Sue: I grew up near the beach on Long Island (right near Jacqui D'Alessandro, as a matter of fact!) but in my heart I was a westerner. Lucky for me that the Air Force brought me to Colorado, Texas and eventually Northern California, where I still live, although I do very much miss the Atlantic Ocean. I was kind of a dweeby, driven kid. From the age of four or five I wanted to be an astronaut, and so it was a dream come true when I won an appointment to the US Air Force Academy (the Air Force version of West Point and Annapolis) in Colorado Springs. I was part of the third class ever to include women. Pioneering gave me the opportunity to discover my strengths and (whether I wanted to or not) my weaknesses.

I graduated "The Blue Zoo" in 1982. Although my shaky math skills kept me out of test pilot school, and - for now - the astronaut corps, I did enjoy my seven fun years flying jets in the USAF. These days I'm a pilot for United Airlines, and have been for twelve years, most recently flying 747 jumbo jets overseas. When I'm not flying somewhere like China or Australia, I'm a typical suburban mom. For me that means the usual: taking care of and picking up after a husband, a nine-year-old son, an eight-year-old daughter, a dog, cats, and fish, driving everywhere, helping out at the kids' school, and the millions of other household details that don't get done when I'm away on airline trips (about 7-9 days a month.). Somewhere amidst all that chaos, I try to steal away to the computer and lose myself in whatever story I happen to be working on. Writing is an escape, a hobby, and a second career all rolled into one!

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

Sue: Writing wasn't something I planned on. In fact it blind-sided me about four years ago, when out of the blue I decided to write a 600 page romantic historical epic! I'd always been creative (I drew and painted extensively as a child and teenager), but I left it all behind to pursue my dream of flying. But as I approached forty, what I think happened is that my long-suppressed artistic side ruptured a seam and squeezed out in the form of writing. So, I write books not necessarily out of a love of reading (though that's certainly there, too) but for the almost primal need to create.

I grew up reading mostly science fiction and whatever caught my eye, but I always craved those stories wherein the character development was deep and emotional, and if I found a book that had a great love story and humor, I was a happy camper. I didn't really "discover" romance until I was in my late twenties, and boy was I glad I did! Developing relationships are so much fun to read - and to write about.

Donna: When do you do most of your writing?

Sue: I write school hours, school days, but it's not unusual for me to wake at three or four am if I'm on deadline, or so into my book that I'd rather write than sleep.

After dropping my kids off at school, I head to my local Borders to write. Weird, but I need noise around me to concentrate. Writing away from home also keeps me from snacking and playing on the Internet - enforced discipline! I'll write from about 9:00 to 2:00, taking breaks and checking e-mail whenever I get fidgety, which is entirely too often.

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

Sue: My parents and my kids are my biggest fans. (But I told the kiddos they won't be allowed to read my books until they're at least 17. *g*)

Donna: Do your co-workers know that you write romance? Are they supportive?

Sue: With over 10,000 pilots and 25,000 flight attendants at United, I never know who I'll fly with. Most have no clue that I write, but most are tickled when they find out. Quite a few of the guys have since bought or borrowed ONCE A PIRATE and read it. And they were shocked to find they'd actually read and enjoyed a romance!

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

Sue: I have a fabulous critique partner, a talented friend on the threshold of being published in romance, but I'm always on the lookout for a few frank, dedicated readers who love my stuff and are not afraid to say what they think, good or bad. I think it's indispensable to have at least one other set of eyes looking over the manuscript. Plus the benefits of brainstorming with a trusted writing partner are huge!

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

Sue: At my first writer's conference, Emerald City in Seattle, fall '97, I went to a workshop where Gail Fortune of Berkley spoke and said that time travels were hot, hot, hot. (Of course, by the time I finished ONCE A PIRATE they were not, not, not!) As she spoke, I came up with a one-sentence idea: a woman fighter pilot crashes into the sea and is rescued by a pirate in the regency era. Later that day I heard about the prestigious Golden Heart contest for unpublished romance writers - with a deadline that was only weeks away.

Not one to be easily daunted, I was determined to have an entry ready. I scrawled the first lines of what was to become ONCE A PIRATE on a cocktail napkin on the flight home, wrote the book in record time, and mailed the required pages off. Amazingly, I was a finalist. About that time I began working with an agent, the wonderful Damaris Rowland, who was a renowned editor herself for many years. She took me on as an unpublished writer after I sent in the partial manuscript I'd pitched to her at the Emerald City conference. After I sold, she signed me on as a full-fledged client.

I spent that summer revising, submitting to publishers, and entering as many writing contests as I could to catch the attention of editors. I racked up about a dozen first place finishes in a short time, but, still, the book was being rejected. So, I rolled up my sleeves and revised the manuscript again, without mercy, and asked my agent to resubmit. I think it took about 14 months start to finish.

By the way, since one of the publishers that ended up bidding on ONCE A PIRATE had rejected it the summer before, I always tell aspiring writers to never take the first (or second - or third!) "no" for an answer.

Donna: Where do you get inspiration for the stories that you write?

Sue: I'm not one of those lucky writers bombarded with countless ideas. One or two good ones a year are all I get from the "idea-gods," but considering how slowly I write, this pace works perfectly for me. Sometimes the idea for a plot comes as a simple sentence: "Lonely suburban mom meets the king of the galaxy." (THE STAR KING) Then, my hero and heroine appear along with the defining words, and I take it from there!

Donna: Both of your books so far have heroines who are pilots. Will you always write stories with some type of flying?

Sue: Hey, I let some of the guys fly, too! *g* But to answer your question: yes, for the near future anyway. I write "Aviation romance." It's my own little sub-sub-sub-genre, love stories with characters who fly, so readers can expect anything from me, plot-wise, but the common link will always be flying, humor, and adventure.

Donna: Do you draw on personal experiences when writing your stories?

Sue: Definitely! As well as my over-active imagination.

Donna: Do you work from an outline?

Sue: Not exactly. But I do number my chapters and jot down a sentence or two of what I plan to accomplish in each one. But mostly I keep the plot in my head. I used to incubate an idea for months. Due to deadline pressures, I no longer have that luxury. After taking a couple of weeks to work up a synopsis (10-15 pages in short story form), I'm ready to go. I find it takes about five chapters before I really get to "know" my characters.

Donna: Do your characters ever try to take over the story?

Sue: All the time! In my current work-in-progress, they are giving me fits. The h/h keep sneaking away to kiss when they're not supposed to. I'm afraid to leave them alone for even a minute. If they consummate this relationship now they'll ruin the whole plot! So I handcuff them in separate rooms before I go to bed each night.

Donna: Do you ever find your characters in situations that are hard to write them out of?

Sue: Nah. That's what the delete button is for. *g* Sometimes I wish I had the same luxury in real life!

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

Sue: Six months for a rough draft. I think. Ask me again next year. *g*

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

Sue: I find taking a break makes it worse, so I write through it, forcing myself to sit my behind in the chair every day and produce a minimum of two or three pages, even if they're sh&*tty pages. Another thing that really helps me is reading over the hard copy of what I've already written, the early part of the book. Then I get excited about the story all over again, and bye-bye writer's block.

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

Sue: You know, it is probably the day-to-day discipline of sitting down and writing it.

Donna: How difficult was it to write your first love scene?

Sue: I find it easy to write love scenes. I enjoy it, and concentrate more on the emotional aspect than "part A goes in part B." At first I admit I was worried about what my family would think when they read what I wrote, but after selling, and seeing that only my mom buys my books, I wasn't inhibited by that anymore.

Donna: Is it easier writing love scenes knowing that mostly women will read them?

Sue: Fortunately, guys have been reading and buying my books, too. That doesn't bother me at all. Maybe the lessons will be good for them! *g*

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

Sue: Getting on the "Sextra" segment of the tv show "Extra!" That segment is usually reserved for really sleazo stories, and there I was, sitting innocently on my living room couch while Leesa Gibbons announced: "Romance writers - are their private lives as steamy as their books?" LOL

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

Sue: I read a mixture of romance and SF mostly. My favorite authors are Mary Jo Putney, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Catherine Asaro. Keep in mind there are lots of authors on my list, and lots more I haven't yet tried, so I will most certainly add to this list over time.

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

Sue: These words summed it up beautifully: "Thank you for a few hours of pure enjoyment and a wonderful escape from a hectic day."

Donna: Your debut book, ONCE A PIRATE, is a very original time travel. What was your inspiration for this story?

Sue: I loved the idea of the modern, technology-loving woman plunged into a time devoid of it all. I wanted her to be a warrior who'd be forced to survive using her wits rather than weapons.

Donna: Andrew is such a strong and sensual hero - is he based on anyone real?

Sue: With the question worded like that, I'm almost hesitant to answer it. I always thought Andrew was most like me out of all the characters I've written, save Jas from THE STAR KING. So, I guess I have to say thanks ... as I blush furiously.

Donna: Carly is a strong and independent heroine. Is there some of you in her character?

Sue: Naturally, yes. But not nearly as much as there is of me in my other characters.

Donna: Thank you for the wonderful epilogue in ONCE A PIRATE! Most of us love an epilogue, but some of our authors have told us that their publishers didn't like them. Did you have any difficulty getting yours in the book?

Sue: Thank you! I had no difficulty at all regarding the epilogue. I think it's because it was an integral part of the story. A big plot twist is revealed in the epilogue, so it was very necessary to the book. I think it made a much more powerful impact than if I'd tacked on an epilogue simply to see the characters happily married with kids.

Donna: You enjoy writing books with a fantasy theme. Have you had experiences as a pilot that lead your ideas in that direction? Have you had strange things happen while flying over the ocean?

Sue: I've flown with a lot of weird people, if that qualifies. *g* Hmm ... We once flew past a giant shooting star that was so big that fiery chunks were flying off it. That was cool. Aside from that, no UFOs, no time traveling ... except in my overactive imagination.

Donna: In THE STAR KING, you again wrote an original twist on a much loved theme. This was a very exciting book - was it fun to write?

Sue: I had the best time writing this book. As you can probably tell, I love the Star Wars movies, and wanted to bring that same Friday-night-movie-with-popcorn feel to this book. Also, THE STAR KING is the book of my heart, a story many told me not to write because no one would buy a book about a lonely, 40-ish suburban mom who meets an equally lonely ... alien! I'm so glad I didn't listen!

Donna: It was great to read a story with an "older" hero and heroine. Why did you decide to make Jas and Rom more mature?

Sue: Thanks! I sincerely hope the success of this book shows the publishers that we want more stories with heroes and heroines who are in their thirties and, yes, forties. As for deciding for Rom and Jas to be older, it actually was because of the plot itself. The bulk of the story takes place almost two decades after the miracle that brings them together. I have always been partial to the second-chance-at-love story, so that factored into it, too.

Donna: Reading THE STAR KING was as exciting as watching an episode of Star Wars! Is it difficult writing about whole other worlds, creating new cultures and creatures?

Sue: No, I absolutely love making these things up. I love stretching my creative wings, and the best part of all is that my editor says, "Go for it!" I also use what I encounter in my travels. The sights, smells, and tastes of the exotic locales I visit, and the conversations I have with people I'd never normally meet, provide the most amazing raw material for my books. With a little imagination, a dank high-walled alley in Beijing, ripe with the stench of sewage, fried garlic, and moped exhaust becomes the lower deck of an ill-maintained 19th century sailing ship. A traditional meal in Korea, where I've sampled food from bowls of every size, morsels that were broiled, salted and dried, or pickled, transforms into dinner-for-two on a distant planet.

Donna: It was very interesting the way you had the world react to the "arrival" of the aliens on Earth. Do you think that is how it would happen if aliens really made contact with us?

Sue: I really do. I think there will be those who are paralyzed with fear, and those who are thrilled to find out that we are not alone in the universe. Of course, how we are contacted by extraterrestrials makes all the difference. I had the Vash calling up the UN in a nice diplomatic way. If they'd come in guns blazing, like in the movie Independence Day, it would have been an entirely different story.

Donna: You wrote secondary characters that we really come to care about. Will we be seeing more of Gann and Muffin?

Sue: Yes! They're both in THE STAR PRINCE, the book I'm currently writing (THE STAR KING's sequel). Gann will be the secondary love story. Muffin has a small part near the end.

Donna: Rom said that he would be glad to claim Ian as his heir. Will your next book, THE STAR PRINCE, be about Ian?

Sue: You bet! This is Ian's story, beginning to end. It's a fun, character-driven book with a contemporary feel. Ian is just your typical guy from Earth thrust into a situation that boggles the mind when he agrees to be Rom's heir.

Donna: Will Ilana have a greater role in the next book?

Sue: Yes. The story begins on another planet, but the characters end up in Los Angeles, which is arguably the wildest and most exotic setting of all my books so far. *g* She's an independent LA based film director, and plays matchmaker for Ian and his "princess bride."

Donna: In both books, you keep the suspense going right up to the last pages. Would you ever end a book without a happy ending?

Sue: NEVER! I hate books with sad endings. People who buy one of my books will never have to peek at the last pages in fear that it'll be one of those.

Donna: Do you ever see yourself retiring from flying in order to write full time?

Sue: My goal is to be making enough from writing to be able to retire at 50. That's in ten years, and the earliest I'm allowed to retire from United.

Donna: What kind of books do you hope to write in the future?

Sue: I'd love to write fun, fast adventurous thrillers with powerful love stories woven throughout. Think: Tom Clancy meets Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

Donna: Can you give us any hints about ideas for future stories?

Sue: After THE STAR PRINCE, I'm contracted to write my first contemporary, due out in 2002. It'll be about h/h astronauts in the wake of a disastrous mission to Mars. I'm also going to be part of a Mother's Day anthology due out in spring 2002. The other authors are Lynsay Sands, Julie Kenner, and Lisa Cach. Our editor told us "the wackier the better," so expect four very sexy, funny stories.

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

Sue: I can get so much information there, from how my book is selling on any particular day, to researching something for my books. As everyone knows, it's totally addictive, so I have to limit my time there in order to get my writing done!

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

Sue: The RBLers, of course. I also frequent The Romance Journal, plus the review sites The Romance Reader and All About Romance, and Amazon.

Donna: What is the best way that we, the readers, can help to promote new authors such as yourself?

Sue: Though wonderful boards like this one. If you read a book and love it, please post and say so! I know that's how I find new authors. Also, write a review, even a short one, to post on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It lets other readers know what's good about the book.

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

Sue: Yes! Be tenacious and persistent. I can't emphasize that enough, because you are going to get kicked in the teeth over and over, and you have to keep getting back up, like Rocky!!! And, lastly, don't listen to the naysayers! Try to see the glass as half-full and you will be all the better for it.

Donna: Do you have anything you would like to say or questions you would like ask the readers here at RBL?

Sue: Ever since I found you, this board has felt like home, a cool place with a bunch of fun-loving ladies I really respect and enjoy. If I don't post much, it doesn't mean I'm ignoring you, only that my life gets a bit too hectic at times. Keep up the spirit and all your fantastic support. I appreciate it so very much! :)