And our Sue's Clues Mystery Author is: In June, 2004, booksellers found themselves making room for yet another author on the shelves - one not likely to disappear anytime soon. That author was Paula Reed, and the book was INTO HIS ARMS.
The book caught everyone's attention. Reviewers said it was "exciting", "an unusual source of conflict", "diverse" and that Paula "rivals that of more seasoned romance writers." That book was quickly followed in October, 2004, with FOR HER LOVE. The reviewers were not disappointed. It was called "thought provoking, intriguing", "heartwarming romance with substance" and "truly moving and unforgettable". I, myself, have had the pleasure of reading her March 2005 release, NOBODY'S SAINT. It truly was a pleasure. It was humorous, quick paced, and did not lack the sensuality and character interaction I expect from a good I wanted to know more about this author and didn't hesitate to ask Paula about doing Sue's Clues. She agreed, and confirmed what I suspected after visiting her website: Paula is a down-to-earth lady and very open with just about everything. I recommend visiting Paula's website to learn more about her, her books, and her experiences. http://www.paula-reed.com/index.html Thank you, Paula! 1. To start, I want to ask about your family. At your website you mention that your first child was born in the late 80's, so that would make him/her a teenager now. Is it a he or she? *G* And, now that those awkward teenage years are here, what's the reaction to having a mom who writes romance novels?
Actually, he was born in 1990, so yes, he's a teenager, and Ben's an especially terrific one. He has his share of obligatory angst, but he's pretty together. He actually thinks it's extremely cool that his mom's a writer. It doesn't hurt that his girlfriend wants to be a writer and she reads my books (with her mother's permission). He did ask if he could read one, and I said, "Sure, but if you're going to get grossed out by explicit sex scenes written by your mother, you might want to pass." He hasn't picked one up yet. How about your other child? How old? And does it make it awkward at parent/teacher conferences? Does it ever come up? Leah is nine. I actually went to her third grade class last year and talked about being a writer. The kids were too young to even think about picking up any of my books, so that wasn't an issue. I really never find it awkward to talk about being a romance writer. I SO don't have a problem with it that I think it discourages others from intimating that they might think it's improper. Oh, well, OK, it was really awkward when my Southern Baptist relative, who is in his seventies and a minister, told me that he was reading it.
2. On the your book flap and at your website, you mention the fact that you taught at Columbine when the tragic shootings happened. I'm not going to ask your thoughts about the whys or hows—I agree with you that there is no one answer. I had a couple of other questions. You are teaching part-time now. Do you teach at Columbine or have you gone to a different school?
I'm back at Columbine, job-sharing with a good friend.
If you have gone to a different school, do you still keep in touch with the people at Columbine?
About 2/3 of the staff who were there in 1999 are gone. I still keep in touch with many of them, as well as, of course, the folks I work with. I can only imagine, and not even come close I'm sure, how an event like this could affect a person. Has it impacted how you teach or how you look at students now?
I suppose the biggest change is that such an event is no longer unthinkable. I no longer have the sense of absolute security that I used to, not just at school, but anywhere. That's not as terrible as it sounds. You really do learn to live with it. At school, as anywhere else, I live with the risk. Could another of my students ever be capable of that kind of violence? Yes, but chances are much higher that they're not, so I teach kids like I always have, assuming the best. Naturally, if I had cause for concern about a student, I would act upon that, but I would have done that before the shootings.
3. Your first two books have received excellent reviews. I've had the pleasure of reading your third, due out in March 2005, and just loved it. What's it been like to have all of them received so well? Do you feel any pressure as a result?
It's true that most of the reviews have been really good, but there have been a couple of lukewarm ones, as well. I haven't been panned by anyone, but there's been enough criticism to keep my head from swelling! To me, the pressure was always there to write the best book I could, each time, even before I saw a review. It's really important to me to write something that transports a reader from whatever her worries are and to sustain her belief in the goodness of life.
4. All three of these books have been connected in some way. Will your next book continue and make this a series rather than just a trilogy? I'm thinking there may be an opening with Diego's younger brother...
Oh, Rico would make quite a rake, wouldn't he? Actually, I have several proposals out on submission right now, none of which are high-seas tales. I'll tell you more in question 7.
5. How did you get the ideas for your books?
I like to look at "contemporary" issues and place them within a different context. I don't think that there really are any "new" issues, or if there are, they are simply new manifestations of age-old emotions and questions. Well before the last presidential election highlighted it, I was intrigued by the deep division in our country between the religious right and hard-line secularism. It was fun exploring that in INTO HIS ARMS, with a Puritan and an atheist falling in love and living happily-ever-after, without either character sacrificing his or her beliefs. FOR HER LOVE looks at incest survival and racism. NOBODY'S SAINT, well, I admit, it was mostly for fun, but again, I like to think that it reinforces religious tolerance with Catholic saints who fit the traditional mold in some ways, but not others. I do always try to treat the beliefs of my characters as respectfully as I would treat anyone's.
6. Once you get an idea, how do you proceed? Do you just start writing or do you sit down and make an outline as to how you want the story to go?
I definitely have an outline, three to five pages, and I follow most of it, but there are plenty of surprises along the way.
7. Romance on the High Seas has always been a favorite for me. But there are so many others I like and to choose from in general. Do you have any plans of tackling another time period?
I just finished writing a Regency-set historical. Yes, I know, there are already scads of them out there. I had a definite story I wanted to tell, and the Regency was the perfect time period for it. I also have a proposal with my agent set in New York City in the 1870's. Both my agent and editor are pushing me to try my hand at a contemporary, so I'm going to play with that a bit. The idea I'm working on has time-travel elements, though—Aztec or Mayan—so maybe I'll be back in the tropics.
8. Most romance novelists began as romance readers. Is that true for you?
Oh, yes! I started reading them when I was 14—Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and Valerie Sherwood. In high school, my history teachers would often comment on my knowledge of history. I would smile smugly and say, "I read." Who are your favorite authors? Has any one been an influence for you and your writing?
I have lots of favorites: Nora Roberts (of course), Johanna Lindsey, Jude Devereaux, Jane Feather, Jo Beverley—on and on. I've found lots of new favorites with the other authors in the Zebra debut program. Their books are all well worth taking a $3.99 risk. Of all my favorites, I think that LaVyrle Spencer was the most influential. It is from her that I get my preference for character-driven plots. |
