Onirik: You started to write rather short contemporary romances before considerably enlarging and orienting your work toward historical or paranormal stories… Do you feel comfortable in all these different literary genres? Do you intend to give up some in order to concentrate on one genre only?
Lucy Monroe: Actually, I’ve written both single title and short contemporary from the very beginning. I just sold to the Presents first. J I love the stories I write far too much to give up on any of them, but I do have to fit the paranormal stories into my schedule with effort. So, I don’t get to write as many of them as I would like. It is my hope I will not have to concentrate on a single genre any time soon. I don’t want to disappoint my readers, or myself.
Onirik: You regularly publish several books of different literary genres every year (to our utter delight!). Where do you draw such varied inspiration and energy from?
Lucy Monroe: LOL I’m not sure. I get inspiration for stories from everywhere. All of the time. I’m always telling stories in my head and frankly, find it really bizarre that other people don’t do this. Like my husband and my daughters. My son is a storyteller though. He wants to be a game designer and I have a feeling he’ll be as varied in his output as his dear old mom.
Onirik: In your latest contemporary romances (for instance “The Rancher’s Rules”), you created rather different, less overbearing and stereotyped heroes. Did you want to try something new or do you think that female readers care for more modern heroes?
Lucy Monroe: Actually, that book was written early in my career and simply didn’t sell until recently when my editor became an acquiring editor for an additional line. Although my heroes are all alphas, I think they exemplify many of the standards women hold their modern counterparts to. And reader response has been overwhelmingly positive toward my heroes, thank goodness – so hopefully something is working for them. J But do I like to write a different sort of hero now and again? Definitely. I may be married to the most wonderful alpha male on the planet, but it’s his supportive side that keeps me in love with him and I like to show that aspect of my heroes to readers as well.
Onirik: The relationships between your characters are always very intense but several books of yours introduce a great deal of humour. I laughed out loud while reading “The Rancher’s Rule” for instance.
Lucy Monroe: I do love humour and am always really pleased when my readers « get it ». I think humour can also help an alpha hero not come off as too overbearing. But mostly, I just like to share the joy in life and humour is one way of doing that.
Onirik: The relationships between your characters are often very tense and you do not hesitate to emphasize the heroes’ psychology. Do you think this is an important aspect in a novel?
Lucy Monroe: Absolutely. I think getting into both characters’ heads is essential for the type of intense stories I like to write.
Onirik: This style can also be found in works by young writers like Julie Cohen or Natalie Anderson for example. Do you think you belong to a new generation of authors?
Lucy Monroe: Maybe? I think some of the more established authors like Lynne Graham do it very effectively as well. But I think each new generation of romance authors brings something new to the table and I hope to impact the genre myself as well.
Onirik: Some time ago on your website, you were said to write romances which were different from our grandmothers’! What precisely makes them different? The fact that your novels contain more sensuality?
Lucy Monroe: The level of sensuality is one key aspect that makes my books different than the ones my grandmother read at my age. But it’s also the fact that authors are encouraged to get into the heroes’ heads as well. You can’t imagine the amount of research I’ve done to get the male point of view « right ». I tend to deal with issues for modern women that some people don’t like to talk about or acknowledge as well. While this has always been true of romance, as the world changes, so do those issues. The types of things my heroines face as challenges are often more complex than the types of challenges written about thirty years ago. But regardless, those romances paved the way for this generation and I’m incredibly grateful to the authors that did so.
Onirik: In France we only know your shortest contemporary romances. Do you know if we will be lucky enough to discover your multi-faceted talent?
Lucy Monroe: I really hope so! I’ve just had my first single title translated into Spanish, I hope France is not far behind.
Onirik: Several books are to be published in 2008, in particular an e-book written with Nicolette Derens. Could you tell us about this new way of working with another writer? And why did you use this new pseudonym, LC Monroe?
Lucy Monroe: LC Monroe is a pseudonym for my inspirational romance. I didn’t want readers upset by the very different level of sensuality for these stories in comparison to my others. Nicolette was my first critique partner and she’s amazingly talented. Working with her was a dream and I can’t imagine doing this kind of project with anyone else. You really have to a trust another writer to share a book’s creation with her.
Onirik: You have several plans for books up to 2009. Can you tell us about them ? What do you intend to do next ?
Lucy Monroe: Right now, I’ve just finished my latest single title. I am starting a new short contemporary on Tuesday. I’m always really excited at the beginning of a new book and this is no different. I do have several books planned for this year and next. There are two short contemporaries coming out in summer of 2008 and I hope you all will see them soon after that. They are a return to my Royal Brides miniseries. Oh, and the follow on book to « The Rancher’s Rules » has already been released in the UK and will be released in North America in April, so hopefully, you’ll get that one soon as well. It is another book with more blatant humour.
I just want to say thank you so much for this chance to connect to my French readers. It’s been more than two decades since I was in France, but my memories of the country are still rich and very good.
Blessings and hugs,
Lucy