Interview Tricia McGill

by

Sue Sweet

Q. What inspired you to write Designing Heart?

A. I have this fascination for the attraction of opposites. It's the theme in one of my other books too. I rather like the idea of a stuffy, cool and calculated man being bowled over by a woman who teaches him how to laugh at himself. I also wanted to use my experiences gained in the fashion industry and this seemed like a good book in which to do that.

Q. What type of book do you prefer to read and why?

A. I love to read historical romance or time-travels. I rarely read anything other than romance by choice. I love a happy ending and if this isn't delivered I feel cheated.

Q. In the genre in which you write, who are your favorite authors?

A. LaVyrle Spencer is my all-time favorite. I love Stephanie Laurens' sexy Regencies, Johanna Lindsey, Linda Howard and Sandra Hill (especially her Vikings) for the humor she brings into her stories. Catherine Coulter, Jude Deveraux and Lisa Kleypas. All write historical romance of course.

Q. Other than in the genre you write, are you interested in writing in any other? Why?

A. No, I have no interest in writing anything other than romance in the foreseeable future. One day I might have a go at something else, but doubt it. The man-woman attraction fascinates me too much.

Q. What is your writing schedule like? Are your disciplined or are you a spur of the moment writer and write when the mood strikes??

A. I turn my PC on first thing every morning, check my post and answer those emails in need of an immediate reply. I spend every afternoon, when real life doesn't intrude, on my computer. If not writing I'm editing, catching up on promotional stuff, or answering post. I usually come back to my study after my evening meal and stay here until a good program on TV calls me (which is seldom these days) or until my eyes start to go round in circles.

Q. How long did it take from start to finish, for Designing Heart??

A. I really have no idea. I find it hard to estimate how long I spend on a book, as I put it aside after the first draft, go back to it again and again, then usually change it numerous times. Designing Heart was originally over 100,000 words I think, then I brought it back to 55,000 words, then lengthened it again. It's now about 64,000. In between I'm working on other things. One of these days I'll have to start keeping a check on how many hours spent on a book.

Q. Have you started another book, and if so, can you tell us a little about it?

A. Well, two actually. Gentle Lady is a short contemporary about a lonely woman who inherits a fortune but keeps it a secret from the family who befriend her. And I'm about a third of the way through the sequel to my time-travel, White Clover. I don't know how this happened as I've never worked on two books at once before.