Welcome Ms. Petersen to Love Romances & More, thank you for joining us.

Thanks for having me! :) 

How long have you been writing?

I started writing full-time in early 1999, so I guess it’s going on… 9 years now. 

What inspired you to write in the first place?  Does the same thing inspire all your stories?

Actually, I was one of those foolish people who thought writing a romance would be ‘easy’. I was very quickly disabused of that notion and fell in love with the genre, as well as great passionate about writing it. I don’t think the same thing inspires all my stories. Sometimes it’s a scenario, sometimes a character, sometimes a line.  

You write also under the pseudonym Jess Michaels some hotter historical stuff, what inspired you to do this?

I have always written very sexy stories, so the jump to erotic historical was natural to me. It lets me stretch my writing muscles differently, so I enjoy it. 

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

I always wrote with an eye to publication, this was always my ‘career’ even before I sold a book. By taking it seriously, I think I focused more and that helped me. I sold my first story in 2003 (though it was far from my first book), which was a novella to Red Sage Publishing. “Ancient Pleasures” appeared in SECRETS, Volume 11 in December 2004. So it took four years to sell the first book. 

Often a writer’s first book is the toughest to write.  Was this true for you?  If so, what helped you get through it? 

I don’t actually think that’s true. With my first book, I knew no rules, had no clue about market and didn’t have anyone looking over my shoulder. I wrote by instinct, with no thoughts about ‘wrong’ or ‘right’. Now I have a lot more to think about while writing. So that first book was pretty sweet and easy. Awful. But easy. 

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

I am a plotter. I do detailed character sketches, synopses and scene sketches before I write a word. I need structure. 

What does your writing day look like?

It really depends. I set a page goal of at least ten pages a day, five days a week. I sit in the chair until those pages are written. Some days I finish by noon and head out to do other things. Some days I’m still sitting at the computer screen at midnight.  

How do you handle family and your writing career? Is your family understanding of the time that you have to give your career? Is it sometimes difficult for you? How did they react to fact that you are an Erotic romance author?

I’m lucky in that I don’t have children, so I have very little distraction. I write during the day while my husband is at his job, so when he’s home we’re both off. But he’s very understanding if I need or want to work more or have to travel or whatever. My parents and brother are all incredibly supportive. I’ve never really had a negative word from any of my immediately family about what I write. My Mom reads all my books, including the erotic romances. 

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?

I do love to read, but I don’t get a chance to do it as much anymore. I feel like I’m so busy, sometimes I just want to veg out when I’m done at the end of the day. But I do love Susanna Carr, Kathryn Smith, Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, Maggie Osborn, Vicki Lewis Thompson… the list could go on for days. I wouldn’t say anyone influences my writing. I have to write like me. It wouldn’t work if I tried to be someone else. But when I’m compared to those fabulous writers, it’s always a huge compliment. 

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?

Well, thanks! I do a lot of character work before I ever write a word and I love books that are character-based, so that’s a great compliment. There have been times when a character really spoke to me, but never really took over my life. Tristan from FROM LONDON WITH LOVE (August 2006) was very insistent about his name. And Lucas from DESIRE NEVER DIES was such a smart ass in my head. Mostly it’s heroes who really talk to me most. I’m a hero-driven girl. 

Your Lady Spies series reminds me of a mixture of Charlie’s Angels meets Jane Austen? Especially Anastasia reminds me of a female version of James Bond’s Q. Where those inspiration when you wrote your series?

Well, definitely Charlie’s Angels was a bit part of how the Lady Spies came to be. My friend and I were batting around what the industry calls ‘high concept’ ideas. Things you can sum up in one sentence. She threw out Charlie’s Angels and I got obsessed. I definitely added a spice of James Bond, too (with Lady “M” and Anastasia’s gadgetry), but they ended up taking on a life of their own. 

All your heroines are not the typical Regency heroines, but are much tougher. They don’t make the life of the heroes an easy one. Where did the idea come from to have such unusual heroines?

It’s just seemed to work out that way. LOL My heroines just end up being challenging women. But I like that. I love to write a strong hero, so I love matching him with someone who will have strength, too. I think Katherine from SCANDALOUS had that. And of course the Lady Spies are equal to their men in some ways (though they often had to learn to depend on someone else).  

And just wait until you meet Victoria from my August 2008 release, LESSONS FROM A COURTESAN. She’s not a spy, but her rogue of a husband, Justin, has his hands full with her. Not to be a huge TEASE or anything… 

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

I don’t, really. Normally if I’m stuck, it indicates to me that I’ve gotten off track somewhere. I’m a big believer in writing crappy first drafts and fixing it later. So if I don’t like what I’m writing, I just keep plowing through. 

Did you ever expect your books to become so popular?  Why do you think your books are in such demand?

LOL, I guess as an author, it’s hard to see yourself and your work as ‘popular’. But if that’s true, than yay! I’ll take it. I just try to write the stories that I want to read. As long as I’m happy with the final product, which I have been so far, I just pray the readers like the books, too. If that readership grows, then woohoo! I hope that I’ve written books that touch a reader emotionally and give her an escape. 

What is your favourite book from the books that you have written so far? Who are your favorite hero and heroine and why?

Oh man! That’s like asking me to pick my favorite child!!! They each have things I love about them. SCANDALOUS was my debut, so it has a dear place in my heart. And I loved writing Dominic. FROM LONDON WITH LOVE was also very emotional since Meredith suspects the man she is falling in love with of the crime of treason. You can’t get more angst than that. And I loved making Ana bloom from a shy, frightened bud into a bold flower in DESIRE NEVER DIES. Plus, Lucas is such a naughty thing! And from SEDUCTION IS FOREVER… I loved that Emily and Grant were always surprising me. I plotted that book to the tee and they kept going on their own way. It was challenging and totally exciting. Plus, that book is sexy! Much fun to write. See, I can’t pick. 

Which book was the hardest to write and which the easiest?

Of the books I have out and coming out, I think SOMETHING RECKLESS (May 2008, Jess Michaels) was one of the hardest to write. It came at the end of a long series of deadlines and I was so tired while writing it. However, it’s a story I’m really proud of. It’s very different. 

Easiest… DESIRE NEVER DIES just seemed to flow from me. It wrote itself in a lot of ways. Anastasia grew and developed and Lucas seduced and the next thing I knew they were in love and living happily ever after.  

If you could change places with one character from your books, who would it be and why?

Hm, I wouldn’t mind hanging out with Ethan Hamon from my upcoming EVERYTHING FORBIDDEN (November 2007, Jess Michaels). So I’d probably trade places with his heroine, Miranda. But don’t tell my husband. ;) 

Congratulations on your newest release in October, Seduction is Forever.  Are you working on anything right now and can you tell us a teaser about these projects? Is there a small chance that there will be more Lady Spies books?

Well, SEDUCTION IS FOREVER ends the Lady Spies series and for now I don’t have any intention of returning to that world. I will never say never, though. Readers will see that I leave the door open for more in the future. 

I did just turn in my August 2008 release, LESSONS FROM A COURTESAN. I’m really excited about this book because it’s a return to the dark, emotional story that readers seemed to take to in SCANDALOUS. In it my hero and heroine are an estranged married couple. Victoria comes to London in the guise of the countries most sought-after courtesan, hoping to find her missing friend. Her only problem? Her husband, Justin, recognizes her and decides the only bed he wants her in is his own.  

And I’ll be starting a new book in November. It doesn’t have a title or release date yet, but again, it will be high emotion, very sexy.

Congrats also to your upcoming Jess Michaels’ book Everything Forbidden, which will be released in November. The book is really hot and I am wondering if it might be a start to a new series. Do you have any plans to write sequels?

Thanks I’m sooo excited about EVERYTHING FORBIDDEN. It’s my first full-length erotic romance. All my earlier Jess Michaels work was novella-length or shorter. And yes, I do have another book coming out that is related to EF. SOMETHING RECKLESS is about Miranda’s sister Penelope. In EVERYTHING FORBIDDEN Penelope witnesses something that changes her life. In SOMETHING RECKLESS she accidentally starts a revolution against sexual excess and her hero, Jeremy, loses the draw to put a stop to her. Only he has some very… interesting methods. Jeremy was modelled after the very hot Julian McMahon, so he was sooo fun to write. Yummy. SOMETHING RECKLESS comes out in May 2008. There may be more books about the Albright sisters and some of the other characters in the EVERYTHING FORBIDDEN world, but I don’t know yet. We’ll see… 

Any final advice to aspiring authors?

Come on by The Passionate Pen (http://www.passionatepen.com ), my site for aspiring authors. There are all kinds of articles and links there. Most of my best advice is found there. 

Do you have anything to add?

I’m doing all kinds of travelling and appearances through the end of October, so I hope readers will check out my schedule at http://www.jennapetersen.com/news.htm . If I’m signing near you, come on out and say hello! 

Thanks so much for the interview.

Thanks again for having me!