WWR: In The Italian's Suitable Wife, you give us a heroine who has been in love with the hero since she was a teenager, despite him never having shown her anything but brotherly affection. How difficult was it to balance her character so she didn't come across as someone to pity?
Lucy: This is a great question and one I don't think we always consider when writing the good friends turned to lover stories. In my opinion, whether or not unrequited love is seen as pitiable is determined by how the one doing the loving responds to his or her feelings and whether or not the object of his or her affections is deemed worthy of it by the reader.
In this case, the fact that Gianna had never fawned over Rico and didn't set out to use his current situation as a chance to pursue a relationship she didn't think he wanted gave her the balance. Had drooped around like a wet weekend when she thought he was going to marry someone else rather than pursuing her own ambitions, or jumped at the chance to marry him...then I think she would have come off as pitiable.
I also think that the fact Rico was a man worth loving made a lot of difference. For the most part, he had given her the best side of his character. The reader could see why anyone would fall in love with this guy, but especially a woman he had shown his softer side to.
WWR: Also in The Italian's Suitable Wife you introduce us to Andre, the hero's brother. Are we going to see him again?
Lucy: His story, The Playboy's Seduction, is currently an online read at eHarlequin.com.
WWR: And that brings me to the question of whether or not you have written any series, or plan to write any series soon? (I ask because I enjoyed the family in this book and would love to see some of them again... Namely, Andre. LOL.)
Lucy: Actually, quite a few of my stories are linked. My novella, Silver Bella, in Merry Christmas, Baby is the first in a series of seven Brava stories (three together in one anthology) that are linked, some by family and some by friendship. My first Zebra single title out in May 2005 will be linked to a follow-on book out in 2006. In addition I have historical romance trilogy about three siblings coming out in 2005 and 2006. Finally, I am writing a brothers trilogy for Harlequin Presents that will be out in 2006.
WWR: What (or who) inspired you to write romance fiction and have you considered writing, or intend to write, in other genres?
Lucy: I write romance because I love it. I believe it can be life changing. The victorious stories, the heroic archetypes and the focus on the most powerful force in life...love...are elements I'm very proud to include in my stories.
I have no current plans to write in other genres. I'm pretty busy with my romance writing and frankly, can't imagine writing a story not relationship focused.
WWR: Tell us about your journey to publication. How many years did you spend writing before you had your first sale?
Lucy: I wrote seriously for almost five years before my first sale and not so seriously for four years before that. I started out with Christian non-fiction, but did not hit my groove until I started writing sexy romance. It's a very special type of book to write where we are allowed to know characters on an intimate level not possible in other types of stories. My journey to publication was not short, nor was it easy, but it was worth it. Pursuing one's dreams usually is.
WWR: We've heard you're a frequent world traveler. How much of your fiction is inspired by the places you've traveled to over the years? Where else do you get ideas for your books?
Lucy: The truth? My favorite settings are actually close to home. While I love stories set in Greece and Italy, I am doubly intrigued by the intricacies of setting stories in my native Northwest.
My ideas for books come from talks with my husband, dreams, reading the news, pretty much everywhere! I tell stories in my head all the time and I do mean ALL the time...some of which end up books and some don't.
WWR: How long does it take you to write a book? Also, do you work on more than one project at a time? (We realize you will probably have edits, galleys, and the like for previously completed books to deal with as you work on your next book, but what we really want to know is do you routinely write more than one book at a time?)
Lucy: I write an average of ten usable pages a day. The length of time it takes to write a book depends on how long the story is. There are times it takes longer to write a book, which I try to take into account when doing my GANT chart for the year.
Actually, I do not like writing on more than one book at a time. I didn't used to feel this way, but the more involved the rest of my work day has become, the less able I am to focus enough creative energy into writing two things at once. When revisions are required, I usually have no choice but to do them on one book while writing another. However, that is not my preference.
WWR: Do you like to hear from readers?
Lucy: Absolutely. I love reader letters. They're one of the best things about writing!
WWR: So, how many books do you expect to have out this time next year? Please, give us the titles and dates of your upcoming releases, and if you can, tell us a little something about your current work(s) in progress!
Lucy: Aack! This is a lot more involved than you might think. LOL Okay...can we just say by December of next year? By then, I will have published 15 titles in North America and 4 in England that will not have made it to North America yet.
Upcoming Releases for North America that I can currently disclose: The Billionaire's Pregnant Mistress (Dec '04), The Sheikh's Bartered Bride (Feb '05), Three Brides for Three Bad Boys (Mar '05), Star Quality (May '05), Come Up and See Me Sometime (May '05), The Greek's Innocent Virgin (May '05), Beach Blanket Bad Boys (Jun '05), Ready (Jul '05), Touch Me (Sep '05), Blackmailed Into Marriage (Oct '05)
I am currently working on Married for Revenge, a Harlequin Presents and have revisions due for Seducing Tabby, my novella for Beach Blanket Bad Boys. The novella is humorous and light, with an underlying emotional theme. MFR on the other hand is one of those blatantly emotional stories that I love writing for Presents...Tara is a woman who absolutely does not trust tycoons. When she discovers her reluctant trust in Angelo is misplaced (or appears to be), she feels betrayed and wonders if their marriage can survive the revelations that have come to light.
WWR: If you could give someone only one piece of advice about writing romance for publication, what would it be?
Lucy: Don't give up. Period. You cannot guarantee success, but you can guarantee failure...by quitting.
WWR: Lucy, thanks so much for spending time with us! We appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions!
