Terrific Tuesday with Fran Shaff:)

First of all, I want to send out a Happy Birthday to my dad and two special friends of mine! Hope all three of you have an extra-special day:)

Welcome! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your latest release.

Hi, Everyone. It’s a pleasure to be here with you. I’m Fran Shaff, author of classic romance and young people’s novels.

My latest release, “Male Fraud” is classic romantic comedy. In it, a woman pretends to be a man in order to get a job as a trainer with a pro football team. She ends up falling for the coach. Things get quite hilarious as she tries to live a dual life.

Read excerpts, watch a video and learn more about “Male Fraud” at: http://sites.google.com/site/malefraudbook

Have you ever had an idea for a story which scared you after you began writing it?

I’ve never had a story I’m working on scare me. I hope I never do.

Have you incorporated actual events from your own life into your books?

My life isn’t exciting enough to make a good storyline. That’s probably a good thing, don’t you think?

How much research do you do? Do you research first and then write, or do you write first, then research as needed?

Research has been of key importance to the success of many of my novels. Readers often comment on the real worlds created in my historical novels. That realism comes from research (and imagination). Recently, a university historian who is also a state museum curator told me after reading my Heart Junction Series set in early 20^th Century South Dakota that she found the books very authentic. Naturally, I was pleased to hear her positive feedback.

Is there any message you want readers to take from reading your work?

I want readers to be entertained by my books. If they notice the theme of my stories whether it’s forgiveness, perseverance, courage, reconciliation, etc. then I feel they were more than entertained, and that is a good thing, isn’t it?

Are you a plotter or a pantser? And have you ever had a story take on a life of its own?

I don’t believe a person can construct a house without making plans and building a framework. Neither can an author build a story without making plans and constructing a framework for her book. However, there are many ways a writer can build a framework, and each writer must choose his own method of construction. I flesh out characters and the plot line before I begin to write my stories.

How long did it take for you to be published?

Surprisingly, Avalon Books of New York published my first novel “Montana Match” just a couple of years after I began my serious attempt at writing fiction.

If you could go back and tell yourself anything when you first began your writing career, what would you say?

Never give up.

Laptop or pen and ink? What are your ‘must-haves’ when writing?

Even though I had a computer when I first committed myself to becoming a published writer, I was most comfortable writing in longhand. After a couple of years, however, I began using the computer exclusively, and I’ve never gone back to pen and paper.

Who are your favorite authors? Who would you say influenced you the most?

John Steinbeck, the Bronte sisters, Margaret Mitchell are some of my favorites. I don’t have specific favorites among contemporary writers. I love to read a good cross section of books written by authors who are new to me. I really enjoy discovering fresh voices. As far as someone influencing me in my writing--no one has influenced me in one way or another. I think an author needs to find her own voice, motivation and reason for writing and then go with it.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

Hmm…Probably lots of things. One I will share. When I was a kid, reading was seen pretty much as an unproductive waste of time in my household. It’s probably a bit unusual for someone growing up influenced by that kind of attitude to go on to become an award-winning author who LOVES to read, but then stranger things have happened, haven’t they?

For Fun:

Favorite Fourth of July tradition?

Cliché I know, but I love watching fireworks.

Mountains or Beach?

If we’re talking the Fourth of July, I’d choose mountains because they would be cooler and less crowded in July than beaches would be.

Favorite amusement park ride?

I haven’t ridden anything since I was a kid. (Told you my life wasn’t particularly interesting.) Back then I used to enjoy the tilt-a-whirl and the scrambler.

Any Summer Festivals you like to attend?

Anything with music and crafts, I guess, if the weather isn’t too hot…

If you’re writing a Christmas-themed story, how do you get ‘in the mood’?

Christmas is a time of great love…it doesn’t take much to get in the mood to be immersed in love.

Thank you for being here today! Please tell us where we can find your books.

Amazon has my hardcover, paperback and e-books available. Many of my e-books are also available at Barnes and Noble, I-Books for I-Pad and I-Phone, Sony Books, Kobo Books and more. My historical book set in 1850s Nebraska “Change of Heart” is free to download at many places on the Internet.

Please visit my website at: http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff

My blog is at: http://cavewriter.blogspot.com

I’m on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/franshaff

I’m on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/franshaff

I’m also at Goodreads, FiledBy, Wattpad, ManicReaders, LibraryThing and other places on the Internet.