Like most
authors, Nancy Fraser began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and
with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often
made her the English teacher’s pet, which, of course, resulted in a whole lot
of teasing. Still, it was worth it.
When not
writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five beautiful
grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits.
Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful
people.
What is your story's heat level? How do you approach the sex
scenes?
The heat level is a 5 out of 5. The
story contains a menage (the first one I’ve ever written). My approach is that
they should be love scenes as much or more than sex scenes. I try to make each
encounter, whether it’s a twosome or threesome, emotional rather than just
physical. Because my heroine is rather innocent, I wanted to explore her
feelings as much as give her a bunch of great orgasms.
How do you maintain activity as a writer when sitting at a desk all day?
How do you maintain activity as a writer when sitting at a desk all day?
I do take a number of breaks for coffee
but those are short. I also try to divide my time between the writing and
housework, more specifically laundry. The bending, loading and unloading are a
nice stretch. I never sit at the desk longer than two hours without at least a
20-30 minute break.
What is it that you loved about the main characters in your story?
My heroine is young and idealistic.
She’s led a sheltered life as the daughter of a wealthy family. It was fun to
watch her take chances and explore her sexuality. My hero, while all too eager
to explore with her, has a crisis of conscience and does what he believes to be
the right thing. It was nice to show him in that way … even though it backfired
when he realized he couldn’t live without his muse.
What do you feel is your strongest type of writing? Humor? Angst? Confrontation scenes? Action? Sex? Sensuality? Sweet Romance? And why?
What do you feel is your strongest type of writing? Humor? Angst? Confrontation scenes? Action? Sex? Sensuality? Sweet Romance? And why?
Humorous sensuality. I love writing
steamy scenes, whether romance or erotica. I often use humor to delve into the
characters’ inner thoughts as they’re going through the emotional rollercoaster
of a love scene.
Are you social media savvy? If so what do you suggest for others? If not, why not?
Are you social media savvy? If so what do you suggest for others? If not, why not?
I’m getting there. I began writing long
before there was Facebook or Twitter. Communication with your readers was done
either face-to-face or by a hardcopy newsletter. When email came along, it was
a god-send for the newsletter. Now, it’s just a tweeted link to an online
newsletter! I am active on a daily basis on both FB and Twitter. I have a
website (although it’s undergoing a complete overhaul at the moment), and a
blog. I’ve not quite embraced Pintrest as yet. Social media can be a time suck
and take away from the time you write. My suggestion to someone just starting
to build a career would be to find 2-3 that work best for you and concentrate
on those. Don’t spread yourself to thin or you’ll find you haven’t written
anything to tweet about.
What are some things from your life or things you have observed
that you've infused into your stories?
I believe a huge portion of a person’s
life can be turned into a book. I also find inspiration from objects. After my
mother passed away I was cleaning out her house and found a shoebox filled with
really OLD stuff. There was a ration book from WWII and a card of pearl buttons
priced at 10 cents. Nearly every item in that shoebox spoke to me.
My very first book … way back in 1996
began with a scene I’d taken from real life. The heroine is at the sheriff’s
office reporting a flasher and meets the local (hunky) sheriff for the first
time. I was the one who was flashed. Unfortunately, I didn’t meet a handsome
lawman.
If you had an unlimited budget, where would you like to visit for story-related research?
If you had an unlimited budget, where would you like to visit for story-related research?
Two places, actually. I’d love to go to
Australia to set a scene for something contemporary. I’d love to go to Paris
just to see the locations I’d put into one of my Rock and Roll novellas. I got
the location information from a Foder’s travel guide from 1959 (another find
from my mother’s house and the year the story is set). I’d love to see if it
looks as good as it reads.Any fun facts about the research for your book?
Researching the language of the 1920s
always gives me a giggle. It was pulling wisdom teeth trying to find a
comprehensive list of the sexual terms of the time period. It’s not sitting out
there on Wikipedia. I managed to come up with a few slang terms, e.g., sweet
spot, honey pot, and muff, for the female anatomy. Not surprisingly, men’s terms
haven’t changed that much over the years.
Finally, tell us a little about your newest release!
Susan Leland is looking for adventure.
Raised in the lap of luxury, she’s anxious to see what’s beyond the walls of
her parents’ Hyde Park home. She and her few close friends frequent a local
supper club where they enjoy private reserve beverages (protected against the
laws of prohibition), and jazz music.
Holly Winters, the club’s sultry torch
singer, fascinates Susan … even though she doesn’t understand why. When Susan
is reintroduced to Evan Forrester, an up and coming artist who she’d met the
previous year, Susan is given the chance to not only pose for Evan but share
the canvas with the beautiful Holly. When Holly seduces the younger Susan into
her bed, Evan is more than happy to join in.
Where to Buy: The Muse is only $0.99!
Excerpt:
Susan Leland handed her fox stole to the scantily dressed
coat-check girl, took possession of the claim stub, and tucked it into her
clutch. Off in the distance, she heard the smooth tones of jazz music, the
clink and clatter of fine china and fancy glassware, the raucous laughter of
the well-heeled patrons as they dined in elegance and gossiped about their
friends and neighbors.
“Good evening, Miss Leland.”
“Good evening, Andre. Is Mr. Adams here yet?”
“No, but Mr. Carlson arrived a few moments ago. I seated him
at your usual spot.”
Susan wound her way through the richly adorned tables until
she reached the far side of the large stage. “Hello, Steven.”
Steven Carlson stood, captured Susan’s hand in his, pressed
a quick kiss to her fingertips and then waited while she accepted the chair
Andre pulled out for her.
“Hi, Susie-Q. You look absolutely ravishing, as always.”
“Thank you. You’re pretty well turned out yourself, for
someone who’s spent his entire day behind a desk, pushing a pencil over some
stuffy legal papers.”
“It’s called a job, Susan,” Steven replied sarcastically.
“You should try it some time.”
“I do work,” she insisted. “I volunteer three days a month
at the home for the aged. And, I’m thinking about writing a book, a tawdry
little novel about a woman who falls in love with an absolute cad. I’ll call
him Steven.” Not expecting a response, she glanced toward the door and asked,
“Any idea how long we’ll have to wait for Will this evening?”
Steven turned as she had, scanning the large dining room.
“Knowing Will, it’s likely he’s just now leaving his friend’s apartment on the
north side.”
She settled back into her chair. The revelation that the
young man she’d known since their teenage years had been hiding a huge secret
from her sat uncomfortably on her shoulders. “Is he doing all right since his
family turned him out?”
“He’s doing fine. Justin is a good man and won’t let any
harm come to Will.”
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