JR: Welcome to The Romance Reader's Connection, Ms. London. Your very successful Rogues of Regent Street series tracks the lives of three friends from Eton. Where did you get the idea for this series?

JL: The idea came from a tragedy in my own life, unfortunately. A good friend of mine from high school was killed in a car accident, and his death got me to thinking of how precious life is and how devastating it is when someone we care about is taken from us, but particularly someone young and full of life. From his death came the idea of four friends who had been through thick and thin together, and what would happen to their psyche's if one of them suddenly and tragically died.

JR: The Rogues of Regent Street series begins with THE DANGEROUS GENTLEMAN. Adrian is the one that kills Phillip, his best friend and one of the Rogues of Regent Street. He has quite a few issues to deal with regarding his father, his brother and his wife. How do you view Adrian's turmoil compared to the others who only witnessed the shooting?

JL: Hmmm, interesting question. All of them feel guilt, as I think anyone would when someone takes their own life. But Adrian was the one to pull the trigger, and his guilt very nearly ate him alive. The others felt some guilt, but on a different level and not nearly as intensely. Adrian was literally sickened by it. He had to get up every single morning and face the fact that he killed his best friend. His guilt made him act out in ways that were really foreign to him.

JR: THE RUTHLESS CHARMER may be my favorite. Julian has always wanted Claudia, but she was Phillip's intended. Feeling responsible for his friend's death, he now feels guilty for wanting Claudia so desperately. This book is tightly laced with tension, guilt and love. Every aspect of this book connects to some different part or event that going back and reading it a second time one can find all the hidden meanings within. However, what I found amusing amongst the deeply woven character's feelings was the many times they were caught in compromising positions. I can tell you really had some fun writing this book. Julian had so much to deal with, though. Did you feel he was a strong enough character to put him through everything he went through with Phillip, Claudia and his sisters?

JL: THE RUTHLESS CHARMER is my favorite, too! And yes, I think Julian was strong enough to handle it all. Life started throwing him curve balls very early on, and he learned a whole lot of coping mechanisms, for sure, like chasing women or partying all night. Never letting himself get too emotionally involved. But when it got right down to it, he was a very vulnerable guy, and Claudia knew how to push all of his buttons.

JR: in THE BEAUTIFUL STRANGER, fellow rogue, Arthur finds himself in Scotland to take care of some business and meets Kerry McKinnon. A book filled with heated romance and building intrigue, what prompted you to pair Arthur with a Scottish widow?

JL: I wanted to put Arthur with someone that was as far removed from his life as possible and shake things up a little bit for that sentimental fool. The Scottish highlands seemed like the perfect place for Artie.

JR: THE SECRET LOVER actually begins in TRC. Sophie is the younger sister of Julian Dane. She is determined to marry a man Julian tried his best to keep her from, but she elopes with him anyway, causing her much misery. She divorces him, which puts Julian through the ringer by representing her in court. Why have her go through a divorce, which was unspeakable in the ton circles? Did you feel that her attitude towards her guardians and subsequent consequences reflects some issues faced by today's young women?

JL: I wanted to describe a situation that so many of us know, myself included. Even though divorce was frowned upon and very difficult to achieve back then, it was not unheard of. And Sophie made a foolish, childish mistake, for which she had to suffer a consequence. The mistake she made and the consequence she paid seemed timeless to me—although the how and the why of it were a little different, the falling in love with the wrong guy and making headstrong, foolish mistakes sort of transcends everything, doesn't it?

JR: In TSL, after returning to England, Sophie finds herself attracted to a man whose own reputation seems to match her own. Caleb and Sophie seem to be two of a kind, both with questionable reputations. Sophie risks even more of her reputation by taking him as her lover. What was the message you felt compelled to tell with this story line?

JL: I'm not sure I intended a message as much as I wanted to let Sophie mature and grow and discover herself. She was a divorced woman, she had little hope for a happy-ever after, but she grabbed the brass ring and took her piece of happiness when the opportunity presented itself, consequences be damned. I really liked that she was prepared to do that, especially since she knew better than anyone did what the fallout from it could be.

JR: All the books, except TSL, begin with the death of one of their own, of Phillip. The death effects each of them in different ways. Was this intentional, about how the same event can effect different people in different ways or how they perceive the same event? Was this why it was imperative to kill one of their own?

JL: Yes, it was intentional to show the same scene from three different viewpoints. I'm not sure the death was imperative—I suppose I could have had Phillip hauled off to prison—but it was dramatic and a real impetus for change in the lives of three party animals. In the prologues, I wanted the reader to feel the sense of shock and disbelief that started them down their paths.

JR: I've noticed you are planning on branching out from your historical settings and will write a contemporary trilogy about three sisters. What is this series about and where are they set?

JL: The trilogy is set in Texas, New York, and California. I have a more detailed description of it at www.julialondon.com, but in a nutshell, it's about a rich man with three daughters who discovers he is dying of cancer. When he looks around him, he sees three spoiled women (his daughters) who have depended on him to make their way in the world and are really pretty clueless about what life is really like for most of us. Because he doesn't have long to live, he resorts to drastic measures to force them to become independent adults, face the world, and value the things that are really important in life. The first book is scheduled for release in June 2003.

JR: Will you be writing more historicals in the future? What is in store for your readers next?

JL:  Yes, absolutely! I am just spreading my wings a little with the contemporary. My next historical is an anthology, and after that, I am planning to write about an affair that pops up to bite our heroine in the arse fifteen years after the fact.

JR: When you aren't writing, what do you enjoy doing? Has your golf game improved any?

JL: Ha! I'm a lousy golfer and show no signs of ever breaking out of that category! But if I'm not golfing, I'm outdoors doing something. My only complaint is that there doesn’t seem to be enough time to do anything anymore except eat brownies and write.

JR: Thanks again Ms. London for taking time out to speak with The Romance Reader's Connection about your wonderful work. I know I look forward to your future books.

JL: It was my pleasure, and thanks so much for asking me!