Hi Lucy! After having had a fun author day with you about a year ago I’ve been looking forward to this opportunity to interview you. My fellow reviewer, Pam is also a fan of yours and has some questions as well. 

Now, one of the first things our readers want to know about your writing—how long have you been writing? A visit to your website shows a back list from 2003, but my sense is you started writing long before that. Was 2003 the beginning or is it really much longer? 

I actually wrote for about 9 years (4.5 of them pursuing my craft and career VERY seriously) before I sold my first book to Harlequin Presents in the fall of 2002 (it was published a year later). 

You also write in a variety of genres, paranormal, historical, and contemporary and I would add romantic suspense as another one. Is there one genre you feel most comfortable in?  

No.  I honestly love writing in them all and find the variety of storylines and character types necessary to keep my imagination flowing and my creativity strong. 

Which comes first? The characters telling you they want a story, the story or the genre?  

The characters come first.  When I write their stories might be dictated by contractual deadlines (which is why I keep files for all my story ideas).  But the stories all start as characters living in my head.  I used to say talking, but they aren't always talking...you know? J 

Do you write more than one book at a time or do you focus on just one?  

I try to focus on just one, but that doesn't always work. 

You have had a highly successful career with Harlequin and Kensington. I noticed you have several books coming out with Samhain. What attracted you to a primarily e-publisher? 

Two of the books coming out from Samhain are inspirational romance and the print publishers that do that type of book require an author to refrain from writing sexy romance.  I'm obviously not willing to do that.  The historical was a story I just felt would do better time wise with Samhain and would maybe open my stories up to a new set of readers I wasn't reaching from my print only publishers. 

I have several friends with disabilities and found your site very easy to locate information on. It is very accessible, thank you. With that in mind you also have something I have not seen on any other author’s site—you have a page with your releases in Spanish. I think that is fabulous, was there anything in particular that prompted you to aim for that high level of accessibility and outreach? 

It all goes back to why I write...which is to touch readers hearts.  The more readers I can touch, the happier I am and if I have a chance to make it easier for readers to find my books, then I'm going to do what I can.  I donate foreign edition copies to libraries all over the US as well, hoping to touch foreign speaking readers living here.  It's all part of that deep desire to connect with readers in a meaningful way. 

Will we see other commonly spoken language pages on your site as well?

I've definitely considered it.  It all depends on the resources available to me and the availability/popularity of my books in foreign language markets.  Right now, I'm seeing potential in several languages, particularly Japanese,  Russian, Portuguese, French and German...but I need translators and so far I don't have any leads. 

Now, the books!  

Where did you get the idea for READY, WILLING and ABLE?  

This is kind of funny...but seriously...this is how it happened.  I was writing Daisy's story (3 Brides for 3 Bad Boys – which actually got written before her sister's story in Merry Christmas, Baby, but published after...anyway...) and mentioned that her brother was ex-special forces turned merc.  Suddenly, Joshua was real to me (from that single sentence) and I knew I needed to write his story.  The first time I "saw" Lise was the scene where she's terrified of someone breaking into her apartment and is wielding the fireplace poker at Joshua.  They're whole backstory just flashed to me at that moment.  Nitro and Hotwire didn't come into being until I started READY.  Again...without expecting it...they showed up on the page and I knew the story was the start of a trilogy.

 Were they an easy pitch to your publisher?  

Nope.  It went something like this.  "Kate, I want to write Daisy's brother's story."  "Great."  We went to contract.  No synopsis, just that.  Then I'm writing, I called her..."I think this is a trilogy."  Again..."Great."  She's the most amazing editor for giving her author's free reign.  That doesn’t mean my ideas always work for her in the execution, but she always gives me the chance to try them out.  Luckily, this idea worked all the way around.

Do you think you will be doing more romantic suspense? 

Yep.  Though I call what I do suspense-light. J  I've got a new series – The Goddard Project and the first book is out this month.  Satisfaction Guaranteed will give you a glimpse of our boys from R, W & AA again too. 

In the bio section of your books you talk about meeting and marrying your own alpha male. As I read WILLING I couldn’t help but feel like Daniel Black Eagle was just about to walk off the pages. He is the most compelling male character I have read in a long time. Is he based on anyone you know in real life?  

Every single one of my heroes has a bit of my husband in them.  I can't help it...he's the most amazing, love-worthy, drool worthy man I know. LOL  The hero that comes closest to him is Simon Brandt from The Real Deal, but none of my heroes would be heroic to me if they weren't like Tom in some way, but especially the ones that count.  Honesty, integrity, strength, intelligence...and very sexy. ::wink:: 

Now, as much as I found myself head over heels with Daniel, Brett Adams in AND ABLE totally curled my toes. Is he based on anyone in particular?  

Isn't he great?  That southern boy charm just knocked me for a loop too. LOL  I'd like to say he reminded me of a real life man because I would introduce him to one of my daughters, but alas...he's pure imagination. 

One of the most charming and fun characters I’ve read in a long time is Queenie from AND ABLE. She is a total hoot and someone a tad different than what I’ve seen in your books. It seemed like you put a lot of thought into her creation. What was she like to write?  

An absolute hoot and you know who she reminds me of a bit?  My mom.  You should meet her.  She's an absolute crack up.  I love older people and Queenie's got a bit of some of my favorite women in her. 

Now, I’ve been thinking of the MERCENARY SERIES as a trilogy but this week I saw Ethan’s story is out!  That was very exciting because I really liked him a lot. Did you know at the outset he would have his own story? 

Once I figured out he wasn't the bad guy...yeah. LOL 

The Scorsolini Prince series had books come out in May, June and July 2006. What was it like for you to have three in a row coming out so close together?  

Fun...stressful...rewarding (lots of really special reader feedback on that trilogy). 

I read THE PRINCE’S VIRGIN WIFE while on vacation and it was, for me, the perfect vacation read. With Tomasso and Maggie’s travels around the globe I felt like I traveled with them. What would you have done in Maggie’s situation? Would you have gone along with Tomasso’s plan? 

Oh...what a question.  Maggie is a super strong woman who reminds me of a dear friend by the same name – though is in no way modeled after her, except that exceptional personal strength.  I think my strengths usually lie in other areas, but have I ever sacrificed for love?  Yes.  Did it hurt?  Yes.  Did it work out?  Yes.  Sometimes right away, sometimes eventually.  I may not be the type of person that would make the same choices as all my characters, but I believe in my stories and the choices they make for themselves.  I believe in what leads them to make their choices...love that doesn't have the boundaries we commonly like to place on it in our modern society.  I hope that makes sense. 

In THE SCORSOLINI MARRIAGE BARGAIN you take on a very serious health concern faced by many women. You treat the subject with great care and compassion. What inspired you in writing this very touching story? 

Women.  My love for and deep desire to touch other women.  We need to be there for each other.  Our current society fragments women, fragments friendships...families...so much and my books are a way of reaching out and connecting with other women in a way I believe we all need to.  I've had several friends tormented by endometriosis, writing that story was in some ways for them, but was mostly for me.  *I* needed to tell Therese's story because I believe a lot of women needed to read it.  Men too, if you want the truth. J 

So let’s go back a bit in time to TOUCH ME, TEMPT ME, TAKE ME, a really super historical series you have done. What prompted you to write in that period of time? 

The characters.  It always comes back to the characters for me.  I "met" Thea and Drake first and knew almost immediately that Thea's siblings had to have their own stories as well.  I love historicals...almost any era, but the characters themselves will dictate which one I write in.

Thea is a hoot. I just loved her. Is she based on anyone you know?

Not that I'm aware of. J

Who is more like you—Thea or Irisa?

Aahh…well, both I suppose.  I can actually see bits of both characters in myself.  Which I think isn't unusual for an author.  Thea's wariness, her independence, her action oriented thinking are all very familiar.  But Irisa's tendency toward havey-cavey ideas is definitely something I've been accused of more than three times. LOL

Both are great names. How did you choose them?

Oooh…character names are extremely important to me.  I spend hours going over name books, the history of names as well as their meanings and listening to myself say the names out loud before I decide on a character's name.  Other things can come into play too…the familial, social, academic and cultural background of the character's parents, for instance – not to mention the time period and country of origin.  Characters almost *never* come to me already named.  Unless it's a nickname.

My fellow Reviewer, Pam, has also read and enjoyed a number of your books and has some questions for you.

In TAKE ME Pam notes you are now writing category, paranormal and historical, after becoming a success with category. Do you intend writing for the three lines or concentrate on one or two genres in the future?

While I sold to Harlequin Presents first, I have been writing multiple subgenres from the beginning.  Yes, I know…not popular wisdom, but it worked for me.  As to what I plan to concentrate on…there will come a time when I will probably have two Presents, one contemporary single title and one paranormal single title as well as probably one novella in an anthology per year.  That's my plan anyway.  We'll see. J

What inspired her to write such vivid, and sensual historicals?

Oh, gosh…I hope all my stories are vivid and sensual.  Seriously.   That's something I strive for with every book.  Probably because I see the world I'm putting to paper so clearly.  I want to share that world as completely as I can with my readers.  As for how I do it?  Well, I read a total of 57 nonfiction books and visited numerous websites and interviewed experts on certain aspects of history researching for the Regency trilogy.  Almost identical amounts of research went into the medieval period for my Scottish werewolves.

Pam goes on to say I enjoyed reading Lord Beasts tale as the scarred hero deserved to be loved. Will there be more tales with a family connection?

Connection to the Selwyn family?  Not currently.  But my first two stories in the Children of the Moon books are connected in more than one instance by family ties.  I'm not sure where Book 3 will take us, but I love writing series based on family connections, so you can be assured there will be more in most if not all the subgenres I write in.

Was there much research involved in the three historical tales?

I sort of already answered this, but the quick answer is YES. ::wink::

In COME MOONRISE she says I enjoyed this book too. Did you enjoy writing a paranormal/ shapeshifter story as much as I enjoyed reading it?

Oh, absolutely.  I adore shapeshifters and really look forward to writing more.  I'm currently working on the follow on book to Come Moonrise.

Are you going to write Ty’s brother Duke, love story as he tries to mend fences with Leah?

That is definitely my plan.  I'm just waiting for the publisher to find a place for it in an anthology.  It's another novella story idea, so somewhat limited in where it can go.

Will Olivia also find her true love at some later stage?

Yes.  I'm not sure yet whether her story be a single title or another novella.

Now this question may seem a bit off the wall, but I am curious, have you ever suffered from "writer’s block"?  If so, what did you do to get out if it?  

Wrote through it.  That sounds like an oxymoron right?  To write through a block in creativity, but it's the only solution I know that works.  I'll turn on music and write and even if it's gibberish or needs WAY more revision than what I normally do, I write.  One thing I've found that helps is to write something completely different than what I usually work on or have been working on lately.  That can be a different subgenre of romance, a super short story rather than something saleable, poetry, even a song...anything to get the creative juices flowing again. 

But I will say this...we have to protect our imagination.  Allowing too much stress into our lives, regardless of the cause is the most debilitating issue to our creativity.  Some stress cannot be avoided, but some can be and if there is a choice...avoid it!  Some examples from my own life?  I stopped reading Amazon reader reviews and don't watch the sales rankings or even most of the lists anymore, leaving that up to my agent, who gives me good news and doesn't email to tell me if I'm *not* on a list.  I'm also cutting back on the amount of time I spend online and self-promoting my books. 

Are you working on anything right now? Can you tell us a teaser about these projects? (promises of Dallas and Manny’s stories maybe?) 

LOL  I'm currently working on Abigail and Talorc's (from Come Moonrise) story as well as a new book in my Royal Brides series for Presents (with Hawk – lots of readers have asked for his story).  Honestly, I'm not totally sure which next set of character's I'm going to write for the TGP series.  I just finished Alan (from Satisfaction Guaranteed) and Jillian's (from The Real Deal) story.  Deal with This will be out December.  As for what comes next...ask me again in September when I start the new TGP book...I should know by then. LOL 

Okay, imagination time…or maybe a prelude of what is to come.  You got the call, one of your series is going to be a mini-series of television movies.  Which one do you pick and who gets the parts? 

Yikes...I think Ready, Willing & And Able would make the best visual storyline.  As to who would play the lead parts?  That's a lot harder for me to decide than you might imagine.  Since I've got such a strong view of each of the characters, I have a hard time imagining actors playing their parts.  Honestly, I can't think who could play the parts.  What do *you* think?   

Do you read for relaxation? Who do you turn to? 

Oh, absolutely, yes!!!  I read tons and tons and tons.  I love so many authors, I'm not sure I can list them all, but here are a few of my faves:  Christine Feehan, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lori Foster, Lora Leigh, Theresa Madeiros, JJ Massa, Sean Michael, BA Tortuga, Kate Davies, Michelle Reid, Emma Darcy, Maggie Cox...and lots more. 

Do you have anything to add? 

Just a huge thank you for the chance to share in this special way with readers.  I haven't done an interview in a long time and I loved feeling like I was chatting personally with readers...which is the way your questions made me feel.  You all rock, you know?