Freya Barker

I just recently read one of Freya Barker’s novels and instantly fell in love with her characters. She has a way of writing that takes to you the place that she is writing about and you feel so connected to the people in the story. I can’t wait to read more of Freya’s books.

Please welcome our Author of the Month.

1 Tell us a little bit about yourself (family, hobbies, pets, etc).

Believe it or not, this is the hardest question to answer, but here goes. I’m a mother and a wife. I have four grown children (two bio and two step) but only have my pooch, Pepper left at home. I had a million careers in my lifetime, but none as rewarding as this one; a writer. I was raised with a love for reading in a family where everyone’s favorite pastime was picking up a book, and to this day that is still my favorite hobby. Well… except perhaps for an unhealthy newfound obsession with HBO series on Netflix. I have some friends to thank for that… or perhaps blame?

2 How did you get into writing and why romance?

The writing started with reviews for new releases for a blog, which I enjoyed so much, my reviews tended to be a little too wordy. As someone on the best side of forty, I became a little tired though, of all the young perky and rather immature heroes and heroines and when the H/h were a little more mature, they apparently became rather boring and ‘proper’. I’m mature, and I’m not proper. I wanted to read about someone like me; someone not perfect, not perky, not twenty something and just as deserving of romance, adventure, sex and love. So I started writing books that I would want to read.

Romance comes natural. Love is pivotal in every life and we all like to dream of the ‘perfect’ match out there for us. Writing romance is a way for me to recreate my definition of the perfect connection, over and over again. There clearly is a lot of me in my books.

3 Do you ever re-enact the sex scenes you write about?

Hahahaha. Some of the sex scenes I describe would require a flexibility and mobility of me, I sadly no longer posses. Having said that, it wouldn’t be outside of the realm to assume I write mostly from experience. Take from that what you like. LOL

4 Name a romance book or series you would love to see as a movie/TV series.

Every book I’ve written. I’m dead serious, I’d love to see Cedar Tree as a series, I might even have some suggestions for casting. (Envisioning Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Gus in Slim To None) And I honestly believe that the books in the Portland, ME, series—From Dust in particular—would make fabulous movies. All the feels. Sigh.
Other than that, I would have to say the Colorado Mountain Series by Kristen Ashley. Those would all make fantastic movies.

5 Have you ever read a book based solely on its cover?

I don’t think so. I’ve read books, and written books, where the cover inspired a character or a scene, but not an entire book. For me, I have the story in my head before I even start looking at cover images.

6 What is your ideal way to end a long day?

Quietly. LOL. My husband goes to bed early, so I usually will dink around on my laptop while watching something on TV. But my favorite part is crawling into bed with my Kindle. My time to read without pressure, other than the heavy eyelids robbing me of much wanted reading time.

7 Describe your ultimate holiday.

A beautiful spot in nature. Colorado comes to mind. No responsibilities, none whatsoever, no one counting on me. Solitude and silence are bliss to me. Check in with me again in a few months, though, I might well have changed my mind on this!

8 Who is your favourite book boyfriend and why?

Gus Flemming, if you are looking for one from my own books. He was my first and completely made in the image of what I deem to be the perfect guy.

Joe Callahan in At Peace by Kristen Ashley, but then I also loved Tate Jackson in Sweet Dreams, by the same author. I have a hard love for Kristen Ashley’s characters.

9 What turns you on and what turns you off?

Turn ons are a great smile, a good sense of humor, an easy confidence and a strong personality. Turn offs are indecisiveness, bad teeth, arrogance, pettiness, weakness and body odor. I’m sure there’s more I could find on either side of that coin but we’d probably be here all day.

10 Boxer or briefs? Or commando???

You know what? It depends on the guy. Some guys have to be boxer, some briefs, but commando only works on the right guy! LOL

11 Who is your top five “Freebie List”? (I think this is also known as a Hall Pass. Who could you sleep with that your partner won’t mind?)

I don’t think there’s anyone who fits that bill as far as my partner is concerned, but for me it would be (in no particular order): Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Robert Downey Junior, Jason Momoa, Denzel Washington, and the last one is a toss up between Travis Fimmel and Charlie Hunnam… or maybe we’ll make that a sandwich? Yeah… it’s gluten free, right?

12 You have a table booked for four in your favourite restaurant. Who would you invite to join you?

I’d like to say Kristen Ashley (I have a serious fangirl going on here), Robert Downey Junior (he’s always entertaining), and JDM (for those much needed heart flutters)—but I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the food. So I’ll probably just invite my kids and hubs, they like good food and at least I wouldn’t have to worry about having spinach stuck between my teeth.