Leanne Banks

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This month TRRC is delighted to present an interview with Leanne Banks, an author of over 30 romance novels and novellas for Silhouette, Bantam Loveswept, and Meteor Kismet.   I believe you will enjoy getting to know Ms. Banks and reading her first single title, SOME GIRLS DO!

Happy reading!

Angela Etheridge

Angela Etheridge:  Hello and welcome to The Romance Reader's Connection, Ms. Banks.  You have written several books over the years.  Would you please tell our readers a little about yourself?

Leanne Banks:  Thank you so much for inviting to your terrific site!  Yes, it's true that I've written over 30 romance novels and novellas for Silhouette, Bantam Loveswept and Meteor Kismet.  I've been fortunate to sell every finished book I've written, but that's not due to my brilliance, it's due to my willingness to revise.  I live in Richmond, VA with my husband and two teenage children.  I started writing in 1988 after I lost a pregnancy and realized I was going to have to develop more of myself than the "mommy" part.  I had no interest in writing anything but romance.  I loved romances.  I'm sure my fondness for love stories began the first time I heard the story "Cinderella" as a little girl.  In 1988, I set a crazy goal of writing and selling a romance novel within two years.  I joined Romance Writers of America, started my own critique group, entered contests and did not win, but I actually beat my goal by about 3 months.  My family went to Disney World on my first advance. My B.S. degree is in Psychology, which means I'm only qualified to treat fictional characters. 

AE:  I really enjoyed reading your first single title, SOME GIRLS DO.  When one of your secondary characters runs off to Texas to find romance, main characters Katie Collins and Michael Wingate follow and find a romance of their own.  Does Texas hold a special place in your heart? 

LB:  I'm delighted you enjoyed SOME GIRLS DO!  Does Texas hold a special place in my heart? It does!  While I've never lived in Texas, I do believe in the Texas "mystique". The state has such a huge variety of terrain and feeling.  For example, one of the major airports in the country is called Dallas-Fort Worth, but can you imagine two more different cities?  I think San Antonio is beautiful, and I find the history of Texas fascinating.  In fact my next book, WHEN SHE'S BAD, is set in Houston.  I've also had the pleasure of meeting several women writers from Texas and while I don't want to paint all Texan women with the same brush, when I think of Texan women, I think of the characteristics, strong, but girly.  I enjoy that combination. 

AE:   The characters in your books struggle with common issues with which many women can relate.  What prompted you to write romance genre novels?

LB:  As I mentioned earlier, I didn't even consider writing anything else!  Now that I look back on when I started to write, I realize that that it's very true that if you want to write, you should definitely have a passion for the genre you choose.  I've read hundreds of romances and it was no hardship for me to read them because I very much enjoy the romance genre.  I find that I really need to love what I'm writing because I have to work so hard and so long to create, finish and revise the book that I will get sick of it if I don't love it.  And then after I've finished the book, I see it again for copy edits and AGAIN for page proofs.

On the subject of my characters' struggles, as I was creating the premise for the story of SOME GIRLS DO, I was fascinated by the idea of how the daughter of a sexy, eccentric mother would struggle with her own sexuality.  I liked the idea of seeing Katie Priss, the she-ro from this book fight her fears of turning out to be like her mother and to be at odds with her mother throughout the book.  I love the way her romantic relationship forced her to look at her mother differently.  I also enjoyed the little words of advice her mother gave from the hereafter throughout the book.  Although I'm fortunate that my mother is alive and kicking, she doesn't live in my city, but I still hear her advice even when she's not standing right next to me!

I enjoyed seeing the hero's fascination with my she-ro change him from being so jaded.  And who couldn't love the secondary character Wilhemina?  She's scared spitless and inexperienced, but determined to pursue her dream.

AE:   How do you decide on the topic for your books?

LB:  I start with characters and I choose characters with problems that are interesting to me. It's important to me to have a passion for my characters.  I write with a combination of strong emotion and humor.  Emotion and character development are most important to me because I believe I can make the character most honest if I focus on those two things.  The humor comes out of emotion and situation and is secondary.  The two most important questions I ask my characters throughout all of my books are: What do you most fear?  What is your most secret, heartfelt wish?  Those questions help me get to the gut of a character.

AE:  What authors do you like to read when time permits?

LB:  Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Janet Evanovich, Cindy Gerard, Pamela Britton, Cherry Adair.

AE:  What are you working on next?

LB:  I just finished my second single title for Warner, WHEN SHE'S BAD, and a story for a Silhouette Christmas anthology.  I will do revisions for the single title, then begin work on a special Silhouette Desire written exclusively in the hero's point of view.  That should be challenging!

I'm not sure how it happened, but I have 5 projects out during the 2003 year. In January, a Silhouette Desire was published.  May brings my first single title SOME GIRLS DO. June, another Silhouette Desire, PRINCESS IN HIS BED.  November brings TWO projects!  Yikes!  WHEN SHE'S BAD from Warner and my contribution to a Silhouette Christmas anthology set, guess where?  Texas.

AE:  What advice would you have for would-be writers?

LB:  Read and love what you want to write.  Learn your craft.  Remember that persistence is more important than talent.  Remember, also, that there is likely a reader out there just waiting for your unique voice.

AE:  If there is anything else you would like to mention, please feel free!

(Click here for a review of SOME GIRLS DO)

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