How long have you been writing? 

I have been writing since I was a kid.  I think I started my first book when I was 12.  I found it recently and was surprised that it actually had a story line.  Not a very good one, but it was there. 

What inspired you to write in the first place? 

Books, books, and more books.  I’ve always loved to read and once I discovered romances. . .well, the rest was history. 

What influenced you to get published? 

I’ve had a crystal clear image of my name on a cover since I first started writing—basically as long as I can remember.   

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

I actually did things backwards.  I sold the first book I ever wrote to the first editor to read it.  Then I proceeded to make every beginners mistake ever made in the history of publishing.  After that it took 10 long years before my second book was published. 

How did it feel when you first saw your book on the book store shelf? 

Honestly, the way it still feels.  Unbelievable.  I keep waiting for someone to pinch me and tell me it’s not for real. 

Your book covers are very striking; do you have any input on the book covers? 

I haven’t had any input on my covers, but I believe I’ve been very lucky.  I love them! 

ECHOES and WHISPERS combine several genres: romantic suspense and paranormal, is it difficult to combine them?  And did you plan to combine these genres from the inception of the books? 

I’m not really a planner.  I’m what they call a pantser (seat of the pants writer).  So did I sit down and say I’m going to write A and mix it with B?  Nope.  But that’s the kind of book I’ve always wanted to read.  I’d be reading someone else’s book and catch myself thinking, I wish this suspense had more romance, or wish this romance had more thrills.  So, that’s what I try to write. 

Do you have a favorite genre? 

I read it all—except international intrigue and hard core military books, because I’m just not smart enough to understand most of them.  J 

Do you find it difficult at times to write love/sex scenes? 

Hmmm, difficult is a subjective term.  I think the challenge is getting the emotion in those scenes.  When I read a love scene, I want to feel what is happening.  I don’t need a manual on how to do it.  And when I write them, that’s what I hope I’m giving—the emotional connection.  I am learning to be “hotter” and I like that, as long as I don’t compromise the emotion that goes with it.   

Do you have to do much research for your novels? 

Lord, yes.  Sometimes it’s daunting how much research is needed.  It’s amazing how I’ll be writing away at a great clip and then something will just stop me—did they have a certain material back then?  What were the roads like?  How did they cook?  Where was the nearest town?  What was the population at that time?  There are so many little details that make the story unique and I’m a stickler for getting them right. 

Often a writer’s first book is the toughest to write.  Was this true for you?  If so, what helped you get through it?  If it wasn’t the first, which one was the most difficult to write?  The easiest? 

Actually, the first was the easiest because I honestly didn’t know enough to be afraid.  Sounds silly, but it’s true.  No one had ever told me how hard it was going to be so I assumed that I’d write the book and sell it—which I did.   

The second one was hard to sell, but I couldn’t NOT write it.  I loved the story of ECHOES, I was excited about the past life aspect and I couldn’t wait to tell it.  But it was a hard sell.   

The hardest to WRITE was WHISPERS.  That was my first attempt under contract and there were some hardships along the way.  My editor left the publishing house in the middle of the book and I was shuffled a couple of times.  Then I had the waves (hurricane waves) of self doubt.  ECHOES had won 3 awards and been a finalist in 4 or 5 others, and had received glowing reviews.  I was nearly crippled by my fear that WHISPERS wouldn’t be as good.  Or that it wouldn’t be ANY good. Or that it would just plain suck. I lost sleep.  I mean A LOT of sleep over it.  I second-guessed myself on every character, ever plot point, ever idea.  It was the worst experience of my life.   

BUT, having said that, surviving it and seeing WHISPERS get even better reviews than ECHOES did (4 ½ stars from RT!) made me see that I’d beaten myself up over my own insecurities.  I feel like I’ve emerged a better writer and a stronger person.  Watch out world.  The next book is going to be even better.  J 

Do you usually outline your stories before you write them, or do you "go with the flow"? 

I go with the flow, tidal waves, trickles.  I really wish I could outline and follow an outline, but it just doesn’t work that way for me.  I don’t know until I get there who is going to live or die. 

Your characters come to life in your books.  Do you feel each of your characters live with you as you write?  Do their lives sometimes take over a part of your life?  Can you name an example? 

Oh yes.  I’ll confess it here, but don’t tell my husband—I am so in love with the hero of my new book.  Sean.  (sigh)  I’m not kidding.  I can tell you how many hairs he has on his oh-so flat belly, where the tan line stops and that sexy white strip beneath the waist of his jeans starts, how good he smells.  And it’s gotten a bit embarrassing how often I think of him when I’m at my day job, falling asleep, waking up.  Crazy. 

Most authors are also avid readers.  Is this the case with you?  If so, who are some of your favorites?  Have any influenced your writing? 

People laugh at me when I answer this question, because I have a lot of favorite authors and they are all over the board—from Stephen King’s The Stand (loved King’s early stuff, but not so much the later books) to Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice and Bronte’s Wuthering Heights to Gabaldon’s Outlander to McMurty’s Lonesome Dove.  Jenny Cruisie—Janet Evanonvich.  I could go on and on. . . 

Vampires have always been huge in movies and television.  Has anything influenced you from movies or television? 

You know, I’ve loved almost all of the Anita Blake books.  And I loved Interview with a Vampire.  But I’m not so much a vampire person.  I think some of the heroes that have been written are EXTREMELY sexy, but I just can’t get into the having my blood sucked for sex part of it.  I feel like I’m missing out.  L 

Have you ever suffered from "writer’s block"?  If so, what did you do to get out if it? 

As I mentioned above, my block was more about not trusting what I wrote than not being able to write at all.  I could write pages and pages, but I was convinced it was all crap and should be shredded, then burned so it didn’t spontaneously reassemble and go on to be read by some poor unsuspecting soul.  What got me through it was the simple fact that I needed to produce a book and it would, ultimately, have my name on the cover.  So I didn’t burn said pages, but I did rewrite and rewrite and rewrite until I got it right. 

Did you ever expect your books to become so popular?   

My books are popular? J Sometimes being a writer is like working in a void.  The feedback isn’t necessarily shared with the writer on how well—or not—a book is doing.  That’s why the letters I get from readers are so cherished.  They bridge that void and let me know that I am connecting with people out there.  That is a tremendous feeling.  But in a world where there are so many WILDLY successful authors, I still very small potatoes.   

Congratulations on your newest release WHISPERS.  Are you working on anything right now and can you tell us a teaser about these projects? 

I actually have several projects in the works and I’m not sure which will “go” first.  I have a time travel (which I hope to make a trilogy) that takes place in the old west of Arizona and I’m working on a paranormal set in Ireland (with Sean, *sigh*) which actually has potential of expanding to two or three books as well.  I’m thinking and working on them constantly.  In addition, I’ve been nurturing an idea a reader gave me when ECHOES came out and that is to tell Caitlin’s story.  I have to give her another year or so to grow up, though. J 

Any final advice to aspiring authors? 

Of course!  First I think the best advice I ever heard came from Bob Mayer at a workshop he gave at SDSU Writers Conference.  (If you ever have the chance to attend his nuts and bolts workshops, they are excellent).  He said, “People will tell you to write what you know, but what you should write is what you WANT to know.”  I think that is so true.  It’s the learning something new and exciting and turning that into a story that I love. 

Second is—learn the business as much as you can before you sell your first book.  I’ve done so many things backwards in my career and it’s made the road that much more difficult.  Writing is an art, but publishing is a business.  You have to be skilled at both aspects of the industry to make it.  Get to a writers conference if you haven’t already.  Join your local organizations—especially when there are published writers willing to share their knowledge.  Beginner’s mistakes are hard to forgive when there are thousands of people trying to break into the business that have done their homework and aren’t making mistakes.   

Do you have anything to add?

Only thank you so much for the great questions!  I hope you’ll “have me back” sometime.  All my best!! Erin