Win electronic copies of EXQUISITE and ENTICE
First off, I want to thank you for being with us here at Guilty Pleasures today. I have to say that once our illustrious leader, DiDi, read Exquisite she told us it was a book we didn’t want to miss. As soon as I read her review, I downloaded it that evening and read it from cover to cover. I became an immediate Ella Frank fan. When she asked me if I wanted to review Entice and then if I wanted to interview you, I was beside myself. So now that I’ve got all my fan girl confessions out of the way let’s begin!
Slick: Tell us a little about yourself and how you began your writing career.
I started writing when I was in my final years of high school. I actually started out writing teen romances, it was right after my nan let me read an early Sandra Brown book, shh don’t tell my parents. I also read a fantastic book by Melina Marchetta called ‘Looking for Alibrandi’. I then went and heard the author speak and was inspired by her to continue doing what I love. It wasn’t until last year that I really began to write again and I had a friend who encouraged me by threatening me for each chapter until it was finally done.
Slick: I’ll admit that I’m always curious about authors’ writing process especially in regards to a series (I’m a huge series fan). When you wrote Exquisite, did you intend for it to be a series or did the secondary characters just jump up and demand their stories to be told?
I did always intend Exquisite to be a series. I am a huge fan of series that include different characters that all intertwine. From the very beginning I knew that the stories in this series would be based around the women. Each who are strong, flawed and opinionated and the men who take them on.
Slick: One of the things I love about your books is how well developed your characters are, they are so multi dimensional and by the end of the book we know just about everything there is to know about them. Do you sketch them out beforehand and add to their backgrounds as you go along or do you pretty much know all about them when you start writing?
This is an interesting question. I don’t outline anything. I will admit to recently writing down a few quotes here and there but unlike another author I work with I have zero organizational skills. I find that I really think about my characters through music, workouts and driving. I get them in my head and then just sit down and write. So no, no sketches or notes written anywhere and no outlines, just as I call it word blurt.
Slick: Are any of your characters based on people you know?
Not as a whole. I do draw from events in my life and experiences, and I definitely feel that they influence some of my choices, for the personalities that I come up with. The men in my stories all tend to have character traits from a certain someone I know, (love you babe) but no. Each of them are fictional. There is no Mason, Josh or Cole wondering around – as far as I know.
Slick: Do you have any authors who have influenced you? Do you read other romance authors and if yes, inquiring minds want to know who?
I don’t think I have any who have influenced me unless we say the contemporary genre in general but I defiantly love to read. I enjoy contemporary and erotic romances the most. Some of my favorite authors are JR Ward, Nalini Singh, Maya Banks, Jill Shalvis and Shayla Black. There are really so many if I listed them all we would be here all day.
Slick: The more I interact and interview authors, the more I hear about the so called “dreaded” epilogue. It seems like a lot of authors hate writing them, what are your feelings on epilogues? (From a reader standpoint, I can tell you that I love epilogues.)
Wow I must be strange. I love the epilogues, I really do. I enjoy having those couple of pages to wrap up the story and give the reader that, ahhhh moment they have been searching for.
Slick: You’ve really intrigued me with Rachel in the Exquisite series, when can we expect her book and can you give us any hint as to what we can expect from it?
Rachel and Cole. Yes these two are perhaps my favorites – they have been from the very beginning. I was amazed with how well people took to Cole considering he turned up for only four pages in Entice, but he had the same effect on me so I can’t complain.
What can you expect? You can expect the whole Exquisite gang to be back and for the story to be tied up in a neat bow but between Cole and Rachel – be prepared for the unexpected. Rachel is wild, Cole is mysterious so it can only get hotter from there, right? Rachel is all over the place and doesn’t really know what she wants, whereas Cole knows exactly what he wants. So in the end I hope that people love them both as much as I do. I am also secretly hoping people will need a fan and a bucket of ice water.
Slick: As a reader do you prefer e-books or “real” books? Why?
I love e-books. I think mainly because they are so accessible. I understand why people love hardbacks they look amazing on the shelf but I love the fact I can buy and have a book in my greedy hands anytime I want it.
Slick: We all have them, so share with us your Guilty Pleasure?
That’s easy CARAMEL. Yum, yum yum!
Ella, I can’t thank you enough for sharing your time and talent with us! We are so excited to have you here on Guilty Pleasures and I’m really looking forward to your next release!
Why do you like epilogues?
One lucky commenter will win electronic copies of EXQUISITE and ENTICE. Winner will be selected by Rafflecopter.
Her heart was guarded…
Tormented by self-imposed guilt, Dr. Lena O’Donnell has spent the last nine years in survival mode. Struggling through days that seem to blend together and battling her way through each horrifying night, she’s determined that this is what she deserves…
Until he tore down the walls…
Mason Langley’s life is going exactly the way he planned it, until her. A confirmed bachelor and the successful owner of the hottest restaurant to hit Chicago, he never expects to be blindsided by an angry woman in a pair of scrubs. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to shake the doctor, and he finds himself liking the way she makes him feel.
Almost over night Lena finds her world turned upside down by Mason and the sexual desire they discover together. Slowly, she lowers her guard and invites him inside but when tragedy strikes she begins to believe that sometimes it’s better to be alone and safe than to love and lose.
DiDi’s review of EXQUISITE
What if everything you think you want isn’t what you actually need…
Dr. Shelly Monroe is a woman who doesn’t shy away from going after what she wants, but lately good sex has been hard to find. Shelly’s become increasingly frustrated with the men she’s been dating and the men she believes are the right choice.
Joshua Daniels is certainly not even close to the right choice. In fact he is exactly the wrong choice. For one thing, he’s Mason Langley’s best friend and best man. Second he’s too much of a risky complication for Shelly to even consider.
Then why can’t she stop thinking about how delicious he looked that first night she met him at Exquisite? Why is it so imperative to keep her lusty desire for a man that doesn’t meet her preconceived mold hidden from Lena and Mason, her trusted friends?
It seems unreasonable that being with a man completely wrong in theory could somehow feel so right. Then why is it the more she sees him the more enticing he becomes?
Slick’s review of ENTICE
12 comments
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Maria D.
March 18, 2013 at 11:23 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thanks for the spotlight on Ella and her books – I’ve never read a book by her so I’ll have to check these out. Thanks for the giveaway
Lori Meehan
March 18, 2013 at 12:43 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thanks for the intro to Ella. She is a new author to me. The books look good.
Barrie
March 18, 2013 at 1:00 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview. Thank you for introducing me to a new author and a great series…how many more are planned?
Nancy
March 18, 2013 at 2:40 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
These books have been on my wish list. I would love to be able to read them. I love series – it is something to look forward to.
Karen G.
March 18, 2013 at 2:44 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thanks for the great interview. I also am a series fan, but I must admit I have zero patience to wait between each book! :p I think it is amazing how you can write a series without an outline and keep details straight. You must have a great memory!
Lariza
March 18, 2013 at 2:48 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview!! Can’t wait to read Ella’s books!!
Cec
March 18, 2013 at 3:46 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I have read and enjoyed reading
both books. Ella Frank, is an
auto buy for me now:)
Thanks for the great interview!
Arely Z.
March 18, 2013 at 7:04 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
These books sound really good — thanks for the giveaway!
Shey
March 18, 2013 at 7:33 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Super interview, great to have Ella on GP!!
Kitty Angel
March 18, 2013 at 7:59 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great Interview Slick. Thank you for spending some time with us here on GP, Ella! Loved the books.
Timitra
March 19, 2013 at 1:50 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview!
Natasha
March 19, 2013 at 8:49 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Great interview! I love epilogues because it makes the story feel complete.
Thanks for the chance to win!