Conversations with Mimi Francis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mimi Francis.

Hi Mimi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve been writing on and off for years. It was more off than on, as being a wife and mother and my full-time job kept me from pursuing my dream. In 2014, after discovering a popular show about monster-hunting brothers, I started writing fan fiction. I constantly wrote hundreds of stories about my favorite characters from TV and movies. After writing fan fiction for several years, I decided to write original fiction. I wrote two different books, both of which I self-published. I wasn’t a huge success, so I chalked it up to an experience and moved on.

In August 2020, I noticed a small publishing company, 4 Horsemen Publications, had followed my author’s Instagram. I checked them out, and when I saw they were accepting submissions, I decided to send in the first 4 chapters of my book, Private Lives. I didn’t expect anything to come of it; worst case scenario, they ignored me; best case, they politely told me thanks, but no thanks. At least I’d tried.

One week after submitting my work, I received an email informing me they were interested in working with me. I signed a contract in October of 2020 and went to work. My first book with 4 Horsemen came out in April of 2021. Since then, I have written five more books and my sixth book will be released before the end of 2022. I have more planned for the future.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been easy. Being a successful author is more of a marathon than a sprint. The more books you have, the better it is. Pumping them out as quickly as possible while ensuring they are of good quality isn’t always easy. There are no days off. I put a lot of work into writing my books and building my author brand. When I’m not writing, I’m working on my website, posting on social media, looking for local events to attend, applying for national events, and trying to keep up with all the latest trends in publishing and marketing. Because I am a new, still relatively unknown author, I also devote a lot of time to visiting bookstores like Barnes & Noble and asking them to carry my books. I am always working.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a contemporary romance author. My books are spicy and steamy and for everyone ages 18 to 100. I have two series available, Second Chances in Hollywood and The Loves of Lakeside. I am proud of all of my books, but I am especially fond of The Loves of Lakeside series. It is set in my home state of Montana. I love writing about where I’m from and showing people what a wonderful place it is. I know there are a lot of romance authors out there, but I think what sets me apart is my ability to create relatable characters and stories. My books are fun, interesting reads that leave you feeling good. The great thing about my books is that while they are all part of a series, they don’t have to be read in any order. I enjoy bringing back favorite characters and giving them their books. I am also a dog lover so dogs will pop up quite often in my books. Three of the six books I’ve written have a dog as a character.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I never thought my dream of being published would come to fruition. I considered myself nothing more than a wife and mother who loved to write. Deciding to take a chance and submit my work when I was closing in on 50 took a lot of guts. I’m so proud of myself for taking the chance and proud of the fact that I can show my kids that you are never too old to pursue your dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: mimifrancis.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author.mimi.francis/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.mimi.francis
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/author_mimi

Image Credits
Author photo: Raina Virginia Media Book Covers: 4 Horsemen Publications