Melanie George

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Melanie George is The Romance Readers Connections' July author of the month.

She has written several novels, including, LIKE NO OTHER, DANGEROUS TO LOVE, and DEVIL MAY CARE. This month the second in the Sinclair brothers' trilogy will be released, HANDSOME DEVIL.

JR: Hello, Melanie and welcome to TRRC. Every writer needs some kind of inspiration for their stories. Where do you get your ideas for your storylines?

MG: Once I started writing, everything gave me ideas. I could be watching the news and something one of the reporters said would spark off a thought in my head. Even a commercial has been known to make the first sliver of an idea pop into my head.

JR: I know some authors have a special connection to particular characters they've written about. Do you have a favorite story or character from your books? Why is it (or them if it is a particular character) special to you?

MG: The characters I've gotten the most emails about are my secondary characters, who I always love because I can let loose and have them act any way I want. Take Reggie, for example, in DEVIL MAY CARE. He was gay, but he was so delightfully provoking and self-confident that he is hard not to like. In along with Holmes, the butler.) In my upcoming book, HANDSOME DEVIL, I unlocked the compartment holding all my zaniest characters -- a foul-mouthed myna bird, a nearly deaf butler, an aunt who always thinks she's dying, an uncle who is touched in the head. Throw in a heroine who is full of spunk (as well as a mean right hook) and a hero that is positively beleaguered, and it makes for a wild ride.

JR: Most publishers are really pushing the envelope with the love scenes in mainstream romances now. I know I enjoy the tension and interplay of the hero and heroine almost as much as I do reading the actual love scenes. Do you find love scenes are imperative to making the romance better?

MG: I think you can have a romance that has no sex in it and it can be wonderful. To me, sex does not mean romance, per se. But for two people who are moving towards love, I think having a physical relationship binds them in a special way. Personally, I love a lot of sensuality in a book, heated glances and a series of brief but breathless encounters, like foreplay, moving toward a culmination (sometimes a few culminations <G>).

JR: In DEVIL MAY CARE, the hero is referred to as "the Devil" and the heroine is the referred to as "the Angel". Did you enjoy writing the counterplay of good and evil into all the nuances of your book?

MG: Yes, I did. It gave me a lot to work with. My idea of the "devil" in this book is not tortured, but "devilish." And Damien was indeed that (with all those midnight rendezvous through Eden's bedroom window <G>) I think Kathe Robin, from Romantic Times, summon the book up the best in her review, saying that DEVIL MAY CARE was an "allegorical tale . . . with a Dickensian twist."

I could not have said it better myself.

JR: Do you have people close to you read your work before hand and give you ideas and helpful criticism?

MG: I've had people I call friends, not critique partners, listen to me whine and moan when point A is not winding its way toward point B. But I don't have anyone who reads chapters or anything.

JR: I loved the character of Reggie. It seemed like you really had some fun with him. How did you come up with all his eccentricities?

MG: Reggie was an absolute blast to write. These are the type of characters I'm told I do well, and they are very easy for me to write because they live in my head (Hope that doesn't mean I have multiple personalities. Hmm.) From the start, Reggie told me everything about him. He would not be foppish, per se, but stylish (in a way no one else could pull off but him.) Of course he simply HAD to have his "sweet petunia." Reggie adores animals more than people -- and those who have read the book know that Reggie is full of opinions. God forbid he shouldn't have one!

JR: Do you plan on writing any contemporaries? What will it be about?

MG: Actually, I have already written two. One has been done over a year now, but my publisher wanted to put the Devil books out together so they pushed the contemp off until next year (spring, I think.) The title is THE MATING GAME.

About six months ago, I finished my second contemporary -- and no one will believe this book came from me when it comes out, because this story is full of dark characters (a tormented heroine instead of hero.) A stalker-- murder. You name it! One thing about my writing is that my characters lead me, not vice versa. They dictate the story. When I started contemp #2 (as yet untitled, but I'm hoping for "To Die For") the characters refused to be fun and lighthearted. They wanted angst, or maybe after writing lighter romps, I want a full out tortured story. Some of the writing is, well, fairly X-rated. I'll leave it at that.

JR: HANDSOME DEVIL is the second in this series of three brothers. How do you find writing in a series versus single titles?

MG: Actually, the Devil *series* are really single title books. I had originally proposed them for the Ballad line of Kensington, which is all series, but I was bumped up to the main list and each book made a single title (with a common thread. The brothers.) I think I could learn to enjoy writing a series. Creating a whole family in my head. It is a powerful thought. A group of wonderful characters I can create lives for.

JR: You said that the third and final Sinclair book will be different than the first two, more darker. I know I love dark and tortured heroes. Why did you find it compelling to write about a dark hero in the third?

MG: Actually, I don't know if the third book in the Devil series, THE DEVIL'S DUE, will be the final. I was asked several months ago to do more, but I declined at that time. But that doesn't mean I might not pick up again in two years. As for the hero in this book being more tormented (though its mild compared to my 2nd contemp's angst.) I wanted each brother to be totally different. No copycat characters, if you know what I mean. Gray's story lent itself to something a bit more tormented -- though it is important to know that I would not consider Gray "tortured." I have yet to try to traverse that road yet, though I may try at some point. It is just that his pain is a bit closer to the surface than what you will see in Damien or Nicholas's book.

JR: I have enjoyed your work and look forward to reading a lot more from you. What can we expect from you in the future?

MG: Well, I just signed a contract with Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster) so there should be a lot more to come. In fact, I actually will have my first book out with Pocket this year. A Christmas anthology entitled, A VERY GOTHIC CHRISTMAS, which is going to be a complete s-t-r-e-t-c-h for me. I have never written anything remotely gothic. Anyone who has read my stuff knows exactly what I'm talking about. So this is truly going to be a learning experience, especially since the author I'm doing the anthology with writes only darker, gothic stuff and knows what she is doing. So you guys will have to keep me in your prayers that I can pull this off! <G>

JR: Thank you, Melanie, for visiting with TRRC. We look forward to reading your upcoming books.

MG: Thank you for having me. I hope you'll invite me back again!

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(Click here for a review of Devil May Care)

(Click here for a review of Handsome Devil)

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