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 Firstly, tell me about your
newest book release.
Black
Ice, which was released at the beginning of March, is a
suspense novel with a strong romance at its core. Kirri Smith,
the artist readers met briefly in Dance with the Devil,
has opened a new art gallery in Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine
Coast. On page 147 in Devil, there’s a description of
one of Kirri’s paintings, and it gives an insight into the
personality of the artist. Kirri has a hidden agenda for
opening this second gallery, but it’s not until visiting
American, Daniel Brand, comes back into her life that she’s
forced to confront those motives.
Two
years previously, Daniel and Kirri had a passionate affair in
New Orleans, an affair that culminated in Daniel asking her to
marry him. Kirri agrees, then disappears. Now someone is
trying to kill Daniel, and the bond he shares with Kirri draws
her into the danger surrounding him. But Daniel is a man who
loves deeply, and without reservation. A man who would
willingly die to protect those he loves.
Kirri
is fiercely independent, but had once decided that love was
more important than her independence. Now she has more to
lose, but, if she is courageous enough, even more to
gain.
In
Black Ice, Daniel and Kirri discover that one woman’s
desperate, impulsive act will have tragic consequences for
both of them.
I
loved creating the characters of Kirri and Daniel. Kirri’s
impetuous, stubborn nature puts her in some humorous
situations, but will also have readers biting their
fingernails to see if she survives a killer with no scruples.
Daniel, a big, quiet man, has the strength of character he
will need in order to cope with what the past reveals and keep
his loved ones safe.
How
many books have you written?
Like
a lot of writers I have a couple of early novels which will
remain well and truly hidden in the bottom of the drawer
<grin>. I then wrote category romances The Marriage
Merger, A Tender Deception, and No Cure for Love,
which are published electronically with New Concepts
Publishing.
These
were followed by the suspense novels Dance with the
Devil and Black Ice, published with Pan Macmillan
Australia. Dance with the Devil has also been
contracted to Bastei Lubbe publishers in Germany, as well as
being short-listed in the mainstream section of the Romantic
Book of the Year Award, which is so thrilling I still grin
when I think about it.
Are
you writing under your own name or a pseudonym?
I’m
so forgetful (please don’t ask me for my password to my email
address or bank account unless you have five minutes waiting
for me to look it up in my secret code book) that I decided I
probably wouldn’t answer if someone called me by a pseudonym.
Besides, Curtis is up on the top shelf with all the other “C”
authors like Clive Cussler, so that’s okay.
How
long were you writing before being published?
I
started writing in 1996 while I was still working more or less
full time.
What
were the most important things you learned in your early years
of writing?
Don’t
give up!!!
Always
be willing to learn.
A
good brisk walk clears away lots of cobwebs, and a walk on the
beach is even better.
Is
your writing still evolving? Does it get any
easier?
Yes,
I believe my writing is still evolving, though not as much as
it had up until I wrote Dance with the Devil.
In
some ways it gets easier as I’m comfortable with my style and
the cross-genres in which I write. In other ways it’s harder
as I keep challenging myself with the complexity of my plots
and the research I have to do.
How
long does it take you to write a new story, idea conception to
finish?
Because
of the complexity of the stories I write, and my determination
(read stubbornness here) to make sure my facts are right, I do
a lot of research. This takes time, so I’ve allowed myself
twelve months for each book, but I would like to get this down
to nine months. Six months would be great, but I’ve learned
not to push myself too much as I’m not fond of stress.
Are
you a reader? Tell us who you enjoy reading?
I
think I was born reading. I feel bereft if I visit friends and
they don’t have a Reader’s Digest in their loo. I enjoy
reading Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Jack
Higgins, various other writers. Unfortunately I don’t read now
as much as I’d like to, because writing takes
precedence.
Tell
me about when you held your first book in your hands. How did
it feel to see that first cover?
Ecstatic.
Absolutely ecstatic. And when Black Ice arrived I felt
exactly the same. I kept it next to my keyboard for days so I
could marvel at how “real” it looked.
When
not writing, how do you spend your time?
Reading,
fishing, swimming, walking on the beach. I’m the local area
contact person for the Queensland Coeliac Society so that
takes up time organising meetings etc.
What
are your ambitions in your future writing?
Always,
always, to give my readers a darn good time! Give them heroes
to sigh for (or drool over - I’m not fussy), heroines to cheer
for, a gritty plot, and a story that keeps them on the edge of
their seats.
Tell
me about your covers. Which is your favourite?
Black
Ice. The graphic artist did such a fantastic job on that
cover. It’s so atmospheric. As one reader said “It hits you
from across the room”.
What
are you working on now?
In
the book I’m currently writing, Chayse (Drew’s brother in
Dance with the Devil - can I say again that it’s a
RBOTY finalist? <grin>) goes undercover on board a
trawler. I discovered, while researching, that trawling is a
very complex industry to write about so that readers will be
able to envisage the action without getting stumped (or bored)
by the industry jargon. So I had to write it in such a way
that readers get a very basic knowledge by seeing things
happen through Chayse’s eyes.
To
what do you contribute your success?
My
writing crosses a lot of genres - romance, thriller, suspense,
adventure. Readers can relate to my characters because they
are ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstances.
I don’t write contrived misunderstandings or women who are
afraid to express their feelings. I believe today’s woman has
too much self-respect to be a doormat and enough integrity and
compassion to take the man’s feelings into
consideration.
Was
there a time you thought you’d never get
published?
I’ll
have to take off my shoes to answer that one <grin> -
only have ten fingers.
Can
you single out your biggest thrill as a writer?
Receiving
the fax from Pan Macmillan offering me contracts for Dance
with the Devil and the next two books in the series. I was
speechless! As anyone who knows me will confirm, that was a
most unusual state of affairs!
Second
biggest thrill - Dance with the Devil being shortlisted
for the RBOTY. Guess I’ll have to wait till August to see if
that gets surpassed.
What
is your favourite thing about being a romance writer? Least
favourite?
My
favourite? How will I choose?
a)
The joy of creating heroes who set my heart pounding and
heroines courageous enough to do everything I wouldn’t be
game to.
b)
Associating with the most generous and friendly people in
the world - romance writers and readers.
c)
Doing in-depth research <grin>.
Least
favourite? The low esteem in which romance writing is held by
a proportion of the writing fraternity and readers. A lot of
other genre writers are loathe to admit that lousy writing
occurs in every genre, just as good writing does. The
technique and ability of the majority of romance writers
equals that of any other genre.
What aspects of RWAustralia have helped your
development as a writer?
The
generosity of the members of RWAustralia. Whether published or
unpublished, these writers give unstintingly of their time and
energy to help pass on knowledge and encouragement to new
members. The information in HeartsTalk and the
workshops and tutorials at the Conferences have been
invaluable.
The
friends I’ve made through RWA have been a great source of
inspiration and I treasure them greatly.
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Black Ice