Features . . .  FAQ  Podcasts  Articles  Ruth, the Actress FAQ Q: How do you get your ideas? A: This may sound weird but I believe 1) the stories are inside me and I have to find them 2) in my muse. She helps me think of things and works in the background as I go about my day to help me come up with more ideas and progress past any sticking points. As I near the end of one manuscript, the characters from the next start wanting their story told. Sometimes a random idea pops into my head for another book, and I make sure to write it down immediately. If I don't, no matter how sure I was I'd remember, it's gone. Q: How do you write? A: I'm what's known as a 'pantser' as opposed to a 'plotter'. I don't plan in advance, nor do I write the synopsis, or summary of the book, first. I start with whatever gave me the idea for that project and go from there. Nor do I always write in order. For my last manuscript, I came up with several ideas for scenes to ratchet up the conflict and wrote those before I figured out how the hero/heroine would get to those scenes. It's like a puzzle. . .which pieces do you have and which are missing? Some authors write 'drafts'. I edit what I've already written before moving on, so by the time I reach the last chapter most of the rest of the chapters are good to go. Q: Why medievals? A: I've read historical romance novels since high school, when I came across Kathleen Woodiwiss and Roberta Gellis. The Wolf and the Dove remains one of my favorites and is the book I give friends who have never read a historical romance and want to try one. And I love to peruse detailed history books. . .but wanted to have a real reason to delve into them. My historicals are set in England during the period we now call the Wars of the Roses, from 1453-1485. I chose it because very few novels are set during the reigns of Henry VI and Edward IV. After I completed the first two, I continued with this era because I had invested in so many wonderful research books! Q: I'd hate all that research. A: Fortunately, I love research. In fact, when I first started writing, I'd count hours spent researching as "writing." Not until Catherine Coulter was the keynote speaker at the RWA conference in Chicago and said that only new pages counted as writing, did I learn to spend less time researching and more producing new pages. It's far too easy to start looking for one piece of information and disappear into the wealth of fascinating information online. Q:  And you've written paranormals, too. . .? A: Until I started writing one, I didn't appreciate the freedom the author has in creating her world. With contemporaries and historicals, you need accuracy in researching your hero/heroine's careers, current events, and what they wear and eat. With paranormals, I can make the rules and give my imagination and characters free reign. Thinking outside the box is a lot of fun. And paranormals with a time travel element let me combine my love of history and historicals with a contemporary voice. Q: What are you working on now? A: I just finished a political satire. For several years, an idea had been germinating. Q: When will you sell? A: Highlights of my circuitous path toward publication: My love of late medieval England began at the University of Michigan, when I was cast in a in Shakespeare's Richard III. I only had seven lines, which were cut to three, but spent a lot of time on stage, frozen in a tableau. I'd wonder: was Richard really an evil, humpbacked murderer? What did my young character, Lady Margaret Plantagenet, grow up to do? Though I'd read dozens of historical romances, I didn't start writing one until the late 1980's. Remember those dark days before computers? I wrote by hand and then on a typewriter, both of which frustrated me. I stopped at around sixty pages. In the mid-90's, I rewrote those pages into my first PC and learned about Romance Writers of America. I completed my second manuscript. Neither medieval fared well; feedback said my writing and plots were good and marketable but had too much history. I had written the kinds of books I like to read, closer to historical fiction. When I sat down to start #3, FOLLOW YOUR HEART, I said, "Whatever it takes, this one will final." The opening scene is fairly controversial, and contest judges either got it and scored very high or hated it and scored very low. Many say that strong reactions to your work mean you are close to selling. Hmmm. On to medievals 4 and 5, while I attended conferences and submitted. Contest finals and editor/agent interest began to accumulate. A rather loquacious individual, I started speaking at conferences. At a conference in Florida, I wound up sitting with agents Pam Hopkins, Karen Solem, Paige Wheeler and several authors. We discussed our various life stages. After my turn, all three agents encouraged me to write contemporaries. I loved writing medievals and was reluctant to switch to a new genre. But how often do you get the opportunity to receive advice from three agents at once? So I wrote my first contemporary and then a sequel. The sequel won several contest, one of which led me to my agent. Stay tuned. . . Podcasts Authors Tell All  Patricia Rosemoor, author of more than 60 books, talks about writing with a partner.   Debbie Macomber, NYT best selling author Debbie Macomber on her "Aha!" moment...when she knew she wanted to be an author.  Blythe Gifford, Historical romance author Blythe Gifford: the importance of perserverance.  Jenna Petersen, Regency Historicals and Erotic Romance author, who talks about writing under two different names.  Cindy Kirk, Contemporary Romance and Special Edition: how she found her agent.  Simone Elkeles, Young Adult: making time for family and writing. Articles  Rejections: One 'No' Closer to 'Yes'  Want to be in a movie?  Perfect Pitch: Tips for editor/agent appointments Ruth, the Actress  Voiceover Web site  Carnal Savior  Stealing Kisses  Highlander: The Source Set Visit Journal  The voice of Princess Passion Fruit   On Voice123.com (includes demos)  The voice of Princess Passion Fruit (2)