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We
would like to welcome Julianne MacLean, an author who has not one
but two debut's coming out this month. The first is
SLEEPING WITH THE PLAYBOY she's written for Silhouette Desire.
The second is TO MARRY THE DUKE, her first title under Avon Publishing.
With two distinctive books coming out, we are pleased to sit down
and talk with Ms. MacLean about her life and her writing.
JR
- A big welcome to TRRC. We
are thrilled to have you join us as June's Author Of The Month. Can you tell readers a little more about yourself?
JM
- Sure! I'm a
stay-at-home mom and full-time writer during school hours. Before I started writing romance, I was a government auditor. In my spare time, I love to go to movies as well as rent them. I also enjoy jogging and of course reading.
DH
- You've got your first contemporary romance being released by
Silhouette Desire, titled SLEEPING WITH THE PLAYBOY. Was it difficult to change from historical to contemporary? What lead you to writing in two romance subgenres, category and
historicals?
JM
- Initially, I wasn't sure if I would have the voice for contemporary,
but I wanted to try anyway, and it turned out to be one of the most
wonderful writing experiences I ever had. I could use modern phrases, and that lent to a type of humor I
couldn't have tried in a historical. As far as what led me to write in the two subgenres - I love
trying something new. There's
always a challenge in that.
JR
- How long have you been writing? How long did it take you to get your first book published?
JM
- I started my first book ten years ago. It took me six years to sell, but I always believed it would
happen eventually as long as I didn't give up. In that time, I wrote five novels and learned everything I
could about writing romance. I
was a sponge.
DH
- If you could write any book you wanted without worrying about
marketing considerations, what would you write?
JM
- I'm one of those strange people who likes marketing considerations. I find it more of a challenge to figure out what the market is,
to narrow the scope of my ideas and find a story to fit, than to
freely write whatever pops into my head. But to answer your question, the book I always wanted to
write is the one coming out this month (June 2003), TO MARRY THE DUKE. It's about an American heiress in London during the Victorian
period when the nouveaux riches of America were looking to
"buy" titles in order to be accepted into high society. For years I was told that Victorians were taboo, so I put that
idea on hold. Thanks to
some great books by Judith Ivory, Connie Brockway and Betina Krahn,
the market opened up and I finally felt the time was right to tackle
this story.
JR
- What do you consider the most important thing to learn about writing
a romance?
JM
- There are so many things, it's hard to pick just one. I do think that persistence and the ability to keep going
-through difficult and sometimes demoralizing obstacles - is an
absolute must. It's a
long haul to get through the learning curve and sell a book, and you
need to be determined and dedicated to get there. It's definitely a labor of love. As far as the craft goes, the more words you write, the
smoother your voice will become. So practice, practice, practice. Once you develop a clean style, it's a matter of writing the
right story for the right editor at the right time. (I wrote an
article on selling your first book, which is posted on my website at http://www.juliannemaclean.com if anyone is interested. It's under "writing tips.")
DH
- Do you have any funny stories about what people say and do when they
find out you're a romance writer?
JM
- Most people are suitably impressed, I'm happy to say. I've never had anyone turn their nose up (at least not to my
face <G>). I do get
the occasional "wink-wink" question about how I do my
research. I usually wink
back at them, and reply that I take a notepad to bed.
DH
- What is one thing you'd like your readers to know about you?
JM
- Great question. I
suppose that the heart of my life is my love for my husband and
daughter. I believe that
nothing in life is more important than our loved ones.
DH
- Who are your favorite authors?
JM
- Jo Beverley, Mary Balogh, Judith Ivory, Deborah Hale, Stephanie
Laurens, Lisa Kleypas.
JR
- TO MARRY THE DUKE marks your debut with Avon Publishing. I absolutely adored the romantic feel you gave the story
instead of using formulaic plots and devices to keep the hero and
heroine apart. What made
you write a character driven romance rather than a plot driven?
JM
- Great "character books" are what I like to read, so that's
what I aspire to. I think very carefully about my characters before I
begin writing, and I try to venture deep into their hearts. I've often thought that the external plot is just the backdrop
or setting for the characters' growth. That idea helps me keep the characters' internal struggles at
the forefront.
JR
- I noticed on your website that you research your books extensively,
yet I didn't feel that the book was mired down with trivial details. How do you incorporate your research into your books?
JM
- I need to feel confident that I know the period, which is why I do a
lot of research. Then I
just tell the story, which is always about the characters. And I've
read enough craft articles to know that endless paragraphs of
description slow the pace of your book.
JR
- Do you plan on any books connected with TO MARRY THE DUKE? What is up next for you?
JM
- Glad you asked! TO
MARRY THE DUKE is the first in a trilogy about three sisters, so
Clara's story is coming next (February 2004). It's called AN AFFAIR MOST WICKED. It's a very sexy story about a notorious rake, who is known for
his skill in the bedroom and is the object of every woman's fantasy. No one has been able to wrangle a commitment out of him, until
a gorgeous American catches his eye. Readers will definitely enjoy this one!
DH
& JR - Thank you so much for taking time out to talk with us. We wish you the best of luck with your latest releases and look
forward to the next ones!
Thank
you in return. It was
lots of fun chatting about writing! Julianne
(Click
here for a review of TO MARRY THE DUKE)
(Click
here for a review of SLEEPING WITH THE PLAYBOY)
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