Author Interview: Francene Stanley

Today Francene Stanley shares about heroines, her amazing stories, and the second book in her Moonstone Series: Tidal Surge.

We continue Liliha's story, where her gift of an enchanted moonstone ring starts to take a rather dark turn. Check out what Ms. Stanley has to share about the series, and what her idea of a heroine is.

This interview can also be found at Alesha Escobar's blog.

 

Author Interview

When did you start writing, and what prompted you to write?

In 2005, after I'd embroidered all the pictures I could possibly use, I started to write poetry. Same thing happened. Too many poems. I published one poetry book but it didn't sell. Then I decided to compose music and use some of my words that way. You can listen to one song I wrote for my first novel, Still Rock Water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36F7t1sFN1A

But that's skipping the next step. I had no idea how to market my songs although I've kept a record of all 150 of them. Then, I started to write the story of my life. At least I've got that safe. But then what? I'd write fiction. After online classes and joining critique groups, I honed my skill. I've been writing novels for about eight years now—and loving it. Six books are published two through Solstice Publishing and 4 co-written novels by Double Dragon Publishing. One more has been accepted, and two more are ready to go to the publisher. That leaves one draft to polish.

Amazing! Tell me about your current work, and the heroine of the story.

At the moment, I'm editing The Seashell Effect, the third in the Moonstone Series. Liliha's husband has just been murdered and his mad, former girlfriend has been apprehended. But that leaves Liliha alone again with only her ancient moonstone ring for comfort. You see, the ring sends her into visions where she can help people in danger. Unseen, she enters a complete stranger's mind and whispers advice. She decides to try to contact one of the people from a vision and see how their life turned out. Of course, problems loom.

Liliha apparently has much to endure. What do you feel makes your heroine special, or interesting?

Liliha's naivety makes her vulnerable and prey to all sorts of scoundrels. Her good looks and calm exterior draw them to her. Somehow, through her grief, she has to find a way to make everything right, to help them toward fulfillment and to ensure they learn and grow from their contact.

What would you do if you could no longer write? Say technology was lost and you couldn't use anything we take for granted nowadays.

I love this question because it plays right into my futuristic novels. In the Higher Ground series, the world had tilted on its axis hundred of years ago, fault-lines shifted and the Earth partially flooded. Everything people took for granted was ruined. Survivors relied on their memory and passed down what they could to the future generations. Of course, recollections fade and become twisted. My heroine, Cerridwen, teaches her friends to write each letter of the alphabet with charcoal on rock or a stick poked into the soil. She tells stories to gatherings and spreads the word about past times. I would act the way my characters do.

How fun is that? I'm going to add this to my reading list. I'm already on Still Rock Water and love it. Can you share with readers what to expect when they pick up (or download) your books?

An awareness of the spiritual side of life. The knowledge that nobody is free of faults, and although we strike problems, there is always a way to overcome them. Even the toughest person can find redemption.

Agreed. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing about your books, Francene! Where can readers find you online?

I write a daily blog and share my views on news items that interest me. Generally, I've experienced something about the subject, be it nature in all its forms on Earth leading to the environment, behavior, society and writing novels. You can see a fresh article each day here. Year 2014: http://bit.ly/JBC6am

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