Tracy -One of my favorites, THE WATERFALL, was set here in Vermont. I noticed recently on Amazon, that the book has now joined the out of print realms of many of your backlist. Does it surprise you that your books sell out so quickly? Are there any plans to reissue any of your older books?

Carla - Actually, MIRA is keeping all of my MIRA titles in print -- sometimes the warehouses get low on stock. Pocket Books is reissuing two of my older books, JUST BEFORE SUNRISE and NIGHT SCENTS, in the near future with new covers and everything. It's great to see this happening, and I'm very grateful to readers, whether they've just found my work or have been reading me from my days in category romance.

Tracy -Your first book was published twenty years ago, and I know you still remember that day. How long did it take you to sell your first manuscript? Was MIDSUMMER DREAMS (I believe this is the first book, there were three that year so I may be incorrect) the first manuscript you submitted?

Carla - I do remember! That was in the early '80's, and I was a new mother -- I'd type with my newborn daughter on the blotter on the desk next to me. (Then she learned to roll over and I had to move her!) That book sold very fast. It was right in the midst of the exploding category romance market, so I was lucky. It led to MATCHING WITS becoming one of the six launch books for the popular Bantam Loveswept series. (Can you name the other five??!)

Tracy -I know you have always lived in New England. Have you always lived in Vermont? Your stories, however, have a range of settings. What led you to the Texas Rangers (Jack & Sam)?

Carla - We've been in Vermont since 1991 and love it. I grew up in a small town in west-central Massachusetts with a southerner mother and a Dutchman father, so I guess I've always enjoyed stories about "outsiders," fish out of water, that sort of thing. I've been to Texas a number of times and have lots of writer friends there, and my niece is a native Texan -- my oldest brother lived in San Antonio for a few years -- I guess you could say I've been captivated by Texas and its people. In THE CABIN, I've got my hyper-professional Texas Rangers in the wilds of the Adirondacks, and in STONEBROOK COTTAGE, mixed up with the suspicious death of a New England governor. It was fun to do, but being out of our element, no matter how professional and competent we are in another area, is something I think we all have to face in our lives...whether it's our first day of school or moving to a new city or starting a new job.

Tracy -You are also a very active outdoors person? Did you get a chance to do much snowshoeing this winter with the lack of snow? Has your golfing improved any?

Carla - No, I didn't do that much snowshoeing this past winter -- we did do some wilderness trails around here, but not as much as I'd have liked. As for golf -- my goal is to become consistently mediocre! It's very relaxing, but I still find myself looking at the flowers and the birds more than plotting my next move. We just got back from a week in downeast Maine where my husband, my sister, her two teenagers and our teenager and I all went on an incredible hike on the Bold Coast Trail. I'm putting pictures up on my website -- the scenery was just incredible.

Tracy -THE CARRIAGE HOUSE, THE CABIN and now STONEBROOK COTTAGE are all linked through various secondary characters. Zoe West, the detective from Bluefield, CT, is up next with THE HARBOR. Is Zoe being paired with a new character or are we going to see an old favorite return?

Carla - Zoe goes back to her hometown in Maine to deal with her police chief father's unsolved murder -- she's the only character from previous books. J.B. McGrath, the hero, is something else...an FBI agent who says he's on vacation, but nobody believes him.

Tracy -Now I admit, STONEBROOK COTTAGE threw me. I fully expected to see a link between Madeleine Stockwell and the villain. Did you ever think of taking that route?

Carla - Hm...I don't remember if I did or didn't, but I know I never try to deliberately fool or mislead readers -- I like to let the characters do what they do and the reader to think what she thinks, right or wrong. I don't like to feel the writer's hand in the midst of things myself as a reader. So...I'm taking the Fifth, I guess!!!

Tracy -Where is your booksigning tour taking you this time?

Carla - As much as I hate to leave Vermont in the summer, I'm very much looking forward to my ten days on the road, first to the southern New England coast as part of the Stop & Shop "Cool Summer Reads" bus tour with a bunch of other authors -- the only other person I know for sure is going is Geralyn Dawson, one of my Texan friends and just a fabulous writer. That's August 7-10. Then I head to Houston and Amarillo...I know, August in Texas is HOT, but it'll be a lot of fun. I have all the times and dates on my website.

Tracy -You are also an avid reader. What is currently on your TBR pile?

Carla - I read JOHN ADAMS on vacation in Maine and couldn't put it down -- what an incredible book! I'm reading Earle Emerson's VERTICAL BURN at the moment, I've got Jan Coffey's new romantic suspense to read, I'm inching my way through the second book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I can't wait to buy Geralyn Dawson's new book...oh, I've got about 20 books on the stack right now.

Tracy -Thanks so much for your time! It has been a pleasure for me! And one day, when I get over to Quechee, I will try to drop a note first!