Today I'm pleased to be interviewing author Jeanne Barrack, author of No One Else on Earth and A Song of the Sidhe to name a few. Welcome to FAR! Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer some questions for us today!

Of all things you have accomplished, is there one accomplishment you are most proud of?

Finishing my first manuscript in 2004 and actually getting up enough nerve to submit it! My husband dared me to take the flying leap of faith and Silver Fire was accepted by Loose Id, the first publisher I submitted!

Can you tell us a little about your other upcoming works?

The Collector 5: The Crystal Flacon came out the end of February. It's part of a multi-author series about the mysterious Collector and his quest. Here's the blurb to give you a better idea of the story:

Abby Foster, owner of Nannies, International, has been commissioned by the secretive Collector to obtain the Crystal Flacon, believed to have been in the possession of the infamous Lucrezia Borgia and to contain a magical aphrodisiac. But why should a nanny be set such a task? Seems Abby has secrets of her own. She also runs Finding Justice, an organization dedicated to returning art and other treasures lost during WWII to their rightful owners. With the specialized skills she's gained, getting the Flacon should be easy. She isn't counting on channeling Lucrezia through visions and dreams or falling for Antonio, duke d'Este, the present day owner of the Flacon.

Antonio d'Este, the direct descendent of Lucrezia Borgia, is a modern man with modern problems. A recent widower, he needs a nanny to take care of his five year old daughter while he prepares for the launching of "Lucrezia", the new scent for Borgia, the family-owned perfumery. Inspired by the stunning Crystal Flacon, Antonio focuses everything on making "Lucrezia" a success. He has no time for the distraction posed by the beautiful nanny or the strange effect making love with her has on him.

When someone attacks the perfumery, destroying property, disrupting projects in an attempt to ruin the company and killing innocent people, they both need a change of plans. Together, using Abby's skills honed while working for Finding Justice, they must find the saboteur, before everything they love is lost.

Of all the individuals you have created, do you have a particular favorite? What appeals to you the most about this character?

I love all my characters, but I really fell in love with Antonio from The Crystal Flacon. He's probably the most passionate, sexy, alpha male I've ever written, but he has a decided soft side towards his young daughter. He's very proud of his lineage. He's also gorgeous, of course! What I love about him is the combination of family man and passionate lover!

I've been seeing a number of discussions on the Yahoo groups about Happily-Ever-After. Do you feel that HEA is necessary to a romance novel?

Definitely. It's the one hallmark that makes us different from any other fiction out there. Mix it with any sub genre - fantasy, paranormal, suspense, whatever - but unless you give the reader a HEA, I feel you're cheating them.

Could you describe for us your idea of the perfect man?

Intelligent, humorous, passionate, creative, supportive and it wouldn't hurt if he looked like Antonio Banderas!

What kinds of things do you do to prepare to write a love scene? What gets you in the mood to write one?

I play music before I start to write. I love Spanish music, Irish, Country & Western, opera -- I'm a singer in my other life. Once I start to write, however, the music goes off. I get too distracted. I also spray some of my favorite perfume in the air to awaken my senses.

How do you keep your ideas fresh and imaginative?

There is so much in the world that catches my interest. For me, music especially inspires me. My previous books published in 2006, A Song of the Sidhe and No One Else on Earth, were both inspired by music - Irish folk songs and Country & Western music. For The Collector 5: The Crystal Flacon, an actual historical character, Lucrezia Borgia, inspired me. I researched like crazy and then put my imagination to work about what her secret thoughts might have been.

When did you first start writing? What made you want to become a writer?

I've always written poetry and short stories, but I first turned seriously to writing when my mother passed away. A few months later I was downsized from my job. With time on my hands, I found myself daydreaming a lot. Then one night an entire story came to me - a fantasy that centered around the magical effects of making love! It turned into a trilogy and it was as if a cork popped out and the words just keep on coming! It's a compulsion now - I've got to share my worlds with people!!!

If you had to pick just one author that influenced you to write the way you do, who would that person be and why?

Oh, boy, that is a tough question! I don't know if I could pick just one author. I do know that I admire several authors for different strengths. JoAnn Ross, Nora Roberts, Jayne Krentz, Angela Knight all have a way with world building and dialogue that rings true. I'd hope that I convey the same authenticity in my dialogue and world building.

Okay, I had the pleasure of reading your short story, Lady Luck. What was it that made you decide to step away from the happily ever after extreme and create the characters based on a real life scenario?

The story was based on several different sources. I'm a huge fan of "The Twilight Zone", the old black and white series. When I wrote Lady Luck, I remembered those stories that seemed to sneak up on you when you weren't looking and surprise you. Also, here's my guilty admission, I started writing fanfic inspired by the films, character and real life person of Antonio Banderas! This story was also inspired by a very small film he did as a favor to the man who brought him to the American film audience in "The Mambo Kings". The character in Lady Luck was a callous con man that Antonio created in this straight to video film. Many of Antonio's Spanish films aren't HEA and this was one of them.

I love the fact that you write about different genres. Is there a particular favorite of yours to write about? Ex: Wizards, magic, sidhe, or real life people?

Oh, man, again a toughy. The one consistency in all my stories is the fantasy/paranormal element. I don't think I could ever write a straight story without that touch. My first love growing up was science fiction/fantasy and it's colored all my reading and writing.

Do you have a favorite book or author that you're drawn to reading on your down time?

Anything hot and fantasy/paranormal. Angela Knight, Diane Whiteside - she has a great series about vampires - J.D. Robb, JoAnn Ross - romantic suspense, one of the few authors I read outside my favorite genre

Do your fans' comments and letters influence you in any way?

Yes. They make me want to continue to improve my writing and they brighten my day when I feel that something I'm working on is junk!

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?

A great deal. My heroines are decidedly smart-mouthed and open to new experiences. You'll also never find them TSTL!

If you weren't a writer, what would you be?

A singer, which I guess is hedging the question, since my day job is as a performer. If I couldn't be either one, I guess a chef. I love to cook!

Thanks again for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with us today Ms. Barrack. I have really enjoyed hearing more about your work.

Thank you so much. I've enjoyed talking with you, too. Thank you again for sharing this time with me.

If you'd like to read more about Jeanne Barrack, or would like a listing of her books and some freebies, visit her website at http://www.jeannebarrack.com

Interviewed by: Amanda H.