Hey All! Let me tell you how excited I am to have Frankie Love on here! She is amazing. I started reading her books way before I started writing and if you follow her on FB or IG, you know what an inspiration she is. Well, she didn’t let me down. Her interview is so motivating and I learned so much from it. I hope you love this as much as I do! Get Ready!
An Interview with Frankie Love
Tell me about you and your books (how many books have you written, when did you start, what type of books, etc.)
Hi! I’m Frankie Love and I write filthy-sweet stories with happily-ever-afters. I’ve written over 100 books and started publishing romance in 2016. I feel like the luckiest girl to have this job! I was a stay-at-home mom and used to mommy-blog before I was an author. With six kids, being able to work from home has been one of the greatest gifts of my life.
How do you come up with your ideas for your books?
I fell in love at first sight when I was 18 and got married a year later (and I was a virgin to boot), and then the kiddos arrived soon after. I write what I know! I mean, maybe my husband isn’t a bear shifting lumberjack, but he does have a beard and his nickname is Bear—so!
Honestly, I write what feels good and is authentic to me. Stories have been my escape since I was a little girl – and I try to recreate that warm-fuzzy feeling in each of my books.
What are your tips for choosing a cover?
Does it match the vibe of the book? Does it stand out? Does it tell the reader what they need to know? Does it fit with your brand and your goals? These are the questions I ask myself. I write with my readers in mind and choose covers for them too.
How do you deal with writer’s block?
I plan fake vacations on Expedia and fill up virtual shopping carts with clogs and make-up.
Do you write to market? Why or why not?
Well yes and no. Before I wrote romance I wrote young adult fiction. I couldn’t sell it for the life of me! It was all so heartbreaking. A fellow author pointed out that my YA books had lots of romance in them and wondered if I’d considered writing adult romance. A spark was lit and I jumped in head first, finding readers and my voice. It changed my life. But also, I don’t write to market because no one thought putting tons of babies on covers was a good idea but it felt right to me. And hey, sometimes our gut instincts are the only ones that matter!
What are five things you do to market your book, after you hit publish?
- Smile and send all the positive energy I can toward my story, believing in my words and myself.
- Write a newsletter and tell my loyal readers about the book. I want them to be the first to know.
- Share on social media – FB and IG. Two platforms I know my readers are.
- Get back to my current work in progress.
- Repeat
What do you do if a book is just not selling?
Vent to my husband and close author friends, asking for advice. If it’s a blurb or cover issue I work on that right away. If it is a story issue I move on. I don’t spend time reworking an actual novel once it is published. The best thing I can do is take any lessons I can from the project and apply them to my next one.
What advice would you give a brand new author, just starting out?
Believe in yourself! If I can do this anyone can. I didn’t graduate from a University and I didn’t bring business experience to writing. I focused on my strengths – writing quickly and from the heart. I didn’t dwell on what I wasn’t.
Also, be yourself. Tell the stories that have your unique perspective. No one else has that. It’s your asset.
How do you deal with negative reviews?
I don’t read reviews. Who has time for haters anyways?!
How do you build relationships with your readers?
The best way to build a relationship with my readers is by meeting their expectations. Solid stories, released often, that are dirty and romantic and have lots of feels. Yes, FB is a good place to find some readers but my focus is writing stories I know they will love.
How do you build relationships with other authors?
I tell readers about their new releases and congratulate them on a new release. I try to be as positive and open as possible to new opportunities. That outlook has allowed me to meet authors in an organic way. Don’t force yourself into someone’s life, I guess, but be open to new friendships!
What are your plans for future books?
I have a new series, The Men of Whiskey Mountain. They are full length books and a bit of a nod to my favorite novel I’ve written, Timber. It’s a bit filthier than some of my recent release, lol. #yesplease
I’m also going to publish a domestic suspense novel in January under my maiden name! I’m very excited for that.
Is there any other advice you would like to give?
Life is so precious. Call your sister instead of reading reviews. Take a walk with your daughter instead of hating on yourself for shitty sales. Bake yourself a cake when you feel like you’re at a crossroads with your career. Celebrate that because it means you are growing as a person. And girl, who you are as a person matters so much more than what books you write and what stories you tell.
Now, Frankie Love has also co authored many books. I wanted to get her perspective on that – so here are questions and answers about co authoring.
How do you find an author to co author with?
I met my co-author on a writing forum!
How do you know you will be a good fit?
We have lots in common – motherhood and marriage. But also, we are very different. We took a strength finder test once and 3 of our strengths were the same, but the other two were each one another’s biggest weaknesses. So we are very compatible.
How do you write your books together? What’s the process?
Something like this…We jump on a video call and have a shared google doc open. We brainstorm ideas and write everything down … and I mean everything. At one point we were planning a 30 book series set in space. LOL. So yeah – we brainstorm until we have a concept we are excited about and then we outline the entire thing, if it’s a series we outline the whole series chapter by chapter.
How do you divide the work?
We make a weekly word count goal and then we jump on and off the document all week. We don’t alternate chapters or anything. I could stop my work day mid-sentence and she would jump on the next morning finishing my thought. However, she writes more of the action and I do all of the anal. LOL.
How do you handle it if you have a disagreement with your co author?
I mean it when I say we don’t have disagreements. I trust her ideas with all my heart and believe she feels the same. It’s a partnership and that means we hear one another out. We want the best for one another and that plays into all our decisions.
How do you handle royalties, taxes, etc?
We alternate who publishes a title.
What’s the best thing about co-authoring?
Having someone “in it” with me. Writing is such an isolating job and having a friend I can call when I’m feeling low – who understands my stories at a deep level, is such a gift. <3
What tips do you have for authors that are just getting started in coauthoring?
Make sure the person you are partnering with vibes with you. Also don’t be too precious about your ideas – flexibility and an open-minded approach to projects is vital for it to work.
Anything else you want to add?
Thanks for the interview and I hope it helps encourage someone!!
Xoxo
Do you want to learn more about Frankie Love? Find her here:
