Imagine my shock when I was told I was writing romance and that that was how it should be sold. (My agent told me this, when I got one.) Now, the fact that they were dark, full of detail and thematic made them a little hard to sell as romances too! They were viewed as 'hard to market' because they didn't fit the rules sometimes. Luckily, I found an editor who liked to take chances, and push the envelope. I wrote what I wanted, and he let me do that.

- How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?

This is a question I don't get asked much, except by the guys at my day job who want to know how I research the sex scenes. But I think this is a very important question for writers who have paranormal elements in their stories. In order to bring readers into a world you are creating, you have to get them to suspend their disbelief . The way to do that is to make the characters so real, the impressions of your world through their eyes so recognizable, that the readers can relate absolutely. When they do, they're much more likely to swallow the premises of the book hook line and sinker!

- What is your writing routine?

I have no writing routine, pure and simple. I still have a fairly demanding day job working for a large company. I travel a lot, and I squeeze writing in when I can. Thank God for lap-tops! What this means is that I can write in hotel rooms, in the center seat of an airplane, on Saturday mornings when I get up early because my body is living in an east coast time frame, or any where I can grab a little time, and boot up my computer. Sometimes I just can't find the time for some days. Sometimes I can manage to write everyday. This may sound awful to others, but in some ways, it's a bit freeing. You pine away anxiously waiting for the muse to strike, because you have to write when there is time. I sit down at the computer and say to myself, "now, where was I?" You also have times when the story is churning in your head for a couple of days and you can't write. When you do sit down, it comes out in a rush, and that's a fun feeling.

- What does your husband think of your writing?

I am so lucky that my husband Harry is a writer, too. He writes occult mysteries. And we've long ago gotten over the problems involved in critiquing each other. It was difficult at first. But as we've both gotten more professional, and more concerned about learning our craft, it's easier to think about the book, and not the hurt of criticism. We have one rule: first say something nice. Then, when one or the other of us has made a particularly telling point, the critiquee may say something like, "gee, I wish you weren't right about that," or "darn you, why didn't I think of that?" We do plotting sessions over beer and sushi when one of us is stuck, and he is my only critique partner at this point.

- What do you think of critique groups in general?

I think critique groups are great when you are starting out. I took classes at UCLA, joined professionally led critique groups, and then kept with groups that went out on their own. I think critique groups fill the roll of providing motivation (got to get your pages done for this week), and they can help you identify the first steps on the road to better technique. when everyone in the group says, 'I didn't understand ______,' you know you have to go back and fix that. If you don't take any advice why go? But they are also a danger. First, if you try to please everyone, you can end up with a mish-mash and you never develop that thing everyone calls 'voice.' Your book turns out looking like 'generic brand.' You need a center line about your story, joyfully embracing suggestions that enhance it, carefully considering all angles of the suggestions that are made, and rejecting those suggestions that don't fit.

Groups can also develop negativity. If people are not writing but still coming, or if everyone sits around and talks about the fact that publishers never take anything good, so we'll never sell anyway--then that group is dead or dying, and you have to leave or the negativity will keep you from achieving your dream. Finally, leaving a critique group can be like a bad divorce. Be gentle, think up an excuse, and move on.

- Any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

This is a game of perseverence, frankly. You have only three jobs as a writer: work at getting better at writing, keep writing and learn about the business of selling your book. Very few people publish the first book they write ( I didn't--though Sacrament did get published after I sold the second one I wrote. I sold the second, Danegeld, when I was almost finished with the third, Body Electric.) What's hard to admit is that the first draft of the first book usually isn't very good. (Mine wasn't! It was 275,000 words and unpublishable, as well as not 'tight.' It was finally published at 135,000 words, and I got to be an excellent cutter!)

The good news? Writing is something you can learn to do! The bad news? You have to stick with learning to do it, and sometimes that's painful. You have to stick with selling it too. Keep those rejection letters coming in, when the book is ready to send out. I have seen so many authors rush into sending out their work before it's the best they can make it. This is where classes, critique groups, and contests can come in. Your book has to be hard to reject before it will attract the attention of an agent or editor. If they can find a way to reject it, they will. But, you've learned your craft, you know how to self-edit, and when it's ready, just send the thing out, again and again--while you start the next book!

Thank you for your time, Susan. We appreciate it. We shall be looking forward to The Burning in April!

Yours in good reading,
Rose!

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