And our Sue's Clues Mystery Author is:

MARY JO PUTNEY has been entertaining us for twenty years. Taking us away to different times and different places with her writing. The historicals, contemporary and fantasy/paranormal books by this lady have consistently appeared on best seller lists year after year and are a sure bet for readers. Now, we get to know a little more about her and her books with the interview below.

And you can visit Mary Jo at her website at http://maryjoputney.com/

1. You've been writing for a long time. Congratulations on this year marking 20 (!) years of published novels. In that time, how to you think your writing has changed?

I’d like to think it’s gotten better. I have the natural voice of a garrulous 18th century essayist and I never met a compound sentence I didn’t like. This worked reasonably well in traditional Regency, but as I expanded my horizons, I’ve worked to make my prose cleaner and more accessible. Also, the internet has made research much easier! However, I still love history and happy endings, and the same kinds of stories appeal to me. That hasn’t changed.

2. Romance has become such a diverse genre over the years and is the big money maker for publishers. Why do you think that is? What is it readers are looking for?

Women have always been greater readers than men, and women tend to enjoy stories with well developed characters and relationships. Plus, we like the mating dance of a courtship novel—that is, a romance—just like men like the competitive and war like aspects of sports.

In a stressful world, it’s wonderful to escape into a book where you know that the good guys will work out their problems and live happily ever after.

3. Of all of the books you have written, is there one that is a little more special to you than the others? Why?

All books are special in one way or another, but admittedly, some are more special than others. Probably my most special would be THE RAKE AND THE REFORMER, later revised and reissued as THE RAKE. The hero was an alcoholic who had to quit drinking and deal with all his demons, and in the process become capable of giving and accepting love. I’d observed that process, and it had a lot of emotional resonance with me.

4. I found this quote on your website: “But why didn't anyone tell me that writing would change the way one reads?” How did your reading change? Are you still the readaholic you were growing up?

The worst part is that one becomes so much more critical. There are plenty of stories that I would have enjoyed in my prewriting days, but now the internal critic says, “That’s wrong! People don’t behave that way! That’s totally illogical!” Or perhaps, “The story isn’t bad but the writing is excruciating.” A lot of writers have told me the same thing: It is no longer possible to read in an uncomplicated, uncritical way, particularly in one’s own genre. Sadly, there are also good books by good writers that don’t grab me because the material feels too familiar or fails in some other way to grab me. Not that there is anything wrong with the books—I’m just not in the mood to read them.

But—I’m definitely still a readaholic! Thought it’s harder to find books and authors that just sweep me away, it can still happen. When it does, I cherish the experience even more. Often what I read for fun is romantic science fiction or fantasy.

5. Who were and are some of your favorite authors? Are there any that particularly influenced your writing?

I could list a zillion authors, but three that particularly influenced my personal writing would be Dorothy Dunnett, with her matchless Lymond Chronicles, Mary Stewart, whose romantic suspense is still wonderful both in story and writing, and Georgette Heyer, whose wit and writing ability created the Regency genre as we know it. Another favorite is science fiction writer Robert Heinlein. He was a terrific, inventive storyteller, and he had more active female characters than most golden age sf writers.

6. Mary Jo Putney is one of those names that, even if one hasn't read your books, they recognize it. Just going to, say, the doctor's office must have people stopping you to say hello or talk about your writing. Is this true? What would be one of the more memorable encounters with a fan?

Believe me, it’s rare to be recognized! But a friend of mine on a cross country trip once stopped in a bookstore in Independence, Missouri, and looked for my books, and when she said she knew me, she said that they made much of her.

7. What kind of research goes into a book? For instance, I loved CHINA BRIDE. When I read it I was fascinated by the cultural contrasts and thought it must have been, not difficult, but time-consuming to be accurate to both the culture and time period.

Actually, it was difficult and time-consuming—the further you get from Western European culture, the harder it is to find material, at least in a language that I can understand. I do a lot of reading, then try to find people who are knowledgeable in the area. If possible, I get a native of the region to read the finished manuscript. It was difficult to get the material for THE CHINA BRIDE, but easy to get readers. For a year or so, whenever I got a reader e-mail from a woman with a Chinese American name (or who identified herself as of Chinese descent), I’d ask if she’d be willing to read the manuscript. They were all great, smart, well-educated women—and every one of them copyedited my typos. One wrote Chinese characters down the edge of the page to illustrate different books. They were a wonderful help, and I listed them in the acknowledgements.

8. What is your favorite thing to do outside of writing? Any hobbies?

I like to travel, both grand foreign trips and local B&Bs. I love B&Bs in general because they are so individual, and almost always a product of love. I also like cooking now and then, especially huge pots of hearty soups for the winter. Cats—my two SPCA specials (first cat full price, second cat half price) are endlessly entertaining. And reading. Did I mention reading?

9. Now, this is just personal curiosity. You've lived in a lot of different places—Upstate New York, California, and even England, but you've chosen to settle in Baltimore. Both of my parents grew up on the Chesapeake—Glen Burnie and the Eastern Shore—and I could guess but am wondering, why Baltimore?

When I came back from living in Oxford, England, I needed a job. My brother and his family live in northern Virginia and the climate seemed likely to be moderate—not too cold, not too hot, but juuuuuuuuust right—so I used their house as a base for job hunting. I found work in Baltimore, and inertia took over.

But I do like Maryland very much. There’s tremendous diversity, from the tranquil farmlands of the Eastern Shore to the western mountains. I’m a natural moderate, and Maryland is temperamentally a moderate sort of place, which is good. Nice people and lots of texture. Not to mention lots of history.

10. Tell us about your upcoming release, A DISTANT MAGIC.

A DISTANT MAGIC is a book I feel very passionate about. The story is built around the 18th century British abolition movement, which in the course of a generation changed society’s thinking from “slavery is inevitable” to “slavery is wrong and must eliminated.” It’s one of the great stories of human history, and twining a romance through that story wasn’t easy!

A DISTANT MAGIC is third in my Guardian trilogy, and features Jean Macrae, who was a secondary character in the first two books, A KISS OF FATE and STOLEN MAGIC. Having lost her sweetheart in the Scottish Rising of 1745, Jean is happy to be a spinster aunt and estate manager for her more magically gifted Guardian relations. Then a trip to Marseilles to visit friends leads to her kidnapping by a dangerous pirate captain.

Nikolai Gregorio was an orphaned wharf rat in Malta when two Scottish Guardians took him in hand and promise him a better life and training for his magical ability. But James Macrae’s betrayal allows Nikolai to become a slave to Barbary pirates, and he swears blood vengeance on all Macraes. Jean will be the instrument of his revenge.

But Jean is very much his match, and after they resolve their differences, they swear a joint oath to fight slavery. Aided by an African sorceress, they travel through time to protect the fragile beginnings of the abolitionist movement—and on their mission they discover a love that changes them both forever.

Reviews so far have been great. Here are a couple:

“Putney's latest Guardian novel can be read on many levels. It's a smart, strong, emotionally intense romance filled with historical details and a powerful message. Weaving together threads of pure captive/captor romance, paranormal and time travel, Putney brilliantly merges three genres into one masterful novel. “
Kathe Robin, Romantic Times BookClub

“Magic and traditions of all kinds, an abundance of well-delineated characters, and fascinating historical and political detail make this the most complex and unusual of Putney's (The Marriage Spell) Guardian tales to date.”
Library Journal

“A DISTANT MAGIC is a one-of-a-kind reading experience you don't want to miss. In it, history comes alive, good, decent people make their world better, and a gifted pair, Jean and Nikolai, discover love makes its own magic.”
Jane Bowers, Romance Reviews Today

A writer loves all her stories, of course, but as I said above, this one is very special to me. We take freedom for granted. We shouldn’t, ever.

11. With the many interviews I'm sure you've done over the years, what is the one thing your still waiting to be asked? And what would the answer be? :)

Oh, my, my mind doesn’t work that way! Sorry. But I’m happy to say that no one has every asked why I write this trash!