| Interviews |
| Interviews with Linda Howard herself collected from Harlequin.com, All About Romance and Cresent Blues |
 |
 |
| Linda Howard: I went into mourning when that show went off the air. At the same time, I understand why [Adrian Paul] was ready to move on. Crescent Blues: At least you've still got Farscape, even if they do keep doing terrible things to John Crichton. Linda Howard: And they killed off Zhaan! And I'm pretty sure she's really gone, because she's not on the credits. And I don't like this screaming person. What's her name, Jool? |
|
|
|
|
| Crescent Blues: So you do occasionally use the body types and physical characteristics of actors in your books -- Linda Howard: With Ben Browder [the actor who plays John Crichton], it's his blue eyes. He may have been the inspiration for Sam's blue eyes in Mr. Perfect. Crescent Blues: And his cockiness. [Both women laugh again.] Linda Howard: Oh yes, Sam was cocky in both the literal and figurative meaning of the word. Crescent Blues: Where do you see your writing going in the next few years? Linda Howard: I'm totally open. It's whatever grabs me at the time. Crescent Blues: Do you write one book at a time? Linda Howard: I have several ideas that are not ready. I may never be good enough to write these ideas. I know they are beyond me right now. It's just whatever grabs me. Crescent Blues: Why do you think romantic suspense has been such a fruitful area for you? Linda Howard: It's a natural inclination of mine. My natural interests lie in jet fighters, weapons -- which is |
| -- which is strange for a woman, but still, if you believe in past lives, God knows what's back there. It could be that in times of danger is when human beings are at their best. Crescent Blues: It goes back to the willingness to put yourself in danger for those you love. Linda Howard: "Greater love hath no man�" Crescent Blues: When you were growing up -- this is going to be a variation on last night's "orphan" question� |
| Linda Howard: I had a wonderful childhood. I grew up in the country. I'm the second oldest of six. I have two sisters and three brothers. It was a very traditional family. My mother stayed home and took care of us, and she was the goddess of the world. My mother never bluffed. She never threatened. When she told you that you'd better not do something, you could take it to the bank. She never backed down. What she said was written in stone, and that was the most secure feeling in the world. Crescent Blues: Given the fact that you always knew you were a writer, were there any books or stories that particularly inspired you? Linda Howard: No, for me, when I read, I just wallow in the enjoyment of it, and it's always been that way. Crescent Blues: Any particular reason you don't read horror? Linda Howard: I read Cujo, and it so terrified me that I read no more Stephen King. I don't want to be afraid of dogs, because I love them so. I read Silence of the Lambs and, literally, had nightmares every night for two weeks -- not about the book, just different nightmares. It triggered something. My imagination is vivid enough, thank you very much. So [horror is] off-limits for me. I prefer something more uplifting. I prefer happy endings. Crescent Blues: Before we close, is there any question no one's ever asked you before that you'd like to speak to? Do you want to talk about your dogs? \ Linda Howard: People ask me about my dogs all the time. I don't want to get started talking about my babies. I'm a very instinctive writer. I don't trouble myself with "dos" and "don'ts," the market, the politics. That's the best part of living where I live, because I have this bubble of protection around me. Crescent Blues: What advice would you give a new writer today? Linda Howard: Don't pay attention to the rules, because there are no rules. Whatever rules that someone thinks there are, if you write a good enough book, it doesn't matter. So the best thing you can do is concentrate on the book. Courtesy of Cresent Blues |
| Laurie Likes Books: Mr. Perfect - who knew. . .? Linda Howard: Who knew I could write a funny book? In a way, I don't think it's me, it's more the characters. These were just funny characters. That kind of isn't the book I had in mind when I first started, but that was what the characters wanted to do. Jaine was such a smart-mouth and I tried to write her more seriously, and the story just wouldn't work. So finally I told myself, "Okay, Jaine's a smart mouth, she's a potty-mouth - let her go with it." And it was just like opening a dam. It just |
| happened then. LLB: Did you think you had it in you to do that? Linda: I had never thought about it. I will occasionally put smart comments into books, but it had never occurred to me just to let it go. LLB: I want you to know that Mr. Perfect has already earned Desert Isle Keeper Status from two of our reviewers -. Linda: Desert Isle Keeper Status? Oh yeah. I've been on your site before - I recognize that term! LLB: You actually have six books that earned DIK Status from us. And last year, in a reader's poll of the Top 100 Romances, seven of your titles were included. You're a favorite for me as well. I've read a number of your books; my favorites to date are Duncan's Bride, Almost Forever, and now, Mr. Perfect. One book I'm still thinking about, and I read it about six weeks ago, is Sarah's Child. I know this is a favorite for many readers, and yet many others could not forgive Rome Matthews' treatment of Sarah. Some of our readers thought he was the epitome of the "get over it!" hero that type of hero who is stuck and needs to get over something in his past. Can you comment on that? Linda: As far as Rome Matthews goes, the story was actually his. He was the first character I thought of. The thing that first occurred to me was how would a really, really strong person react to an overwhelming loss? I can't imagine a reader saying, "Why doesn't he just get over it?" You know, he not only lost his wife, but he lost his entire family. LLB: Some of the heroes you've created are alpha-to-the max, strong and intense characters. A couple examples are Robert in Loving Evangeline and Dane from Dream Man. These are the type of characters who reach out and grab you by the throat when you're reading. Linda: I guess it's basically on the premise that a strong woman needs a strong man. In Loving Evangeline, a lot of people thought that she was too passive. She wasn't mouthy or anything like that, but she was an extremely strong woman. She ran a business and when she thought her business was threatened, she undertook single-handedly to try to capture those she thought were drug dealers. She countered Robert at every move. Every move he made - she countered it. She didn't make a big song and dance about it; she just did it. LLB: I can see that. I know that readers have pointed out the difference between, say, she and Jaine in the new book. Readers have also commented upon the change in the heroes you write - comparing Robert to Sam (from Mr. Perfect), for instance. I think the change is less in the hero, but in how the heroines are drawn. In some of your books, the heroine is strong but seems frail and in need of rescuing. When you get to Jaine, that's not the impression you get. Linda: The characters who have problems may need help, but that doesn't mean they ask for it. They are perfectly willing to carry on and handle everything themselves. |