Heidi: I'm 27 years old, the epitome of my Scorpio zodiac sign - for good or bad, I guess *G* - and live in central Pennsylvania with my family and four beautiful cats ... maybe five, depending on how the rest of the brood handles the stray that's been hanging around. In case you couldn't tell, I've got a real weak spot for needy critters. I always want to take in just about anything and everything that wanders into my yard. In the past week, I've even had a baby mouse and weak-legged dragonfly in my office, nursing them back to health. I am just an absolute sucker for hurt or homeless animals of any species.

As for work, I write full-time, so I'm lucky enough to be able to claim pajamas as my "work clothes" and not have to wake up to the screech of an alarm clock. I do, however, wake up early and fix myself up whenever I know the FedEx man is coming. He's a hottie and I'm trying to get him to come in for a nice, cool glass of lemonade and a nice hot cup of me. *VBG* Okay, so I've never *actually* invited him in ... but I've thought about it. (And if he ever reads this, I'll just DIE!!! I don't even know his name!)

When I'm not writing or palpitating over the FedEx guy, chances are I'm watching television. I'm entirely too addicted, you know. (My brother says I'm the only person he knows who owns four VCRs and still has trouble taping everything I want to record. But he's a brat, so take that as you will. :-p) In my defense, I must say that I never *just* watch TV. I'm always reading or knitting, or doing something in addition to staring at the boob tube. *G* (Hey! It makes me feel better and places me just this side of Couch Potato.)

Donna: When did you decide to become an author and why did you chose to write romance?

Heidi: I think I've wanted to write since about the sixth grade. That's when one of the best teachers I ever had designated every Friday as Creative Writing Day. I *lived* for Fridays! And that's when I think I started wanting to be a writer. Unfortunately, I had some rather vocal relatives who believed writing was a hobby, not a career, so I was forced to think about a "real job." I know ... *shudder!*

I started reading romance novels (the real ones *VBG*) in seventh grade and loved them. Johanna Lindsey, Catherine Coulter ... But it wasn't until college when I seemed to put two and two together. The night before finals, I stayed up reading a romance, not studying. Amazingly, I still passed all my subjects, but it was a close call. That's when the light bulb went on and I realized this was what I wanted to do with my life. Not just read romances, but write them. Easier said than done, of course, but that's how it began.

Donna: How does your family feel about you writing romance - are they supportive?

Heidi: Oh, they're very supportive. My parents always have been, about anything I wanted to try. (They aren't the vocal relatives I mentioned earlier, btw. *G*) I'm not saying they weren't frightened, mind you. I think it sent them into quite a tailspin when I came home from college, refused to go back, and announced that I wanted to write romance novels for a living. (You're picturing that & feeling really sorry for my parents, aren't you? *VBG*)

But they regained consciousness soon enough and let me give it a shot and helped me find the resources I needed to learn more about the industry. And now they get to say they always knew I would be published one day. :-)

Donna: How did you go about selling your first book? How long did it take?

Heidi: I took the long route, of course. No amazing story of how I rubbed elbows with the right person and was offered a ten million dollar contract for my first book. No way, not me. I like to do things the hard way. It took me nearly ten years of submitting and being rejected and submitting again before an editor seemed to take an interest in my writing.

But those ten years were not wasted. Like everything else, I consider them a learning experience. I spent them finding groups like Romance Writers of America, attending conferences, and talking with published authors to absorb as much as I could about both the craft and business of writing.

Donna: Where do you get ideas for your stories?

Heidi: This is always such a tough question, because I simply don't know. These things just sort of pop into my head, but not as full-blown stories. Often, I'll get the image of a character, sometimes in a specific situation that intrigues me, and I'll try to build a story around that. Other times, I get a plot idea and need to create characters to match.

I can tell you that water seems to be conducive to creativity, though.Whenever I'm having trouble with a story, taking a shower or doing the dishes often helps me work out the kinks. I don't know why.

Donna: Do you belong to any type of writers' group for support or critique?

Heidi: I founded our local RWA Chapter (Clearfield Area Romance Authors) for just that reason - because I thought we needed a place for romance writers in our area to get together for support and encouragement. The Chapter is very small, but seems to be working out and gives us a chance to really get to know each other.

As for critique, I think either a partner or group of this type can be invaluable, if it's a good one and you work well together. I work with another writer who lives rather far from me, but we get together when we can, and critique via e- or snail-mail otherwise.

Donna: Do you let friends or family read what you have written before you send it to your editor?

Heidi: I do let a friend or two read my work before turning it in, but they're writer friends. That makes a difference, in my opinion, because they're not only writing themselves, but are familiar with the industry and some of the intricacies of the type of story I'm trying to tell.

I don't let my family read my stuff, though. I've always said they could read it when it was in actual book form. In fact, I hadn't received my author's copies of CINNAMON AND ROSES yet when it began showing up in stores, and my mother actually bought a copy so she could read it right now. (I'd have given her a copy, I swear! *G*)

Donna: Do you ever use personal experiences when writing your stories?

Heidi: Not really. At least not yet. Or not that I'm aware of. Maybe, if you count past lives. *G* I imagine someday, if I write a story with children in it, I might use some of the funny things that happened to me when I was babysitting. Or if I ever write a romantic suspense, I might incorporate the time my mother and I considered making reservations at a Bed & Breakfast that looked like something from the movie "Deliverance." (Or worse, that Peacock homestead on the inbreeding episode of "X-Files." Eeek.)

But otherwise, I really don't think I've ever included life experiences in my stories. Maybe personality traits or personal preferences, though part of the fun of writing is to create people and places that you aren't familiar with. It's like stepping into another world and is probably what gets me to the computer every day - stepping into another place and time to see what's going to happen next. In the stories I write, I can be a cowboy, a nurse, a photographer, a cop ... anything I want and all the things I'm not and willnever be in real life. Even some of the things I'd never want to be. (I mean, who wants to shovel horse manure or get shot at on a daily basis? No thank you, I'll just sit here and write about those occupations, where there's no danger of taking a bullet or coming home smelling like livestock.)

Donna: Do you work from an outline? Do your characters ever try to take over and rewrite their scenes?

Heidi: I didn't used to work from an outline, but now I do when I can. (And by that I mean when I know enough about the story ahead of time to write an outline. *G*) Of course, my definition of "outline" probably doesn't match anyone else's. To me, an outline is just a basic write-up of the path I'd like the story to follow, the more important scenes I want to be sure to include. No Roman numerals in sight, believe me. And it's what keeps me from floundering too much in the middle of a story when I realize I'm not sure where I'm going anymore. *G*

My characters often do take over, but that's what's nice about working with only a basic outline. I know where the story needs to go, but there's room for new things to crop up and new avenues to be explored. Sometimes the characters know before I do what needs to happen or what needs to be said to move them along; or their personalities alone will spur an idea I hadn't anticipated. I could reign them in, but mostly I let them go for a while because they sometimes come up with better stuff than I would have. *G*

Donna: How long does it take you to write a story?

Heidi: This depends entirely on the story. Was it Anne Stuart who once said, "Some stories seem to write themselves, while others have to be dragged kicking and screaming into submission."? This is often the case with me. Or a story will start out writing itself and I run into a slump in the middle. CINNAMON AND ROSES gave me a lot of trouble in the beginning (mostly in the outline stages), but once I really got going, I probably finished it in about three months. That's pretty good. A PROMISE OF ROSES didn't give me any major problems, but still took about six months, if I recall correctly. And ALMOST A LADY (which won't be out until January 2001) went along beautifully in the beginning and then was like pulling teeth to finish the end - even thoughI thoroughly enjoyed writing the ending of that one. So you just never know.

I have to say that it was also much easier to let the stories write themselves before I sold. Now that I have deadlines, the books have to be done by a certain date or bad things will happen. *VBG* That makes it a little more stressful during the bumpy times, but can also act as a great motivator. With a deadline looming, you don't have time to let things sit and fix themselves, you have to dive in and demand a solution.

Donna: Do you ever find yourself with a case of "writer's block" while in the middle of a story? If so, how do handle this, what helps you get beyond this problem?

Heidi: I must be reading your mind here. :-) Yes, I have been stricken by Writer's Block and it often does hit in the very middle of the book. (Why is that, by the way? I'd really like to know.) It hasn't been as bad lately, though - knock on wood - because I learned a little trick to get through it. Whenever I seem to be blocked and just cannot figure out how to move forward with the story, I assume I made a wrong turn somewhere and go back. I retrace my steps and try to figure out what the problem is. I usually have to change a plot point or the direction a particular scene is leading and rewrite a bit, but this works for me. Thank goodness.

Donna: What is the hardest part of writing a story?

Heidi: Gosh, I don't know. I think it depends on the story, as well as an author's personal strengths and weaknesses. For me, I sometimes have trouble with internal conflict and motivation. I have to sit down and really wrack my brain to come up with these for my characters. (Brainstorming with another writer really helps at this point; often another person will see things about the story or characters that I don't.) And, of course, the middle of the book can be rough. I think because the beginning is so exciting to work on, dealing with new characters, new plot elements, really getting things off the ground and running. And the end is fun because you're wrapping up loose ends and doing the Happily Ever After thing we all love so much. Middles are just ... well, middles, and it's hard sometimes to keep up the momentum and excitement you felt when you first started the story.

Too, I think actually getting to the computer to work can be hard at times. You really have to be determined and disciplined and all of those D-words and just do it, even on the days you really don't want to. And, no, I'm not always that diligent - hey, another D-word - myself, but I try.

Donna: What is the funniest thing that has happened related to your writing?

Heidi: These are really tough questions, Donna. Are you trying to stump me? I can't think of anything funny-funny. (Though I'm sure that as soon as we finish this interview, something will come to me.)

Something that I find amusing, but which probably falls more under the heading of "ironic," is that when I finally sold CINNAMON AND ROSES, I had pretty much given up on historicals. I hadn't had any luck with them and decided to try my hand at contemporaries. And I liked them! The only reason I even sent the historicals back out was because I couldn't stand the thought of them being shelved until I had received a rejection letter from every possible publishing house where they might have fit. So I sent them out, really concentrating on contemporaries and wanting to sell one of those first. Of course, that's when I got the call that Leisure wanted to buy my first historical. It's a good thing I like historicals and contemporaries equally well, huh?

Donna: What kind of books do you read for pleasure? Who are some of your favorite authors?

Heidi: Why, romance, of course! Is there anything else? *VBG* I have always read romance; even when I was younger and my mother wouldn't let me read real, adult romances, the books I read always had romance elements in them. Even with the Nancy Drew books, I always seemed more concerned with her relationships with Ned than whether or not she solved the mystery. Every once in a great while I'll try a non-romance, but I'm usually disappointed. The only non-romances I seem to enjoy are the Harry Potter books or Laurell K. Hamilton's "Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter" series.

My favorite authors are too many to name, I think. I can only begin to list the ones that immediately come to mind, like Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Janet Evanovich, Suzanne Brockmann, Maggie Osborne ... There are so many, it's not even funny. I could sit here all night saying, "Oooh, and Rachel Gibson! Oooh, and Susan Andersen! Oooh, and Nora Roberts! Oooh ..."

Donna: How did you feel about having your first book published along with Chapter Two of "Lair of the Wolf?" What impact do you think this had on CINNAMON AND ROSES?

Heidi: I was really thrilled when I found out Leisure was going to do this, especially since they only picked one title per month in which to include a chapter of "Lair of the Wolf." I don't know what kind of impact it had on CINNAMON AND ROSES, but I can only imagine it was a good one. As a first-time author, I think having Chapter Two of "Wolf" included in my book was a way to gain readers who might not have picked up my book otherwise. And "Lair of the Wolf" was really the most unique concept, I was delighted to be a part of it in any way Leisure allowed. :-)

Donna: What type of research did you do for your books?

Heidi: To be honest, I tend to be a bit lazy when it comes to research. I usually begin writing and then stop to research when I hit a spot that really needs it. Or make notes on what I need, gather all the information, and add it later. I have a fair share of research books here at home, of course, on the subjects I'm most likely to write about (the Old West, the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, Whores in History ... *LOL*), but anything else I usually make a run to the library for. I also happen to be extremely lucky in that my mother is a librarian. I often call her at work for help, and if she doesn't already have the information on hand, she always knows where to find it.

Donna: What has been your favorite question or comment by your fans?

Heidi: This is all so new to me that I get absolutely giddy over all of it. It still amazes me that there's a book with my name on it in bookstores, let alone that people are actually reading what I wrote. (It makes me nervous just thinking about it.) I have gotten a few letters from readers saying they've read CINNAMON AND ROSES two or three times already, and that just boggles my mind. Or that C&R is theirfavorite book, or that it's a "Keeper." Someone just recently - her name was Diane, Dotty ... no, Donna! *VBG* - recently told me that she only meant to skim through C&R to refresh her memory for this interview, but that she made the mistake of reading the first page and was once again hooked. Now that's a compliment and I'm delighted every time I hear that sort of thing.

My favorite question, I think, is one I've actually gotten quite a bit at booksignings for C&R: "Do you know the guy who modeled for this cover?" My response is usually something along the lines of, "If I did, I'd be with him on a beach in Tahiti right now." Because, let's face it, he's HOT! Not FedEx hot, but hot all the same. *VBG*

Donna: The cover of CINNAMON AND ROSES is beautiful. Were you able to have any influence in the design?

Heidi: Except for jetting off to Tahiti with the male cover model, you mean? *LOL* I wish! Seriously, I adore that cover! I just about fainted when I saw it, it was so beautiful. I had very little say in the artwork, though. Authors are usually given a cover art questionnaire to fill out, asking for the color of the characters' hair, the type and color of their clothes, what scene from the story might work well on the cover ... But in the end, the publisher and artist do what they like, I guess. Sometimes - like with CINNAMON AND ROSES - you get very, very lucky. (I got exceptionally lucky with the artwork for ALMOST A LADY, too, by the way. It fits the story perfectly and is just about the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen. A preview of the cover is up at my website, if anyone would like a sneak peek.

Donna: Caleb is such a strong and sensual hero,; is he based on anyone real?

Heidi: Unfortunately, no. Or not that I recall, anyway. *G* Mostlikely, he - like all my heroes - is a compilation of some men and some masculine traits I find attractive. (Of course, Caleb had a few unattractive traits at first, too, but Rebecca drove those out of him soon enough. *LOL*)

Donna: It is fun to watch Rebecca's character grow and develop as she learns to believe in herself and find the family she has always wanted. Is there some of you in Rebecca?

Heidi: You don't pull any punches, do you, Donna? *LOL* I suppose there is a little of me in Rebecca. I think that's true of all my characters - and probably the characters of every writer, even heroes.

Donna: Your secondary characters were very well developed. I was delighted to read that your next book is to be Megan's story. Can you tell us a little about A PROMISE OF ROSES?

Heidi: A PROMISE OF ROSES is definitely Megan's story and she's all grown up now, running her family's stagecoach company. When railroad payrolls are stolen from her stages, the Union Pacific sends a man to catch the culprits. Unfortunately, ex-bounty hunter Lucas McCain comes to the conclusion that Megan is behind the heists and takes her into custody. He goes the roundabout way to turn her in, though, as he is also on the trail of the man who murdered his family. So Megan and Lucas are alone together a lot. And they're forced to share a bed (or bedroll, as the case may be) a lot. And there are handcuffs involved a lot. And that's all I'm going to say for now. *G*

Donna: In the contest on your website, you state that the cover art for A PROMISE OF ROSES was used on another romance novel. Why are publishers using previous cover art on new books, and how do you feel about not having an original cover for you book?

Heidi: The technical answer to why publishers can use previous artwork on new books is because sometimes the artists don't sell the actual artwork to the publishers, only the single use of it for a particular book. And then, if the artist wants to sell it again later, to a different publisher, they can. I guess it can also be cheaper ... I mean *more cost effective* to do it this way. (That's my understanding of the subject, anyway.)

I admit I wasn't too happy when I first discovered the artwork for A PROMISE OF ROSES was from a different book. I seem to have this steel trap memory for such trivial things and immediately recognized it; I knew the title and author right off the bat and had actually read the book several years before. (I'm starting to think I'm the only one who noticed this, though, as no one has entered the contest yet and I've actually gotten notes from people saying they have no clue what book I'm talking about. *LOL* I might have to come up with another idea to make the contest more fair, huh?)

After I calmed down a bit, though, I realized it truly was a lovely cover. The setting and roses suit the story, so I really don't have much to complain about. Plus, Leisure did a lovely job of darkening the colors and giving me a gorgeous back cover of wrinkled burgundy satin sheets. I have to say now that I am quite enamored of the cover and hope readers are, too.

Donna: Can you give us any hints about future stories after you finish the Rose trilogy?

Heidi: I wish I could, but I honestly don't know what I'll be working on next for Leisure. I just turned in ALMOST A LADY, the third book in the Rose Trilogy and am discussing a couple different ideas with my editor. Chances are, whatever I do next will be another western-set historical, possibly another trilogy or series. I'll have to get back to you on that one, once I know for sure myself. :-)

Donna: Will you ever write other types of romance?

Heidi: But of course! If anyone gives me the chance, that is. I would love to do some contemporaries, both humorous and more serious. I'd love to write a romantic suspense, if I thought I could actually make it suspenseful enough. Basically, I want to do *everything* even though it's been scientifically proven that I cannot write twelve books at one time, no matter how hard I try ... But don't be surprised if you see lots of different things from me - all romance, of course - someday down the road. I wouldn't put anything past me. *G*

Donna: How does the internet affect you as an author?

Heidi: Gosh, I think it makes a lot of things so much simpler and more immediate. I've been able to do wonderful interviews like this that are posted on very busy websites; I've gotten a lot of e-mails from readers that I am able to respond to immediately; romance book reviews are posted on many different websites that get thousands of hits, not to mention reaching people who might not get, or pay attention to, paper review publications or whatnot. The internet has allowed me to put together a newsletter that goes out to everyone on my mailing list, when I might not have bothered doing a paper newsletter. I have a website (though I rely on someone else to create and update it) that has gotten nearly 1500 visitors in only a year. The website allows readers to see the covers of my books, read a little about them, know ahead of time when they'll be coming out. The benefits of the internet are countless, really, and I didn't even get around to mentioning internet research capabilities.

Donna: What are some of your favorite web sites and discussion boards?

Heidi: I would be remiss if I didn't mention the RBL message board first thing. *G* I think you are a wonderful, hilarious bunch of women and get the biggest kick out of some of the posts. I don't post much myself, I know, but I am usually lurking and laughing. I also love the sexy backgrounds and book review ratings. Okay, so maybe some people would find the site risqu�, but not me. :-D To steal a line from Austin Powers, "I think it's groovy, baby."

I also like The Belles & Beaux of Romance, Romance & Friends, and Addicted2Romance websites. And, yes, though I hate to admit it, I do have all the free daily horoscope sites bookmarked. If I didn't, how would I know what to do every day? :-)

Donna: How can we as readers help to promote new authors such as yourself?

Heidi: I think word-of-mouth can really be the greatest tool readers have to spread the word about an author, new or old. And I mean word-of-mouth not only in person, but through e-mail, on message boards, on websites, everything. You know what it's like to be in the bookstore looking at all those titles and have one jump out at you because, Oooh, I heard that one was good. And it may only be because you saw something about the story online or heard a friend mention she enjoyed the book. Believe me, I - and every other author - appreciate the wonderful lip service we get from readers. And the more readers talk about the books they like, the more people who will run out looking for the book, which means more bookstores will be ordering and carrying them.

Readers can also request or order books at their local bookstores. Even just go in and talk to the romance buyer or manager at the stores about this great new author you've discovered. Often readers and booksellers are the same, in that if they get a name into their heads, they'll recognize it the next time they see it and maybe order an author's book when they run across the title, simply because the name looks familiar or they've heard good things about it. This can be especially important to a new author when so much shelf space is dedicated to the big-name authors whose titles are all being reissued and kept on hand, and no one yet recognizes poor newbie author Rachel Romance Writer or her debut novel. :-D

Donna: Do you have any advice for the aspiring authors here at RBL?

Heidi: "Never give up!" has to be right at the top of the list. Writing and selling a book can seem to take forever, but if you really love the genre and want writing to be your career, then stick with it and it will happen. Go to conferences, join RWA and your local RWA Chapters, talk with other writers, and just keep at it. Anything worth having is worth working for, right?

Donna: Anything else you would like to say?

Heidi: No. *LOL* Really, I can't think of anything you haven't already covered. I must say, this is the most in-depth interview I have ever participated in. What fun!

Well, maybe I'll mention that I love to hear from readers and can becontacted through my website, via e-mail, or by snail mail at P.O. Box 99, Kylertown, PA 16847-0099. All of this information is available in the back of my books, too.

Donna: Do you have any questions you would like ask the readers here at RBL?

Heidi: Well, I would like to know where you find all those hot, hot, hot men for the backgrounds of the message board and photo gallery. *G* And if I get a snapshot of Mr. FedEx, will you put him up? (Kidding. I think I'd rather keep him to myself, anyway.)

Keep up the great work, camaraderie, and fun, ladies! And even if I don't post as often as I'd like, know that I'm with you in spirit. Lurking. Sometimes drooling, but always lurking. :-D