Author Freya Barker Answers My Five Burning Questions and more

Five burning questions is back with a bang. I have to say that I am late to the Freyer Barker party but I am so glad I showed up! Freya’s series Northern Lights Books was the first of her books that I’ve read and I was hooked. She’s an expert at writing strong older woman looking to find their second changes in life not just in finding romance. Freya’s books have inspired me in my own life to rise up and challenge myself.

Her new series has amazing action, nail-biting suspense, and sexy romance. Start with Keeping Your Six and move into her latest book and next in the series Cabin 12. Freya’s books paint such a vivid picture of the areas they are set you might want to pack your bags and move to Canada. Of course, Justine Trudeau and Tim Horton’s are a pretty good reason too. Her other books are available here and worth checking out now.

Big thanks to Freya for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer my five burning questions. Enjoy!

1. Kill, Marry or Screw:

Gideon Cross—I might kill him. Not right away, because let’s face it, he offers an intriguing package, but there’s only so much back and forth I have the patience for. For Pete’s sake, the man needed 5 books to get his shit together! Kellan Kyle—That’s a no-brainer: screw. He’s a hot fantasy, but with a moving truck of baggage, and a place in the spotlight he’s way too comfortable with.

Damian Gomez—That’s a tough one because parts of his character are based on my husband, but I still think I’d screw him. If the man brings even just a little of his intense focus, his dogged determination, and his strong work ethic into the bedroom, I probably wouldn’t be able to handle more than one night of him.

Jasper Greene—Now there’s a man I’d marry. Not only is he wicked smart, but he’s one of those understated heroes that I absolutely cave for. Tall (which is a prerequisite), ruggedly handsome in a surfer dude kind of way, cares not one iota about clothes or possessions. He communicates—not always effectively, but at least he talks, and better yet, he listens. And that’s not all: he has a sharp wit and is not afraid of confrontation. He doesn’t come with a long list of expectations and will take you just as you are. He’s not out to fix you, but will absolutely take down anyone who even looks at you crookedly.

Jasper is MY ultimate husband material. EDITORS NOTE: Agreed! Jasper is hot!!

2. Do you remember the first romance book you ever read? Can you tell me about it?
I have to confess, I never read much romance. I always had my head in one book or other, but those were mostly the books my parents had on their shelves. A lot of suspense, thrillers, even westerns, and some classics, but absolutely no romance. I read Ed McBain, Agatha Christie, James Clavell, and PD James, but once I left home I ventured into Stephen King, James Patterson, and John Grisham. But then I found Sue Grafton and Kathy Reichs in my local library. These authors had strong kick-ass women in the lead, which held great appeal, and from there I went in search of more female-driven plots, ending up with Nora Roberts: the Queen of Romance. I can’t recall exactly which book of hers I read first, but I do remember I traveled to three different libraries, and a few second-hand bookstores, to get my hands on every single book of her backlist. It wasn’t fluff, the characters were deliciously complex and even with the mostly fade to black, the stories were sexy as all get out.

I’d had a taste of romance with meat (NO pun intended!) and I was hooked.

3. What type of stories would you like to write but haven’t yet? Menage, BDSM or a sexless romance. The sexless romance should come with a warning. Don’t you think?
Almost five years ago when I started writing, I swore I would not touch fantasy or paranormal with a ten-foot pole, but after my first visit to New Orleans last year, I am seriously toying with the idea for a paranormal tale. I’m thinking of vampires, and with that it I automatically think of a slightly more hedonistic society, where things like BDSM or menage, as you mention in your question, is par for the course. That would be an interesting challenge for me since I will write heat and sex in my books, but (I hope) never gratuitously. That may change.

As for sexless romance? Yeah…that’s not going to happen when we’re talking vampires. Either way, you won’t see a warning from me.

4. What inspires your stories?
Oh my. Everything. I’m not kidding. A cross-country drive with my daughter, when she moved out west inspired my Northern Lights Collection. All four books in the Portland ME series are rooted in true stories. My first visit to beautiful Colorado sparked my Cedar Tree series, and the second month-long stay prompted both the Snapshot series and my newest Rock Point series, which focuses on the FBI field office in Durango, Colorado.

Snippets of conversations I pick up on: an encounter during a layover at an airport: personal experiences and those of people around me, can all in part contribute to the stories I write. I enjoy creating reality-based stories, but more importantly, I want to write about real people—people like me.

5. If you could have a dinner party and invite anyone to it, who would it be? Celebrities, book boyfriends, intellectuals or anyone. Name five people.
First and foremost, Gordon Ramsay, but he’d have to cook. Also, he’s a bit of an asshole—which would make some juicy dynamics—but he tells it like it is and I appreciate that.

Next, Robin Williams (since this is fantasy after all), because he could make me laugh, and I’d hope I might be able to make him laugh a little too.

I would love to have Helen Mirren at my table. Talk about a kick ass woman—she is an inspiration for us all.

My mother: I lost her this past March 1st and she was my rock and my touchstone. I would love to talk about everything under the sun with her, like we used to.

And finally I would want my daughter beside me: She’s the only person who wouldn’t flinch if Gordon Ramsay got in her face—she’d likely give it right back to him and then some. Of all the people I know, she’d be most likely be able to keep up with Robin Williams speedy rhetoric. Being a kick-ass woman herself, she’d have no trouble holding her own with Helen Mirren. And like me, I know she’d love a chance to hear my mother share her down to earth wisdom with us.

It would appear I can’t do anything in just a few words… LOL.

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