Why do you like reading and writing romance?

All fiction reading is an escape to another world no matter what genre. I’m an eclectic reader, but romance is centered on two intelligent people who may or may not be attracted to each other in the beginning. The tale of the discovery of their attraction and growing love is timeless.

Do your characters write themselves once your book begins?

Definitely! To develop character I work with charts as an avenue to get to know them. But once the book begins, if I’m lucky, I learn things about them that were not in my charts. Sometimes a minor character refuses to stay in the background and ends up out front with the hero and heroine. Cheeky devils!

Do authors use real life experience and people to create a story or character?

I can only speak for myself, but yes, I do just that. For instance, in Bentridge Magic, Gabby can’t cook. She’s a disaster in the kitchen, but she tries to make dinner anyway. The resulting burnt offering came from my first attempts in the kitchen (not one of my favorite rooms even today). The idea for the setting in that book was my father’s hometown, a small place in the Midwest. I love humor, so any funny happenings in my life may appear on the printed page some day.

How do you go about doing your research?

The information you can find on your travels through the Internet is boundless. No matter what the subject I can find it there. And I love books! My house is a mini library with books on myriad subjects from animals to the weather. One type of book that I have found very helpful is a state travel guide. There’s a fountain of information in them.

What are some of the nicest e-mails you’ve received from your readers?

It’s wonderful when someone writes to tell you that your characters are so real that they could identify with them; or that they loved the humor, sexual tension and interplay between the characters. One lady wrote about Daring To Dream: I love the James family! They’re all charming and amusing, so real. You do such a wonderful job with description and characterization. That one made my day!

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Autumn McCullah