Why did you close down your old web site? I really looked forward to your monthly newsletters.

A couple of reasons made me decide to take it down. First, it was getting stale. Nothing too exciting happening there anymore. More important was that Cleo, one of my adored dogs, died, and because there were so many pictures of her in the photo gallery, I just found it too painful to see her. She's been gone nearly two years now, and I still miss her, but it's time to move on. Her brother, Piper, is still with me and he has a puppy to keep him company in his old age – see the photo gallery to learn more about Beau, my yellow Lab, a.k.a. The Moose!
Update: My beloved Piper joined Cleo in bone heaven on Father's Day, 2005. He was fifteen and a half, and I still miss him terribly. Shortly after, we brought Zelda home to keep poor Beau company, as he'd never been alone and couldn't figure out where his old buddy had gone. See the photo album for details

When are you and Judith Bowen going to host another Singletree Workshop?

Probably never! The organization required takes up too much valuable writing time. It was great while it lasted, and Judith and I are proud to have been instrumental in nearly a dozen unpublished writers making their first sales, but our own careers take priority.

Do you ever run out of story ideas?

Frequently! There are only so many twists on the same old themes, and creating a new angle presents a challenge.

Do you always know how a story's going to end up when you start out?

I always have a general idea of where a story is headed, but specific incidents and scenes often don't materialize until I'm well into the opening chapters. By then, I'm more familiar with my characters and have a better fix on how they're likely to respond to the situations in which they find themselves.

How do you deal with writer's block?

I'm not sure I believe in it. If a story stalls, particularly in a short contemporary romance – and yes, I do believe that happens – I find it's most often a matter of going back to the drawing board and taking a look at my characters. They're the engine that drives the plot and, if it's not moving, odds are it's their fault, which translates into its being my fault for not fleshing them out sufficiently and giving them a conflict serious enough to maintain the tension of the story before I launched into chapter development.

What pet peeves do you have when you read other authors' romance novels?

A hero whose chief talent appears to be molding a heroine to the underside of his boot heel. And a heroine who allows that to happen. Admittedly, conflict is a major component in any novel. But hurling insults and being plain nasty is not conflict, it's abuse, and there's already enough of that in the world.

Why did you suddenly switch to Superromance after so many years with Harlequin Presents?

For a change of pace and a different challenge. I felt I was becoming stale and they do say variety is the spice of life – whoever 'they' are!

How come so many Presents titles sound the same?

Titles are intended to convey to the reader the kind of story found between the covers. The focus of Harlequin Presents is unruly passion between a man and woman kept apart by what appear to be insurmountable obstacles. At present, Italian, Greek or Spanish heroes are particularly popular. Then, there are perennially favorite themes, for example, secret babies, mistresses, and millionaires. Throw them into the Mediterranean mix, and inevitably you're going to wind up with similar sounding, or repetitive titles.

Do you get to choose the titles of your books?

Seldom! As a rule, the title I choose is booted out the door – usually because it's too mainstream. But I'm always consulted about editorial substitutes and asked to give my seal of approval. Do I always give it? Mostly. But those times I've objected, my preference has been honored.

How much input do you have on cover art?

Theoretically, a lot, but it doesn't always pan out that way. In fact, I've had some covers that bear only passing resemblance either to the story, the title, or the art fact sheets I delivered with the manuscript. For example, in A Nanny In The Family, the heroine buys a Golden Retriever puppy, but the dog on the cover is a white poodle.

I specifically described a delicate wrought iron four-poster bed draped in fine white mosquito netting for In The Best Man's Bed – but you'll notice the cover shows a pine sleigh bed, sans netting.

The hero in Christmas With A Stranger is in his mid-thirties, has black hair, and is a senior Court Prosecutor in Vancouver – a pretty prestigious position unlikely to be conferred on youthful newcomers to the legal profession. At one point in the story, he takes the heroine for a sleigh ride, with buffalo robes to keep her warm. The cover shows him to be somewhere in his late teens, with red hair, snuggling up to a woman old enough to be his aunt – and the buffalo robes have metamorphosed into a patchwork quilt. Go figure!

Having said all that, though, I have to admit I'm more often than not blessed with wonderful cover art – including a few heroes I wouldn't mind meeting in the flesh!