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This month The Romance Readers Connection is honored to have award winning
author Suzanne Brockmann as Author Of The Month. Ms Brockmann, a Romance
Writers of America RITA winner for best single title in a contemporary
romance, BODYGUARD, resides in Boston, Massachusetts with her husband and two
children.
LH: As the editor of TRRC it is my pleasure to welcome you to our website. As
soon as I mentioned you would be The Romance Readers Connection's "Author Of
The Month" for March, the site's email filled up with requests for information
on the Navy SEALS. I suppose in part it is because you have given us two
wonderful SEAL Teams and while some of us have been fans since the first
team's inception, new followers are hungry for information on the guys. Some
of the questions you'll be asked will prompt a repeat of information you've
shared with readers previously but for the newbies, inquiring minds want to
know......
How did you acquire such a vast knowledge of the workings of the US Navy
SEALS?
SB: It wasn't easy! <g> Most of the research I've done is through books,
although I've also visited the UDT/SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce, Florida -- a
great source of information. (It's also amazingly cool to see the site where
the Underwater Demolition Teams, the granddaddies of the SEALs of WWII first
trained!) The museum has a huge video tape collection and a room where the
tapes are shown constantly.
The biggest difficulty I found in my research is that up-to-date information
isn't available. I've read a zillion books on SEAL operations during Vietnam
and that's all well and good, but it's been forty years. Methods and
operations have changed a great deal. And just *try* to get anyone currently
in the teams (or even recently in the teams) to talk about that!
LOL! It's
not gonna happen. SEALs have been nicknamed "the Silent Warriors," part of
the deal is that they don't talk about what they do.
I have been lucky, though, to become friends with a former SEAL. We email
frequently and I've talked to him on the phone, too. The first time we
spoke, I'm sure I freaked him out because I kept asking him questions like
"Yeah, but how did you *feel*?"
LH: Recently you introduced us to SEAL Team Sixteen under the leadership of
LT Tom Paoletti. We first met LT Paoletti in UNSUNG
HERO. Now in THE DEFIANT
HERO we are treated to a more in-depth look at his team and introduced to new
heroes. Do you find it difficult to write about Teams Ten and Sixteen
simultaneously given that one team is "category" and the other "mainstream?"
SB: I'll let you know! LOL!
Seriously, though, I don't expect to have any problem with it.
I've been paying close attention to the way David Kelley writes for both The
Practice and Ally McBeal -- two popular TV shows that deal with lawyers.
I
believe that the success of both of those two shows lies in the audiences'
relationship with the characters. And since each character is an individual
person, they're never at risk for becoming interchangeable.
(Compare the
head of both of those firms -- Richard Fish vs. Bobby Donnell.
Two extremely
different people! <g>)
I'm trying to do the same thing with these two simultaneously "running"
series of books. <g> Just as on Ally and the Practice there's a leader and
right hand man and a really bright lawyer who always wins (Lindsay in
The
Practice, John Cage in Ally) and a secretary, etc. etc., both of my SEAL
teams have characters in seemingly similar roles.
Each team has a leader and an XO and a Senior Chief. Each team also has the
typical make up of any group of human beings -- the quiet guy, the loud guy,
the class clown, the really handsome guy, etc. The key to making them
different from one another lies in creating individual, unique people.
For example, I've got a character in my single title series (Team 16) called
Ken "WildCard" Karmody. At first glance, he's a lot like my Tall, Dark &
Dangerous character, Wes Skelly. Both are loud and obnoxious and usually say
exactly the wrong thing for any given situation. Both walk around with their
foot in their mouth all the time. But WildCard is an electronics genius.
He's part mad scientist, while Wes Skelly is all physical, all kinesthetic.
Skelly's the kind of guy who sky dives on his days off. He's first in line
to bungee jump. He'll body surf in a hurricane. He does everything at 110
percent and high speed. WildCard only moves quickly when he's at his
computer.
Both of these characters are affected by past relationships gone wrong.
Both are teeming caldrons of pent up emotions. But while Wes is driven by
real anger, WildCard's anger is just a facade for deep, bewildered hurt.
They're two different people filling similar roles in the two different
series.
LH: In THE DEFIANT HERO you've left the door open for a fantastic
interracial romance. Will we see a book devoted to a certain SEAL team member
and the FBI sharpshooter?
SB: I intend for there to be a number of ongoing story lines throughout this
series. Tom and Kelly from THE UNSUNG HERO will be secondary characters in
an upcoming book. (They still haven't gotten married as of THE DEFIANT HERO
or even the third book, OVER THE EDGE, and Tom's getting impatient. <g>)
So, yes. Sam and Alyssa, first introduced in TUH and given a rather hefty
subplot in TDH, will be back. They show up for another subplot in OVER THE
EDGE (September 2001), and I can tell you right now, their story is far from
over! <g>
LH: Can you share with us further plans for both teams?
SB: THE DEFIANT HERO is in stores February 27th, and OVER THE EDGE, the
third book in this single title series will be out in just six months, in
September. OTE features Team 16's Senior Chief, Stan Wolchonok.
(He's so
much fun to write!)
I'm not exactly sure who's next, but I'll probably get around to telling
Ensign Mike Muldoon's story eventually. Also WildCard intrigues me, as does
Team XO Jazz Jacquette. And, in OVER THE EDGE, I've brought back FBI
negotiator Max Bhagat (who first shows up in THE DEFIANT HERO).
His story's
not over either. And LT Sam Starrett will eventually get his own book, too.
As for the Tall, Dark & Dangerous books from Silhouette Intimate Moments, my
next installment will be out in July 2001. It's called TAYLOR'S TEMPTATION
and it features Chief Bobby Taylor. It's a fun story. He goes to Boston as
a favor to his best friend Wes -- to try to talk Wes's little sister Colleen
out of going on a good samaritan earthquake relief trip to a dangerous
country. It's a "not with MY sister, you don't!" book! <G>
I've written the outline for Wes's book, tentatively titled WILD, WILD WES,
but a release date for that hasn't been scheduled yet.
I have been told that Silhouette will be reissuing the first three books in
the TDD series some time in 2002. I'm really excited because PRINCE JOE,
FOREVER BLUE and FRISCO'S KID have all been very hard to find. (Visit my
website's "What's New" page to find out specifics
regarding these reissues as they become available. Or email me at
SFTHQ@aol.com and say "Hey, add me to your email newsletter list!" and I'll
let you know via newsletter when these books (and any others! will be
released!)
I've also just been told that HARVARD'S EDUCATION (TDD Book # 4) will be
reissued in February 2002, in celebration of Black History Month!
That's a
definite!
Also, I wanted to mention that my first ever e-short story will be available
on March 21st from Mighty
Words. It's a first for me in many ways
-- my first published short story, and my first go at electronic publishing.
The story is 25 pages long and is available for download for $3 -- which
seemed pretty reasonable to me! The story's called MURPHY'S LAW, and it's
part of the "Seven Deadly Sins" series in the romance section of Mighty
Words. Go to http://www.mightywords.com, click on romance, click on
Seven Deadly Sins!) The story features a young man named Jim Murphy who
wants two things in life -- to become a Navy SEAL (of course! <g>) and to win
the heart of the woman of his dreams. Apparently the story will be available
through Barnes
& Noble as well.
LH: Do you plan on writing any series books for Silhouette that are
nonmilitary?
SB: Not at this point, no. The TDD series is so popular, it just doesn't
make sense to write anything else right now!
I do, however, plan to write nonmilitary single titles for Ballantine. I
have a sequel for BODY GUARD (featuring the original hero's partner, George
Faulkner) up my sleeve, as well as some other ideas!
LH: Early on in your career you wrote a Loveswept titled LADIES MAN.
It
recently sold for $400 plus at Amazon Auctions. How does it feel to know
your fans are clamoring to have a copy of your works at any price?
SB: It feels like "Yikes!" LOL!
It's actually very cool. I still have some copies of that book and there's
been at least one time when I had a cash flow crunch, so I threw a copy up
for auction. It came in very handy. <g>
And I've also taken advantage of the huge demand for this book to raise
money for charity. I do volunteer work for the Appalachian Benefit
Coffeehouse and a group called "Cabel/Lincoln County Workcamp." The
coffeehouse raises money for the workcamp -- which sends a group of about 30
teenagers from my community to West Virginia each summer. They spend a week
there rebuilding houses for poor, ill or elderly people. It's similar to
Habitats for Humanity. It's a really great group. Last year I raised over a
thousand dollars from a raffle of a copy of LADIES' MAN. (I have about 15
copies of the book left!)
LH: Last year Silhouette Publishing committed the ultimate no-no as
far as
romance readers are concerned. They provided a lousy cover for what was a long
awaited wonderful book, GET LUCKY. Your fans were very vocal to Silhouette
in their dislike for the cover and for what appeared to be disinterest in
what lies in between the cover of a romance book. Since the GET LUCKY
incident has Silhouette changed it's policy regarding conferring with the
authors on the matter of bookcovers?
SB: Not a chance.
But you need to understand -- H/S puts out something like 60 books a month.
That's a ton of cover art. For them one book is just one book that comes out
in one month. For the author of that book, it's possibly the only book
they've got out that year. Guess who the cover art matters more to? <g>
They simply can't spend the time getting feedback from 60 authors each month.
I understand that.
BUT. There's no excuse for ugly or badly executed cover art. Let's not kid
ourselves here. Books are sold by their covers. There's no reason on earth
why a cover shouldn't feature attractive people in an attractive setting.
<rolled eyes>
I always try to point out all the great covers I've had on my Silhouette
Books. PRINCE JOE, FRISCO'S KID, HARVARD'S EDUCATION, THE ADMIRAL'S BRIDE,
UNDERCOVER PRINCESS...
With that said, I'm awaiting the cover for TAYLOR'S TEMPTATION (July 2001)
with a great deal of anticipation! <G>
LH: It's difficult for romance writers to get that first novel published.
Do you have any words of wisdom you can share with the fledgling authors out
in cyberspace?
SB: Focus. Don't just write, write something very specific for a very
specific publisher or line. The more specific you can get, the better.
Don't just read every piece of fiction you can get your hands on, but analyze
it, too. Why does it work for you? Why doesn't it work? Did a scene make
you cry? After you finish the book, go back and look at it. Take it apart.
How did that author get you so involved that you were moved to tears? Pay
attention to successful writers of fiction. (I'm fascinated by David Kelley
and Aaron Sorkin. I'm also a devoted fan of William Goldman.
I'll read
anything by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Carla Kelly and Julia Quinn.
All of
these writers create characters who come to life.)
Last but not least, don't give up. Like the song says, you cannot win if
you do not play. Success is achieved by people who don't quit.
LH: Thank you so much for taking time from a very busy schedule to join us.
I'm sure I speak for all of us that were privileged enough to have read THE
DEFIANT HERO in advance, when I say, we are anxiously awaiting the next
installment of Seal Team Sixteen.
SB: Again, thank you for the opportunity.
(Click
here for a review of THE DEFIANT HERO.)
The 'Tall, Dark &
Dangerous' series book covers.
Suzanne's Backlist
(Silhouette Intimate Moments)
GET LUCKY, #991, TDD #9, March 2000
IDENTITY: UNKNOWN, #974, TDD #8, January 2000
UNDERCOVER PRINCESS, #968, Royally Wed #2, December 1999
THE ADMIRAL'S BRIDE, #962, TDD #7, November 1999
IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR, #896, TDD #6, December
1998
HARVARD'S EDUCATION, #884, TDD #5, October 1998
EVERYDAY, AVERAGE JONES, #872, TDD #4, August 1998
LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER, #831, January 1998
FRISCO'S KID, #759, TDD #3, January 1997
FOREVER BLUE, #742, TDD #2, October 1996
PRINCE JOE, #720, TDD #1, June 1996
A MAN TO DIE FOR, #681, (St. Simone, Florida) December 1995
NOT WITHOUT RISK, #647, (St. Simone, Florida) June 1995
(Mainstreams)
OVER THE EDGE, Ivy, September 2001
THE DEFIANT HERO, Ivy, March 2001
THE UNSUNG HERO, Ivy, June 2000
BODYGUARD, Fawcett, December 1999
HEART THROB, Fawcett, March 1999
(Loveswept)
BODY LANGUAGE, #889, May 1998
FREEDOM'S PRICE, #873, Bartlett Bros., February 1998
TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE, #858, (My Time Travel!) November 1997
LADIES' MAN, Subscribers Only, July 1997
STAND-IN GROOM, #840, June 1997
FORBIDDEN, #832, Bartlett Bros., April 1997
OTHERWISE ENGAGED, #824, Sunrise Key, February 1997
THE KISSING GAME, #817, Sunrise Key, December 1996
KISS AND TELL, #787, Sunrise Key, May 1996
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