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Author Monica Jackson, without a doubt, knows how to write intriguing plot lines, with twists and turns that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. This is evidenced by her second book, HEARTS DESIRE, which received 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times magazine. Prior to starting her writing career, Monica was a registered nurse. She worked in various cities, including St. Louis and San Francisco. Monica's commitment to writing kept her persistent, until finally she got the "call" with an offer to buy MIDNIGHT BLUE. I am thrilled that Monica was able to take time out of her busy schedule (which includes raising a 2 year-old) to talk to me via e-mail about her work and upcoming new releases.

What do you like about romance novels? Why do you read it? There are people who consider romances "light-reading" and not of substance. How do you feel about that? Please share your thoughts with us.

I read romance for the sheer love of a good story. A good book relaxes and entertains me, much in the same way a good movie does. I don't believe romances have any less substance than books of any other genre. Good books have at least two things in common, they're well written and offer a wonderful story. A good mystery is cleverly plotted, a good science fiction or fantasy novel takes you to another world, a good horror novel scares you, and a good romance touches your deepest emotions. Does this emotional content make a romance "of less substance?" Hardly. Emotional content is less than comfortable for some, and a probable reason romance sometimes gets less respect than it deserves. But nothing has more substance than the motives and longing of the human heart, the very essence of romance.

It took a long time for publishers to recognize the need for African American romance novels, despite the fact that women of color already accounted for approximately 30% of a $885 million dollar a year industry. How do you feel about the outlook and direction of multicultural romances? Do you think other publishers who are not releasing AA titles will get into it? Right now, as far as I know, the two major players are Arabesque and Indigo. Should MCs be marketed or promoted in such a way that it is more accessible to a wider audience (so that these books can be enjoyed by all women, not just African American)? For instance, Regencies and Historicals are pretty much mainstream and wide read.

Do you hear the scurrying feet pounding their way over to a "new, undiscovered market" who reads with passion and has money to spend? I do. It sounds pretty good because it's better late than never. If the sales stay as strong as they are, African American romance lines should thrive, and African American characters will appear increasingly in other romance lines. If the books are well distributed, the word will get out about the outstanding stories. I believe that a superlative book will be widely read, no matter what color the characters are. There are more African American writers now than were thought possible twenty years ago, and I feel there's room for still more. Romance readers buy a lot a books, and read a lot of writers. We all have different voices and different approaches to a story. The AA reader's demand for variety and choice is only starting to be filled. I think eventually a few African American romance writers will become as mainstream and as popular as Nora Roberts and Jayne Ann Krentz.

Is writing currently a full-time endeavor for you? Are you pursuing other interests? I had read that you enjoyed traveling. Are you planning any trips in the near future?

My main endeavor is raising my two year old daughter, and believe me, it's a full time job. I find time for writing, eating and sleeping around that primary activity.

What inspired you to write "Hearts Desire?" How did you develop the characters of Kara and Brent?

I start a book with my characters in mind, sketched out rather than fully fleshed, and a concept of the story. I write a first chapter that puts my heroine right in the midst of her main conflict. In Heart's Desire, Kara breaks away from her old life and strict religious upbringing in a dramatic way. She boldly seduces the hero with revenge and deception in mind. Of course, it gets out of hand, and escape she originally envisioned turns into surrender. I take it from there, and the characters reveal themselves through their actions and words as the story unwinds.

"Hearts Desire" received 4 1/2 stars from Romantic Times. Was the general or overall feedback that you received from this book just as positive as the review from RT? Also, how was the process of getting "Midnight Blue" published? Was it easy or difficult? Did you present it to more than one publisher?

Generally, feedback on "Heart's Desire" has been very positive. The characters are complex and multifaceted, and some (including the heroine, at first) have rather dark motivations. The plot is not your garden variety romance plot, and issues such as family dysfunction, alcoholism and spousal abuse are touched on. Finally, African American cultural mores are not as prominent in this book as, say, my third book that revolves around the Kwanzaa holiday. The supporting characters are members of an upper middle class political family, and Republicans, no less. It's not tepid or lukewarm book, but a book that can arouse strong emotion. In no way will it fit a stereotypical picture of what a multicultural romance is supposed to be. The book upset an Internet reviewer who'd never read a multicultural romance before pretty badly. But despite, or maybe because of, "Heart's Desire's" differences, most readers love the story. I sent Midnight Blue to only one editor, Monica Harris at Kensington, but to scads of agents. Do I have dents in my forehead from the number of times it bounced back from the agents? Monica Harris eventually accepted the book, but it took around eight months from the initial proposal to the contract offer. I figured by then she'd filed the book in the round file, and kept the postage as payment for the pain of having to read it. I was floored when "The Call" finally came.

Who are your favorite authors? What was the last book you read? This can be either romance or other types of fiction.

I read a lot of nonfiction. I love Iyanla Vanzant's books. I read one of her books and "Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy" by Sarah Ban Breathnach to start my days. I highly recommend "The Artist's Way" by Judith Cameron to break any creative blocks and jump-start your writing. I generally don't like to read romance when I'm writing it. If I read fiction, I read from different genres, dark fantasy, Dean Koontz and Tananarive Due, science fiction, Octavia Butler and Orson Scott Card. I dabble in mystery occasionally, there's a cozy AA writer who's good, Nora DeLoach, and I love Janet Evanovitch.

I know that "Love's Celebration" will be released in December and I wish you much success with it. Are you currently working on a new book? If so, what's it about and when will it be released?

I'm very excited about this new book I'm working on, "The Look of Love" I try to set myself a new challenge for each book. This book is more introspective and revolves around psychological issues rather than tumultuous external events. The heroine, Carmel, wears a size 20 and is well over 200 pounds. She's a single mother of two out of wedlock children that she had as a teenager. She went to school and got her RN, and is doing a wonderful job of caring for and nurturing everybody but herself. The hero is a rich, successful, handsome plastic surgeon. He has previously done what society deemed correct and dated, even married a thin fashionable women, all the while denying his deep attraction for feminine curves and voluptuous flesh. He eventually comes to accept his overwhelming attraction to Carmel. But can Carmel accept his love? Or is she going to allow her weight, fear, and misconceptions about herself to come between them? The book deals with the issues of how society treats overweight people, fear, control, the tyranny of diets, and most of all self acceptance. It deals with health, but not weight loss. The heroine doesn't fall into a coma for a year and transform into a size eight before the hero can love her as happened in one of Barbara Cartland's books. "The Look of Love" will be available December, 1999.

So far, all your novels have been contemporary. Are you interested in perhaps doing a historical?

Hmmm, now there's a thought. There is certainly a demand for good AA historical writers, as evidenced by the hunger for Beverly Jenkin's excellent books. I suppose anything is possible.

Do you have a writing regimen, meaning do you discipline yourself to write everyday or do you write as inspiration comes to you? What personal experiences do you bring to your writing?

I try to write a set number of pages every morning. The number increases or decreases depending on how near is my next deadline. I feel everybody brings a piece of themselves and their experiences to their writing. It would be difficult to avoid, especially if you write from the heart.

You dedicated your second book, "Hearts Desire" to your mom. How did she strengthen or encourage you to follow your dreams? What lessons can you share with us?

The most important thing my mother taught me was faith in my strength and my ability to do anything I want to do. If someone told me five years ago that I wouldn't be enslaved to a job and a lot of bills, I would have said they were crazy. My Mom gave the capacity to make the leap, take the risks, and know that I can swim well enough not to drown. It took a lot to break free from the job mentality, and there are still sacrifices, but it's sure worth every bit.

Now that you are a successful romance author, please offer some advice to those who you are aspiring to write romances.

I get letters or E-mail occasionally from people pleading for help to write their romance. Many people want to write a book, few do it, and fewer still become published. The secret? Persistence and willingness to do the work. Many who ask to be led to the water fail to realize that no one can drink for them. The information on how to write, the industry, the markets is out there, readily available with a tiny bit of research. In romance writing particularly, the resources and assistance are tremendous. If the aspiring writer is unwilling to do the upfront work required of gathering information and applying it, how can they possibly have the persistence and stamina to write a book and get it published?

Please share any additional comments or thoughts with your readers. This can be about anything you want.

I'm excited about my fourth book, scheduled to be released June 1999. It's a spin off from Heart's Desire, and I think it's my best yet. The book features the heroine of Heart's Desire psychic best friend, Taylor. The romance sizzles, and I feel it's a nonstop page turner. Unconventional Atlanta lawyer, Taylor Cates is fiercely dedicated to her work helping battered women at a nonprofit shelter. By burying herself in her career, she has avoided messy romantic entanglements that could take away her hard-won freedom. Then, the shelter's reputation is threatened by a series of mysterious deaths. Now not only is Taylor's safe world jeopardized, she's also at odds with private detective Stone Emerson--and fighting his quietly sensual resolve . Intrigued by her striking beauty and razor-sharp intelligence, Stone respected Taylor's need to stay independent despite his undeniable attraction to her. With the shelter--and Taylor's life--in danger, Stone was willing to do anything to win her trust. But at first he would have to uncover the truth, as both he and Taylor face . . . their most hidden fears--and reach . . . for everything love could give . . . This summary is from the back blurb. "A Magical Moment" will be available June 1999.

I appreciate every single person that reads my books. None of my stories or the other wonderful AA romances would be in print if not for you. Thank you all so much. My web site is http://monicajackson.com. I love hearing from you! Thanks Monica!

11/6/98

Update August, 1999

It's been a busy winter, spring and summer since this interview was written. A Magical Moment (my June release) is on the shelves. Some state it's my best book, most like it, although some are less than enthusiastic, especially your traditional romance aficionados. All say it's a different read from your average romance.

The Look of Love will be out in a few months. My editor was pleased with it and called it "groundbreaking." I'm excited/nervous about the reception to this romance with the theme of compulsive eating and body acceptance. I had briefly mentioned my heroine, Carmel, being molested as a young girl. Many women with compulisve eating disorders have histories of sexual molestation. My editor asked me to remove it, which I did without complaint. She knows what's accepted in the genre and what's not. Was this too much reality for romance? Maybe so.

I'm writing at a breakneck pace on Tiffany's book (a character from Heart's Desire and A Magical Moment). The tentative title and release date for Tiffany's book is Never Too Late for Love, June 2000. I like to push boundaries and what's unique about Tiffany's book is the age of the hero and heroine. Tiffany is forty-seven, Jason, fifty-five. They both have adult children in their twenties and thirties who have appeared in other books. There are no suspense subplots or paranormal happenings. I'm back to focusing on the multi-textured development of a relationship between a man and a woman. This book will be more erotic than my usual, back up to Midnight Blue's level of sensuality. With all Tiffany has been through, she deserves some good lovin', don't you think?

Weddings galore are in this June release! Taylor marries Stone. Two secondary characters from The Look of Love marry. I'm not going to say who, that'll give away the plot!

:-) Monica