Elizabeth: What life? Just kidding. Mostly. I'm the mother of grown children, recently a grandmother for the first time (YES!), love to fish, garden, hike, go boating, snorkeling, walk on the beach, and generally relish being outdoors.

joey: Now, how did you get started writing?

Elizabeth: Evan was working swing shift at the newspaper, I had one baby and was pregnant with another, and we didn't have two quarters to rub together. I had read all my favorite authors (I was into science fiction at the time) in the used book store and library, television bored me, so I decided to write a story that I would enjoy reading. It took a year to write, two years to sell, and is called CHANGE. (It was republished a few years ago by Kensington as "futuristic romance.")

joey: And from there, how did you make the transition into romance and why?

Elizabeth: I got one of the first word processors on the market and went crazy. It was so wonderful not to have to type and retype and retype a page in order to see it "clean" after every change. I had been spending perhaps 70% of my creative time on the simple mechanics of typing. Suddenly I was free. It was like flying. I got ahead on my science fiction contract, and began looking around for other things to write in addition to the mysteries my husband and I were doing. For the first time, I discovered romances - particularly, the launch of the Silhouette Desire line, with Jayne Ann Krentz. I read her book, thought to myself "This would be fun!" and submitted an outline to Silhouette. It was the first of many romance novels for me.

joey: What was it like writing novels with your husband, Evan? How did the two of you "make that work?"

Elizabeth: I love collaborating with Evan. It's rather like life: both of us can live alone successfully, but we choose to live together. We can write alone, but we choose to write together, because that way we can create something neither could create alone. When we collaborate, we discuss the characters and the backdrop, hammer out a rough plot, and Evan goes away to work his magic on a first draft while I work on an Elizabeth Lowell. Then I do a second draft. He makes whatever changes he wants. I do a final polish and the manuscript is off to an editor.

joey: You�ve written under multiple names: A.E. Maxwell, Ann Maxwell, and Elizabeth Lowell. Why was this done?

Elizabeth: A. E. Maxwell is the name Evan and I collaborated under most often. Ann Maxwell began as my science fiction name, then slid over into romantic suspense with THE DIAMOND TIGER, and then became the name Evan and I collaborated with for romantic suspense on three more books. Elizabeth Lowell was a pseudonym taken for romances at a time when the industry insisted on pseudonyms for their series romance contracts. Confused? Don't worry. You get used to it!

joey: Can you explain the difference between the novels written under the different names?

Elizabeth: A. E. Maxwell is almost always mystery. We did two historical novels (not romances) under that name, as well as a non-fiction book and a thriller. Ann Maxwell was exclusively me, until Evan and I collaborated under that name for three romantic suspense books. Elizabeth Lowell is exclusively me, and will always have a relationship in the book, even if the books aren't pure romance.

joey: Do you plan to write any future novels under A.E. Maxwell or Ann Maxwell?

Elizabeth: Nothing planned now, but life is always unexpected!

joey: Where do you find the inspiration for your novels?

Elizabeth: I was born with more ideas than I will ever find time to write. It's just the way I respond to the world.

joey: And more specifically, a lot of your books center on some type of artifact - how did you find the inspiration for those novels?

Elizabeth: I have always loved the rare, the beautiful, and the artifacts that are the condensation of a culture. For me, the research involved in these books, while time-consuming, is also a pleasure.

joey: How do you research the various artifacts used in your novels?

Elizabeth: Online, in libraries, videos, travel to get the backdrop right, some interviews, and mostly a lot of reading, reading, reading.

joey: Are they all based on reality or do you take a lot of creative license?

Elizabeth: Both. I usually start with reality. Amber Beach featured the Amber Room, which did exist. Whether it exists now, no one knows. In other words, the artifacts I use could exist. They are based on real, existing artifacts. Then comes the creative license. And yes, I use whatever amount of license I need to get the job done.

joey: Your scenery and emotional descriptions are so intense and detailed. For the scenery, do you travel to all those places?

Elizabeth: Ninety-nine percent of the time, I go there. When that's not possible (or downright dangerous for a lone tourist, as in China's Silk Road), I get videos, books, photos from people who have been there, whatever it takes.

joey: For emotions, how do you describe, in such detail, what your characters are feeling?

Elizabeth: A lot of people have asked me that question. I really don't have an answer. I simply write, and am fortunate to write in a style that allows emotion to come through very clearly.

joey: Could you describe to us your writing schedule?

Elizabeth: Whatever it takes to get the manuscript in on time. That varies from normal 40 hour weeks to three times that. Remember, there's a lot to a career that isn't writing ; research, reading galleys, interviews like this, elizabethlowell.com, going over flap copy, talking about marketing, cover revisions, etc. etc. etc.

joey: You�ve written both historical novels and contemporaries. How did you make that transition and what are your plans for novels in the future?

Elizabeth: Actually, I've written everything except horror and pure L'Amour style westerns. If a story appeals to me, I don't care where in time it takes place. For the future, I expect to stay with contemporary romantic suspense, as it's a genre that allows me maximum freedom to combine history, art, science fiction, mystery, romance, adventure - everything.

joey: Of course, your long-time fans are wondering - what are your plans for the Fiddler and Fiora books, the Fire Dancer series, Utah, the Moran brothers?

Elizabeth: No stories planned. Sorry. My life has just gone in other directions.

joey: And then what about the Donovan brothers, and Erik from your medieval books?

Elizabeth: The Donovan twins might - I say might - get their own stories. Erik from the medieval books will get his story told, but with a twist: MOVING TARGET, a contemporary romantic suspense book, will have the story of the ancient Erik and Serena as a background to a very modern Erik and Serena. What brings the ancient and modern together is the Book of the Learned, a very valuable 11th century manuscript, the kind people are willing to kill for.

joey: Will MOVING TARGET be part of another series?

Elizabeth: Yes. I'm calling it the Rarities Unlimited series. Rarities Unlimited is a collaboration of talents whose goal is to buy, sell, appraise, and protect art and artifacts. Naturally, anyone who is part of Rarities will be in a position to get into - and out of - lots of trouble.

joey: What are your current plans for the follow-on books?

Elizabeth: Right now I'm writing a book with the working title RUNNING SCARED. It centers around two characters who are introduced in MOVING TARGET, and deals with a hoard of Druid gold, hordes of thieves, and a chance to look a history in a new way.

joey: We have quite a few hopeful writers on our board. Do you have any advice you can offer to them?

Elizabeth: Never give up. If you're doing pure romance, check out Romance Writers of America. They exist to help hopeful writers.

joey: I�d like to thank you once again for taking the time for this interview.

Elizabeth: My pleasure. Say hi to all the readers for me. They are what keep the authors going.

Ketchup
June 2003

Joey: Wow! It's been two years since we talked to you - right before MOVING TARGET came out to be exact. Can you tell us what you've been up to since then? Feel free to brag on yourself and any children! *smile*

Elizabeth: I've been up to more books, that's what. Sometimes I feel like a take-off on the Terminator. Writing is what I do, it's all I do, I'm the WRITER. *g* But since you gave me bragging rights, I have to say that my daughter Heather sold her first two novels! The first one, WHEN THE STORM BREAKS (romantic suspense written as Heather Lowell), will be out in paperback this August. I'm not only proud as a mama, I'm delighted as a reader - I really love her work!

Joey: What's coming out next?

Elizabeth: On May 27th, RUNNING SCARED will be out in paperback for the first time. It's a story of greed, danger, mysterious gold, and love. The backdrop is Rarities Unlimited, although like all Rarities books, it doesn't have to be read in any particular order to be enjoyed.

On June 17th, DIE IN PLAIN SIGHT will be out in hardcover. This book features Ian Lapstrake (who appeared in MOVING TARGET and RUNNING SCARED). He's protecting Susa Donovan while she participates in a charity event for painters in southern California. It seems like a really quiet assignment - until he meets Lacy Quinn and finds himself pulled into a vortex of fire, family, passion, and murder.

Joey: Any word on upcoming projects you can hint on?

Elizabeth: Right now I'm working on a book called THE COLOR OF DEATH. While it's romantic suspense, it isn't a Rarities or a Donovan book. My editor wanted me to have the creative advantage of a "clean slate" for a few books. I'm having great fun with it!

Joey: Thanks for letting us "Ketchup" with you! I look forward to the release of DIE IN PLAIN SIGHT (to put it mildly).

Elizabeth's Website


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