And our Sue's Clues Mystery Author is:

Our Mystery Author this round is Kathleen Rowland. She is a fresh new voice in the world of romance, taking on the not often tackled topic of interracial relationships. Her books have received fantastic reviews and what she has in the works is bound to gain the same. Kathleen was kind enough to share her thoughts and challenges about both her writing and her life. Please read her interview and then visit her at http://kathleenrowland.com/

1. Tell us about your family. It certainly isn't small with 5 children!

Yes, we have five children, blended across marriages and racial lines. I say “we” because my second husband and I married when my three sons, Jeffrey, John, and Ted, from my first marriage were school age. Gerry, a management consultant with people skills, was a fine step-parent. Marla and Janice entered the scene later through adoption. Mixed race, our daughters actually resemble us. They certainly act like us! Jeff, John, and Ted (white) have always been very welcoming. In turn, we encouraged a solid relationship with their father.

2. And the youngest just left for college. Feeling any of that 'empty nest' syndrome that I'm always hearing about?

You're not serious. I've got Gerry all to myself. I like to see kids grow up, and it usually takes leaving home. Seriously, it's nice to have Ted (a nurse in Los Angeles) close by. Marla (San Francisco State) and Janice (the ‘baby’ at Sierra College) visit on vacations. Johnny and Jeff (with our daughter-in-laws and grandchildren) live out-of-state, but we visit.

3. "My family is blended across marriage and racial lines." Personally, I think this could only enrich a family. Unfortunately, the world doesn't always make that easy. What challenges has your family faced? How do you handle them?

Yes, mixed race enriches our family. Johnny is married to a Black woman, Jan, from the Caribbean, and they have two children. Jeff and his wife, both White, have two daughters. Ted is dating an Asian woman. Marla and Janice don’t consider race in dating choices as much as the guy’s humor. (My husband is a witty man.)

About challenges, cross-racial acceptance did improve when we moved to the Left Coast a dozen years ago where people are less traditional. Last year I was asked to be the campaign manger for a Black PhD educator who plans to run for mayor of our town in the next election, and yes, I'll do it.

4. You live in Southern California. Were you or your family affected by the devastating fires? It must have been very scary.

We were only affected by the soot and ashy smoke although part of our town was evacuated. Our church opened its doors, and I cooked, served food, and entertained kids with indoor games during that horrible week of fires. It was a sad time with so many home and some lives lost.

5. Both of your books center around interracial relationships. I have a couple of questions about this. How hard is it to get this type of book published?

It would be hard if I submitted to major publishers. Cross-racial romance only exists as a genre with small publishers. Its popularity is growing. I knew Amira Press had this genre when I submitted MINING EVERMORE to Yvette Lynn, publisher. Six months later, I submitted WINDWARD WHISPERINGS to Amira Press and signed.

Is it a topic that is becoming more accepted?

Yes, cross-racial romance is now commonplace among the middle and upper middle classes. People (married or dating across race) like to read about those relationships. In my books I explore their challenges which tend to be more cultural than racial.

What kind of reception has it received? Good! MINING EVERMORE, a paranormal thriller, has continued to build in popularity. My last royalty check proved that as more people hear about it, they're buying. A reader from Cal State Chico emailed that MINING EVERMORE was a cult favorite at her dorm. WINDWARD WHISPERINGS is doing even better. That’s often the case with a second book, but I was blessed with “big-picture” editor Wendy Jo Dymond.

How much of your own personal experience is reflected in your stories?

My story plots are imaginative, but personality traits come from people I know and feelings/challenges I have had.

Last but not least, do you have any plans to write a book where the races are reversed?

Yes, ALL THAT GLITTERS will be released from Whiskey Creek in June, ’08. The heroine is Irish. The hero is Basque, not Black, but their cultures are very different. I just finished a historical novella about a Black American cowboy. The anthology is being marketed by an author friend who organized the project. My newest story is a young adult (races reversed) for Amira Press, but the romance is “sweet” due to the targeted ages of thirteen through seventeen.

6. How did you get started in writing?

With an M.S. in computer science, I’ve written in technical areas. Four years ago, I became serious about writing fiction and joined Romance Writers of America. My local chapter is filled with phenomenal people.

7. Has your family read your books? I know you have daughters that should be the right age...

Of all my children, Johnny is the first to read my books. I know that when he has time, he will write fiction because he’s a story teller. He helped me create (the surfboard flying off the car top) murder in MINING EVERMORE.

7. And what do you like to do when you are not writing?

My husband and I both sail, and we spend many Saturdays sailing around Newport Harbor. (In WINDWARD WHISPERINGS, the heroine is a sailboat designer.) I’m an avid reader of romantic suspense. I like taking classes to expand my horizons. I’m finishing up a class in linguistics where I learned the “k” in knight was pronounced in the Middle Ages, LOL.

We are hosting our holiday block party, a pot-luck tradition. I volunteer at our church where mostly I like to talk with people. I’m a dedicated lap swimmer (as was my heroine in MINING EVERMORE.)