In the summer of '80, Silhouette bought my first book.

Mary Stewart will always be my goddess. I can pick up one of her early books - one I've read a dozen times - and still slide right into the story.

My own sense of family, where I came from and what I made for myself is an important part of my life.

One of my greatest pleasures is falling into a story someone else has written.

The most important aspect of any story, to me, is character.

For over a year I continued to submit mss, and have them rejected - the last few with rejection letters indicated the story was pretty good, but I was American.

I find I use the Internet more and more. It's just an invaluable tool. I do most of my research on the Net now - and certainly do the bulk of my communicating through email.

Action, reaction, motivation, emotion, all have to come from the characters. Writing a love scene requires the same elements from the writer as any other.

Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, delight the heart. And they both take practice.

I believe strongly in writing groups such as Romance Writers Of America that offer support, information and networking.

I don't think you can write - at least not well - if you don't love stories, love the written word.

You don't find time to write. You make time. It's my job.

Actually, I find it great fun to develop family series with lots of characters.

And each book has to receive your best effort every single time. No slacking.

Aren't most romance heros, or heros in fiction of any kind, generally superior to real men? Same goes for heroines and real women.

Certainly the plagiarism, and dealing with the fallout of it, was the most difficult thing I've ever faced since I started writing.

Every single book is a challenge.

Every writer has to figure out what works best - and often has to select and discard different tools before they find the one that fits.

I decided to write category romance as I'd recently discovered them, and enjoyed them.

I do indeed write on the road. My laptop goes with me everywhere.