Lisa Jackson

BIO

Lisa Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy-five novels, including SHIVER, FATAL BURN, DEEP FREEZE, THE MORNING AFTER, and ABSOLUTE FEAR. She has over ten million copies of her books in print. She lives with her family and an eighty-pound dog in the Pacific Northwest. Readers can visit her website at www.lisajackson.com.

INTERVIEW

March 28, 2008

Bookreporter.com's Stephen Hubbard recently spoke to romantic suspense novelist Lisa Jackson, author of such bestselling novels as ABSOLUTE FEAR, SHIVER and FATAL BURN, about what inspired her most recent publication, LOST SOULS. In this interview, Jackson also shares her thoughts on the popular allure of vampires in books --- which figures predominantly in her latest work --- discusses her participation on a virtual cable network called Second Life and reveals details about future projects, including a collaboration with her sister, Nancy Bush.

Bookreporter.com: What was your inspiration for the storyline of LOST SOULS?

Lisa Jackson: There were three contributing factors in the process of coming up with LOST SOULS. First, because of what had happened to the character of Kristi Bentz in the prequel, ABSOLUTE FEAR, I wanted a story to show her unique, paranormal gift of being able to predict when a person might die. Also, I was interested in America's current fascination with vampires, and I felt the urge to do something around a cult where girls go missing. Going back to Kristi's alma mater of All Saints College seemed a natural for the backdrop of LOST SOULS.

BRC: When you have Jay McKnight introduce himself at All Saints College, he details the effects that Hurricane Katrina had on the police department. Did you interview officers in New Orleans about the impact of the storm on their cases and incorporate any of their true problems into LOST SOULS?

LJ: Actually, no. I haven't interviewed any police officers, but I did a lot of research, most of which was stories in newspapers and magazines and on the Internet. The information I gathered showed just how devastating to the police department, as well as the constituents, the storm was.

BRC: Vampirism has always had a lure for readers, and in LOST SOULS you write quite a bit about its romanticism as well as its savagery. What do you find to be so alluring about the topic, and why do you think it has sustained such interest and even seen a resurgence over the past decade or so?

LJ: That's a really good question and one I tried to explore in the book. There is something fundamentally sexy about the whole vampire thing, though I can't really explain it. Is it that they are immortal? That they are vulnerable to the light of day? That they need human blood on which to feed? Maybe all of the above, but I really think it is more about the danger. Being with a vampire is seductive and dangerous, life-threatening. I think it's that razor-sharp edge of excitement that makes them so alluring. As for why the resurgence, I think it's a natural wave of interest in all things paranormal. Kristi Bentz, the heroine of LOST SOULS, is trying to answer just that question. Fortunately, some of the classes in which she's enrolled at All Saints are devoted to just that subject.

BRC: Kristi Bentz spends quite a bit of time lurking in chatrooms and researching online articles and MySpace pages to gain insight into vampirism and vampire cults. Did you spend time online researching this portion of the book?

LJ: You bet! I was incredibly fascinated with how many websites and clubs are dedicated to the undead. I did research as far as social gatherings in different cities and was amazed at how popular vampirism is. I also have set up Kristi Bentz with her own MySpace page and blog, so she can continue my research. Check it out!

BRC: The antagonists in your novels are all very disturbed individuals who have some similarities and yet many unique characteristics that really make them memorable. When you sit down to write, do you have a clear idea who your characters are, or do they tend to come out and make themselves known as you get the story out?

LJ: The characters --- the good, the bad and the very demented --- all evolve as I write. I might start the book with a scene from the villain's point of view, but if I do, I always return to that scene later, once I really understand him and get into his head. It's an odd thing, you know, seeing through the eyes of the killer, but until I do, he's just not real. Once he is…watch out!

BRC: Reuben Montoya, one of the main characters in some of your other novels, is more of a secondary character in LOST SOULS. Do you ever find it difficult to take a character who has been in the forefront and relegate him or her to a supporting role?

LJ: Not really. I've gotten used to having my characters move into the lead, then into the background. This series, set primarily in New Orleans, started with HOT BLOODED and that was five books ago. Throughout all of the books and even including a short foray into Savannah in THE NIGHT BEFORE, Montoya has a role, albeit not a starring one. He's just had to learn not to always be the "lead dog." The same could be said of his partner and Kristi's father, Rick Bentz, whom I think needs another story. I'm working on MALICE, the next in the series, and again, Rick Bentz's story. Montoya will again have to take a back seat.

BRC: LOST SOULS, while not a direct continuation of a previous work, makes several references to cases and events that have been detailed in your earlier novels. Do you worry that you may lose first-time readers who pick up this book, or do you think that you give enough information to keep them from feeling they have missed out on something? How are you able to give sufficient backstory without dragging on the story for long-time readers and yet catch newcomers up to speed?

LJ: I believe each book stands alone. That said, I hope they intrigue first-time readers to try the other books as well. The series doesn't have to be read in order, though it is true that it's obvious some characters survive the pitfalls of one book, if they appear in a later novel. My intent is to keep the readers' interest in the current book and maybe have them wonder about the past enough to read another.

BRC: Tell us a little bit about your Second Life appearance and the promotion of LOST SOULS. How did you get involved in the project, and what was the experience like?

LJ: Second Life! Talk about another segment of society! Not a cult, really, but a place where millions of people are living virtual, alternative lives. (Yeah, I know, hence the whole SECOND life thing.) I knew nothing about it, but one of the people I work with --- Peggy Hicks at Tricom Publicity --- is very cutting edge and she introduced me to Second Life. I'm such a klutz at the whole thing that Peggy had to create my avatar (animated virtual being named Lisa Jackson!). But how fun is it? I'm not great at moving through the world yet, but it's fascinating. I've heard of people who have virtual spouses who are not their real spouses and alternate world jobs. Goods and services are bought there. Second Life is mind blowing!

BRC: A basic writing question for you: When does your day begin, and how long of a work day do you set yourself up for? Do you operate on a word or page count, or do you simply give yourself a timeframe in which to work?

LJ: Okay, ya caught me. I'm not organized enough to have a page count. In fact, that really freaks me out. When I'm on deadline (which is often) I'm on a schedule, of course, but I could be writing at 11 at night, then up the next morning at 3 AM. Or not. It depends. I'm a morning person by nature, so I try to do most of my creative thinking in the pre-dawn and early morning hours. I can't have too many constrictions of time or duty when I'm on deadline. I need long, stretched vistas of hours to write as I hate to be pulled in and pulled out of the story. When I'm there, I am really there and I literally jump if interrupted. My writing style is "tunnel-visioned."

BRC: It would seem that you have little time for reading, given your busy schedule. But when you do have some downtime, what do you read for pleasure?

LJ: Anything I can get my hands on! I look for mysteries, a little horror, any bestseller. I have favorite authors, but also explore new books. Unfortunately, I have stacks and stacks of them yet to be read.

BRC: The last time we spoke you mentioned working on a book with your sister, Nancy Bush. How has that project progressed, and is it still expected early next year? What else do you have in store for readers?

LJ: Yes! It's still on. Now titled WICKED GAME, the book --- a mass market paperback set in the Pacific Northwest --- will be available in February 2009 and is co-written with my sister, Nancy Bush. Nancy and I have always been close and worked as a "team" but never actually published a book together. Our first endeavor, STORMY SURRENDER, written with a third friend 27 years ago, never saw the light of day. It was rejected all over New York. Since then, Nancy and I have honed our skills, and WICKED GAME is really a fun, hold-onto-your-seats ride. As for writing it, good news: so far, we haven't killed each other!

Also, after the publication of LOST SOULS, I have an original mass market paperback, LEFT TO DIE, which will be in bookstores in August of this year. This book is set in Montana in the fictitious Pinewood County where two female detectives are on the trail of a serial killer who holds his victims before taking them into the forest and leaving them to die. LEFT TO DIE is peppered with a lot of "unique" people. For a preview of LEFT TO DIE, or LOST SOULS and soon WICKED GAME, check out www.lisajackson.com or my MySpace page. What's really fun is that Kristi Bentz, the heroine of LOST SOULS, has her own MySpace page, as does Detective Reuben Montoya. You can make them your new, virtual friends.

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INTERVIEW

March 30, 2007

Lisa Jackson is the bestselling author of more than 75 novels, including FATAL BURN, SHIVER, DEEP FREEZE and THE MORNING AFTER. Her latest work, ABSOLUTE FEAR, marks the return of popular protagonist Detective Reuben Montoya. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Stephen Hubbard, Jackson talks about why she chose to reprise this character and how he has developed over the course of several previous books. She also explains how she is able to get inside the minds of both her heroes and villains, reveals the real reason she began writing at the start of her career and shares details about plans to co-author a novel with her sister, Nancy Bush.

Bookreporter.com: With ABSOLUTE FEAR you return once again to New Orleans. Where did this fascination for the city come from, considering that you live in the Northwest?

Lisa Jackson: Actually, New Orleans was my editor John Scognamiglio's idea, years ago when I penned the first of the series, HOT BLOODED. We, of course, didn't know HOT BLOODED would be the start of a series that included COLD BLOODED, SHIVER and ABSOLUTE FEAR. But we both love the city. I'd been there often as it truly is a unique area and may be even more intriguing to me as I am from so far away. New Orleans has everything I need to backdrop a scary plot: the varied history, sultry climate and rich culture. There's also just a hint of creep factor with talk of ghosts and such. To me, it seems New Orleans hides a story around every corner.

BRC: Detective Reuben Montoya returns to play a role in ABSOLUTE FEAR, as he has in several other works. How does he continue to grow as a character for you and stay interesting enough that you want to keep writing about him? Are you including him because of fan attraction or because he continues to surprise you?

LJ: You know, Montoya is a character who leaped off the pages, starting in HOT BLOODED. Yes, fans went wild. Many asked about "his story," but I thought he was too young and green to have a complete book dedicated to him. Eventually, along came SHIVER and enough years had passed; he'd had his own share of heartaches, and seen enough of the bad side of life to hone down his cockiness and become a little jaded. I knew the story was his. I think everyone loves Montoya because of his passion. Though he tries to walk the thin and narrow line, it's hard for him. I love writing about him, and yeah, just when I think I know him, he comes up with another little personality twist. I hope to write about him for years. He also has his own webpage at myspace.com!

BRC: Your villain in ABSOLUTE FEAR is nicknamed "The Reviver," and he's a fairly creepy psychopath. How much research do you do into the lives and backgrounds of serial killers to use as the basis for your own murderous cache of characters? Do you ever base your murderers on actual case studies?

LJ: My murderers are complete fiction. No case studies are used. I always try to give my killer a motive, and oftentimes, real serial killers don't have the kind of agenda I ascribe to my villains. I've researched many murderers, and though I suppose there is a little of some of them in my bad guys, I create my own characters. I think creating the villain is the most difficult of all. He needs to be interesting, repulsive yet intriguing.

BRC: You write scenes in which you see through the eyes of the criminal. How do you put yourself into such a dark and dangerous mindset?

LJ: Well, that IS difficult. As my books are written from multiple viewpoints, I have to see through the eyes of all the characters, wear many different hats. I suppose it's kind of like being cast as the villain and trying to make him real in a movie. It is a dark place I travel to, but it's all fiction. I try to create tension and thrills, and so I attempt to scare myself. I need to feel all the emotions of the characters --- just as the reader does, or as does the viewer of the movie. So, in order for the book to work, it's necessary for me to understand my killer, as well as my hero and heroine.  (Yes, and even the sidekick.) So, when I scare myself, I know I'm in the right mindset.

BRC: Another element at play within ABSOLUTE FEAR is the psychological effect, particularly on Eve following her harrowing ordeal in the opening chapter. How much research have you done regarding the psychological impact of near-death experiences on victims?

LJ: I haven't researched that area per se, but I've done a lot of research on psychoses and neuroses. Ultimately, when I write, I try to figure out how I would feel in the bizarre situation. Come to think of it, most of my characters deal with what I put them through a whole lot better than I would. So I use my own senses rather than something I've read to fill the pages, and let the reader know what the heroine --- Eve, in the case of ABSOLUTE FEAR --- is feeling.

BRC: Genres have been colliding and becoming more intertwined over the past few years, making it more difficult to give a clear-cut tag on them, such as Romance or Mystery. You continue to write what are strict romance titles, while also penning suspense/thrillers with romance webbed inside. How challenging is it to switch from one genre to another? How do you modify the pace or layout of the novel depending on your selected genre?

LJ: My first love is suspense. Even as a child, I zeroed in on mysteries and thrillers.  However, even when writing "straight romance," I pepper in some suspense. It's my nature. I think the blending of suspense and romance heightens each emotion. Of course, I enjoy romance and history and adventure, even the paranormal. I try to plot out each novel according to genre, then pace it and flavor it accordingly, always with a little suspense in mind. My main course is romantic suspense --- heavy on the suspense, as in such books as SHIVER and ABSOLUTE FEAR --- but sometimes it's nice to change things up and have a little dessert, or as I think of it, the spoon of sorbet between courses as I write something else. You can see the difference in the excerpts posted on my website, www.lisajackson.com.

BRC: You started as a mom writing romance novels, and now you write suspense/thrillers that are topping the New York Times bestseller list. Did you ever think you would achieve this level of success? At what point in your journey did you finally realize this was going to be a lucrative career?

LJ: Truth to tell, I was always just trying to feed my family. I know it sounds corny, but it's true. It was important that I support them. I had no fantasies about "hitting the lists." I tried to write bigger and more intricate and creepier books as the years passed, but all I wanted to do was make a decent living by writing. So, no, I never thought I'd reach this level of success. Really. It simply astounds me. As for the lucrative part of the question, I've always felt lucky, maybe even blessed, that I could support myself writing. To do what I love to do while supporting myself and my family is absolutely astounding, as I spent quite a few years beating back the wolf who was forever at the door. Actually, come to think of it, the wolf slipped inside the house a time or two. So this recent success is unbelievable and very, very nice.

BRC: You have a memo in ABSOLUTE FEAR stating that the events of the novel occur before the tragic devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Do you intend to write any future thrillers set either during or after Katrina?

LJ: Yes, my next hardback for Kensington Books which is as yet untitled --- we call it "The Kristi Bentz" story --- is actually set after Hurricane Katrina. SHIVER and ABSOLUTE FEAR were already plotted before Katrina hit, so I wasn't able to rework the hurricane, devastating as it was, into the plot line. The storm was so intense and horrific and did such damage, there was no way to do its aftermath and horror justice. In the next story, I'll tackle some of those tough issues; characters will definitely be affected by Katrina.

BRC: What are you working on now? Are there any future plans to perhaps co-author something with your sister, Nancy Bush?

LJ: Funny you should mention it. Nancy Bush and I are cooking up a story together that we hope will be available in early 2009. It's not completely plotted yet, nor does it have a title, but as soon as it does, I'll mention it at www.lisajackson.com, and Nancy will also have info on it at www.nancybush.net. It's going to be fun, I think, one novel written by two authors, in the same vein as MOST LIKELY TO DIE --- the recent book I wrote with my friends and New York Times bestselling authors Wendy Corsi Staub and Beverly Barton.

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INTERVIEW

February 2, 2007

New York Times bestselling novelists Lisa Jackson, Beverly Barton and Wendy Corsi Staub recently combined their talents to co-author MOST LIKELY TO DIE, a romantic suspense thriller. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Hillary Wagy, the authors discuss their initial reactions to being asked to participate in this project and explain how they collaborated to create one cohesive story that still maintained their distinctive voices. They also describe the advantages of writing with peers, share their thoughts on Mr. Right and reveal the "true" inspiration behind the steamy scenes found in their novels.

Bookreporter.com: It is a very creative concept to have three romantic suspense writers collaborate on one novel. When your editor, John Scognamiglio, asked you to participate, what were your initial thoughts about working with your peers? Did you have any reservations?

Lisa Jackson: I thought the concept was great; and of course, I had some reservations as I'm not used to working with anyone except my sister, author Nancy Bush, who actually helped with the concept. However, I know both Wendy and Beverly personally and I respect their work, so that made it much easier. The fact that I like both authors as women helped tremendously.

Beverly Barton: From the first moment John mentioned the idea to me, I was on board a hundred percent. Although I'd written books in quite a few continuity series, which required coordinating my book with the previous and the following books, and had participated in several anthologies, I'd never done anything quite like this --- write a single book with two other authors. But they weren't just any authors --- they were extremely talented authors whose writing I greatly respected. I can't imagine any romantic suspense writer not jumping at the chance to work with Lisa Jackson and Wendy Corsi Staub.

Wendy Corsi Staub: If it weren't John who suggested it --- and Lisa and Beverly who were involved --- I imagine I could have mustered some serious reservations. But John has been my editor since long before I even wrote my first suspense novel; I implicitly trust his instincts never to steer me wrong. And, I've known and admired both Lisa and Beverly for years. They are two of the most talented, prolific and down-to-earth authors I've ever met. Plus, writing is an isolated process --- and a lonely one. I relished this fun opportunity to join forces with two good friends from the moment John presented it!

BRC: How did the three of you develop a plan for this collaborative venture? As mentioned in a letter to the reader in MOST LIKELY TO DIE, Lisa came up with the basic idea and created the background for the story and the characters, Wendy took the book from Portland, Oregon to New York City and gave us Lindsay Ferrell's story, and Beverly wrote the final chapters and finished the novel. Did the three of you work on the overall plot and story development together, or did you each just follow your creative strengths and write knowing that your peers would be able to follow your lead, thus creating one seamless storyline?

LJ: I did a lot of brainstorming with my/our editor, John Scognamiglio, and my sister, Nancy Bush. After we came up with the general concept, I put together a synopsis for all of us including a very sketchy idea about each individual author's part of the book. The "skeleton" was there, but no flesh, heart or soul.

Though the concept was in place and the characters named with sketchy backgrounds, each author made her part of the story her own, I think. Of course, John was the one who made sure that everything melded and clicked. Which was great, because after I wrote my section Wendy was forced to work with what I had given her and create her own story. After that, Beverly not only had to write her character's story but also tie up the suspense storyline after reading what both Wendy and I had sent her, which was a pretty big job.

BB: This book was Lisa's brainchild. She created the basic story, characters and settings, then wrote her part of the book first and passed it along to Wendy, who then wrote the middle section and passed it along to me. Wendy and I did have a brainstorming session to work out some problems we each had with our sections of the novel. In this way, we were able to create that seamless storyline from her section into mine. Although Lisa created the characters, Wendy and I were free to make them our own and develop our own stories within the overall plot that ran through the entire book.

WCS: I would say we followed our creative strengths and checked our egos at the door. During the actual writing process, we relied on frequent email communication to fine-tune plot points along the way and keep each other in the loop. We've all been expertly plotting suspense novels for years, so each of us tinkered with the plot points to instill our own clues, twists and red herrings along the way, with the others' blessings. Everyone was easygoing from the very start, and miraculously we never ran into a single creative conflict issue. Our mutual goal was to create a seamless storyline with three distinct heroines portrayed in three distinct voices. Ultimately, the melding of those voices into a cohesive and complex plot --- while maintaining key elements of individuality --- is what makes this a fresh, unique novel.

BRC: Did any of you have any reservations about not being able to control the entire content? Writing is a very personal and creative process with careful selection of words, moods, scenery, etc. and I wonder if you had a hard time letting go and not being able to finish what you had begun to create.

WCS: I'm the ultimate control freak, yet somehow I never had reservations about this collaboration. I would attribute that in part to our mutual longtime editor at Kensington, John Scognamiglio, who came up with the concept and has overseen the project from its inception a few years ago. John encouraged us from the very beginning to be true to our own writing styles. Certainly "letting go" was made easier for me because, in addition to being friends with both Lisa and Beverly, I truly respect and admire their talent and professionalism. So there was a basic level of trust from the start. And it was nice, if something wasn't working in the plot, to have someone to turn to for advice on how to fix it. Normally it's just me, feeling my way through the writing process in my own little world.

BRC: There is a recurring theme of first loves, unforgettable loves, long-lost loves and found loves. Being romance writers, themes of love are crucial to your novels. In the cases of Lindsay and Wyatt, Rachel and Dean, and Kristen and Ross, they didn't recognize love the first time around, yet when they reconnected with their loves they saw their lovers through different eyes. Do you ladies think some loves never die and lovers always find each other again? Can there be more than one "Mr. Right" in a woman's life?

LJ: Oh, I definitely believe that. I think it's fabulous when a couple meets young and stays together all the years, but I also believe that at different points in a person's life they might pick a different mate or lover than they would have earlier in their lives, or even later. What appeals at 17 isn't necessarily what appeals at 45. That said, I think the people you knew as children/teens/young adults make a lasting impression and often people who lose a loved one end up with someone from high school. It's important in every relationship to keep a "fresh eye" on it and remember why you fell in love in the first place.

BB: In romance novels, anything is possible. In real life, anything is possible. I'm a romantic at heart and I believe that love, in any form, is the greatest power in existence. I know that some loves never die, but unfortunately lovers are not always reunited. Don't we all smile when we hear true stories about a couple who were sweethearts in their teens or early twenties, then went their separate ways until later in life, and end up marrying each other when they're in their 60s or 70s? For some women, yes, there is only one "Mr. Right" and those of us who are really lucky spend a lifetime with him. Some women never find "Mr. Right" or find him and don't recognize him. How sad. But I believe that there could be more than one "Mr. Right" for some women. The right man at the right time in their lives.

WCS: I wouldn't necessarily say lovers always find each other again, or that they're meant to. Sometimes the person who is Mr. Right during one phase of your life would be Mr. Wrong for another. In other words, I believe that there can be more than one Mr. Right: a successful, lasting relationship, to me, seems more about people who are well-suited and attracted to each other finding each other at the right time. Of course there's inherent romance in the theme that love never dies --- both in fiction and in real life. We all have loves we left behind (probably often with good reason!). Within this particular plot, I enjoyed exploring the concept of lovers who met too soon, lost each other, and got a second chance to make it work. Destiny is the ultimate romantic fantasy.

BRC: There is a Jake Marcott in every high school --- the cocky hunk every female adores and desires for herself. His brutal murder at the St. Valentine's Day Dance at St. Elizabeth's is tragic and affects the members of the senior class, especially his former girlfriends and adoring female inner circle. Why did you emotionally cripple all of the female characters until the 20-year reunion? 

LJ: I did it for drama's sake. I thought it made the story more interesting to have each of the main characters have what they considered a special relationship with Jake. Not all the students at the school were as profoundly affected by Jake's death as Kristen, Rachel and Lindsay, of course, but I thought the best friends needed to have that rift in order to find each other again.

BRC: We know that the Cupid Killer is a woman early on, that she is tormented by unfortunate and painful events. Jealousy and unrequited love are at the heart of this gripping story. Can you clarify the purpose of the lockers in the basement?

LJ: The lockers in the basement of the high school serve to remind the killer of her anger and are a place she can relive her pain and deal with it in her own weird way.

BRC: I liked the way you conveyed that some relationships between friends are lasting. We may lose touch, but we never completely forget the friends we make at certain points in our lives. As a result of this unique collaboration, what is the nature of your friendships with one another?

LJ: Well, I didn't really know the other two authors all that well going into the project. I'd been to a few writers' events with Wendy and I'd met Beverly once or twice, but we don't live down the street from each other; in fact, we live in the different parts of the country that were mentioned in MOST LIKELY TO DIE. Working on this project did bring us closer together, and, as I said earlier, I now count Wendy and Beverly as friends. So how cool is that?

BB: Lisa and I are colleagues who have gotten to know each other better during the process of writing this book. I like Lisa as a person and admire her as a writer.  Wendy and I go way back to my early days at Silhouette. Wendy was one of my first editors, and practically from the very beginning of our business relationship, we realized how much we thought alike and how similar our values were. When she left Silhouette to pursue her own writing career, we stayed in touch. Over the past 15 years, we have built a strong and lasting friendship.

WCS: In another lifetime, I was a romance novel editor for a Manhattan publishing house, and that's where I first became acquainted with both Lisa and Beverly. In fact, I was Beverly's editor at the dawn of her career! Our three separate publishing paths ultimately converged as Kensington authors under the wing of one brilliant editor, John Scognamiglio. Since then, Lisa has been my willing mentor every rung up the ladder to the New York Times bestseller list. She even introduced me to Nancy Berland, her personal publicist, who has since become mine as well. Beverly and I have been there for each other's personal and professional milestones for almost two decades now; along the way, we've seen each other through some difficult family illnesses and losses --- and celebrated some wonderful triumphs. I stay in regular contact with both Lisa and Beverly via email and have had the pleasure of connecting in person several times these past few years to catch up over cocktails or coffee.

BRC: St. Elizabeth's is a Catholic school, yet there is very little to no presence of the strict influence and watchful eye of nuns in the high school days portion of the plot and, as I recall, only one mentioned by name. Was this planned?

LJ: I think several of the nuns and a lay teacher were named in the story. They were in the background, yes, as the focus of the novel was the students, but I thought their influence and the influence of the Catholic church was present. No, there's no hint of the strict, nearly cruel treatment in the classroom or the school. Remember, this is the 1980s, not the 1960s or 1940s. Things were looser, lay teachers were involved. Also, the school was just the backdrop, and the focus was on the students, murder and relationships between the friends and their peers.

BRC: The men in MOST LIKELY TO DIE held the women together and protected them from peril. I like a thread of "knight in shining armor" in the male characters of a romance novel. What characteristics do each of you like to use when creating a sexy hero?

LJ: I like heroes who are reluctant to be the hero, good-looking in an unconventional way, wisecracking and irreverent. Their backstory, sense of humor and ability to tease the heroine while respecting her are important. I hope my heroes and heroines give as well as they get.

BB: Strong, brave, dependable, trustworthy, a guy with a rough exterior but a heart of gold. A man capable of protecting a woman yet not threatened by her feminine strength and, when he falls in love with her, is willing to die to protect her. I adore "wounded" heroes who are "healed" by the power of the right woman's love.

BRC: The scene where Ross draws a hot bath for Kristen with fragrant candles, creating soft illumination in a master bath that overlooks the city lights, was a welcome and perfectly placed romantic scene. Love and seduction, "pent-up passion erupting like a volcano" from sexy men was a good diversion from the morbid killer's twisted thoughts and plans. Please take us through the process of writing a passionate love scene. A little personal experience, a little fantasy or a lot of each?

LJ: I tell people who ask that all my research is from personal experience. This is a bald-faced lie, of course, and I hope people know that I'm joking, especially when we're dealing with my creepy killers. I try to write a love scene that I would like to read, one that works for my characters. I bristle sometimes when it's suggested that love scenes can be kept in a file and interchanged with character's names. Not so. I believe the love scenes I create are because of the emotional and physical state of the characters. The simple answer: Some experience and a whole lotta fantasy --- for example, the candles? Never.

BB: I think writers always blend personal experience with fantasy/imagination when writing most scenes, love scenes included. I do.

WCS: Being long (and happily) married --- and a working mom with two young children --- at this particular stage in my life, I'd have to say it's a little personal experience and a whole lot of fantasy! There's nothing particularly steamy about spending the better part of each night assisting with third-grade math homework, listening to an 11 year old practice his cello, making peanut butter sandwiches for lunchboxes, or collapsing on the couch in flannel pjs to watch a Tivo'd "Cold Case." So when it comes to depicting candlelight and pent-up passion, I tend to rely on imagination --- and, ahem, memory.

BRC: What is the basic recipe for writing romantic suspense?

BB: A strong hero and heroine with whom the reader can identify and really care about. A sinister villain, evil and reprehensible, and yet all too human. And a really good plot that keeps the reader turning the pages.

BRC: We are excited to hear about your upcoming releases. Please share the details for your legion of fans.

LJ: Last year's bestseller SHIVER will be out the end of February in paperback. It's a story set in New Orleans with Detective Reuben Montoya, a favorite character's story. Integral to the story is an abandoned mental asylum and a killer who murders in pairs. At the end of March, ABSOLUTE FEAR, the sequel to SHIVER, will be available in hardback. ABSOLUTE FEAR takes up right where SHIVER leaves off!

BB: My April '07 novel, THE DYING GAME, gives readers a wounded hero, Judd Walker, who lost his wife to a brutal serial killer four years ago and a former police detective heroine, Lindsay McAllister, determined to find the Beauty Queen Killer.  Lindsay is willing to do anything --- even lay her life on the line --- to bring this psychopath to justice and set Judd free from a thirst for revenge that has almost destroyed him.

WCS: In April, Kensington will re-issue (in a special limited $4.99 edition) one of my earliest thrillers, ALL THE WAY HOME, which also happens to be one of my favorites. It's a gothic suspense set in a creepy old house in a fictionalized small town, based in part on Saratoga Springs, NY. In May, look for DON'T SCREAM, my next single-title suspense novel. This is a classic domestic serial killer tale revolving around four former sorority sisters who share a dark secret; it's set in the atmospheric Berkshire mountains of western Massachusetts. I'm currently hard at work on the first in a pair of connected suspense novels for Kensington --- keep an eye on my website at www.wendycorsistaub.com for the pub date and other details, and be sure to drop me a line at corsistaub@aol.com. I love to hear from readers!

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