What was the first Western historical novel you remember reading?

The Gamble by LaVyrle Spencer.

What about the western experience made you want to write about it?

I’m a history buff and have always been fascinated that our forebears blazed trails into the great unknown in search of a better life.  I can’t fathom the courage it took to strike out west with a map that was possibly 75% right and only a dream to hang their hat on. 

Those who tamed the West were ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situations.  The hostile Indians, outlaws and weather conspired against them all, yet they persevered.  And won!  They carved history out of faith and courage and fortitude. 

Those are the people I know and want to write about.  I want their story told, so that history comes alive for the reader in a way we can relate to.

You just wrote a contemporary romance for Harlequin, Pirate Tycoon, Forbidden Baby to be released in July. Can you tell us a little about that book and some of the ways writing a contemporary differs from writing an historical?

I’ve always wanted to write a pirate story, but I never wanted to do all the research necessary for a true historical high seas adventure.  And I’ve always wanted to write contemporary too, so I blended two loves and wrote Pirate Tycoon.  

Andre Gauthier is a true alpha male: brooding, dangerous, and ruthless.  He’s a corporate pirate who has been terribly wronged by Kira’s father – not once, but twice.  He’s had enough and is out for revenge pirate-style – which means kidnapping the enemy’s daughter. 

Unfortunately, Kira has been used by her father and becomes the pawn in a cruel game of corporate tug o’ war.  She doesn’t realize that until she’s more than a bit in love with the hero and is carrying his child.  She wants to hate him when he takes her to his island hideaway, but Andre’s wounded soul calls out to her.  It’s there in the lush tropics that a new battle ensues between them where they must trust what’s in their hearts.

Of course writing a contemporary is freeing because of there is no worry about language.  I don’t have to check to see if a word or phrase or gadget was in use in that era.  But contemporary works that I write also require a good deal of research.  Also, for Presents there is a similarity between their strong heroes and heroines and those found in historcial romances.  

What part of the writing process do you enjoy most when you write—the research? creating the characters? developing the plot? providing the historical context?

Characters make the story and I’m an avid people watcher.  The characters always come first to me with their problems, and I place them in the setting that best suits (or conflicts) with their story.  I’m also a research nut and can get lost for days/weeks researching. 

I stopped the intense prewriting research long ago and just put my behind in the chair and write the story.  When I need clarification on research, I do it then. I also edit the previous writing before adding new, so the story stays fresher in my mind.  It’s my process for good or bad – all authors have their own version of what works for them.

I’m not a structured plotter –I love finding out who the villain is or what is truly at stake for my characters as I write.  It’s those surprised that keep the stories fresh for me. 

Tell us about your up coming western historical romance trilogy for Kensington and the first book to be released in October from that trilogy titled A Cowboy Christmas (love the cover by the way!).

My former editor and I haggled over ideas for the new trilogy.  Hilary Sares was fabulous to brainstorm with, and she wanted something on the vein of Linda Lael Miller’s Orphan Train trilogy, or Julie Garwood’s For the Roses series.  So we tossed ideas back and forth until I hit on the idea of three orphan boys bonding in an orphanage.  Each story centers on one of the “foster brothers”, the fraternity of brotherhood that was shattered by death and deceit, their struggle to carve a new life for themselves, and the search of one woman for the son taken from her at birth that will ultimately draw the brothers back together into the strong family unit.   

Reid Barclay’s story – A Cowboy Christmas – is the first in the Lost Sons trilogy.  I’d written it as a summer book when word came down from my publisher that they’d given me a Christmas slot for it.  It was an intense rewrite made more interesting with a switch in editors at the eleventh hour.  

I’m presently writing the second book in the series and totally love Dade Logan, the hero.  I always fall for the heros first. 

If you were to choose two actors to play Reid and Ellie Jo who would they be and why?

Ah, this is easy because I did a collage of this story to help keep the characters before me all the time.  Matthew McConaughey as Reid – the Irish bastard with his back to the wall and few dreams left.  I had a picture of him in a Stetson ad which was perfect for dark secretive Reid.  Mariska Hargitayas Ellie Jo – the girl with stars in her eyes about Christmas and family.  I found a picture of her lying on the floor smiling, and knew at a glance she was my heroine.  She was the image of innocence with a love of life that embodied Ellie, and I could see her torn between believing her outlaw father who she’d adored with all the love a daughter could give, and Reid, the wronged man she was drawn to belief and love with all her heart. 

What are some of your favorite western romances by other authors?

I could not possibly list a fraction of the stories that have moved me over the years and that have found a place on my keeper shelf.  Seriously, my bookshelves are bulging with novels I just can’t part with.  So I’ll name three older titles that are incomparable in my opinion and should be found and reread.  Gypsy Lady by Shirley Busby – Jason was a hero I loved to hate.  Hummingbird by LaVyrle Spencer – Jesse was the most loveable and most frustratingly arrogant alpha male I’ve come across.  The Bad Luck Wedding Dress by Gerilyn Dawson – Trace had every reason to distrust women, and luck saddled him with precocious daughters. 

And finally, western historical romances are unique to the American experience. Any lessons we could learn from those who tamed the Old West?

Patience.  Those who blazed the trails had to have had patience.  They knew the folly of rushing in where fools dared to tread, even though they were taking unbelievable chances by homesteading, trailblazing, being the entrepreneurs of a new business in a end of the rail town or an outpost literally on the fringe of nowhere.  Maybe we need to take a page from their courage to make a better tomorrow, if only for ourselves.