AC: Thanks for visiting from Boston! It’s great to have you here, but I think we should set one teensy ground rule: we will not discuss, talk about, or otherwise communicate about the recent Monday Night Football game wherein the Pats played the Bengals at PBS. Agreed?

CL: I’ll concede you the right to suffer your humiliation in private.

AC: Ouch! That really hurt! Why don’t we, ah, move on to safer topics? Like, say, your book, which was, of course, great. And I just love the cover—I love pretty covers.

CL: Thanks! I’m glad you like it. My editor asked me to describe a scene in the book, and then they put it on the cover.

AC: Well, it’s beautiful. I’ve been wondering, though: was it hard to redeem the hero, David? He’s the duke’s younger brother, and he hasn’t exactly been a, ah, saint in the past, has he?

CL: David was so bad…. I didn’t know why anyone would want to read more about him. I did find myself in a bit of a hole, because (whispers) I never meant to write David’s story at all! So yes, it was really difficult to think of what would make him become a better man. About the only thing I knew for certain was that he would have to suffer lots of painful consequences.

AC: He definitely needed it; in addition to his past misdeeds, David is a little immature as the book begins and has a temper tantrum or two. He’s also not known for being a hardworking contributor to society. How much fun was it to write a hero with so many rough edges?

CL: I always liked David, even when he was being horrible. But nothing was ever expected of him, and he was very good at living down to that (like many people). Probably the best part was getting to write two very different characters, Marcus (from What A Gentleman Wants) and David, from both sides. Just as I liked writing Marcus’s struggle to uphold so many expectations in the face of his love for Hannah, I liked writing David’s struggle to find himself in the face of such low expectations. It took someone with even less going for her to point out to him his strengths and advantages, someone who would need him to be a better, stronger, dependable man. Plus, Vivian, the heroine, has a very smart mouth, and it’s always fun having someone smack the hero around.

AC: We’ll get to Vivian in a minute, but first I want to talk about David a teensy bit more. His road to redemption got a little bumpier long about the time he decided to kidnap Vivian, who is an occasional highway robber, and force her to tell him what she did with the duke’s ring. Did you worry about having him do something so drastic?

CL: I have to say, that is exactly what David would do. Act first, think it through later. But he’s a stubborn guy, and also used to being shocking; he’s already horrified most people anyway, why should he worry about it now? I think it would have been jarring and unbelievable if he had just overnight become a staid, proper man who followed all the laws and didn’t get charged up at the thought of a challenge. At almost every turn, Vivian provides a mystery and a challenge to David, and that is what fascinates him most of all.

I think my heroes and heroines both mirror each other and complement each other. David and Vivian are both solitary people, but David has always been taken care of (by his family) and Vivian has felt responsible for her brother her entire life. I always try to flip those roles somehow at the end, so they can each walk in each other’s shoes, so to speak.

AC: Vivian is quite the pistol. She loves to read books, watch plays, and eat everything in sight. She’s also fiercely protective of her younger brother. Is there any of YOU hiding in Vivian?

CL: Hey, wait a minute; are you calling me a pig??? Hmm.

AC: Well … I have shared an order of ribs with you, but we digress.

CL: There’s part of me in all my heroines. Isn’t that true for you, Ann?

AC: Absolutely. I think an author’s traits leak through to the characters to some extent no matter what. It’s a hazard of the trade.

CL: It’s a little more subtle with Vivian, though, because I was already stuck with a hero and thus had to create a heroine who fit with him. As I was staring into space, wondering what on earth David could do to make her stop hating him (because she really does start off hating him!), it did occur to me that good food would go a long way in gaining MY good opinion, so that was one of the things David gave her. He feeds her really, really tasty food, including chocolate he prepares and serves her himself.

AC: I think we all fell in love with David at that point!

CL: And if you don’t see the potential in a sexy man feeding you something chocolate, well…

AC: Oh, I’m with you, sister!

Tell me … what was the hardest thing about writing this book? The easiest?

CL: The hardest thing was the ending. DO you know, I didn’t realize until just a month or two ago that Vivian never actually tells David she loves him? She says it, in an oblique sort of way, but David is the one who spills his heart in a passionate declaration.

The easiest was the love scenes.  Really, nothing was off-limits for David…

AC: Yeah. I noticed. *VBG*

What do you like best about the book?

CL: I suppose my favorite part of the book was making David more aware of another person’s needs and desires, bringing him around to not only respect them but to look out for them. Perhaps my favorite scene in the book is right after they make love for the first time, and Vivian contemplates leaving him—and David does nothing to stop her.

AC: Oooh, yeah, that was a great scene—one of those, “If you love someone, set them free” scenes.

CL: I thought that was so important for both characters, for each to know that the other chose to be with them for themselves.

AC: Very poignant, no doubt about it.

So, what’s on the drawing board for you?

CL: My next book will be out in June 2008, titled A Rake’s Guide to Seduction. It’s the story of David’s younger sister Celia, and it was another challenge. Celia was young, romantic, sweet and kind…i.e., nothing like my other heroines. That was hard for me to handle because I obviously like my women a little bit wicked.

AC: We’ve noticed!

CL: But I absolutely adore her hero; he was in one of my (unpublished) practice novels, and I liked him so much he came back!

AC: Can’t wait to read that one!

Caroline, it’s been great having you here! Thanks for stopping by! Oh, and do tell the Pats we’ll get ‘em next time!

CL: My pleasure! I’ll be sure to let the Pats know; no doubt they are quivering in their undefeated boots this very moment…

AC: Hey! Get outta here! No, wait. Stick around for questions and comments, and we can give away some books to a lucky commenter at the end of the day. Questions or comments for Caroline, anyone?

We’re in for a treat, romance fans, because my great friend, historical romance author Caroline Linden, is dropping by tomorrow to chat and give away some books. Stop by and join the fun!

As I mentioned yesterday, today is our lucky day! My great friend and fellow romance author, Patricia Sargeant, has stopped by to chat about her latest book, On Fire. Yay!

AC: Hi, Patricia! Thanks for stopping by! I want to start by asking you about setting. You write so vividly of Charleston, West Virginia. How did you decide on using that city? Have you spent time there?

PS: Ann, thank you so very much for the great compliment on the setting description. I have relatives in Charleston, West Virginia, and wonderful memories of time spent there with them. Because the story has a political backdrop, I knew I wanted On Fire - well, the entire Fire trilogy - to take place in a state capital. But I wanted a state capital with a small town, community feeling. Charleston gives me that feeling. Coupled with the mountains, Charleston was perfect.

Google Earth and city maps also helped with the descriptions.

AC: Hmmm… Google Earth. Making a mental note …

Sharon, the heroine, is a reporter who spends most of her time in the newsroom and, again, your descriptions of the newsroom and the problems a reporter might face, including cronyism, are very detailed and rich. How did you do this research? Were you a reporter in a past life?

PS: Yes, I was.

AC: Really? I didn’t know!

PS: I majored in news editorial journalism at The Ohio State University shortly after the discovery of electricity. I’ve worked for several newspapers. My goal was to change the world! Or at least my little part of it. But the hours and the pay, … well, I thought it would be OK to change the world on a bigger budget. So, I left newspapers and moved into corporate communications/marketing.

The Charleston Times is, of course, a fictitious newspaper. But the newsroom is modeled after a combination of newsrooms in which I’ve worked. And there’s a scene in the book in which I give a nod to a real nemesis from my reporting days. The character’s name is “Donovan.” Petty, perhaps. But it made me smile.

AC: Petty? You? Shocking!

Anyhoo, Matthew is a handsome fire chief who looks great in his uniform. Please tell me you got to hang out at a firehouse and be “rescued” from a burning building or two … ? Yes? No?

PS: Ann, you’re hilarious! Hold on while I wipe the tears from my eyes. Too funny!

Thank you again for another great compliment. My head is swelling so much, I’m going to have to grease the doorway before I can leave.

At one point in my newspaper career, I had the fire department beat. That experience helped me with some of my descriptions. I also interviewed a fire investigator and a firefighter for this story. I interviewed the investigator via e-mail, and the firefighter is very happily married to a friend.

AC: But did they give you a CALENDAR? Ooops! Sorry! I digress.

Tell me … What was the most difficult part of writing this book? The easiest?

PS: Oooh. Great questions.

AC: Thank you. I do try.

PS: The emotional scenes are always a bit draining for me. I find them challenging to write because I have to reach deep inside myself to channel that emotion. I have to put myself in the character’s situation to collect a believable reaction. I have to say things and connect with feelings that aren’t always comfortable in an effort to convey those thoughts and emotions with realism. In the back of my mind is the question, “Do you want to be that vulnerable?” The answer is always, “Do you want the story to not stink?”

I think you can understand what I’m trying to say, Ann, because there are strong emotions in your books, too. And if you tell me it’s not that hard for you to channel those deeper emotions, I’m going to sulk.

AC: Don’t sulk. It’s so unbecoming. Actually, I really enjoy those big blow-up scenes. Sick, I know, but there it is. I like making the characters suffer. It’s good for them, IMHO.

PS: I don’t know if I would call this part the “easiest” but it’s the most fun for me. Giving my characters specific personality quirks. For example, Matthew is a huge University of Pittsburgh (Panthers) fan living in West Virginia University (Mountaineer) territory. Panthers/Mountaineers are huge rivals. In self-defense, I gave Matthew neckties in colors that are variations of the Panthers blue-and-gold school colors. And Sharon is a huge Patti LaBelle fan. She refers to Patti LaBelle songs throughout the story.

AC: We’ll get back to Patti in a minute. What do you think is special about the book?

PS: Oh, thank you for asking!

AC: De nada.

PS: Here’s the thing. On Fire is the first manuscript I ever completed. In its original form, it was awful. Truly. Awful. I had to pretty much rewrite it. But I didn’t want to give up on this story because I really loved Matthew and Sharon (the hero and heroine) and Allyson and Andre (Sharon’s friends who have their own love story in On Fire’s sequel.) But most importantly, I think the story’s theme is important and I really wanted to explore it.

On Fire’s theme is trust. Trust is the foundation of every relationship - lovers, family, friends, even work relationships. Think about it. Your relationship is only as strong as your trust. In On Fire, Matthew has to trust Sharon. To do that, he has to see her for who she is and not filter her through the baggage he brings with him from his past.

AC: What’s up with the Patti LaBelle soundtrack throughout the book? Is she a personal favorite?

PS: Oh, now, Ann! You know you rushed out to buy a Patti LaBelle CD after reading On Fire. Admit it. You can whisper it. I won’t tell.

AC: I do love Lady Marmalade…

PS: I love Patti LaBelle’s voice. What she does to a song is just … spectacular. She can sing the back of a Cheerios box and I’d buy the album.

But, actually, referencing her songs in the book happened by accident. In one of the earliest scenes, Sharon’s listening to the radio while she’s jogging and Patti LaBelle’s New Attitude comes on the station. And I thought, “Wow. That works really well for where Sharon is personally at this point in the story.” I pulled out the greatest hits CD and realized several of those songs work for specific points throughout the story, so I wrapped them in. I thought it would make a fun personality quirk for her.

AC: Another one of Sharon’s personal quirks is that she likes to eat pretzel rods for a snack. That isn’t one of YOUR habits, is it?

PS: Hilarious! No. My dear friend and critique partner, Marcia James, asked me that, too. I don’t like pretzel rods. Another personality quirk I wanted to give Sharon was emotional eating, which unfortunately, is one of my habits.

AC: Join the club, sister.

PS: But, unlike me, I wanted Sharon to make smart food choices. So she went for the pretzel rod while I snack on Twix bars. {{blushing}}

AC: Thanks for visiting, Patricia! I love having you here!

PS: Ann, this has been so much fun. Thanks very much for inviting me over to chat. I always enjoy spending time with you.

AC: If you have a question for Patricia, please post it. On Saturday, I’ll be giving away 4 copies of her books to lucky commenters!

Big day here tomorrow, romance fans! My great friend and fellow romance author, Patricia Sargeant, will stop by to chat, discuss her latest book, On Fire, and give away copies of her books to commenters. Stop by for the fun!