Today I have the pleasure of speaking to Francis Drake. Hi Francis! And welcome to Fallen Angel Reviews! Thank you for taking time out of your workday to answer some questions.

Francis, why not share something about your latest release with us today?

Las Vegas Honeymoon, which came out in January, plays a favorite theme of mine, that of an old love that comes back and reignites passions lost over time.

In Las Vegas Honeymoon, Mary Franks discovers at the altar that her fiancé is a cheat and liar. But giving up the wedding is no reason to give up the honeymoon, so she takes off for their honeymoon suite in Las Vegas. To her great surprise (and delight) she happens into Dan Higgins, her crush from high school. Guess what? Dan helps Mary feel better about having a honeymoon without a bridegroom. In fact, what happens is beyond her wildest dreams.

I believe you have an upcoming series, too, with the Passionate PI Series. Can you enlighten us on this series?

The Passionate PI series opened with She Shouldn't, But She Will, which Siren Publishing released last September. In it, San Francisco accountant Thia Williams is introduced to private investigator Derek Hawkins. She's led a quiet life-especially in the year since becoming a widow. Derek is the hunk who puts an end to Thia's sheltered life by leading her through sexual fantasies…and into danger. She loves both.

The second in the series is coming soon from Siren, Saving Brigit. In this adventure, Thia is tested as to how far she will go to help a friend. She travels to Tajikistan where she sets out to rescue her kidnapped friend, Brigit, from a mountain brothel. She enlists the help of a mercenary, Rashid Salid, and (of course) Derek steps up to help, too. But can the three save Brigit-and get out alive? The ending is exciting and explosive.

I've started the third in the series. Thia and Derek cross paths with terrorists in the Chicago area. I hope to have it ready for the publisher soon.

Do you have any other projects or soon to be releases that you would love to share?

A couple of years ago, Dee S. Knight and I joined forces to write an erotic magical fantasy called Your Desire. It's available from Liquid Silver Books, Fictionwise.com and in print, from Amazon.com.

I'm also currently creating a fantasy called Dragon Slave Chronicles. This will be another series, where two distinctive worlds collide through a portal found in a large, stone house deep in the woods of the Northwest.

When you are deciding your genre, do your characters decide for you?

No. They have no say in what I write. :) Characters come after genre and plot. I love my characters but they have no votes.

Do you see yourself in any of the characters in your books?

Wouldn't that be great?? LOL! But sadly, no. I really don't base my characters on anyone I know.

How do you feel about having your own books reviewed and what value, if any, do you get from them?

I feel wonderful about good reviews. Honestly, where do review sites find all the intelligent people who love my books and give them good reviews?

Mediocre reviews? I was taught if I have nothing good to say, I should say nothing at all.

Seriously, I find there's always something good in every review-either appreciation that someone enjoyed my work, or perhaps a point I need to work on. All reviews give a book status.

If you could go back in time, where would you go and when? What is one thing you would want to take with you?

I'd return to New York City in the late 1920s, and take a set of encyclopedias. With current knowledge a person could make a killing during and after the depression.

Do you have a habit that you know you will never change?

Is eating chocolate a habit? If so, I'll never change it. It's a quality of life issue, you know?

Do you have any pet peeves that you would like to share?

I hate working with people who feel their way is the only way. After all, it's my way that's right. :)

Having grown up handicapped, I realized that everyone has to work in the way that's right for them. To feel that there's only one way to accomplish a task is to exclude valuable talent.

Are you a person who is scared of heights?

Yes, and that's why my friends are all in low places. (With thanks to Garth Brooks.)

If you were to win a trip to explore with some of the crew from the Animal Planet, and go on some hunts for alligators or crocodiles, would you accept or decline?

I feel that dealing with things such as alligators and crocodiles, I should leave them alone. I expect them to do the same to me. The best way to achieve that is not to search them out. So I guess my answer is no.

Do you have a website other than francisdrakebooks.com that you would like to share with your readers? I notice you have a contest on your site; would you like to tell the readers about this?

That's my only site, since right now I only write as Francis Drake. However, I would recommend readers hop over to deesknight.com to find out about the erotic romance written by my best pal, Dee S. Knight.

The contest you noted is ended (where is that web designer when I need something done??). However, more contests will be coming up, so please stay tuned.

Francis, of all the places, you have lived, where would you say was the best?

I've lived a lot of places and enjoyed them all. However, living across the street from city hall in the Civic Center area of downtown San Francisco had to be the most exciting and the most fun. There was something to do, someplace to go, and a bus or train to take us there-no designated drivers required. What more could you ask? I'd go back in a skinny minute, if I won the lottery.

Thank you so much for spending the morning with us, Francis I have really enjoyed our interview and I wish you the best in your writing career.

Linda, thank you very much for having me as your guest!

Interviewed by: Linda L.