Lucy, welcome to A Romance Review. I am so glad you are able to chat with me for a bit about your writing career. Your first single title Brava, The Real Deal was released last month and you have two new releases out this month so I can see you have been mega busy. Thanks for making the time to talk with me.

Let's get started. Lucy, first off could I ask you to tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

Sure. In terms of selling my first book, I'm far from an instant success story. I wrote full-time for close to five years before I sold The Greek Tycoon's Ultimatum and have more rejections in my file than I ever thought I'd be able to face and keep going on, but the passion to write is stronger than the fear of rejection and that meant I could not give up. It was worth it. I love writing romance, I mean really love it. My family is very supportive and my career is not only an enhancement to my own life, but because of their great attitudes, it enhances theirs as well. And that's important because my family is even more important to me than my writing. I adore being a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and aunt. All roles are incredibly important to me.

You have had several previous jobs so tell me how did you get the "writing bug"? How long did it take you to decide to try and publish your work? Why did you initially target the Harlequin Presents line?

I got the writing bug while having a conversation with God in the bathtub. I knew from that point forward that I wanted to publish and while The Greek Tycoon's Ultimatum is the first book that sold, it was not my first target for publication. I write across the genres of romance and that was true when I first started out as well. I can tell you that I love writing for Presents because I can write stories for that line that are unique to it. The line is very special and allows me to explore foreign locales, different plot lines and the ultra alpha hero in a way I cannot do anywhere else.

One of the unusual things I discovered about your career was that you were actually published overseas before you had a book on the shelves in the good old USA. Can you explain to readers how this works?

It's really pretty easy. All Harlequin Presents are published first as HM&B Modern Romance in the UK and editorial for that line is in the UK. I met my editor at an RWA National conference, pitched the book and she wanted to read it. It went really fast from there and I love working with the Richmond editorial office. They are as unique in a very good way as the line itself.

Your first release, The Greek Tycoon's Ultimatum finally made it to the store shelves in the US market in October of 2003. Can you share with us the reaction you had when you first saw you book on the store shelves?

It was incredible. I'd driven to Fred Meyer (a local super department/grocery story with a huge book section) and my daughter was with me. She kept hopping around, but I was speechless. It was a moment I will treasure forever.

In September of 2004, your first Brava single title, The Real Deal was published. First off could you share with our readers the story behind how this book came into being?

I wrote this book on spec (which means I didn't have a publisher for it) because writing three Presents a year was and is not enough to keep me busy. My dream for publication included writing in more than one sub-genre of romance and I had to write the books to sell them. I fell in love with Simon and Amanda immediately and I had this feeling it fit Brava, but I hesitated to submit it. Lori Foster had given The Greek Tycoon's Ultimatum to Kate Duffy at Kensington and Kate emailed me to tell me she loved it and would read everything I wrote from that point on. Wowza! I emailed back and said what about unpublished stuff...did I have a single title for her. She wanted to see it and the rest they say, is history. (smile)

The Real Deal has been compared by some as similar to a classic Spencer Tracy Katherine Hepburn movie. I haven't gotten a chance to pick up a copy yet so could you tell me (and our readers) a little more about this book?

Well, it has a lot of the dry humor of a Tracy/Hepburn movie, but a lot more sizzle. I love writing different, but realistic characters and Simon fits the bill admirably. He's very eccentric and very sexy. Amanda is focused and fearless, except when it comes to being a woman first, tough negotiator second. I really loved writing this book and hope it finds a place in readers' hearts. It's certainly got a place in mine.

Did you find any particular challenges in writing this book compared to the work you do for HP?

I love writing both short and long, so in that sense no. However, the hardest thing about writing this book was continuing to write on spec when I knew if I wrote another Presents, it would sell...it just might not make it into publication for a while.

As I said earlier October is a very busy month for you in that you have not one but two new releases out. First up is a new Harlequin Presents title, The Italian's Suitable Wife. I loved Rico and Ginna's story. It is my favorite to date. Such an emotional and heartwarming story it really draws the reader in. Can you tell our readers a little about this story?

Rico wants a baby; Gianna wants Rico; it should be a match made in Heaven...but Rico is paralyzed and Gianna is the last woman he expects to marry. It's a very emotional story about two people made for each other, but with a lot of issues to overcome before either of them can accept that reality.

Your second release in this busy month of October is in the Brava anthology Merry Christmas Baby. Your story is Silver Bella. I love this six-pack format from Brava. Fist of all, would you tell us a bit about Silver Bella? (Clever title by the way)

Thanks, Kate does all my titles because I sort of suck at them. (smile) In Silver Bella, Jake is just the present Bella wants in her stocking this Christmas, but the big question is: will the cowboy cooperate? It's fast-paced and sexy, but the romance is key...which is pretty important to me.

Now I have to ask. Did you have any special challenges with this story being as it's told in such a limited number of pages? I think each story is between 60-70 pages.

Writing that short was a challenge and I was scared I wouldn't get it right, but once I got into the story, I loved every minute...so I guess, it's just a matter of having the right story for the right word count.

Lucy, when you are working on a book do you have a set schedule you go by? What is a typical day like when you are working on a book?

I stick to a major schedule. First, in the overall I've got a GANT chart that details every book due, revisions, everything and is color coded so I can see what I'm supposed to be working on when at a glance. Then, on a daily basis I try for ten good pages a day, editing the ten from the day before and then a specified amount of revisions from another book, or copyedits, or galleys, or working on developing the next book. I work more than forty hours a week on my writing and can easily spend twelve hours at the computer if my family doesn't intervene. Being a great family, they intervene frequently once I've gotten past the eight hour mark. (smile)

What do your family and friends think of your new writing career? Do they read your books? Who has been the most encouraging as far as your career goes both personally and professionally? (In other words family and friend-wise and fellow author or editor or other professional. wise.)

I am extremely blessed. Pretty much all my family (and I have a big one) and friends read my books and attend book signings when they can. They even understand when I tell them I can't go to lunch or shopping or to some special event because I have to work. And romance writers are the most amazing bunch of people in the world. Other writers have been super at every stage of my career and I appreciate their generosity more than I can say. I also have incredible rapport with all three of my editors and would walk over live coals for all of them. Like I said...extremely blessed. I certainly do not think my success in the present or the future is a one-woman effort. I've had too much loving support along the way!

What kind of advice would you give a writer just starting out who hopes to one day become published? Was there any special advice you were given that made all the difference so to speak and if so what was it and who gave it to you?

Don't give up. You cannot guarantee success, but you can guarantee failure...by giving up.

I see from your web site you have lots of projects coming up. It looks like 2005 will be a really busy year for you as well. I do want to ask about one in particular though. I see you are writing a regency historical series for Berkley. Can you tell us a bit about this project?

Oh, my goodness...I'm so excited about this. Selling to Berkley was the final step in realizing the basic components of my dream. TEMPT ME is the first in a trilogy of Regency set historicals centering around an intense and passionate family. It is not a saga. It is a trilogy of romances, but the mainstream elements in the stories make each one unique and powerful (I hope ).

Would you tell us about your other projects? I know you have a December Presents coming out. Tell us about it and your other projects for 2005 please.

The Billionaire's Pregnant Mistress has gotten some really great feedback from readers abroad and I'm hoping North American readers enjoy Dimitri and Xandra's story as much. The story pretty much opens with the black moment and Dimitri spends the rest of the book winning over a justifiably furious Alexandra. I love these types of stories, when the hero (or heroine) sink as deep as you think they can go and then they are redeemed. The emotional pay-off to me as a reader is so much more intense.

As a writer what do you feel is your greatest strength and your greatest weakness? Is there anything about the publishing world that took you totally by surprise and if so what?

My greatest strength: my willingness to listen to my editors, but to take chances too. My greatest weakness: how hard it is for me to deal with rejection. It takes a lot of self-coaching to get over it and writing again and yes, it still happens. The biggest surprise? How nice my editors are and how much they want me to succeed. They really care. It isn't just about numbers to them...it's about great stories.

Is there any type of writing you haven't tried that you hope to try in the future?

I've done a lot of lay counseling with women and couples. I would like to write a marriage book some day incorporating the great truths the romance industry thrives on.

Finally Lucy what is the best way for your readers to get in touch with you?

lucymonroe@comcast.net I answer every reader email personally.

Lucy thank you so much for chatting with me. I wish you much continued success in your writing career. I think you will bring readers many hours of enjoyment and personally look forward to your future releases.