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Q: |
Where did
your ideas come from for To a Certain Degree |
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A: |
A news story
caught my eye about a brilliant woman scientist was not
given credit for her work because of a bias against
females in science. I made my brilliant woman also
gorgeous. |
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Q: |
What personal experiences
are helpful to you in writing a novel? |
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A: |
A writer
draws on everything. Try any new experience. I promise
you’ll use it sooner or later. |
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Q: |
Do you keep a file of
ideas? |
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A: |
I’m
constantly filing stuff away. Finding it can be dicey. |
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Q: |
How do you name your
characters? |
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A: |
Some of them
just pop up, some I worry over. All my friends and
family appear, but I don’t match them to the character.
I hate to get a name wrong because it’s almost
impossible to change when you’ve got that name in your
head. |
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Q: |
What’s the best time to
write? |
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A: |
Everyone is
different. I like about 3 pm ‘til seven, when I have to
fix dinner. |
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Q: |
Do you think an outline
is necessary? |
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A: |
I don’t use
them. Others always do. It’s a preference. |
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Q: |
Are re-writes a chore? |
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A: |
I love to
rewrite after the first draft is done. That’s when you
can tweak details, broaden your characters. |
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Q: |
How do you develop a
character? |
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A: |
As you get
into the book, characters begin to assert themselves.
After the first draft you know them so well you can
polish them up. |
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Q: |
What was your motivation
for writing each of your books? |
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A: |
Little
things. In
KACHINA, it was a news story about a museum
director who had de-acquisitioned works of art on the
sly.
CHANCE ENCOUNTERS? There was an election going on
at the time and the papers were full of stories. With
PIMA ROAD, I saw a good looking Indian man running along
Pima Road. In
BLUE TURQUOISE, WHITE SHELL, I wanted to
explore more deeply the ramifications of an interracial
love story. |
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Q: |
How easy is it to get
published today? |
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A: |
It’s very
hard. You’ve got to stop crying over every rejection and
keep plugging away |
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Q: |
What do you think of
self-publishing? |
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A: |
It’s
becoming an acceptable alternative to regular
publishing. |
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Q: |
Why did you choose to
write in the romance genre? |
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A: |
I think it
just chose me. Everything I wrote turned into a love
story. I’m just a romantic. |
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Q: |
Are most of your settings
in the Southwest? |
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A: |
The central
parts of the story always are. The Southwest’s climate
and geography are inherently dramatic. A wild summer
thunderstorm is too good to be passed up. It’s a
gorgeous state with so many contrasts. |
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Q: |
What are you working on
now? |
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A: |
I’ve got
several things going. My head is full of ideas and I’ve
got to zero in pretty soon. I love them all, so I’m
reluctant to put one away. And I really can’t work on
more than one after I get into the one that I can’t stop
thinking about.. |
