FAQs

What is your next book and when is it coming out?

After Private Party in November 2007, my next book will be a novella titled “Will that Be All?” from part of the Italian Stallions Anthology which will be available in July of 2008.  After that, my to be titled romantic suspense from Brava will be released in October 2008.

How do you get your ideas?

Anything and everything can spark an idea, from a conversation with a friend to a magazine article to a TV show or movie. Sometimes I'll be watching something and a secondary character will strike my interest and I'll think, “What about her story?” Other times a character will pop into my head, and start thinking about who would be a great match for him or her, then I'll build a story around them. 

Where can I buy your books?

My books are available at all the major book chains like Borders and Barnes and Noble, and can also be ordered online at Amazon. 

How long did it take you to get your first book published?

From the time I started writing seriously to the day I sold was just under four years. I was laid off from my job after September 11, and decided not to go back to work full time.  After about a year of “waiting for the muse to strike” (i.e., writing very little), I buckled down and adhered to a regular schedule. After several manuscripts and many rejections, I finally got “the call” from Kensington in August of 2005.

 Do you have an agent?  Do I need one to sell?

I do have an agent, and she is great.  As it happened, I didn't need an agent to sell (in fact, I used my sale as leverage to get an agent), but I highly recommend getting one.  I was able to sell on my own because my editor happened to be heavily acquiring at the time I met her, but it's increasingly hard to get read by editors if an agent isn't there to get you to the top of the TBR pile.  After you sell, your agent is your advocate and fights the good fight on your behalf, so you can focus on having a positive working relationship with your editor. 

What is your writing process like? Do plot everything out beforehand?

I liken my writing process to the way I travel. I don't like to have a specifically mapped out day to day itinerary, but I like to know where I'm going to sleep every night.  So, unlike some authors who do very extensive, scene by scene outlines, I work from a synopsis and map out the major plot points, romantic arc, and character arcs, but I don't always know exactly how I'm going to get from point A to point B. 

How long does it take you to write a book?

In a perfect world (I really know where I'm going with the characters and story, my 2 kids are sleeping well and I'm well rested, the kids aren't sick so I don't have to take time off, and there are no major family interruptions like holidays and visitors) it takes me about 3 months to write the first draft of a book, and another month or so to revise.  That being said, it took me 8 months to write my most recent book, but I had a baby in the middle.
Are your characters based on real people?

Of course my husband is the inspiration for all of my heroes :)  Seriously though, sometimes my characters' actions or words might be based on the actions or words of someone I know, but I've never specifically based a character on anyone. 

Who are your favorite authors?

There are too many to count, and I know I'd leave someone out.  But I will name a couple of my “formative” authors, writers whose books I read when I was younger who really inspired me to try my hand at writing romance. On the historical side, Penelope Williamson is a master. Her book, A Wild Yearning is sadly out of print, but I've read it about a hundred times, and it's one of my go to reads when I want to get a refresher course on writing a really emotionally intense, gut wrenching love story. On the contemporary side, I adore Susan Elizabeth Phillips.  In my opinion, It Had to Be You is a perfect book. It's got everything I could possibly want from a contemporary romance. 

Do you blog?

Yes, I do blog regularly with the Fog City Divas. The Divas are ten award winning and best selling romance authors from the San Francisco Bay area.