What could be more fun than to interview a Romance Writer for our February “Women Who Inspire” column? Several MakeMinePink.com members “met” Jill Monroe in the summer of 2007 when she visited and commented on our blogs during our virtual Tea Party week. After exchanging a few emails with Jill, I found her to be a very warm, funny, and inspiring author and to be a down to earth wife, mom, and entrepreneur like so many of our members and readers, so I know you will enjoy learning more about Jill and the ridiculously fun work she does!

Interview by Dianne Hadaway of Mama's Pocketbook.

Jill Monroe's grandparents firmly believed their grandkids should experience the satisfaction of hard work…by harvesting potatoes in 100-degree weather. In fact, Jill's grandma felt it was her personal duty to pass along the fading arts of canning, sewing, and keeping house to her only granddaughter. While Jill didn't "take to" canning or sewing or, let's face it, cleaning, she did pick up her grandparents' other favorite pastime—reading. During the hottest time of those long summer days, Jill's grandma and great-aunts read and discussed their favorite romance novels. It wasn't long before Jill joined in the conversation. No one is more proud of Jill's first book than her grandma and great-aunts.

While in college, when asked to name a goal, Jill would answer, “to write a romance novel”. A reunion didn't pass without a friend asking if she'd ever written that book. Now Jill can scream, "YES!" (often with leaps and pom-poms).

After various careers, including driving a van of 14 college students cross-country, breaking up fights, and being one of several to interview Jesse Jackson for a local radio station, Jill happily settles behind the computer and writes the kind of stories she hopes people will enjoy reading on those long, hot days of summer. Or, to heat up the slow, cold nights of winter!

Jill, as you know, Make Mine Pink is all about Romance, as all of our boutiques specialize in selling products and services that celebrate every aspect of beauty and romance, so I know our readers are going to want to know all about what life is like for you as a Romance writer. Tell us first about how you became interested in writing and especially in writing steamy romance novels!

Actually, you can lay the charge squarely on my grandma's shoulders. She and my great aunts used to pass their romance novels around. They'd discuss what they read, and the interesting places depicted over coffee and pie—it wasn't long before I wanted to get involved. I think I've always had the writing bug. After I read my first Judy Blume, that's what I wanted to write. (In fact, I have plans to write a middle school book with my oldest daughter who is 11.) In high school, I won a competition to have a play produced by college students.

Now, my romances are a little steamier than the ones they read when I was a teenager, so when I handed over my first published novel, Never Naughty Enough to my 86-year-old great-aunt, I did it with some caution. She just looked at me and said, “Jill, you don't know what I read.” It tickled me so much. She doesn't drive anymore, and I'm so touched every time she gets someone to take her to Wal-Mart to buy her niece’s books. (I always offer to give her one).

I used to write more home-and-hearth books, but once I tried my hand at something steamy, and entered that writing in a competition, that's when my career took off. So it's been steamy ever since.

How did you get on board with Harlequin?

Since the first romances I ever read were Harlequins, that's just the publisher I gravitated toward. They were the books I found myself picking up to read. As a busy mom, PTA member, scout leader, you name it, I look forward to the quiet peace Harlequins provide. They're a fulfilling and entertaining read at a very nice price. Often, I just slip them into my grocery basket. They can also deal with topics that are of particular interest to women, such as breast cancer, sexual abuse, infertility—all have been dealt with between the pages of a Harlequin, so I knew it was a company I wanted to write for.

One of the best things about Harlequin is that they have writing competitions. When they first launched the Blaze line, they had a contest looking for new writers. I submitted a story idea—didn't win (Honorable Mention) but developed a nice rapport with the editor in Canada. Eventually that story became my second book, Share The Darkness.

What would you tell our readers who think this must be a very glamorous business to be in? What is the reality of being a romance novelist?

Well, when you think glamour, I want you to think “Jill Monroe”! Okay, you can think it, but it won't be a reality. Actually, the best thing about being a writer is that I can work in my pajamas and anywhere I am. I can take a notebook and write in the line waiting for my kids to get out of school. I've even taken my laptop to McDonald's.

Before I drag you down totally, there are exciting events. Book signings for one; those can be a lot of fun (although I did have one terrible experience with someone who picked up my book and asked if it were crap!). Writing can be a very solitary experience (probably why I like blogging) so book signings give me a chance to meet people.

Also, every year, Romance Writers of America has its national conference. This year, it's in San Francisco, and that will be a great time. I'm really looking forward to it.

I’m reading your latest book, Tall, Dark and Filthy Rich, and, I must admit, this is the first time for me reading this genre of romance novel. The ones I remember reading were a good bit tamer! These are definitely not my mother’s brand of romance novel from the 60’s! When did things get so heated up in the world of romance writing?

In general, I think romance novels reflect what's going on in the world. In the 1980's, all the heroines in the books had the kind of new and exciting careers that were just opening up to women. In the 1990's you saw a slew of books featuring single moms and dads. Women today can talk openly with one another and with their partner about sex, and our books can echo that.

I have daughters, so it's important for me to show men who are respectful of women, and women who are independent and confident, and most importantly a love story that ends in a committed relationship. My own stories don't end with the bedroom door being closed, but I promise you, a reader can find any kind of book she's looking for from the sweet, tamer romances you remember reading, romantic suspense, paranormal, and Christian romance.

I’m sure you’ve answered this many, many times before, but since some of your novels are set in your home state of Oklahoma, it begs the question: are any of your characters or scenes based on your real-life experiences or those of people you know?

There might be a saying or a snippet of conversation that sparks an idea for a story, but really, everything comes straight out of my imagination. If there's a particular career I find exciting, bam! My heroine is now…an anthropologist. Oklahoma is easiest for me to write because I know I won't mess up the description. My other books, Hitting the Mark was set in Reno, and Tall, Dark and Filthy Rich was set in Atlanta, were both places I'd visited. I'd just hate to get some detail wrong.

Do people actually try to tell you their personal stories to give you ideas for your books? Just how do you do research for your stories?

Actually, I love to hear how people met and fell in love. If you meet me in person, that's probably one of the things I'd love to hear from you. As for research…Google and the library are a writer's best friend.

I have had people ask me if my life is just one romantic tale, with my husband bringing me flowers and saying sweet things all the time. Okay, I'm married to an engineer, the complete opposite in temperament and thinking. He's all math and logic. I'm…well, let's just say analytical thinking isn't my strong suit. So, no, my husband isn't like that. BUT, I think it's important to look for and appreciate the things he does. Once, I was up for a writing award, and he arranged with his parents to watch our children, worked overtime, and then drove me nine hours to the awards ceremony. Another time, on one very cold, snowy morning, when I was running late and having one of those kind of days, I walked out to find he'd scraped the snow and ice off my windshield. Those are the things I find romantic. And, I try to portray not flowers and poems in the stories I write, but rather real people, real men and women struggling in the world, finding each other and realizing the struggle just isn't so hard with someone beside them.

Do people ask you for advice, for spicing up their own love lives?

No, but I did leave a PTA meeting once where I overheard two other members talking about me and my book. One said, “It's always the quiet ones.” So I guess I come off pretty reserved with non-writers; most people probably wouldn't think to ask the silent girl in the corner with a notebook how to spice up their love life. Now my husband, on the other hand, he's been asked if he helps with the sex “research” on my books. I told him to give them a tired look, sigh heavily and say “yes” in a strained voice.

That’s too funny! Okay, let’s talk about the process of doing your work. Do you write on a daily basis?

I'm supposed to write every day of the week. Usually my day begins at 5:30am. When I'm creating, there's this little voice in my head saying, “This is really bad” and “Why did you think you could be a writer?”—I'm sure the kind of doubts most of us have. But, those doubts just don't seem to show up that early in the morning; maybe they're still asleep. I write until it's time to get the kiddies up and ready for school. After I drop them off, it's back to writing until lunchtime. After lunch, I do the normal household chores or plan scout meetings or even sew. Weekends and evenings are reserved for family time.

Now after I finish a book, I feel a little drained. I'll take some time off—usually there are some big projects, like picture organizing or mending, that were put on hold that I can catch up on. But my mind is always writing; there's always a story brewing in my head. The two weeks before a book release and the month of the book release, I find little time to write.

How do you keep it fresh and continue to come up with new ways to express the emotions and to create the intimate details of your characters love lives?

I have to really put myself into the character's minds and emotions…feel what they're feeling. This is best when no one is home. I close my eyes and just really concentrate. I hope this makes sense, but hopefully the details and emotions will be fresh because I'm writing them as those characters are living them. When I write a love scene, I always make sure there are two reasons for my characters to make love. Somehow their being together intimately must bring the hero and heroine closer together, but it must also forward the plot. If they make love on page 221, it’s because it makes sense for them to make love on 221, not because I want to toss in a love scene.

You mention on your website and in your dedications some of the other writers of the Harlequin novels. Do you have a close network with the other writers such as we have here at MMP with our colleagues?

Since writing can be kind of lonely sometimes, and, many times, only another writer can relate to the ups-and-downs of rejections, bad reviews, writer's block, we do get pretty tight. There are about 2,000 people writing the over 6,000 romances put out each year. We e-mail, blog, and catch up face-to-face once a year.

You mentioned a national conference earlier. I’m sure that romance writers must have some interesting trade shows or conventions. That must be a lot of fun!

Yes. There are two main conventions. Romance Writers of America does a national conference where editors, agents, and writers all get together, and it's typically all business. The other is the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention where readers and authors get together. That convention is unlike anything I've ever seen, with balls, parties and an amazing good time, and I hear Fabio will be there this year!

What are some key skills a romance writer must have to be successful?

There's a famous acronym in the writing community, BIC-HOK, which stands for “backside in chair—hands on keyboard.” If there aren't words on paper, there are no words to revise or make better, so you have to sit there and write. Often, that can be the hardest thing to do. There's always something tempting me away from the keyboard.

Being creative and not afraid to try new things is a must, but so is having a thick skin. There's nothing like seeing a bad review on amazon.com, and, many times, I think people forget there is a human being on the other side.

How many books do you write each year?

My goal is two. That's about 600 manuscript pages.

What do you like to do for fun when you aren’t writing or doing promotional work?

Well, I'm a huge reader. I used to be a lot more crafty, sewing and cross-stitch, but when writing became my career, and not just my hobby, much of that fell off. I'd like to get back, though. In fact, I'm working on a sewing project with my daughters; we're making comforters for their beds.

Ah, we are opposites, I’m always sewing, but wish I had more time for writing! I know from your dedications that you like to avoid cooking (and that you have a wicked sense of humor)! Most of us at MMP like to avoid laundry! So tell us more about yourself and your interests and avoidances!

I think your readers will hate me for this…I'll send a little warning in advance, but I adore playing Farm Hustle on my computer. I've spent hours there. I'm really bad. I know it. Save yourself some agony—don't go there!

I also avoid laundry and cooking and cleaning. I think it's because those things are never done. There will always be more laundry to do tomorrow. I can wash every single dish in the sink, and, by that evening, there will be more. But, it is something that just has to be done, so I usually turn up the stereo loud and dance a little as I fold the towels.

We at MMP are all about helping other women find their niche and motivating them to go after their dreams. For any of our readers who aspire to do the kind of writing you do, what words of wisdom can you share with them or directions would you give them for avoiding some of the pitfalls?

If you want to be a writer, join some of the great writer’s communities both online and in your area. There are communities for all kinds of writers, not just in romance, but in science fiction, children’s, and mysteries. A quick Google search would help you find the national organization and the local affiliates. I love my local group of Oklahoma Romance Writers. I met one of my dearest friends in the whole world through that, Gena Showalter. We were both unpublished and struggling writers when we began reading each other's work and giving suggestions. Then in 2003, we both sold our first books. Last year, Gena became a New York Times Bestselling author.

Also, read a lot. Read a lot to get a feel for the structure of writing, then give your own unique slant to it. Lastly, don't ever pay anyone to critique your work or offer to help sell it for you. There are a lot of scam artists just itching to take your money—publishers pay you. You don't pay them.

Your new book, Primal Instincts, that has just come out, can you give us a sneak-peak and tell us a little about it?

In Primal Instincts, Ava Simms is a woman who could tell you just about everything you needed to know about the wedding customs around the world but knows next to nothing about dating in her homeland. She's spent most of her life on remote archeological sites with her parents.

It was a lot of fun for me to thrust her into the dating scene after never going to high school, prom, friday nights at the mall food court—surely I wasn't the only one who did that? I had a blast seeing how she'd react to Internet dating, speed dating, and one night in a singles bar. Dating is tough, I tell you!

I'm so very excited to tell you that Primal Instincts just received a Top Pick rating from Romantic Times Magazine. “Sizzling-hot sex, compelling characters, humor and a dual plot make Primal Instincts, by Jill Monroe, a book you can't put down.”

And if that's not enough, here's the blurb from Harlequin:

Who are they to argue with biology?

Subject A, photojournalist Ian Cole, is sent to ghostwrite a book on sex in various cultures. Instead of finding a white-haired professor, he is greeted by Subject B, anthropologist Ava Simms, wearing only a teeny loincloth and body paint…

Observations…

Sexual energy between subjects increases exponentially. Note the male's quickened breathing and barely restrained urge to do lusty and inappropriate things.

The female, in turn, decides to demonstrate her extensive knowledge of seduction, play and ritual…claiming it's “research.” The results? Neither Subject A nor B want the study to end…

What’s next on the publishing horizon for you?

That's it for 2008. Although, I have several things in the works with Harlequin, so hopefully you'll see my name again in the bookstores in 2009!

Thank you so much, Jill, for sharing about your work. It’s always inspiring to hear from someone who truly loves what they are doing.

Jill loves to hear from readers. You can email her at: jill@jillmonroebooks.com. A picture of her grandma can be found on her website, www.jillmonroebooks.com. Grandma is happy to report not all her time was wasted. Jill can be found every October in the fabric store helping little ones decide which costume they want sewn for Halloween. The canning is still a problem.

Dianne Hadaway is a free-lance writer and editor in her spare time (1:00 to 5:00am), and the rest of her time is spent running her business, Mama’s Pocketbook, taking care of her very supportive husband and two children, and obsessively decorating her home.