l. What did you find most challenging about writing Designed for Passion?
The most challenging thing was writing about a full-figured woman whose poor self esteem had been engendered by her mother, her sister, then her husband. I've seen this happen often enough and I wanted to depict a woman who doesn't turn evil and bitter, but clings to her dreams, although she has given up on romantic love. I caught a lot of flak from women who wrote that there was nothing wrong with their self esteem and that they could therefore not identify with Melodye. Bully for them, but tender, hurt people like Melodye are all over the place and believe me, they wrote in appreciation.
2. Being a full-figured woman myself, I can certainly relate to Melodye's poor self-esteem. Whhy did you decide to tackle these issues in this story?
The story came to mind bit by bit. I've been both full-figured and slender, so I know all about the gratuitous, stupid attention you can get, as well as the warm, tender, appreciative attention. I've often written about full-figured women; they just haven't been so front and center. And they had self-esteem a-plenty.
3. Designed for Passion is steamier than what you normally write. Do you believe that is what readers tend to favor more?
No, I don't. Writers like Francis Ray who sell like mad have extremely tasteful, guarded sex scenes and believe me I will be writing more of these. I write from a psychological standpoint and let the chips fall where they may. These were two absolutely starved people, denying their hunger for love, passionate, hotblooded. They just about wrote their own story. I never expected it to come out this sizzling. And by the way, one reviewer criticized it for having too much extraneous detail in the lovemaking scenes detracted from the sizzling quality. Others disagreed.
4. Has steamier sex scenes overshadowed the whole romance aspect of romance novels you think?
Far from it. I read through my first romance novel -- Devoted -- and I had to smile. I loved it and it's guarded and extremely tasteful. But times change. We live in a world where we feel free to take the best of a lot of things. My own reading tastes are extremely varied. I adore Eric Jerome Dickey, but I also like the quieter writers like Jacquelin Thomas. Until I have some more characters in mind who cry out for love and satisfaction and don't have it, my stories will be a bit more sedate.
5. What can we expect next from Francine Craft?
I'm presently working on a series about a cosmetics dynasty and a woman romance writer whose marriage has gone sour. These are middle-aged people, caring, glamorous. The title is "A Wicked Love Affair."
It's a bit sizzling, but doesn't scorch:)