Interview with Kathleen Lawless:
 

Kathleen Lawless is as sultry as she is talented. I met this vivacious woman at the RWA conference in San Francisco. We'd been introduced via e mail previously by a mutual friend, and clicked almost immediately. Kathleen is one of those attractive, earthy, extroverts completely comfortable with her sexuality. She is the perfect person to write Romantica; those highly sensual stories you love to read. Hear what she has to say on the topic of romance and love. Log onto www.KathleenLawless.com for more about her.

RY: Tell us a little about Kathleen and what inspired her to write romances?

Kathleen L.: Being a total romantic, I inhaled romance novels in my formative years, not realizing that their appeal was far more-reaching than the Happy-Ever-After. The novels that stayed with me long after the last page were the ones that tapped into the basic core myths or fantasies that resonate deep within our psyche. Stories featuring marriage of convenience, kidnapping, cowboy fantasy, wounded hero-on-the-run, Cinderella, and other myths, were the ones I loved the most.

I'd always loved to write, so as a young stay-at-home mother, it made sense to try and write a book that I hoped would touch a reader the way all those wonderful stories had touched me.

RY:How long have you been writing and how many books have you written to date? Of all of the books you've written which is your favorite?

Kathleen L.:I actually attempted my first book so long ago it was on a typewriter. And it was very, very bad. But I finished it, which was tenacity training for the rest of my career. Not only did I finish it with the help of a lot of white-out, I had the audacity to mail it to Avon Books, who had launched Joanna Lindsay. My effort boomeranged back so fast it renewed my faith in the postal service. It also renewed my determination to write a publishable book.

I made my first sale in 1995, ironically coinciding with my divorce. Perhaps because I was no longer living-happily-ever after, my fantasies grew stronger. I subsequently sold four more books in a very short time and when people asked me the reason for that fast-track success, I laughingly attributed it to my newly single status. I have published 15 books to date. Notice that's published, not written! Which is my favorite? That's like asking which is my favorite child. But I have to say TABOO, my first erotic romance will always have a special place in my heart. I wrote that to be the type of book that I wanted to read, at a time when it seemed no one else was writing that genre.

RY:Your writing has been labeled Erotica or erotic romances. Would that be an accurate description? If not, how would you describe what you write?

Kathleen L.:I'm okay with erotic romance, although I would never classify my books as Erotica. My books are first and foremost a romance, which to me means a monogamous relationship once the two lead characters meet. My books are sexier than the “typical” romances I grew up reading.

I think what sets them apart is that the high degree of sexuality is important for both characters' growth. It's not a gratuitous boink-a-thon (not that I object to those, it's just not what I write). My characters are forced out of their comfort zone on many different levels because of the sex. They would not learn what they need to learn about themselves if they were not experiencing such an intense degree of sexual intimacy, and while they might start out enjoying the best sex of their lives, and lots of it, once they recognize that there's a whole new level of emotional intimacy tangled up in it, that just adds to the conflict.

RY: When you first began writing what types of romances did you write?

Kathleen L.: I started with historicals, inspired by the likes of Joanna Lindsay and Kathleen Woodiwiss. Currently, I enjoy doing both contemporary and historical because it keeps me fresh. A range is good.

RY:Why do you think sensual romances have become increasingly more popular?

Kathleen L.:I'm sure there are as many different reasons as there are readers. Sad as it sounds, I talk to a lot of women who have very unsatisfactory sex lives and/or a low sex drive. In that instance, I like to think of the books as therapy. Maybe she can leave it out for her husband to peek at. Or they can read an excerpt together and talk about it. Maybe the books get her turned on so she can reach sexual fulfillment on her own. Maybe the reader just needs hot escapism. As modern women, we want it all, but what exactly is “it all”?

RY:What are the essential ingredients to writing a grabbing sex scene?

Kathleen L.:To me writing, or experiencing, a grabbing sex scene are both the same. You need enthusiasm. An emotional connection. Trust. And a sense of humor. Props are optional.

RY: Describe your favorite kind of hero?

Kathleen L.: My favorite kind of hero is one who will do whatever needs to be done, even if it requires personal sacrifice. Can you tell I'm a big fan of “The Hero's Journey”?

RY: What in your opinion makes a man sexy?

Kathleen L.: I find most men pretty darn sexy, once you ferret out their secrets and strengths. But I would have to say “being capable”. Firefighters and cops are popular heroes because they impart a confidence-inspiring energy that they can deal with whatever comes their way. I appreciate a man who can order from an extensive wine list, sooth a crying baby, and whip out his chainsaw if he needs to deal with a fallen tree across the road. Someone you can relax with because you know he's got it covered. And he won't try and stiff you with the bill at the end of the night.

RY:Given your knowledge of wine have you considered writing a book set in wine country or has one already been completed?

Kathleen L.: Well, I do love wine, and my characters periodically enjoy a nice vintage as well. But Nora Roberts did it so well in ‘The Villa', I think that's something I'll stay away from.

RY:What makes Kathleen smile?

Kathleen L.: I like to think I'm always smiling. I'm a very happy person.

RY:We've had vampire stories, cowboy, secret baby stories, and home and hearth stories. What do you predict will be the next hot sub-genre?

Kathleen L.: Let me polish the crystal ball! A good, strong, well-told love story will always have its place with the reader. And different readers resonate to different fantasies, to be sure, given the popularity of paranormal and urban fantasy right now. The Alpha hero will always be in style. Currently, I'm hearing murmurings on-line about time-travel, which well might be due for a resurgence of interest. For as you know, everything is cyclical, and not just in our business but globally.

RY:Give us a sneak peak as to what next we can expect from Kathleen Lawless?

Kathleen L.:I really do love it all! I'm currently at work on a trilogy of erotic thrillers, which is a lot of fun. And of course, speaking of - ta-dah! - A time-travel. There's nothing like bringing that Alpha-male from the past into the 21st century and totally befuddling him.