Featured Author: Freya Barker
Freya Barker inspires with her stories about ‘real’ people, perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy. She is the author of the Cedar Tree Series and the Portland, ME, novels.
A recipient of the RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for best first book, “Slim To None,” Freya has since published nine more books. She is currently a semi finalist for the 2016 Kindle Book Awards for her first book of the Portland, ME, novels; “From Dust”.
Freya continues to spin story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
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email: freyabarker.writes@gmail.com
The Interview
Tell us about your latest release?
My latest release is Through Fire, just released July 19th. It’s the third book in the Portland, ME, novels, a series that highlights women who have suffered through tragedy and devastation. The books describe their journey to find their inner strength, a meaningful life and a deep resounding love.
In Through Fire, we meet forty-something Ruby, whose story up to that point, has been almost unimaginable for the majority of us. She’s been trapped in a dark side of life most of us prefer not to think about. When we meet Ruby, she has just managed to break free of the world she was forced into. She slowly discovers her own worth and learns the meaning of love with the help of a caring group of friends and one man in particular.
The subject matter of the book is not always easy, it’s definitely not a fairy tale. But I want to show with these books, the incredible strength we have at our core, most of it untapped and unrecognized, and our amazing adaptability. Beauty can’t only be found at the end of the line, but also in the journey.
Are you a plotter or pantser?
I am SO a pantser! I dream of being a plotter and I try with every new book I start, but in the end things don’t quite work out the way I planned. My characters start out as names on paper but quickly develop into three dimensional people and therefore rather unpredictable.
I develop the best plots on the fly.
What was the most difficult part of the publishing process for you?
Without a doubt the publicity factor. It still is.
I’m not a good sales person to start with. I used to work in a clothing store a long time ago, and was far too honest in my dealings with customers. I’m no good at a garage sale, because I’d give things away, I hate asking for money. And when it comes to selling myself? My books? It completely makes me uncomfortable.
I keep trying though!
How about the most fun?
WRITING!
I’m a late bloomer and have found such intense pleasure in writing, it has become both therapy and addiction to me.
I also love interacting with readers on a one-on-one basis. At first I dreaded author signings because of the ‘selling yourself’ component, but now I love meeting my readers in person, some of whom have become dear friends.
What inspired you to write your first book?
I had been housebound with illness for almost two years and had lost the ability to even read a book, something that had always been a great love of mine. When decided to try the romantic genres to see if a change of subject matter would be easier, I found my niche. Unfortunately, most of the books dealt with much, much younger individuals, all of them beautiful, often rich and always healthy, often caught in petty drama and angst.
I got tired of trying to identify with something that I left far behind in my own life. I wanted to read about normal folks with regular jobs and normal day-to-day hassles, people I could identify with.
And when I couldn’t find enough of it to read, I thought I’d try my hand at it.
That was Slim To None.
Do you have any writing rituals? (Time of day to write, must have beverages? Etc?)
Nothing that I get really obsessive about, except silence. I need that to keep my thoughts in a straight line. It’s noisy enough inside my head. Other than that I always have water on hand, it’s the only thing other than coffee (a must have for most writers!) I drink.
I do prefer to write in the mornings, the earlier the better. I’m an early riser, often up at four thirty or five, and find the morning quiet great to work in.
I should also confess I do the best writing in my favorite chair. I bought it only five or so years ago, but it’s already falling apart to my horror. I have birthed every single one of my books in this chair and I will be mourning its loss when the last stitch gives the ghost.
Who is your go-to author, the one you know you can always count on to deliver a great story?
Kristen Ashley first and foremost. I fell in love with her relaxed, but very real style of writing. Her ability to draw a character or a situation without an overabundance of words. And of course her incredibly broody and hot Alphas.
Her books are nice and loooooong, which I love, you really get to settle into a story and make it your home, but it also means the goodbye when you reach the final page is a bit more painful. In my mind I live in all the places she describes.
I can’t say I’ve loved all her books equally, but I happily re-read those right along with the rest of her collection, because her writing and books are just that compelling.
What projects are you working on at the present?
I am writing the first book in a new FBI series. I can’t seem to stay away from the suspense factor! It’s romantic suspense and set in Durango, Colorado. The series is called La Plata County FBI: ROCK POINT and focuses on the agents of the La Plata County FBI field office, located in Durango. The first book is called “Keeping 6”.
Immediately following that I have to write a novella for a great romantic suspense anthology I was invited to participate in. The name is ”Love, Lies & Crime” and I am one of twelve authors participating. I’m very excited about this one!
What do your plans for future projects include?
Well, after I’m done my current WIP and the anthology novella, I’m hoping to write the final book in the Portland, ME, series. Then I’ll focus on rest of the Rock Point series. I find it helps me stay fresh when I work on two series at a time and alternate books as I write. Portland, ME, will be a hard one to let go of. As hard as my first series, Cedar Tree, which ended earlier this year with the seventh book. I hate leaving characters behind.
Of course I’ll be traveling and have about six signings left for this year and another ten signings on my docket for next year. That’s not including my own author signing event in Niagara Falls, Ontario—Romancing The Falls. That baby is a lot of work, but it is promising to be spectacular. The line up of authors is impressive with a great mix of both names we’ve all heard before and authors that may be new to us.
I may have to slow down at some point, but I’m not ready yet!
Come back Tuesday to learn more about Freya’s newest release Through Fire.
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