Barb: The family life pretty much sucks, hence the writing to escape reality thing ... I don't have any real hobbies, but I do like to get into arts & craft type things sometimes ... a bit of sewing, too. My girls always like Halloween because I'm the one who loves making costumes out of odds and ends. You'd be surprised what old curtains and tablecloths can look like.

You want to know about The Poet huh????? (insert schoolgirl sort of crush sigh here) There really aren't too many folks in this world I'd go out of my way to spend time with, but he's one of the very few. He's the ultimate friend IMHO. On one hand, he's the cocky-you-just-want-to-slug-him-sexist-Alpha-Male, and then he turns around and sends off a little gem like this ...

Touch Me I want you to touch me. I need you to touch me. I am so afraid of your touch. God if only for the moment, let it be mine! I want you to touch me. Like tears touch the soul, like thunder touches the mind, like rain touches the earth. Touch me! I need you to touch me. Fingers tracing scars on this body that contains me, words sliding into my consciousness that comfort me, warm breath swirling in my ear from a secret shared. Touch me! I am afraid of your touch. All alone searching for what I know you to be. Perhaps finding the want and need together within you. Only to learn that you don't love me any less, you just don't love me anymore. Touch me! I want you to touch me. I need you to touch me. I am so afraid of your touch. God if only for the moment, let it be mine! Mark J. Ankrom

Donna: When did you start writing and why did you choose romance?

Barb: I really started way back when I was sweet young thing, after having read INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE and hating the ending. I wrote my own and the writing bug bit hard.

Donna: When writing, do you work with an outline? Do your characters ever try to take over?

Barb: I pretty much just do a synopsis of the characters; how they meet, what conflict(s) they have and how it's resolved. Just the basic beginning, middle and end.

Donna: I have read that authors hate this question, but readers and aspiring authors always want to know: Where you get the ideas for your stories? What do you use for inspiration?

Barb: Like Stephanie Mittman said at CR 99! - Ideas are EVERYWHERE. If you've got the overactive imagination that we writers seem to have. For example, I read an article in a history magazine on the Choctaw Lighthorse and some political assassinations in the Choctaw Nation in 1892. The description of various lawmen refusing to execute the only man condemned by the tribal courts really hit me.

Then I read that the condemned man picked the one he wanted to do the execution, a deputy who was his childhood friend. I thought of what it must have been like for the lawman who had to pull the trigger, and thus Jason Hillhouse was born. And through his and Star's story (which was soundly rejected the publishing world over) Sheriff Corby Hillhouse of TIMELESS WISH was born ...

Donna: How hard was it to sell your first book? How long did it take?

Barb: The first book to sell was about the 5th complete manuscript I'd written. And surprisingly, it went pretty quickly. I queried Berkley/Jove and got a request for the whole manuscript in only two weeks. (!) Of course I sweated the next two months waiting for an answer, and when The Call came I babbled like an idiot with many "Ohmigod's" and "Are you sure this is no joke's?" sprinkled in there.

Donna: How hard is it to turn over your story (which you have probably poured your heart and soul into and sweated buckets over) to an editor, who will then tell you what has to be torn out or rewritten and changed to prepare it for readers that you have never even met? (Sorry, didn't mean to get so carried away! *G* I can only imagine that it must be like having a very meddlesome and interfering mother-in-law telling you how to raise your children.)

Barb: *LOL* I truly had the m-i-l from Hell, so this one is easy. The change I had to make in TIMELESS WISH was a big one (I had to totally lose the ending, about 60 pages worth), but I saw the reasoning behind it and the editor's suggestions were great. (Crossing fingers and hoping the experience with my new editor will be the same.)

The way I look at it is pretty much that they bought the book, and unless they suggest or demand a change I think will totally kill the tale, I'll make the changes.

Donna: Are your family and friends supportive of your writing romance? Are they ever afraid of finding themselves in the pages of your books?

Barb: (Insert a spurt of slightly crazed laughter here.) Supportive is not a word I'd pick; however, I did manage to get my 15-year-old to admit that she thought TIMELESS WISH was "good".
(Now picture a smirky smile.) They should be afraid. They should be very afraid ...

Donna: Do you ever base your stories on real experiences and people?

Barb: Yes and no. I think people and situations in my life have rubbed off. The emotions I've experienced sure have, and then of course there's The Poet. (Girlie sigh goes here.) He recently inspired some very, very nice fictional encounters for my new characters.

Donna: You have written some great characters in TIMELESS WISH. When we learn Corby's secret, we can really feel his pain. I love that he is human and can make mistakes. Is he based on anyone from your life?

Barb: Thank you. I'm so glad you like my people because they're "real" to me. I suppose Corby is me and a lot of folks I know. Folks who goof up, sometimes seriously, but go on and do the best they can.

Donna: I liked how you had Laura comparing some of her situations to those of characters she had read in romance stories, and seeing herself as a "heroine" and Corby as the "hero." I think that all of us could relate to this and would probably be doing the same. Is there a part of you in Laura?

Barb: Oh yeah. Like Laura, I'm still waiting for my knight in slightly dented armor to make an appearance.

Donna: I just loved little Sabrina! How hard is it to write children into a story? Is she based on your own daughters?

Barb: Thank you again.

I've been around little kids since I was a kid, so it seems kind of natural if they fit into the situation. I suppose Sabrina is partly based on my girls.

Donna: You have demonstrated for us here at RBL that you are a "shameless hussy" and we're certainly proud of you! Do you have to hold yourself back when writing the love scenes? (Not that we want you to!)

Barb: (Wearing a shocked blush.) Shameless Hussy? Me???? I'll have you know I'm a mere 1.095 steps away from virginity.

But really, I think I've had to push myself a bit - until recently (the aforementioned poetic inspiration really helped).

Donna: Are you as avid a reader as we are here at RBL? What kinds of books do you read? Who are your favorite authors?

Barb: It has been WAY too long since I've had a chance to read for fun. With various family things happening, and then finally selling my own book and having to rewrite, and then come up with another book - that has made it hard.

BUT I have within reach Jo Beverley's Malloren series and I'm determined to find out what the "Waiting for Rothgar" hubub is all about. I also adore Susan Johnson's Braddock-Black books and Pure Sin. I'd love to see more of those from her. I like Kat Martin and Betina Krahn and a ton of other people.

Donna: Your next book is SILVER RAIN, which is sort of a "Sleeping Beauty" with a male lead. Can't wait to read this one! When is it scheduled for release? Would you say this is a hot read?

Barb: It's set for May 2000 as part of Jove's Magical Love line. I think it has its HOT moments (which takes us yet again to The Poet).

Donna: So far your published books have a paranormal theme. Is this an area of personal interest for you?

Barb: Oh yes. I've always loved the "weird" movies and books. I was probably the only 4th grade girl who had the Universal Monsters decorating her bedroom.

Donna: Do you want to write any other types of romance or other fiction?

Barb: I've tried my hand at two contemporaries, and have partial manuscripts and two complete of straight historicals. In fact, TIMELESS WISH is really the third in a series. I liked the Corby character and figured his happy-go-lucky attitude in the other books was hiding something, and it just happened that the woman for him was from the 20th century.

Donna: What is next? Are you working on anything now?

Barb:Just this afternoon I finished SILVER RAIN, so after I give it a final polish, I'll take a wee break and try to decide what to do next. I thought it might be a hoot to take Calen and Jake Hillhouse from TIMELESS WISH and propel them back to Victorian England (one of their ancestors had a Wild West show).

I also have an idea for a modern detective going back to London, and getting involved with the Jack the Ripper case and a most annoying do-gooder woman who has been trying to help the prostitutes of Whitechapel turn their lives around (and I imagine those soiled doves might have given her a hint or two she just might be anxious to put into practice ...).

Donna: Your new web site looks great! How has the Internet affected you as an author?

Barb: Thank you yet again. I think the Internet is great free publicity reaching more people than I could personally. The only problem I have is the technical side right now. I need to figure out how to do the update kind of stuff on my own.

Donna: What advice do you have for any of us aspiring authors?

Barb: It's the same old stuff you always hear but it's the truth. Write the story you can't get out of your head. Even if you think it doesn't fit the current market. If it rings true and causes people to get swept up in the characters, you really can't go wrong. And also NEVER give up. I received a rejection from Leisure for TIMELESS WISH that said it wasn't up to their usual quality standards. A week later I received the offer from Berkley. I think it comes down to the right story hitting the right editor's desk on the right day. And if you quit, that day can't come.

Donna: Several RBL'ers plan to attend the RT Convention in Toronto this September. Will you be there?

Barb: I would LOVE to but unless someone gives me a winning lottery ticket, I'll be here. Writing like crime does not pay.

Donna: Anything you would like to say or any questions for us here at RBL Romantica?

Barb: I'd just like to thank you all for making feel so welcome into your group. You guys are a blast and I hope to meet more of you up close and in person. I hope to be at the NJRW conference this fall, and of course CELEBRATE ROMANCE 2000 wherever it may be.