentle. Handsome. Understanding. A good father.

6.    What is the most challenging part of being a writer?

Time. Finding the time to write is never easy.  I try to do a lot of mental planning ahead of time so that when I actually sit down in front of the computer, I can use the time efficiently.

7.    What’s your favorite scary movie?  Come on, spill.  No explanations—just name it.  Let everyone else guess why.

The 1950-something movie “The Blob.” It wasn’t my favorite – but it scared the heck out of me as a kid.  More recent one?  “Deliverance.”

8.    Tell me the one thing you wish you’d known about being a writer, um, before you became  a writer.

I wish I would’ve know about RWA before I started writing. With my first two manuscripts (that were truly horrible), I did every no-no that a newbie writer could possibly do. After I started going to RWA conferences (like Silken Sands, March 19-21, 2010) and listening to other writers, I figured out a lot of the wrongs I was committing.

9.    What is your writing schedule like?

I’m a morning person so the earlier I get to the computer, the better for me.  After I finish my coffee and newspaper, I head to the computer IF I don’t have a million other things to do. Sometimes I’m writing as early as 4 or 5 o’clock. Of course, this puts a damper on my evenings because I’m too worn out to do anything!

10.    Tell me anything you’d like to tell me.

As I said earlier, I have another book coming out with Avalon in February 2010 – ON THE CREST OF A WAVE. I’m thrilled that this one will be Avalon’s lead historical for that cycle. It’s one of my favorite stories set during the Civil War on Ship Island. This barrier island lies twelve miles south of the Gulf Coast and was used as a prisoner of war camp.  I can’t wait to see that story in print!

To learn more about Fran’s writing, please visit her website at: www.franmcnabb.com.

Thanks, Fran!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 at 6:00 am and is filed under Romance. You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.