Interview of Author Francesca Hawley

Today it's my pleasure to present an interview of romance author Francesca Hawley!

Latest Book: Controlling Interest
Buy Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-9039-50-controlling-interest.aspx

BIO:
Hi. I’m Francesca Hawley and I’m a fat chick. A woman with dangerous curves just like my heroines. Many people don’t like the word, “fat” but I do because it’s the truth and I’ve learned to own it. I am a fat chick and I always will be.

When I began writing, I wanted to create a fat heroine who loved herself—or at least learned to love herself—and a hot alpha hero who liked her jiggly bits just the way they were. Since I didn’t find many big girls to read about, I decided to write about them myself. After all, I loved to write and had been writing almost as long as I’d been reading, so Francesca Hawley, author of "Romance with Dangerous Curves", was born.

In a Francesca Hawley romance, my readers will find authentic, sensual, fat heroines who love and are loved by their intense, passionate and seductive Alpha heroes. I hope you enjoy their dangerous curves just as much as their hunky heroes do.

Q: What’s the first thing you did when you received word you’d sold a book?
A: Screamed. Cried. Told everyone I knew. Pretty much in that order.

Q: What part of the book is the easiest for you to write? Why?
A: Usually the opening of the book is the easiest. I’ll have an idea that will grab me. Or perhaps a character will whisper in my ear. Then I’ll just kind of know where to start and from there the words flow. Which is not to say my first draft openers are golden…far from it. I work on editing those to make them snappier and more engaging. The opening allows me to begin to understand my characters and since I write character driven stories, getting to know my characters is paramount to me.

Q: What part of the book is the hardest for you? Why?
A: The love scenes. No,really! I write erotic romance but a love/sex scene can literally hold me up for days. And the sexual tension is NOT a good thing when you need to write that scene before moving on. I’ve tried to skip a love scene a few times and mostly that doesn’t work well. I tend to write in a linear fashion – chronologically – so I need to know what will happen during a love scene because something might change drastically between my characters. If I skip a love scene and then go in and write it, I may end up doing a lot of revision because something will happen that changes the plot or the character arc.

Q: What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?
A: I’ve been active in the Society for Creative Anachronism since the late 1990s. The SCA is an international non-profit organization for the study and re-enactment of the Middle Ages and Renaissance from about 600 CE to 1600 CE. During my years in the SCA, I’ve learned about weaving, felting, glass bead-making and numerous other activities. I’ve had the opportunity to make friends of many people of varying backgrounds with a shared interest in the Middle Ages. It’s been really fun.

Q: What’s your strongest point as a writer?
A: I think my greatest strength as a writer is characterization. Usually the first thing I get when I write a story is one of the characters – hero, heroine, or even a strong secondary character. Once I have that, the other characters spring up and then the story arises out of who those characters are. That was very true in my new release, Controlling Interest. It was actually a secondary character, Regine Stuart (Mouse’s boss and Tor’s late mother) who was the instigator for the story. Once I knew her and how managing she was, I understood who her son and personal assistant were. Also, I just “got” the name Mouse in my head and knew I had to make it work. Grin.

Q: What genre would you like to try writing in but haven’t yet done so? Why?
A: I’ve tried a lot of genres so far, but I think I’d like to give fantasy and science fiction a try. The reason is because when you write in those two genres what you create is ALL yours. You don’t have to dig through history books or be on top of all the current pop culture. Both science fiction and fantasy allow you to build a world that’s all your own and that really appeals to me as a writer. Of course, that doesn’t mean you don’t do “research” but in those two genres, research means something different. It’s all about the world building and creating a consistent setting. I’d really like to get my teeth into that.

Tell us where to find you:
http://www.francescahawley.com
http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-9039-50-controlling-interest.aspx
http://www.jasminejade.com/m-504-francesca-hawley.aspx
http://www.francescasmindstream.blogspot.com
http://1800domhelp.blogspot.com
http://www.authorsbymoonlight.com
http://www.facebook.com/francesca.hawley
http://twitter.com/#%21/francescahawley
http://www.youtube.com/francescahawley

BLURB:
Mozelle “Mouse” Vincent inherits money, a club and her boss’ son as a business partner when society leader Regine Stuart dies. Torin Stuart knows what his late mother’s wishes were for his exclusive BDSM club, Erotically Bound, but he’s pissed that he’s forced to trust Mouse—especially when her inherently submissive nature arouses the sexual Dominant in him.

After baring all in a heated, intense scene, Mouse realizes that they still have to work together, but now Tor challenges any business suggestion Mouse makes. When she wants to offer education classes, Tor dares her to organize the class and participate—as a submissive.

To his chagrin, Mouse agrees, but he can’t stand the thought of any other Dom touching her. Suddenly there’s far more at stake than the controlling interest in their club…because love is the ultimate prize in their power exchange.

EXCERPT:
“She did what?” Torin Stuart rose from his chair with a roar.

Mouse was entirely grateful that the lion’s roar was directed at his late mother’s attorney and not at her, but the attorney was unperturbed.

“Your mother left her controlling interest in your club Erotically Bound to Ms. Mozelle."

“But Mother knew…”

“Please sit down and allow me to finish reading the will in a proper manner, Mr. Stuart.”

Tor ran his fingers through his bright ginger hair and glared at her briefly before sitting with a growl. Mouse kept her hands tightly around her purse. He’d been really kind in letting her stay in the townhouse his mother had set aside for her use, but with this news, he’d probably toss her out on her ass. Damn it. She thought she was done with being homeless.

“Ms. Vincent, shall I continue?” Mouse nodded. “Very well.” The lawyer cleared his throat. “I leave my controlling interest in the amount of fifty-one percent in the club Erotically Bound to Ms. Mozelle Vincent. In addition, I will her the townhouse and all furnishings thereof in which she has been living for the last five years. The estate will pay property taxes for two years, but then, and I quote ‘you’re on your own’. Do you understand, Ms. Vincent?”

Mouse’s jaw dropped. That townhouse was stunning. Huge and smack in the center of Washington D.C. with a multicar garage. It was located in the historic Capitol Hill district, just blocks from the Capitol building and Pennsylvania Avenue. The place was worth…millions.

“Ms. Vincent, do you understand the terms of the will regarding the townhome?”

“Yes, I own it and Regine’s estate will pay the first two years of property taxes then it’s my responsibility.”

“Precisely.”

“Is that all? Can we discuss my club now?”

The lawyer frowned at Torin over the top of his reading glasses, his bushy white brows extending over the frames. “I have not finished. Please remain silent until I do, sir.”

Tor waved his hand with a sigh and the lawyer nodded. Mouse wanted to laugh at the byplay between the two men, but she was too shocked. What had Regine been thinking?

She had to have had an ulterior motive for doing this, God knew, she always did. Regine Stuart was always three moves ahead of everyone else…a master strategist. That was how she’d managed to be one of D.C. society’s reigning queens. When Regine spoke, everyone listened…even the president.

“Ms. Vincent, please attend.”

Mouse looked up as the lawyer admonished her. “Sorry.” She shrugged.

“Finally, for—and again I quote—surviving six years in my employ as my downtrodden Jill-of-all-trades and for making my final years a pleasure instead of a burden, I will Mozelle Vincent twenty million dollars.”

Ice filled her body before unbearable heat melted her emotions. Her jaw dropped, but she was so utterly shocked she couldn’t move. Then she burst into uncontrollable tears. Throughout most of her life she’d hadn’t had a pot to piss in, but then six years ago she literally tripped over Regine Stuart and her world had completely turned on its head. The lawyer rose and approached her.

“My dear, are you quite all right?” He awkwardly patted her shoulder and she nodded, still trying to cover her abrupt emotional response.

She hated crying. She hated losing control of her emotions. She hid whatever she felt behind a façade of calm, which was something Regine had always valued in her. And it was something they had in common. Even if the world came crashing down around them, both she and Regine could remain calm to pick up the pieces and move forward.

Mouse glanced at Tor, worried that he’d think she was being overly dramatic or that she was getting money she didn’t deserve, but he seemed moved by her emotional display rather than scornful. When she could catch her breath, she cleared her throat.

“Don’t mind me, really. Go on with reading the will.”

“There isn’t too much more.” The lawyer returned to his desk. “To my household staff…”

Mouse stared at her perfectly manicured fingers as the lawyer finished. Those nails were a luxury she’d gotten used to with a steady paycheck and Regine’s insistence that she look polished at all times. God, if she had walked past the Capitol building five minutes earlier or five minutes later six years ago, she and Regine never would have met and Mouse would probably still be trying to find a place to live outside the homeless shelter. Regine had given her a chance when no one else would. Sometimes miracles really did happen.

“This concludes the last will and testament of Regine Stuart.”

“Can we discuss my club now? Please…” Tor growled as he turned to her. “Mouse, how much do you want for it?”

The lawyer held up his hand as the remaining listeners filed out of the room, leaving Mouse alone with the lawyer and Tor.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Stuart. Your mother left explicit instructions. Mouse…rather Miss Mozelle is required to hold her interest in the club for a minimum of six months. Under the terms of the will, the two of you are required to work together during that time.”

Tor opened his mouth then closed it again. He stood and began to pace. Broad shoulders, narrow hips and the most amazing ass she’d ever seen. Add a stunning body to his red hair and bright blue eyes and he was a package of mischief that made better women than her melt and get silly.

Mouse looked down at her hands out of habit. Ever since she began to work for Regine, she’d quietly had the hots for Tor, but putting that attraction to the test was unthinkable. First, she was sure Regine wouldn’t have been keen on having her assistant flirt with her son. And second, and most important, Torin Stuart had been seen escorting tall, slender and decidedly beautiful super models around town—his lovers had most definitely not been chunky personal assistants with frizzy, flyaway, boring brown hair and dull brown eyes.

“Mouse… Mouse, did you hear me?”

She met Tor’s blue-eyed gaze and felt the blush crawl up her neck. Damn.

“What?”

He sighed and rolled his eyes. “You’ve had a tough six years working for mother. Just relax for the next six months then I’ll offer you a great price for the interest in the club.”

The lawyer cleared his throat, causing Tor to whip around. “Damn it, Thompson. What the hell is it?”

“Your mother required you to work together to manage the club. If any of the terms of her bequest are violated, the shares will be sold…but not to you.”

“What?”

“If the two of you don’t work together, or if you make an offer for her shares before six months have passed, which she accepts, then the shares will be sold to anyone but you.”

“The shares belong to Mouse. She can sell to whomever she wants.”

“No, I’m afraid not. If she goes against the terms of the will, she loses everything your mother willed to her.”

God, she didn’t want to challenge Tor about this, but she wouldn’t go back to living on the streets. She just wouldn’t.

She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, Tor. I have to abide by the will.”

Anything else you’d like to add?
I’m continuing to work on new projects. I have more stories in mind for members of the Larson family, my shapeshifters, and my medieval heroes are always trying to seduce me. I expect 2011 to be a really busy year.