Julia: I live in Austin, Texas with my two fat labs, Hugo and Maude. I am a native; my family goes back several generations here, and the entire clan still lives in the Great State. I fell in love with Austin when I went to school here %#$ years ago, and after a stint in Washington (at the White House, believe it or not), I came back. By day I run the county's justice and public safety division, which includes the medical examiner (yuck), emergency services (cool helicopters), counseling services (for the bozos going through court mandated to GET HELP), planning services (can never have enough criminal justice, you know), the public defender (if you ever think your kids are really bad, just call me for a little perspective, haha!), and dispute resolution services. That sounds huge, I know, and it is. But I am such a well-oiled, honed machine - okay, maybe not as honed as I would like, LOL! So what do I do when I'm not writing? I work at the day job or walk those humongous mutts of mine!

Donna: Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Julia: Well, no. I have always written - as a kid, I wrote all sorts of romantic adventures that featured ME as the heroine and the school hunk du jour as the hero. I have written all sorts of technical or research papers in my career. But I never aspired to be a writer until I decided to try writing romance.

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

Julia: I have always enjoyed reading history. One day I found an Iris Johansen book that had this guy on the inside who was to die for, and not only that, as it was a historical story I had no clue that it was a romance. I loved that book and went through a period of a few weeks where I read every romance I could find. I had no idea who the authors were, so I just sampled from the shelves at the local bookstore. Then, having completely saturated myself with dozens of them, I was lying around on the couch one weekend thinking I wouldn't have ended a story in a particular way, or I would have made the character bigger. But see, in my real line of work, I always have people telling me how I OUGHT to be doing things (grrr). So I got a little testy with myself for doing the same thing, and I said to myself, "Julia, if you are so damn smart, write your own book!" That was when the bright idea hit me, LOL!

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

Julia: My family is incredibly supportive. I will admit that they were a little shocked that I had a) written a book, and b) it was a romance (I don't think romance is the first thing people think of when they are around me, haha), but once they got over that, they were very excited. They promote me shamelessly everywhere they go!

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

Julia: Gawd, no! Every book I write is harder, and I am certain each one is fundamentally flawed. I know my editor will help me fix it before the world sees it, so she is the first to see it.

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

Julia: You know, I must have lived right at some point, because I was one of the lucky ones who happened to be in the right place at the right time. The first book I wrote was late 1996 or early 1997, and it was a medieval. It was too long and too rambling, but I discovered an awful lot about sustaining a story over dozens of chapters. I threw that into the closet and wrote DEVIL'S LOVE in 1997, went and got a book, "How to Get Published" or something like that, sent a query to four agents simultaneously, and landed one within a week. I had a contract with Dell two weeks after that. I knew nothing about the industry or even the romance genre, I had never heard of the Romance Writer's Association or Romantic Times or Publisher's Weekly. Everything happened so quickly that I wondered if perhaps it really wasn't very hard to get published. Now how stupid was that? Well, you will be pleased to know that I now know what a lucky, lucky chick I was in that my work hit my agent and the market at exactly the right time. I am truly humbled by my great dumb luck and eternally thankful for it.

Donna: Where do you get the ideas for the stories you write? Do you ever use personal experiences when writing your stories?

Julia: I wish I knew where the ideas came from! Sometimes, they stem from a character that pops into my head, sometimes from a real life incident, and sometimes, honestly, from a dream. I do use personal experiences, but just as background. Lucy the hog in WICKED ANGEL, for example, was from personal experience. I grew up on a ranch, and there was an old sow we used to sing to. I cannot, for the life of me, remember WHY we used to sing to that hog, but we did, hahaha! But I personally don't have any experiences big or bold enough for a romance novel, LOL!

Donna: Do you work from an outline?

Julia: Yes. I wrote DEVIL'S LOVE from a stream of consciousness, but Bantam-Dell purchases books from me based on detailed proposals, which essentially forces me to outline the book. It forces me to think through the story (I'll say!), and as it works out, it has become a much more logical and tighter way to structure and write my books.

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

Julia: They don't really take over. I am usually struggling to make them bigger than life. But they do get into situations I don't always know the way out of. When that happens, I just move on, and it usually comes to me (in the form of a gaping hole in the plot, she laughs).

Donna: When you are writing, do you know which characters are going to have their stories told in a sequel?

Julia: Nope. I could write a sequel on any of them, I think. I could even write one on Mr. Pearle from DANGEROUS GENTLEMAN, LOL! I choose the sequels based on what Bantam-Dell and my readers want. Why, have you got someone in mind - BG?

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

Julia: About six months from the time the proposal is accepted to the first submission. I usually have it another month or so for revisions after that.

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

Julia: Just getting it down on paper. I find the first draft incredibly difficult. But I have discovered, now that I am writing my fifth book for Bantam-Dell, that if I can just get the basic story down, what I really enjoy is going back and adding the depth, shaping the story, and watching it come alive.

Donna: Was it difficult to write your first sex scene? Was it made easier knowing that the majority of romance readers are female?

Julia: It wasn't difficult writing the first sex scene, but having written that first scene and exhausting my knowledge on the subject, every sex scene AFTER that has been sheer torture, LOL! I told someone that in the last book of the Rogues trilogy, someone is going to be swinging from a chandelier! And no, it wasn't and doesn't get any easier knowing that most readers are women. I still think of my mom and dad and how they are going to react!

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

Julia: You know I don't read much romance a nymore. Actually, I don't read much anymore; there just never seems to be enough time. But I do try and stay up with what is on the market. I like Jennifer Cruise for contemps and Connie Brockway's historicals, but I really have read more mainstream in the last year or so. I love Anita Shreve (THE PILOT'S WIFE) and wish I could write like her. And I love Charles Dickens. His wit was so pure - a true master!

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

Julia: I've always been a big fan of history and have read historical fiction or biographies, or anything I could get my hands on, particularly about Europe. So I had quite a lot of knowledge about the time period already floating around in my head, and what I didn't really know was lying around in some reference materials. I have also traveled to Europe several times and been through every castle or regency house they will let you in, I think!

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

Julia: You can't see me, but I am blushing. All right. I have had a few fans write me and tell me that they think I am better than Judith McNaught. WOW. Now, wait. I don't think that, but it is my favorite comment all the same, LOL! That, in my opinion, is about as high as the praise gets when writing historical regencies.

Donna: The covers for your books are beautiful. Did you have any influence in the design of your covers?

Julia: Nope. The publisher will call and say, "This is what we are planning," to which I respond with a resounding, "Oh."

Donna: At RBL Romantica, we had a great time discussing your book, THE DEVIL'S LOVE. Did our book discussion affect your future writing in any way?

Julia: Duh! I learned a) infidelity will not be tolerated in any shape or form (surely y'all remember that, LOL!); b) that my strength seems to be characterization (and I have continued to work on it); and c) that my subtle humor is appreciated (ditto). Oh yes, that discussion was a great influence, and would be for any book at any point in my career. RBL IS the public! Y'all are the ones who buy the books and define the market and start the buzz, good or bad, along with groups like yours across the web. I don't post much, but I check in to see what y'all are saying, and, in addition, to what you think about romance novels, I love hearing what you think about life in general! RBL is a wonderful, supportive place to be for many of us, I think.

Donna: How did THE ROGUES OF REGENT STREET come about?

Julia: Well, Bantam-Dell wanted a trilogy from me. So I have to say they gave me the idea, but without giving it away for those who haven't read the book, the ugly truth is that a very good friend of mine from high school was killed in a car accident and his death struck me very hard. When someone loses their life so tragically and in their prime, one cannot help but question life and mortality and the why of it. My friend's death was sort of the genesis of the idea; the Rogues are four wealthy young aristocrats who live on the edge, but when one of them dies tragically, the others taste their own mortality and sort of wake up to the world around them. THE DANGEROUS GENTLEMAN, Adrian Spence, is the one who kills Phillip in a duel, and it throws him into a cauldron of guilt. His story is about the quality of mercy. THE RUTHLESS CHARMER, Julian Dane, is the love 'em and leave 'em guy; he learns that life is too short for that and experiences the true quality of love. And the last book, tentatively titled THE BEAUTIFUL STRANGER, is about Arthur Christian, the brother of Alex Christian from WICKED ANGEL. He is the one who sees his own life drifting by as a result of Phillip's death, and learns the hard way how to appreciate the quality of life.

Donna: Since we have already met Arthur Christian in WICKED ANGEL, why did you write Adrian's story first in The Rogues of Regent Street?

Julia: I was ready for a new character and family background after WICKED ANGEL. And I wanted to save Arthur, the big crybaby, for last (she smirked). Trust me, Artie is going down hard, LOL!

Donna: When you are writing an emotional scene, do you find yourself sniffling or laughing out loud when the scene is funny?

Julia: No, not really. I'm too critical of my writing to just enjoy it.

Donna: Are any of the heroes you write about based on real people in your life?

Julia: Oh please! I don't know any men like that, and if I did, I wouldn't be wasting time writing romance novels, hahaha!

Donna: Of the heroes that you have written so far, do you have a favorite?

Julia: Yes, I do. Its Julian. Of course, I know that y'all don't and won't until October, when THE RUTHLESS CHARMER is released BEG.

Donna: It is fun to watch your heroines bring these rakes and rogues to their knees! Is there some of yourself in each of them?

Julia: I don't think I can help having a little of me spill over into all of them, but honestly, they are not me. I usually think of what characteristics I am trying to develop, and the heroines grow from that. I hope that they are a composite of the best and worst of women everywhere.

Donna: Which is your favorite heroine?

Donna: Abbey, from the DEVIL'S LOVE, will always be my favorite, I think! Which do you like?

Donna: We love the titles of your books. Were you able to title your own books?

Julia: I came up with The Rogues of Regent Street, but it wasn't until THE RUTHLESS CHARMER and THE BEAUTIFUL STRANGER that I actually hit a chord with the publisher on titles. They were always very polite, but let me know in no uncertain terms that my titles were not, well - salable.

Donna: What kind of books do you hope to write in the future? Can you give us a hint about future stories?

Julia: I definitely would if I could. Honestly, at the moment I am so focused on finishing the trilogy that I really haven't thought through what I'm doing next. I do know that I would like it to be really unique and different, without necessarily resorting to chandeliers.

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

Julia: Honestly, both positively and negatively. The positive aspects are places like RBL and other reader sites. The feedback on my books is almost instantaneous, which is great. I am always dying to know what everyone thinks of my books! Better still, I am able to keep up with a lot of fans of mine through my website. But the internet has its drawbacks, too. There are some mean-spirited people out there. As circumspect as I like to believe I am, it is never easy to hear negative things said about me or my books, particularly when it is vehement.

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

Julia: RBL, natch. I am always lurking close by! Addicted2romance, The Romance Journal - there are more, but I can't think of them all! Those are the three boards I tend to check in on. My favorite website is the Dell Authors on the Web Home Page (shameless plug number one) and, of course, www.julialondon.com (shameless plug number two!), and finally, Marsha Canham's sites. Any of them. All of them. I think the woman is from Mars, LOL!

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

Julia: Keep writing! That is the bottom line.

Donna: Do you have anything you'd like to say to or ask of RBL?

Julia: Just that you guys will never know how much I appreciate your support! I would never have achieved what I have in publishing without it. I've only met a couple of you, but you all feel like friends, and I know RBL is one place I can go where I always feel welcome and supported and one of the gang. Thanks, thanks, thanks for making me a part of your cyberspace!