A Romance Review welcomes Michelle M. Pillow as the Author of the Month for February 2007.

Michelle welcome to ARR and thank you for taking the time out of your schedule for this interview.

Thanks for having me.

Let's start off with something easy. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Maybe something we will not find on your website.

Hmm, let's see. I get cranky when I'm out of French Vanilla Creamer. I prefer the main course over dessert. I once took it to mind to make pajama pants a national dress but was distracted by a shiny object. And I would love to someday live in a castle.

You've written stories in several subgenres, is there one subgenre that you haven't written in that you might in the future?

I think the only genres I haven't tackled are inspirational and suspense, though some of my books have suspenseful elements in them. I can't say that I have plans to tackle either genre at this time. I have toyed with the idea of writing straight horror or fantasy.

When and how long have you been reading romances?

I started in High School, devouring historical romances, mainly because I ran out of other books and had picked one up. I never thought I'd write anything but historicals and it's still one of my favorite genres. I am still trying to decide if reading at that age was good or bad. I don't recommend my books to the underage, as they are intended for adults. Kind of one of those-do what I say, don't do what I did sort of things. LOL

How did that play a role in you writing them?

I've always loved history from a social anthropologist standpoint, but didn't know where I'd go with it. Museum curator jobs at the top places aren't really abundant, LOL, and I don't have the aptitude to be a teacher. I also love researching details of everyday life. Plus, I can be a little girly-a trait I tried to hide for a long time-and love it when people fall in love and live HEA. Those early novels made me familiar with the genre and I think built a foundation for the fundamentals of writing a novel. I didn't start small, just jumped into writing plus size books. Only later did I learn to write shorter, but it took work. My love for history, romance and also the paranormal just naturally met in my head.

Michelle you sometimes have a partner in crime, Mandy, that you've written stories with, either a story where you both write together or stories that are connected. How did this writing partnership develop?

We get asked that a lot. I like to tell people she broke into my house and convinced me to join an alien cult. Or that we fought over a t-shirt at a secondhand store and I won. The great thing about Mandy is that from day one, we just clicked. We are two very different people, but with the same hard drive and determination and somehow our personalities work well together. Also, our careers have progressed together, each of us seeming to hit milestones at the same time-like our first novel releasing around the same time, ect. It's nice to have a close friend to go through stuff with.

Will we still see more M&M stories in the future? If so, are the two of you working on one together now?

Mandy and I kind of take things as they come. We have Pleasure Cruise 2: Date with Destiny contracted and in the editing process at Ellora's Cave. So far that's all we have on the schedule, but we tend to come up with and implement plans for joints fairly quickly. One conversation tomorrow could lead to a release in three months.

You've written quite a few stories, is there one that seems to be special that sticks out in your mind as your favorite?

It's hard to pick a favorite. Now, if you'd asked me my least favorite, I'd know it right away-I would never ever tell it, but I'd know. LOL As to faves-For a long time it was the Tribes of the Vampire series, because it spanned so much history and I can research nearly any period and place I want. I like the futuristics because I can world build from scratch. I like historicals because I can create a story despite the set rules. They're all like putting together a puzzle.

Last year was your first experience with the Romantic Times Convention. How did you like it? Did you enjoy it?

Yes, I did enjoy it, but I wish I wasn't so nervous. It was my first outing as a published author and before being published for the first time mid- 2004, I hadn't even told anyone I was writing books. I just did it. I'm worried, having been nervously overwhelmed, that I'll not be able to put together all the names and faces this year like I should. I can't wait to see everyone again this year. I tend to be a little on the reserved side in crowds until I get comfortable, so if you see me lurking alone in a corner, come prod me, lol.

How was it meeting with your fans?

I was surprised, pleasantly of course. It's still surreal to think I have fans. I just feel like a "normal" person-same as always. They were all so nice, everyone was. I'd gotten fan mail, but up until that time, I hadn't really met anyone who'd read my books in person.

If there was one story that you've written and now look back and think of things that could improve it or what was I thinking?

I don't like reading my earlier works, because like most artists/writers they can always be improved and changed and there comes a time when you just have to stop and let it go. I see so many things-not really story/plot wise, but more the technical part of writing wise-that I would do differently now. But, since reviewers and writers like the early books, it becomes a matter of how much is me being picky and how much do you go in and change before re-releasing the same story.

From your website, you have two books out from Virgin Cheek, can you tell us about Virgin Cheek? I haven't heard of them before.

Virgin Books (you might know the name from Virgin Airlines, Virgin Records, ect) is an erotic romance imprint out of the UK who is just now making a major push into the US market. They do print only titles from lighter erotic romances (Cheek) to their more erotica (Black Lace). Cheek is a newer imprint within that company. I actually have four books contracted with them for the line now. Fierce Competition and Opposites Attract will re-release this year in Mass Market print. And the beginning of a new series, Matthews Sisters, starts Feb 2007 with Bit by the Bug followed in August by book two, Along for the Ride.

Also will you tell us about the two stories that you have with them.

All of the stories are erotic romance contemporaries, lighter in tone from my other works. Think more of a Sex in the City type vibe.

Fierce Competition - Follows a woman with a problem managing money who takes a job beneath her, only to have her shame discovered by her social rival. The rival does everything she can to ruin the heroine, Jane, including instigating a break up between Jane and her boyfriend-the son of a senator.

Opposites Attract - A wealthy heiress loses it all and is forced to make her own way working across country. Her driving companions include her best friend Susan who comes from a middle class home, Susan's boyfriend and a tattoo artiest she's never met before stepping into his car. Ethan James is everything she's never wanted in a man, but he might just turn out to be everything she needs.

Bit by the Bug (Matthews Sisters 1) - I'm excited about this one. Basically, a rich couple hire photographer, Kat Matthews, to get their son out into the dating world without him discovering they're behind the plot. He's a reclusive entomologist who spends his free time milking spiders for poison. Distracted, overworked and a complete mess, Dr Vincent Richmond proves to be a chore. Throw in four meddlesome sisters, a tea-leaf reading mother, an intellectual father and you have a story.

Along for the Ride (Matthews Sisters 2) - This book follows police detective Megan Matthews. Because of a picture taken of her at a crime scene taking down a serial killer, Megan is now New York's Darling Detective thanks to the photographer who made her famous-Ryan Lucas. Ryan is mildly obsessed with the detective, but can't get her to give him the time of day. So, concocting a plan with Megan's sister and his friend, Kat, he's pulled into a whirlwind of deceit-not the least of which is announcing to her family that he's engaged to Megan before they've even gone on a single date. Megan, believing Ryan to be blackmailing her with another photo, has no choice but to go along for the ride.

Hard question here, for someone that has never read any of your stories, which one would you recommend? And why? The subgenre doesn't matter as they read them all.

LOL, you did have to make it hard. Usually my first question is what kind of books someone likes before making a recommendation. I tend to write in several styles.

I think maybe with a historical, like Maiden and the Monster (nominated for an RT Reviewer's Choice award this year) or maybe the darker vampire novel The Jaded Hunter. They're longer and give a wide scope of situations. Plus, I really love those two stories. But, on the other hand, my Dragon Lords series is really popular, so maybe The Perfect Prince.

Michelle can you tell us what you are currently work on?

At this moment, nothing. I finished off several contracts including Along for the Ride (Virgin), Realm Immortal 3: Stone Queen (Samhain), Lords of the Abyss 2: Commanding the Tides (NCP) and edits for Pleasure Cruise 2: Date with Destiny (Ellora's Cave, co author Mandy Roth). I've just finished revamping my website this last week and have been making book videos (you can see them on my site). www.michellepillow.com Now is just a time for catching up on emails, taxes and other stuff for my business.

Last question, is there anything else that I haven't asked that you would like your readers to know?

I was nominated for the RT Reviewers Choice Award this year for Maiden and the Monster, a historical from Ellora's Cave. I'm very excited and honored! Also, I do have plans to start writing the Space Lords series soon, the next installment in the Dragon Lords/Lords of the Var/Zhang Dynasty saga.

Links:
Blog - http://michellespillowtalk.blogspot.com/
Website- www.michellepillow.com
Newsletter - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michellempillow/join
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/michellepillow
Raven Paranormal Blog- http://ravenvampireclub.blogspot.com/

RAVEN Free Ongoing, Online Paranormal Story
http://www.ravenhappyhour.com/raven.htm

Raven Reader Yahoo Group (chatting)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Raven_Vampire_Nightclub/join

Thank you again Michelle. I'm hoping you have a blast at the RT Convention in Texas. I'm sorry to say I'm going to be missing it this year.

Ah, that's too bad. Maybe next year. :)
Thanks for having me!