Guest Blog from Francis Ray

One of the most frequent questions I receive from readers and people wanting to write is where do I get my inspiration for characters and plots. Since I'm a plodder when writing rather than a sprinter, my inspirations comes from many places. For the Invincible Women series the idea for the first book came about from my daughter's own difficult experience in finding a job although she has four - yes, 4 degrees. That's a story in itself, but as I looked around and talked to friends and family, read the newspaper, saw the declining job market on TY, I knew my daughter wasn't the only person finding it difficult to land a job.

As a child and growing up, I was always told that a college education was the one sure path to success. In 2004 that was no longer the case. My "what if" in thinking of the next plot/story/character turned into LIKE THE FIRST TIME - where 3 very different women are faced with the unsettling challenge of starting over. Once the initial book of the Invincible Women series was finished I saw other challenges for women - bad reputation, poor self image, adulterous husband, family secrets, unloving parents- they had to overcome, and dig deep to find the woman they were meant to be. In the latest book of the series, IF YOU WERE MY MAN, Nathalyia Fontaine is successful, but she still feels lonely and unfulfilled at times. To find true happiness she'll have to face her past.

So, I guess I find inspiration for my books in life, in the invincible women who refuse to give up no matter how daunting the odds. You know, women like our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, girlfriends. But you have to go further, you have to dig deep in their past to find out what brought then to this point, throw every possible obstacle in their way - just as life does - so when the readers reaches the last page and your heroine is standing tall and strong, they'll believe and pump a fist to celebrate with them.

New York Times and USA bestselling writer, Francis Ray, who still struggles with characters and plots. My close friends keep telling me it's my process. I keep telling them I wish it wasn't. No matter, I'm grateful for the opportunity to tell stories, and forever grateful for readers who say they enjoy them.

Francis Ray

www.francisray.com

New York Times/USA Today
IF YOU WERE MY MAN - March 02, 2010
FOREVER YOURS - March 30, 2010 - reissue/Taggart Brothers/Kane
IT HAD TO BE YOU - April 27, 2010 - Book # 4 Grayson Friends Series
ONLY HERS - August 3, 2010 - reissue/ Taggart Brothers/Matt
HEART OF THE FALCON - December 7, 2010 - reissue/Falcon Family/Daniel