| Interviews |
| Interviews with Linda Howard herself collected from Harlequin.com, All About Romance and Cresent Blues |
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| On Writing and Reading� What do you love most about being a writer? Creating. Losing myself in the story. Which of the books you have written is your favorite? I have several I like more than others, but no clear favorite because I like them for different reasons. What is your favorite recent Harlequin/Silhouette/MIRA title by another author? Cullen�s Bride by Fiona Brand. |
| What are your five all-time favorite books (with authors)? The Bannerman Solution by John Maxim Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Flying Finish Dick Francis Notorious Angel by Jennifer Blake What one specific piece of advice would you give a would-be writer trying to kick-start a career? Write what you love, not whatever is the current fad. On Romance� What is your all-time favorite romantic song or composition? "Cherish" by the Association. What is the most romantic gesture or gift you have received? I�m so untypically "romantic" that I�d rather have something useful. What tip would you give your readers to make their lives more romantic? Stop putting so much importance on romantic gestures (flowers, valentines, etc.) and instead appreciate the everyday type of love. Where is the most romantic place you�ve ever traveled? None, I prefer historical sites. All About Me� Besides writing, what other talent would you most like to have? I�d like to play the piano, violin, and cello. Who is someone you admire and why? I admire Dick Francis�s use of the English language. |
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| Do you have a good luck charm or superstition? I like the number 13. I don�t like even numbers. Share one of your favorite indulgences with us. Reading for hours. What quality do you most admire in a man? Honor. What is the one thing you've always wanted to do, but never had the courage to try? Hmm. If something scares me, then why should I want to do it? I would love to take flying lessons someday. |
| If you weren�t a writer, what would you be? President of the United States. What quote or personal saying do you live by? "Do something. Even if it�s wrong, it�s better than doing nothing." Courtesy of Harelquin.com |
| Crescent Blues: What is it about a guy in uniform that so turns you on? Why do you think they make such good heroes? Linda Howard: Because when they put on that uniform, that is proof that they are willing to put themselves between you and danger. It's a visual statement. Crescent Blues: If the willingness to put themselves between you and danger is the key to your heroes, what's the key to your heroines? Linda Howard: Equal strength. They are also willing to put themselves in jeopardy to protect the people they love. One of the things particularly for my heroines is that I want them to be honorable. I don't like heroines who do petty stuff. They can and do make mistakes, but not be petty or little. There's just no reason for it. I want them to think, to have standards and morals. And I want them to be strong. I think strength is what I go after every time. Crescent Blues: So you seek a basic equality between your hero and heroine. Linda Howard: Everything needs to be balanced out, that you have different strengths. Equality is not fifty-fifty. Equality is complementing each other and appreciating each other for what you are. That's equality. Crescent Blues: You can easily see this notion of equality at in your contemporaries and your romantic suspense. Was it harder to inject this notion of complementary strengths into your historical romances? Linda Howard: You're asking me if I analyzed it beforehand, and the answer is no, I never have. I never analyze a book when I'm writing it. It's only afterwards, when people ask me questions, that I realize why I did what I did. At the time, I don't even think about it. I just do it. Crescent Blues: Does this way of working derive from the dreams and stories you told yourself growing up? Linda Howard: Always. Always. And I don't tell the stories to myself. They are just there. It's like they tell themselves to me, and I have to listen closely enough to catch all of it. |
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| Crescent Blues: Do your characters form the same way -- you listen to who they are? Linda Howard: Yes, when I first start writing a book, I have to know the characters' names. Obviously. Sometimes that's the hardest part of it -- finding out what their names are. I can't just pick a name. Sometimes, I'll just know their name immediately, and it won't be a name I would've chosen in a million years. But that's their name, and I can't change it. Sometimes, I think: "Well, I'll name the character this, and I'll just start writing the book." And it just will not work. Finally, I'll realize that's not the character's name, and I'll have to find out what is. |
| Crescent Blues: Is that how Mr. Perfect started -- with the names of the characters? Linda Howard: No. No! With Mr. Perfect, it was the voices that I was hearing. I was in the kitchen cooking, puttering around, and this conversation started playing in my head. It was the conversation in the bar where they're talking about the qualities [of the perfect man]. It was The List. And I was giggling to myself, listening to the voices of these four women talking. I thought it was hilarious. It was like I was eavesdropping. And that was all I had. The entire book was built around that conversation. Gradually, I found out what their names were. The character of T.J. -- I mean, she's a woman. Why is her name "T.J."? I don't know. But that was her name, and it just popped like that. And Jaine [Jaine Bright, the heroine of Mr. Perfect] -- I didn't know her name for a long time. I went over baby name books. I went right down the lists, and nothing seemed right. Then, all of a sudden, this one name� It's like it's written in bold letters. It just pops out, and it does that for a lot of writers. Crescent Blues: Speaking of things popping out, the scene where Jaine's looking out her kitchen window and sees Sam Donovan [Mr. Perfect's hero]� [Here the interview breaks down as both Linda Howard and her interviewer dissolve in very ungirlish laughter.] Linda Howard: That scene played itself in my head too. I was listening to [Jaine], and when she called [Sam] and he said, "Get an eyeful, did you?" And she says, "Yes, thank you." [More laughter.] It was, literally, like I was not writing it. I was listening to them. Crescent Blues: That's wonderful, because it's a funny, funny book. Linda Howard: I laughed so much when I was writing it, because I never knew what those people were going to say. Sam was outrageous, and Jaine held her own with him. She certainly did. Crescent Blues: Complementary strengths. Linda Howard: Yes, complementary strengths. Crescent Blues: I understand you've got a new book coming out around the end of July called Open Season. Could you tell us a little bit about it? Linda Howard: Open Season is not Mr. Perfect, but it is still lighter in tone than some of my other books. It's about this� She terms herself an "old maid." She's about 34. She's a librarian. She lives with her mother and aunt, and she decides that what she really wants out of life is a husband and family. And she's not getting any younger, and she has let herself become so dowdy that she has to do a complete image change. She's just sure she does. So she embarks on this change, all in her manhunt -- which is where the title Open Season came from. In the course of broadening her horizons -- she's going to clubs to dance and all -- she sees something she shouldn't have seen. Actually, she sees a murder, but she doesn't realize she's seen it. The murderers don't know that she doesn't realize what she's seen, and they are hunting her. |
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