Hi Susanne, thank you for agreeing to do this interview. I have read several of your books and simply enjoyed them all.

Thank you, Pam. I'm very honored to be featured this month at A ROMANCE REVIEW. And thank you for your wonderful reviews of my books!

Let's begin by you briefly telling everyone about yourself.

I've been blessed with a wonderful husband, a darling daughter, and a feisty Siamese cat! I'm originally from New York City, and I've lived in Florida, Alabama, Montana, Okinawa, and now Washington. Quite the wanderlust in my soul, however there's a lot to be said for settling down. :-)) I've always had a knack for writing, and I love to play the "what if" game when developing a story. Here are just a few examples: what if a gold coin had the power to change one's fortunes? (THE MAGIC TOKEN) What if a lonely woman's dream man turned out to be her arrogant, new boss? (LOVE AT THE TOP) What if "having a nice spot of tea" took on a sinister meaning? (TAINTED TEA FOR TWO) What if a Shakespeare-quoting ghost found a way to avenge his death? (GRAVE FUTURE)

Susanne, after reading a mixture of your books, do you have a favorite sub-genre that you like to write? Also, is there one sub-genre that you haven't written yet that you would like to in the future?

I'm very fortunate because I combine romance with the genres I'm interested in: Regency, science fiction, suspense, paranormal, mystery. These are all my favorites. Even my short stories seem to have a romantic edge to them. :-)) I do like to have some humor in my novels, either with characters or situations, so in the future I'd like to try doing a romantic comedy.

Out of all the books you have written, do you have a favorite and why?

That *is* a difficult question! I've nurtured all my books--lived through and sweated out each and every story. That's one reason why I won't write what I don't feel passionate about. I like to include something from my life experiences in each novel which helps to endear the story to me. For example, for GRAVE FUTURE: I did get lost in the Poconos looking for a friend's summer home. For THE RELUCTANT LANDLORD: at one time I did have oddly colored hair like the heroine. For LORD DARVER'S MATCH: I almost overturned a row boat. For TAINTED TEA FOR TWO: I do have a fitness background. With twelve books to my name, I could go on and on, but you know what I mean. Each book is my favorite in its own way.

It seems most authors have a manuscript or two tucked away never to see the light of day again. Do you have one as well? Do you think you might one day bring it out, dust it off and try to make changes to it and then try to get it published?

Most definitely! I had a few oldies but goodies that I revamped quite successfully. And have a couple more still buried in the closet. When I get some free time (ha!), they're on my list to revisit.

Not only do you write romances but you are involved in a number of other writing projects as well. Can you tell us about those projects?

I'd be happy to. I'm one of over 100 launch writers for Our Mail Network, a new web-based information center at http://www.ourmailnet.com. My infoproduct title is "Maintaining Flexibility & Muscle Strength with Elastic Exercise Bands." Also, I took part in Wal-Mart and Sam's Club--Words Are Your Wheels Literacy Initiative this past May at a local Wal-Mart. My writing is included in several anthologies including PARAGONS, an ebook anthology of short stories celebrating life in the face of adversity, http://www.welcome.to/paragons; the current issue of ALIEN ALERTS JOURNAL, http://www.otherworldsscifi.com ("Saturation Point"), and LEAPS OF FAITH, the 5 star science fiction anthology ("The Convert"). In addition, recipes based on my books are included in these cookbook collections: the Literacy Cookbook, Winging It In The Kitchen, Cooking Up Romance--The Way To Your Hero's Heart, and Cooking Between The Sheets. In addition, I work as a writer/editor for a fitness program shown on public television.

From looking over your website, you are one busy lady. How do you manage to write and do everything else that you do?

Great question! Oh, how I wish there were more hours in the day. To keep up with everything, I'm afraid I've had to cut back on my writing. One of my goals for the upcoming new year is to dedicate more time to the business... and fun of writing!

ALIEN HEAT is a science fiction romance. Normally, science fiction is not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed the story nonetheless. How or where did you come up with the story line?

I'm so glad you enjoyed this story! As I said, I like to use the "what if" scenario so I got an idea when I came across a cover story in U.S. News and World Report on global warming. What if this warming was due to villainous extraterrestrial factors, not just because of things like automobile exhaust? Then I researched the 1994 crash of comet Shoemaker-Levy into Jupiter. This could happen on Venus, I theorized, with the force of impact sending out fragments of Venus which then eventually collided with Earth. In addition to a dramatic climate change, there'd have to be significant damage to civilization. With that kind of trauma, cultures and countries usually become divided, so now I had the "primitive" villagers and the more technologically advanced people of Canusa. Throw in colonizing Venusian flowers and you have ALIEN HEAT!

I asked Celia; since she has read a number of your stories as well, if she had a question for you. Her question is, "In JANUS IS A TWO-HEADED GOD, you highlighted the differences between species and yet brought the characters together on the basis of their similarity - their ability to love. You have united lovers in other stories also, even though their backgrounds have differed. Do you personally believe that love conquers all?"

First, I want to thank Celia for her wonderful reviews of my books! In fact after reading her reviews and yours, Pam, I wanted to pull out copies of my books and read them again. :-)) Yes, I do believe love can conquer all. I was born under the sign of Pisces, and am a self-confessed incurable romantic. And I'm not the only one who believes this; that's why romances are so very popular and will never go out of style. Who can resist a good story of two people from dissimilar circumstances who overcome their differences? One of the strangest pairings I created was with a human and a being who was more flora than fauna ("The Convert"). They bridged the gap separating them with music. Love is an extremely powerful emotion,--physically, mentally, and spiritually. In the immortal words of Lennon and McCartney: All you need is love!

With all of the different sub-genres, how much research goes into each book? I know the science fiction and futuristic ones you can pretty much go with what you want.

Lots and lots of research. For example: historical details for Regencies have to be 100 percent accurate or you, as the author, get a ton of *fan* mail. For JANUS IS A TWO-HEADED GOD, I had to get a firm grasp (!) on black holes, so I bought two of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking's works. Not easy reading! PAST INDISCRETIONS deals with Atlantis, so I researched what I could on that topic. THE COMING involved learning about the Bermuda Triangle and World War II B-17 Army Air Force pilots. Sometimes pages of research boil down to only one line in your story, but it's an important line... and accurate as well!

In ALIEN HEAT it seems that you mixed historical and modern day. Was that a challenge to incorporate the two?

No, not really. I'm equally at home in the past, present, and future! Especially with time-travels like LORD DARVER'S MATCH and TIMELESS DECEPTION, I had to jump from different points of view to tell the story, so I had to be careful not to use inappropriate speech for characters belonging to each era.

Some of your stories have won awards. Do you have a story that hasn't won an award that you think should have? If you do, will you tell us which one and why?

Ah, since each book is my favorite in its own way I think they all should win awards! What author doesn't feel the same way?? If I had to pick one, then I'd say THE RELUCTANT LANDLORD, a Regency. This story starts with a very dark hero who has been deceived by the important women in his life. The impoverished heroine changes his mind about females and about love. His transformation from cynic to lover is an interesting journey, and at the end the "villainess" comments: "You have become too...domesticated...for my tastes." There's also a surprise twist to a secondary character that even I didn't know would happen when I was writing the story. If you love Regency romance, this book's for you!

In TIMELESS DECEPTION the heroine went back in time about two centuries. But before she did, she was having visions; for lack of a better word, of what was taking place at that time in another time. I loved the idea of her seeing what was taking place, how did the idea come to you to let her see what was happening? She knew a little about her situation when she awoke because of this.

I wanted the heroine, Alaina, to have this brief "heads-up" so she'd understand what type of woman her double was, and also to "introduce" her to the hero, who would now be her husband. This creates the interesting conflict of being in love with someone who absolutely *does not* return the affection. In addition, I wanted to explain a bit how the heroine could end up across the Atlantic and back in time without dwelling on the details too much. Alaina is also aware that the only way she can get back to her own time is to find the mystic her double used. Once that turns out to be a dead end, she knows she's trapped back in time.

It seems like mostly women time travel. Do you have any idea why?

I think this is because women readers--and women authors--like to be drawn into the story and share the heroine's experiences... without having to worry about any of the risks! Also, I think what runs through every woman's mind while reading time-travel is how would she herself react in that situation: if traveling to the past, she has her superior knowledge to draw upon, or if transporting to the future, she can experience the novelty of the unknown.

Do you have a hero that travels from present day to the past or future? If you don't, do you think you might one day in the future?

Actually I do! It's called THE COMING, a paranormal romantic suspense, and is an Awe-Struck ebook/Earthling Press May 2004 release. It's not a typical time travel, because the hero is a World War II fighter pilot stranded for what he believes is five years in the Bermuda Triangle. The modern heroine becomes stranded there as well, and is astonished to find out that he's her grandfather's best friend.

You have several books coming out in the near future. Can you tell us a little about them?

I'd love to! In January, I have PAST INDISCRETIONS, a paranormal romantic suspense, with Awe-Struck ebook/Earthling Press. Here's a brief blurb: Haunted by recurring nightmares of doom, Savannah Alexander learns that the future and past are irrevocably linked. Will she be able to save herself and the man she has grown to love from the horrors that await her back in time... on the lost continent of Atlantis? In matters of love, Tom Patterson has been hurt before. But when overwhelming coincidences bring Savannah back into his life, can he put aside his prejudices and act upon faith to protect the woman he loves?
Next is THE COMING, also a paranormal romantic suspense, with Awe-Struck ebook/Earthling Press in May. Here's a brief blurb: After scattering her beloved grandfather's ashes in the Caribbean, Larissa Parish is swept overboard and washes up on a deserted island. She comes face to face with a man who, most impossibly, is her grandfather's cohort from World War II. Can she learn to fully give herself to this mouthwatering 40s hunk… and also figure a way to leave this outpost in the Bermuda Triangle? Army Air Force pilot, Jack Harrington, can't believe his good luck when he spots Larissa in the waters by his desert island. Stranded for what he believes is five years, he thinks her daft because she seems to have forgotten World War II. Can he come to terms with the news that he's a "1940s retread" and convince himself that Larissa could love him, no matter how "old" he is?

And sometime in 2005, I have THE CONTRARY CONTESSA, a Regency romance scheduled to be released with Awe-Struck ebook/Earthling Press.

Can you give us a brief glimpse of the projects you are currently working on?

Certainly! While I'm waiting for publishers' decisions on two new books: SOJOURN THROUGH TIME--a time-travel Regency, and COMPETITORS!--a paranormal romantic suspense dealing with evolution, I've started a new Regency tentatively titled, A CONTINENTAL MARRIAGE. An earl's unwanted American granddaughter has to decide which side of the Atlantic she prefers.

I want to thank you again for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview.

Thank you, Pam. I hope you and all the A ROMANCE REVIEW staff and visitors have a very happy and healthy holiday season!