Interview Rebecca Grace

by

Dorothy Bodoin

1. Let's start by learning more about you.

I live in Aurora, Colorado, where I work as a free lance writer in Public Relations. My work, my hobby, my passion is basically all the same. I love to write and I love to read when I have time.

2. Is Desert Blossom your first Wings novel? If there are others, what are their titles?

Desert Blossom is my second novel for Wings. My first, Love On Deck, which just received 4 Stars from Romantic Times, came out in July 04. My next novel, Home Fires Burning, is currently scheduled to be released by Wings in November 05.

3. What are you doing to publicize Desert Blossom?

I am updating my website, www.rebeccagrace.com, and sending out book marks and post cards. I'm also making certain that when I send out my Christmas cards, I include plenty of information, including how people can order it. I have been in touch with a local book store to see about a book signing, but that will be later in the month of December.

4. What has been your greatest source of joy and disappointment in writing and publishing a book?

My greatest source of joy is in seeing the finished book and then hearing from people who read my work and like my writing. After spending so many years writing for myself and just a few people, it's wonderful to have others read my work and say they like the story. My disappointment is that I waited so long to try to get published. Early rejections made me stop submitting.

5. How did you get started writing romances?

I've always loved to write and even when I was a teenager I found myself inserting elements of romance in anything I wrote.

6. Do you belong to any writers' organizations, like Romance Writers of America? How helpful are they? Also, do you belong to a critique group? How helpful are your critique partners?

I belong to RWA, my local chapter, Heart of Denver Romance Writers, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and Kiss of Death, the romance suspense chapter of RWA. They have all been helpful to me. RWA with its informational magazine and annual conference helps me with information on craft. RMFW has an annual conference that has lots of great authors in different genres and it's great to see what everyone is writing. HODRW provides wonderful monthly programs, but I have to admit KOD is my favorite. Its e mail loop, Clues and News, can provide answers to just about any question any author comes up with. And yes, I do have a critique group and we meet once a week. They've been very helpful in keeping my writing on track and giving me great suggestions for my work.

7. What are you working on now? Also, I think your subject is especially relevant for today's computer savvy young women. Where do you find your ideas?

I am working on a chicklit mystery which is set in the broadcast world where I spent 30+years. My idea for my current book came from time I spent online meeting people and from trips I used to make back and forth between Las Vegas and suburban LA.

8. The idea of computer chat rooms and online dating fascinates me, but I don't have any experience with either. What kind of research have you done for your book?

I didn't have to do research because I actually had been online talking to people for several years before I wrote the book. I guess I could say that was my research. It was absolutely fascinating, but like my character in my book, I found a lot of what was going on online was not honest.

9. Your log line mentions a new computer. Is there anything special about it? Also (I'm just curious) how does one become the belle of the chat rooms?

I look at Maggie's new computer as sort of her fairy godmother. She's always thought of herself as going nowhere and sitting at home waiting. But she's smart, literate and a fun person. She's merely shy, and being a little overweight, she's also sensitive. But being online is anonymous, so once she's able to simply talk to people without having to deal with her looks, she finds she's able to let her wit take over and she can actually carry on fun conversations.

10. Tell us about your writing day. Also, how long does it take to write a book, from the first idea to the final draft?

My writing day begins in the morning. I try to write early, though I'm not always successful. I like to set aside blanket time or weekends to just sit down and write. For me it can take 3-4 months to write a book, though I have taken up to a year on one or only two months on another.

l1. What are your future plans?

My future plans are to keep on writing. I can't imagine ever giving up the idea of coming up with stories. They are always in my head. I can't read a newspaper or a magazine or hear a story about someone doing something without an idea popping into my head. Like with Maggie, who was always waiting for her true love to return, I'm always wondering, what if...