A: They've had the same influence on romance as on other genres, in my opinion. The internet has enabled genre lovers to refine their tastes, to choose only what they really like, and to find more obscure authors who represent that. But romance authors in particular love to socialize, so the internet has allowed us to communicate with our readers more directly as well. Technology enhances our thirst for communication.

Also, for historical writers, the internet is a life-saver for research. I can research an item in moments now that would have taken me weeks before. I love Google Books! There's no replacement for being able to pull up a period travelogue to find out, for example, what Spain was like in the early 19th century.

Q: 2. Does your Ph.D. in English help you in bringing characters to life? Does it shape your writing in any way?

A: I honestly don't think my Ph.D. shapes my writing NOW in any way. If anything, it was a negative influence when I started. I was too conscious of the many voices of the period fiction I'd read through the years, and because I was writing historical fiction, those voices hampered me in finding my own. But I suppose the research skills that I learned in grad school have stood me in good stead. That's nothing to sneeze at.

Q: 3. Based on your childhood abroad, do you enjoy traveling?

A: I love traveling! Unfortunately, travel is difficult with my autistic son depending on me and my husband for everything. But we're considering taking him on a trip to England next year. It will be our first try at international travel with him. We'll see how it goes!

Q: 4. Are there any other genres of literature that you enjoy reading?

A: I enjoy thrillers occasionally, and I read a lot of nonfiction for research. I do read the occasional mystery or science fiction novel, along with some literary fiction and straight women's fiction, but I honestly prefer romance to any of them.

Q: 5. How did you choose books when you were a child? Did your parents influence your reading choices?

A: My choices were limited as a child to what was in my parents' library or what we could find in Bangkok cheaply. Fortunately, my father had eclectic reading tastes, so I was exposed to many wonderful books. I tended to prefer romance and sf/f even then, however. Since I was a voracious reader, I read pretty much anything I could get my hands on. My parents didn't try to influence my choices beyond not allowing me to read material that wasn't age-appropriate. They did encourage me to read some religious fiction, but they had no problems with my reading other books.

Q: 6. In NC, do you find it easy to work/network with other authors?

A: Absolutely. It helps that I'm a member of the local chapter of Romance Writers of America--Heart of Carolina Romance Writers. We have over 100 members, so I get all the networking I need from that group. I also met a few local sf/f readers and writers, and one of them is a good friend, so I network in that area a little as well.

Q: 7. If you could meet one person in history, who would it be, and why?

A: Only one? Really? Jane Austen would probably be my first choice, since she spawned the whole genre that I love, and since I'm a rabid fan (I actually wrote an afterword for one of the recent editions of Emma). I'd love to know if she ever did have a romance, and I'd like to just hang out, since even in her letters she was incredibly witty, and I enjoy the company of witty people.

Q: 8. If one of your books was sought after to be made into a movie, which one do you think it would be? Any nominations for actors to play the leads?

A: The best book of mine for a movie is possibly the one coming out next June, Don't Bargain with the Devil, since it's about a Regency-era conjuror from Spain, and part of it actually takes place in Spain. The problem with making movies out of historical romances (in fact, with making movies from romances in general) is that so much of the story is internal. My books don't contain a lot of action, and that's hard to capture on film and make it interesting. On the other hand, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice contains little action, yet millions enjoy the films of her books. It can be done--I'm just not sure Hollywood is that interested in doing it. But if they were, my first choice for an actor to play any romantic hero is Richard Armitage, who did the four-hour version of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South. He has just the right amount of brooding intensity to make a woman's heart pound. If they did my Spanish book, however, I'd suggest Rodrigo Santoro, who played Carl in Love Actually. For romantic heroines, I loved Anne Hathaway in Becoming Jane, so I think she'd be my first choice.

Interview Date: July 2008