FARRAH ROCHON:

DELIVERING PASSION

by Wayne Jordan

1. Farrah, tell us a bit about RESCUE ME and the Holmes Brothers series.  Is it really the end of the series?

To answer the second question first, yes, RESCUE ME is the last of the Holmes Brothers series. The trilogy centers around three brothers, a Elijah (DELIVER ME), Tobias, (RELEASE ME), Alexander (RESCUE ME), and is set in my hometown, the romantic city of New Orleans.

In RESCUE ME, the eldest brother Alex finally finds his happily ever after. Throughout the series readers have witnessed the single father shower love upon his daughter, but in RESCUE ME, Alex discovers that his daughter has turned into an absolute terror in the classroom, so he volunteers at her elementary school in hopes of discovering what’s going on with little Jasmine. It’s at the elementary school that he meets the school’s Special Projects Coordinator, Renee Moore, and the sparks fly.

2. What made you want to become a writer?

Sometimes I ask myself that question. Ha! Actually, writing is something that has always come easy to me. I loved essay tests in high school, wrote papers for myself and several of my cousins throughout college (shhh…don’t tell anyone), and have been a reader my entire life. I knew as a freshmen in college that I would one day write my own Great American Novel, but it wasn’t until I finished graduate school that I drummed up enough courage to share my writing with others, and sought publication.

3. Tell us a bit about your journey to publication.

As I listened to other writers’ journeys, I discovered that mine was pretty similar. When I finally decided to pursue publication I did everything I could to educate myself about the business. The best decision was joining Romance Writers of America. Through RWA I learned to hone my craft, how to land an agent, and received support from like-minded writers. I received my share of rejection letters, but continued sending out material. Then, about three or so years after joining RWA, I heard that Dorchester Publishing was acquiring African American romance. I sold DELIVER ME about seven months later.

4. When you’re not writing, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I love, love, love to read, and have a mountain of books in my to-be-read pile to prove it. I’m also a HUGE sports fan who eats, breathes and lives football. And, when I have a spare buck or two, I like to hop on a plane and head up to New York City to catch a Broadway show.

5. What would you consider to be your greatest accomplishment (as a writer) to date?

I’d have to say completing my revisions for RESCUE ME without losing my sanity. It was one of the most hellish weeks of my life (yes, you read that right; I had exactly one week in which to revise a 400+ page manuscript). In addition to having to shave about thirty pages from my manuscript, that week also included running away from Hurricane Gustav, dealing with a flat tire, and finding random Starbucks in and around Dallas and Austin, TX so I could work.

6. If you were introducing a new reader to your work, which one would you choose and why?

Well, I’m a stickler for reading books in order, so if I were to recommend one of the Holmes Brothers books I’d have to go with the first in the trilogy, DELIVER ME. However, for those wanting a little taste of my writing, I’d recommend readers try my story, A CHANGE OF HEART, in The Holiday Inn anthology. It’s a short, sweet story that I’m really proud of.

7. How has your life changed since you became a published author?

I get much less sleep, lol.

8. How have you changed as a writer since that first book?

I sure hope my characterization has gotten better. I feel as if I take the time to know the characters more before diving into the story. I’ve also developed somewhat of a process to my writing. It’s subject to change at a moment’s notice, but for now, it’s working.

9. What do you like most about being a published author?

The fan mail. Hands down. In fact, during those really icky writing days (usually happens while working on pages 25 - 330 or so), I go back and read over some of the great fan emails I’ve received. It keeps me going.

10. What has been the most difficult thing about being a published author who writes African-America Romance?

Probably trying to convinced non-black readers that my books are the same as others. Also, it still rubs me a bit raw when I go into a book store and cannot find my book in the romance section.

11. What advice would you give an aspiring author?

Don’t do this for the money, lol. Seriously, just make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons, because you truly want to be a writer. If when you’re writing, there is nothing else you feel as if you should be doing, then you’re meant to be a writer. Oh, and don’t take bad reviews personally, no matter how hard it is not to.

12. Tell us a bit about the process you use when you write a novel.

It took me several (umm…about five or six) manuscripts to actually develop a “process”, and as I stated before, this process is ever-changing. When I start a new book, I take a couple of hours (or even a few days) to just free- write some ideas. It usually starts with one little spark. For example, I got the idea for my current work-in-progress when my heroine’s name popped into my head. Her name is Paige Turner. Can you guess what she does for a living?

I write as much backstory as I can, then start to brainstorm possible scene ideas. I write about thirty or so pages of the actual manuscript, after which I’m usually ready to start framing up the rest of the story. I use a great writing system, THE PLOT DOCTOR, by Carolyn Greene. I’ve tweaked it a bit for my own purposes, but I use several of her worksheets. They really help me to lay out my story. My walls are covered with poster boards and colorful sticky notes, but it’s my process. You have to do what works for you.

13. What’s next for Farrah Rochon?

Well, I hope to sell that work-in-progress I mentioned. It’s a football story, surprise, surprise. In the meantime, I’m working on another Christmas novella for a new holiday anthology to be released later this year.

14. If there was one thing you could tell your readers what would it be?

Thanks! Your support has helped to make my life-long dream come true.

15. How can readers contact you? 

A number of ways, but the easiest is through my website: www.farrahrochon.com, and of course, through email: farrah@farrahrochon.com

ROMANCE IN COLOR would like to thank Ms. Rochon for taking time out of her busy schedule to share with us.