Interview--JULIA HARPER

Thanks for being here Julia. It’s a pleasure.


#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…
Actually, there’s not much to tell outside of my writing career. ;-) I live in central Illinois with my family and three dogs. There’s lots of snow and ice here.

#2- You write in contemporary romance as Julia Harper and historical romance as Elizabeth Hoyt. What prompted you to write in two different genres and what challenges have you faced in doing so?
I started out writing historicals, but at the time I was trying to sell my first book—The Raven Prince--historicals were considered “dead.” So, being a practical sort I decided to switch sub-genres and write contemporary . . . and then my agent sold my historicals. I had the contemporary already finished, so we sent that to my editor and she liked it as well. I suppose I sort of fell into writing two genres. ;-)

The only “challenge” I’ve faced (if you can call it a challenge) is that my historicals at sell much better than my contemporaries. At some point I may have to re-evaluate if it’s financially smart to keep writing the contemporaries. But I do love writing them!

#3- As you know, I reviewed your titles For the Love of Pete and To Seduce A Sinner, for Bookpleasures, and loved them. But how do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

Good question! I mostly don’t read reviews—negative or positive. Book reviews aren’t really written for the author anyway—they’re for the reader. Reading negative reviews for an author is just depressing and saps creative energy. And I have a secret fear that reading positive reviews will give me a fat head! ;-)

#4- I think most writers have something that inspired them as a child to want to pursue a career as an author. You studied Shakespeare in college, but can you tell us what else inspired your vocation?
I’ve always been a voracious reader, so there’s that. But my family—particularly my mother’s side—loves telling family stories. I think that definitely influenced me subconsciously. Oral storytelling give you a sense of pacing and how to build to a climax.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites?
Oh, I make time to read! Currently on my nightstand I have Karen Rose’s Scream for Me, Virginia Kantra’s Sea Witch, and Anne Stuart’s Black Ice. I’m looking forward to all three.

As a child I read and reread the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Nancy Drew (of course) and when I got to be eleven or twelve I discovered Anne McCaffery’s Dragonriders of Pern books and became obsessed.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?
I have two more Elizabeth Hoyt books out this year: To Beguile a Beast in May and To Desire a Devil in November, which will wrap up the Legend of the Four Soldiers Series. I’m working my the next historical for 2010 release. My next Julia Harper, tentatively titled, Take the Money, Honey is scheduled for February 2011.

This year I’ll be writing a free novella, The Ice Princess on my Elizabeth Hoyt website: www.elizabethhoyt.com. And you can read chapter excerpts on my Julia Harper website: www.juliaharper.com.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?
No, but readers can certainly ask more questions in the comment section. Thank you, Kelly!