Return to Audubon Springs by RoseAnn DeFranco-- Interview and Giveaway

Welcome to the Party Pavilion this morning. We have a special guest-- one of our clients, RoseAnn DeFranco-- with a special interview for our Pavilion followers :-)

RoseAnn, we have some questions for you that are writer specific as well as some fun stuff so that we can really get to know the real you. *grin* Plus we will finish things off with round of Think Fast. Ready to begin?

Absolutely! This sounds like great fun. First I’d like to give a big Geeky THANK YOU for hosting me today. I have a strong background in geek. Some might even say I majored in it back in middle and high school, so I already feel right at home.

Great! Then take your shoes off, settle back, and tell us something about yourself that's not in your bio.

I played the flute for twelve years and studied vocal performance in college.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Most of my non-writing time is spent with my family where I play the role of Dance Mom, Soccer Mom and PTA Mom. I also work full time for a Consulting firm. I usually leave that last part out. NOTHING sexy and fun about that!

How did you choose the genres you write in?

Honestly, I think the genre chose me. I’d dabbled in a few other things, paranormal being one, but the Brothers of Audubon Springs series sort of wrote itself. Even then, I meant to write a sweeping epic drama exploring a family in crisis, recovering from grief. Instead I wrote a Humorous Contemporary Romance series centering around three brothers and their warm and loving Italian family.

Is there any particular author or book that has influenced you or your writing?

I am a big fan of Susan Wiggs and Virgina Kantra. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting both women and I’ve attended workshops they have led. I think I write in a similar style to both yet my writing possesses more of the comedic elements you’d find in a Kristan Higgans book. I fan-girl Kristan Higgans as well!

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I think the toughest criticism as an author is those rejections without reason. As a writer develops their craft, we are looking for creative feedback and ways to improve our work. About a year ago I won a 50 page critique from a very prolific author in my genre. She sent me the following message: “I’m wowed. You are an amazing writer. Talent oozes from your pages. The passion, the romance, the conflict, the descriptions -- you have what it takes to make it.” This piece of unsolicited feedback helped me have the courage to step forward and seek publication.

If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, fictional or real, who would it be and why?

Jane Austen. To me she is the Godmother of all Romance Writers. While you’d never find her in the romance section of a bookstore, she wrote all the original romances. She was a strong, brilliant pioneer. I’m sure she’d have plenty in the way of words of wisdom for writers of today.

You are going to be stranded on a deserted island and bring 3 luxury items. What would they be?

A laptop with unlimited battery life or these voices inside my head will drive me bonkers waiting for me to record their stories. A big pot to cook in over an open flame, because our family motto, regardless of the circumstances is ”We’ve got to eat!” My cell phone, cuz I’m assuming my island has Wifi. This way I can make sure my hubs knows exactly where I am so he can come get me!

Pick two celebrities to be your parents. Who are they and why?

Pink, because she is crazy mad talented. You’d get away with almost anything with Pink as your mom and at the same time you’d be free to explore in your creativity. Steven Spielberg because then hopefully daddy would make my books into a movie, or at least a really cool and funny TV show.

What would we find in your refrigerator right now?

A big pot of my homemade marina sauce filled to the brim with meatballs, Italian Wedding Soup and my daughter’s birthday cake that looks like a Cake Boss creation. I should mention my mother is visiting right now. If she wasn’t you’d find the remains of a store bought rotisserie chicken, leftover instant mashed potatoes, and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?

VERY cool question! The Show Must Go On! When I transitioned out of the Music Theatre world, I needed a creative outlet. Fortunately the voices in my head and they said the show must go on, so I started to write their stories!

Think Fast

Summer or Winter? Summer
Coffee or Tea? Coffee
Cake or Pie? Apple pie, my mother’s
Car or Truck? Truck
Print or Electronic? Electronic – My office is bursting with books. I keep better track of my books on my kindle!

Thanks for coming by and spending some time with us. Any final words of wisdom to pass along?

Thanks you so much for hosting me today. I had a great time answering your questions. As for words of wisdom…Always look on the sunny side, think before you act, and don’t eat the yellow snow. :-)

As a special thanks for checking in, RoseAnn is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a random commenter on her book tour. You can ask RoseAnn a question or just leave a comment--and you can see the other stops on her tour here.

Before you go, though, here's a little bit about RoseAnn and her book:

RoseAnn DeFranco grew up in upstate NY with her nose in a book and a song in her heart. Following the pursuit of a musical theatre career in NYC, she turned her creative energy to writing romance. RoseAnn blogs about her writing experiences with her critique partners at www.TheVioletFemmes.com. A NJ shore transplant, she enjoys time spent at the beach with her family. She would love to one day live in a quaint shore town like the fictional town Audubon Springs from her BROTHERS OF AUDUBON SPRINGS series. More information about these Contemporary Romantic Comedies can be found at www.radefranco.com and you can socialize with RoseAnn on Facebook and Twitter.

When Emma Grant returns to her family's Audubon Springs beach house to fulfill the stipulations of her father's will, she has every intention of forcing her former lover out of the house for good. She's never fit into her wealthy family and would prefer avoiding her past, but with her brother threatening to reveal her young daughter, she has no choice.

Rafe Iuliano has other plans. The wealthy Grants tried to bribe him out of Emma's life years ago, but he's determined to prove once and for all that a master carpenter is worthy of Emma and the house.

Their ridiculous and steamy battle for the house reignites the love and passion that bloomed between them years ago. But when Rafe discovers she's kept their daughter a secret for two years, can he overcome anger and pride to claim his family and the love of his life, or will the deception drive a final wedge between them?

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