Suzanne: I first went online mainly to make communicating with my agent and editor a little easier. And then I received an e-mail from a reader, inviting me to come over to one of the bulletin boards which was discussing my book. I'd had no idea such places even existed, but it's been great - I don't think there's any other community like the romance community, where writers and readers interact on such an intimate basis. Of course it also can be distracting, but that's part of the fun.

Joey: Do you use the Internet much for research purposes? What other sources do you use and how much do you try to stay true to historical context?

Suzanne: Since I write Regency Historicals, I frequently use the Internet when I have a specific question about something, and there are also some great Websites dedicated to period clothing, literature, etc. As for other sources, I have an office library full of books - everything from TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF BRITISH FARM LIVESTOCK to ROBERT'S GUIDE FOR BUTLERS & OTHER HOUSEHOLD STAFF to SEX IN GEORGIAN ENGLAND. Some of what I write isn't quite true to the period, but that's mostly intentional. I don't think anybody reading a romance wants to think about the lack of deodorant or the smell coming from the Thames at low tide. I consider myself as writing true to the spirit of the times.

Joey: What authors inspired you to write, and write the type of books that you do? And which authors do you make time to read for your own pleasure?

Suzanne: I started out reading Regencies, with Georgette Heyer, and then Jane Ashford. What impressed me most was the way they combined romance and humor, which is the natural way I write as well. I don't have nearly as much time as I would like to read for pleasure, but I always take time to read the latest Julia Quinn, Karen Hawkins, Stephanie Laurens, Janet Evanovich, and J.D. Robb.

Joey: Your voice is very humorous, yet your books typically have a lot more of an edge to them than most Regency/English historical single titles. I'm thinking here of the intense black moments in BY LOVE UNDONE and A MATTER OF SCANDAL. What dictates your voice? Do you try to always include the humor? Is the intensely dangerous climax a goal you set as part of the Suzanne Enoch "brand"?

Suzanne: The humor is something I actually can't stop - it just happens. I think it comes from the innate belief that love is funny - it makes us do things we'd never do under other circumstances, and things that look baffling to outsiders. I also try, as much as I can, to make the progression of the romance "real", and given the situation of most of my characters (upperclass women of good reputation, men with poor reputations and something to prove), the climax tends to be fairly serious. There has to be that "aha" moment, where the h/h realize both that they're in love, and that they need to decide whether to take some action or other in order to keep that love.

Joey: Your heroines are often very strong, but also self-aware of their limitations. For example, Victoria from MEET ME AT MIDNIGHT forces Sinclair to see how she can be helpful to his investigation without doing the typical "charging out into disreputable London alone at night, forcing the hero to rescue her" trick. (I despise that too-stupid-to-live type of heroine.) How do you keep that balance? What usually inspires your heroines' development? Do your characters come from the story or does the story come from the characters?

Suzanne: I hate characters I can't see as "real." And I don't see the point in rooting for some simpering miss who couldn't find her way out of a dress shop. *g* The female characters aren't me, but in a way they all have a certain amount of me-ness to them. I want to be able to empathize with them, but I never want to feel sorry for them, or to feel superior to them.

As for story versus character, I set up the plot, which will require a certain type of character to make it work, and then from there the characters kind of take over. I've written whole plot twists that the characters have dictated, even though it means changing the whole last half of the book.

Joey: I find it interesting to learn about how widely published authors write. Do you follow a schedule daily? What tips and tricks do you use to keep yourself on track? Do you have an office? Critique partners?

Suzanne: From 1995 (the year I was first published) to the middle of 2002 I had a full-time job, so writing was more a matter of sneaking in paragraphs when the boss wasn't looking, and doing a lot of writing for a few hours at night. Weekends meant writing, writing, writing. In June of last year I finally quit the day job, and it's just been wonderful. I have a schedule, where I write for four hours in the morning, take off an hour or so at midday, and then write for another two or three hours in the afternoon. If I get stuck on something, as often happens (*g*), I make myself do something writing-related - reading a chapter in a research book, answering e-mail, things like that.

I have an office in my house, with no television, no telephone, nothing but me and the computer and a lot of books. Often, though, I find that I like to go out and write on the patio, or on the kitchen table, or on the couch - and that change of venue is frequently enough to re-spark the writing energy.

I don't have critique partners, but I heavily use my sister and her vicious red pen. She doesn't have to worry about being nice, and doesn't spare the "???s" and the "yucks". Also, I have good writer friends online, and they're great for commiserating and helping with working through difficult plot points.

Joey: Most authors hate this question, but do you have a favorite couple or character from any of your books? And if so, would you mind sharing with us what "they" are up to these days since the end of the novel?

Suzanne: Okay, I'm not being diplomatic, since I can't hurt their feelings, but my favorite couple is always the one I'm writing at the moment. I think it has to be that way, because once you start thinking that a previous h/h were better, then you're in trouble as a writer. That said, I love some of the interactions between Lucien Balfour and Alexandra Gallant in REFORMING A RAKE. It's fun to write a hero who just says whatever comes to mind. As to what those two are up to now, they probably have two kids, a girl and a boy, and they still have trysts in the wine cellar. *g*

Joey: Can you tell us a little about your latest trilogy of books and, in particular, some details on the second installment coming out this spring? I've seen various release dates for it (both April and May), so when can I get my hands on it???

Suzanne: The trilogy is under the banner "Lessons in Love," and features three female friends who decide they will each choose an incorrigible man and teach him a lesson in how to properly treat females. The second book is LONDON'S PERFECT SCOUNDREL, out on April 29th. It features Evie Ruddick, who decides that she wants to volunteer time at an orphanage. Unfortunately, the orphanage she chooses has the Marquis of St. Aubyn, "Saint", as its director. Saint is a notorious rake with nothing but contempt for "good girls" and their pet projects - all of which makes him a perfect candidate for Evie's lessons.

Joey: Do you have any exciting plans for the future of your writing that you'd like to share? Are you already planning your next project? Any thoughts about genre, time frame, or other changes on your horizon?

Suzanne: At the moment, I've just finished the third book in the "Lessons" trilogy, which will feature Lucinda Barrett and her chosen student, Lord Geoffrey Newcombe - and the considerable tangle which arises when another man, Robert "Bit" Carroway, uncovers the entire "lesson" plot. I have no idea what I'll do next, except that I am contracted for two more Regency Historicals at this point, and for another "Lady Whistledown" anthology. I may also have something else in the works, but I can't discuss it yet.

Joey: I just want to add that Rafe from BY LOVE UNDONE and TAMING RAFE is still one of the best heroes EVER!

Suzanne: Rafe's my mom's favorite, too. Every book I write, she reads and then says, "It's great, but I still like Rafe the best." Sigh. You just can't please everybody. *g*

Joey: Do you have anything you'd like to add? Maybe some tips for unpublished writers?

Suzanne: One of my English professors in college once told me that reading was as important to a writer as writing. And not just in your own genre: Read books that are considered both classics, and just pure examples of good writing. I would recommend, in no particular order, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, MOBY DICK, ULYSSES, THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, and any of Shakespeare's plays. Word choice, cadence, pacing - they're all as important as plotting.