How long have you been writing?  Probably all my life in one form or another-for newspapers, magazines, journal, fiction contests.  But seriously, full time, about three years.

What inspired you to pick up the pen one day and create characters that capture the imagination?  Three things:  One-- I had been collecting ideas for years looking toward the day that I could actually sit down and write.  Two--We were finally settled in our new house and my wonderful husband told me that I had no more excuses.  Three-- I read a book by Linda Howard, a romantic suspense, and the next day in the shower a plot forced its way into my head.  I had to sit down and get it out.

What influenced you to get published?  How long did it take for your first book to become published?  I guess that I wanted to see if I could do it.  I'm one of the lucky ones.  From the first query to the first contract was 15 months.

What makes your characters so vulnerable yet so strong?  I think that everyone has flaws, no matter how great they are, and the flaws I give my characters create their vulnerability.

Can you describe them to us?  Different ones for different characters--insecurity, fear of loving, habit of acting first and thinking later, things like that.

What do you do when the characters stop talking to you when writing? Actually, I have the opposite problem.  My characters are usually talking to me so much that I have to tell them to shut up!  But if they do stop, I walk away from the computer and take a shower.  For some reason, that's where everything comes together for me.  My husband says that I am the cleanest person in Texas!

What about the heroines for these strong determined heroes?  What makes them equal to the heroes and able to capture the hearts of these alpha males?  They are able to prevent the heroes from running over them without coming across as bitches.  They know that the fastest way to win a man over is to make him think he's winning the war.  And they aren't afraid to take chances!

When a new book  comes out, have you ever been nervous over the reader's reactions?  Every single time!

How much does reader reaction mean to you as an author?  Everything!  They're who I write for.  Good and bad, I want to know what they think.

What do you hope that readers get from your books?  A feeling of warmth, hope and satisfaction.  Fiction is a willing suspension of disbelief, an escape from daily life.  I want my readers to enjoy the escape.

What do you feel is the most important aspect for new authors to remember when writing or creating their stories?  Think about what you read that makes you like a book and use it as a guide.  And keep writing!

Any advise for aspiring writers?  Again, keep writing.  The author John Lescroart said if you write a page a day at the end if the year you have a book.  So don't stop.

The editing process is an important aspect of an author's life.  How do you define the editing process for any of your books?  Somewhere between torture and a trip to hell!  LOL

Do you have a routine you follow when in editing mode?  I try to edit each paragraph as I do it, but that always work.  I let my pages sit, then make notes in my ever present notebook to ad the next days.  I try to discipline myself but it's like saying that I like to take castor oil.

Your first book was LOVE WITH A PROPER RANCHER.  What drew you to create the story of Paige and Ryan?  I live in the Texas hill country surrounded by ranches in a town the size of White Tail.  I love the people and wanted to set a romance there.  Again the ever present shower was the catalyst!

Is there a part of you in these characters?  Oh yes.  A lot of me is in Paige.  Bad choices in men, journalist, thirst for life, and finding the man of my heart at last.

Your characters in all your books are exquisitely detailed and complex.  What drew you to these stories?  I collect my ideas from so many places.  Sarah's character just popped in my head one day and wouldn't go away until the wrote the story.

What inspired you to tell Sarah and Reno's as well as Paige and Ryan's story?  Ditto for Paige and Ryan.  People tell me I'm a complex person, although I don't think so, and I always put myself into the persona of the heroine -- and sometimes the hero -- to immerse myself in their feelings and ask myself what would they think?  What would they do?

You have some great secondary characters in your books.  Will we see spin offs in regards to them in their own storylines?  In May we'll see the story of the Lindsey and Nick from HIRED WIFE.  Watch for ECHOES OF THE PAST.  And Kate and Quinn's story, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, is currently awaiting a release date.  Also, CUTTER'S LAW, the first sequel to LOVE WITH A PROPER RANCHER, is awaiting a release date.

Do you prefer writing series books over non series or does it matter?  Doesn't really matter.  Again it's what's in my head.  I've done a lot of single title.

Can you give us the list of the series books, fi you have any, so we know what to read first?  THE HIRED WIFE, ECHOES OF THE PAST and RUN FOR YOUR LIFE are one and can actually be read in ay order.  LOVE WITH THE PROPER RANCHER, CUTTER'S LAW, and ONE HOT TEXAS NIGHT is another trilogy and should be read in that order.

What do you think is the level of sensuality/heat in your books?  Hot and getting hotter.  What can I say?  LOL!

What can readers expect from your books with respect to sexual content and sensuality?  In most of my books the level sensuality pretty high although no always raphic,  PLAYING WITH FIRE is my most graphic yet, while REDEMPTION, coming out from The Wild Rose Press this summer and my most favorite so far, has very little.  Most of it except for one scene is sexual tension.

What should we know about you?  Who is the person behind the great stories?  I live in the Texas hill country with the most wonderful husband in the world and our three little cats.  I love to read and I'm the world's most rabid football fanatic.  I'm actually working on a mystery/romance series with an NFL setting.  I've done a lot of things in my life--managed rock bands and country singers, worked on newspapers and for magazines, headed an economic development council (watch for someone to show p in a future book), play really awful golf.  I have terrific kids how are my major cheering section.  I love toffee ice cream, Jack Daniel's whiskey, the color blue, and I've watched Tom Clancy's The Hunt For Red October three hundred times.  My other favorite movie is Dreamer.  I love flowers and plants but have a black thumb so everything in the house is artificial.  I love country music but except for Toby Keith my taste runs more to traditional-- Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Marty Robbins, those guys.

What is the best thing about writing in your opinion?  Giving absolute free reign to my imagination and allowing my characters to do all the things I've always fantasized about.

The worst thing about it?  Editing, editing, editing.

Congratulations on your new book PLAYING WITH FIRE, out now.  It is a suspense filled story that keeps you on the edge of your seat and sizzles with unbridled passion.  What is your writing routine>  Is it the same everyday or do you write by the seat of your pants?  Can you give us a glimpse into the world of Cassie and Cole?  The sensual passion fairly burns the pages in this latest from you!  Routine?  Well.  Except on days we leave the house I write 6-7 hours a day.  I start with a one page outline and build from there, although often I have have full characters outlines before I start.  But I write a lot by the seat of my pants, which is why I'll finish a chapter then think of twenty things to make it better.  I have a great critique group plus two separate critique partners who read each manuscript as I finish it.  So, two hours for email and such in the morning, breakfast with the DH and then to work--although I pick at off and on all day, especially if I'm stuck on something.

Cassie and Cole...I wrote Cole as every woman's fantasy.  When I was in high school I had a huge crush on the town's sexy, sexy bad boy Frankie Roberts (God, I hope that he never reads this) and the time I spent with him was intense.  He has always hung out in the back of my head and emerged as Cole Martin, the man no woman wants to invite into her house except the bedroom.  Cassie has  a lot of me in her--giving her heart to Cole only to have it crushed.  What would have happened if Frankie and I met up years later.  That's how I created my characters, and the fight a lot of animosity to find their relationship again and make it work.

Where do you envision your writing career in the next 2-5 years?  Have you even looked that far ahead?  I'm just so grateful for the success I've had so far I'm afraid to tempt fate.  But, like everyone else, I'd like to make the USA TODAY best seller list (because that's the one that actually counts sales) and have an editor contact me and ask me to write for his/her house.  We'll see.  Right now I'm pretty happy with where I am.

If you could have 3 wishes, what would you wish for?  Well, always the usual ones-- health and happiness for our kids and ourselves, and of course my friends.  But moving beyond that, to have a book made into a movie, to have a walk on part in the television show "24" and to have dinner with Sam Elliott.

Do you fall in love with the heroes you write?  Always, always, always!  I dream about them.

Who is your favorite hero from any story you have read--one of your favorite books?  Four really:  Diaz in Linda Howard's Cry No More, Cortex in Diana Palmer's Before Sunrise, Donovan in Gail Delaney's Watch Over Me and Tyler Winterman in Joey Hill's Mirror Of My Soul.

If you could go to lunch with anyone (real or fictional) who would it be and why?  Vince Flynn so I could pick his brain about his books, Joey Hill because she writes such beautiful love stories she knocks me out and Sam Elliott because even at his age I think he personifies sex.  Did you ever listen to his voice?

What other titles do you have scheduled right now for release in 2007?  Here's the line up so far:  CALL ME PETE this month from Triskelion, NO BOUNDARIES and BEG ME also from Triskelion,  ECHOES OF THE PAST from Triskelion.  From Ellora's Cave, WHERE DANDER HIDES and ONCE UPON A WEDDING.  From Wild Rose Press, REDEMPTION.  But stay tuned, I could be adding more.