Seeing my picture on the entry page, you're probably thinking to yourself: Holy smackballs, you suppose the woman actually dresses like that every day before she sits down to write? Well. . . yeah. Style counts, or so a lifetime’s indoctrination has always stressed.
I was exposed on a daily basis to my M'ma's influence for one thing, and she can color coordinate like nobody’s business. Hey, it’s not for nothing she’s known as the Queen of Accessories. Then there was my cousin Colleen, who is the closest thing I've got to a sister. Colleen really took to heart that greeting card that said there’s only one true remedy for Father Time—Mother Make-up. In truth, I suspect she was born with a lipstick in each hand. Probably Clinique Earth Red base, with a Golden Brandy topcoat. So, while I've certainly been known to buck my share of established and accepted norms in my time, there was just no escaping that Style thing—it's sorta like our family credo. (At least on the female side, but we'll talk more later about how woefully outnumbered I was by men.)
Let's talk books. Personally, I love them. I always have, and although I'm certain there must have been a time when I didn't have my nose stuck in one, I can't seem to recall it. My parents' mahogany bookshelves were full of them in the house where I grew up. This, of course, was back in the bad old days before anyone had thought to establish a Romance genre, so my reading material was (and still tends to be) highly eclectic. Invariably, however, the books that had an element of romance in them were my favorites. Add suspense to that, and I was in heaven. I mean, there's just something endlessly fascinating about relationships between men and women, don't you agree? Especially when there's an added component of danger or humor. Which sorta brings me to my upcoming release. . .
B A B Y , D O N ' T G O
Available May 2000 — Avon Books
Rule One: Don't Let Him In When Nick Coltrane saunters into Daisy Parker's security business, all she sees is the man who broke her heart nine years ago. Providing round-the-clock protection for him now is out of the question. . .right?
Rule Two: Always Be Able To Walk Away
Nick needs Daisy around to keep the hired thugs who are out for his blood from actually getting it. Time, unfortunately, has done nothing to dull the memory of how Daisy once rocked his world, and her cocky attitude still has the power to turn his brain to mush. Still. That doesn't mean he can't handle a few days of living hand-in-glove with the one woman he's been obsessed with for years. Yeah. No problem.
Some Rules Were Made To Be Broken
Hey, do you wanna read an excerpt of BABY, DON'T GO? CLICK HERE
So, where do I get these outlandish ideas, you ask? Betcha expect me to say from my real life heroes. Well, that would be romantic. But not true, unfortunately. The fact is, I've got a secret weapon—a brainstorming partner.TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN A HALF WIT
I met Caroline Cross (who writes Silhouette Desires) at an RWA meeting in 1993. We hit it off, but we live a fair distance apart, so we didn't actually see much of each other except at the occasional monthly meeting. Then her book, RAFFERTY'S ANGEL, came out in 1994, and folks, I gotta tell you, it just knocked my socks off. I called her up to tell her so, and we began to talk on the phone quite regularly after that about the usual writer-chick stuff: Point-of-view, life, characterization, men, transition, kids, good books/bad books, sex, and plot problems.
One thing led to another, and before you knew it, we were brainstorming specific ways to get out of trouble when one of us hit the wall. Then we started to brainstorm each other's book proposals. When I was attempting to develop BABY, I'M YOURS into a viable product, I ran my synopsis by Caroline and she said, "Honey, Sweetie, Baby, that plot line is chock full of holes." Well, damn, that's not what I wanted to hear. But did she just shoot me down and leave me bleeding in the streets? Huh-uh, no ma'am. She suggested ways to plug those holes up. Creative ways. And so it's been ever since. I help her; she helps me. Writing is strictly a one-woman show, but the plot ideas behind it are shared ones.HIP DEEP IN GUYS
You've probably gotten the drift by now that family counts with me. If you're familiar with my work, in fact, you know there's an on-going theme that runs throughout my books of family and friends, or friends as family. Both are an extremely important part of my own life. One might even say the most important part, but let's just keep that little tidbit between ourselves, shall we? I'm telling you, it doesn't take a whole heck of a lot for my gang to get all puffed up on their own importance, so I try to keep all the ego inflating stuff down to a bare minimum.
I've always been outnumbered by the males in my life. I learned a long time ago that if I needed to answer nature's call in the dead of the night, I'd darn well better check before I sat, because chances were that seat was gonna be up. God forbid one of them should ever put it down, huh? Here's a picture of me and my brothers.
(Did I mention I was born a blonde? Ah-hah! Maybe that's where the style thing came from, and M’ma has just been claiming credit all these years. Then again, maybe not—the blonde gene died out pretty quickly and M’ma does have the knack.) But I digress. Having brothers was a mixed bag. They taught me to ride a bike and later to drive a car—no, wait, that was Dad. Okay, well, they did teach me how to swim and introduced me to a dance called the Rat (don’t ask). . .and, boy, I’m telling you, their collection of reading material was extremely interesting, especially the illustrated stuff they kept between the mattresses. But I also spent an awful lot of time locked in the bathroom, screaming, "Dad’s gonna get you when he gets home." I know, I know, nobody likes a stoolie. But it was either that or have my block knocked off on a regular basis, and Dad was the best deterrent going.
So, knowing the best and the worst of living with a house full of guys, understanding what unreasonable creatures they can be, you might rationally expect I'd wise up, right? Maybe go away to an all-girls school, move in with some girlfriends, do anything I could to avoid the spit-and-scratch set for awhile. But no. I got married to my high school sweetie. We've been together for thirty years now. (I was a baby bride. I’m talking cradle robbing here, folks.) We've got a son who's twenty-four (gorgeous kid, inside and out), and except for an Irish setter we had for eleven years a long time ago, even our pets have been male. I just try to stay afloat whenever I find myself in the deep end of the testosterone pool, and if you don't think that isn't a trial sometimes, I'm here to tell you—it can be hell.
Then again, it can also be heaven. In fact, it mostly is. (That's my soul mate and our sweet baby boy with me above.) But listen, don't tell my guys I ‘fessed up to that heaven thing, okay? Trust me, it’s difficult enough already, just trying to stay one step ahead of the game.
SHAMELESS SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENTReviews:
"Andersen captures the undeniable attraction of opposites in Dupree and Lowell's steamy relationship." ~Publisher's Weekly (BE MY BABY)Awards and Nominations:
"Madcap adventure and sizzling sexual tension make for an explosive and fun-filled combination in Susan Andersen's magnificent novel. . .Don't miss all the sexy, snazzy fun." ~Jill M. Smith, Romantic Times Magazine (BABY, I'M YOURS, 4-1/2 Gold)
"A consistently excellent voice in romantic suspense fiction, Susan Andersen keeps on delivering captivating and thrilling novels of dangerous love and dark suspense." ~Jill M. Smith, Romantic Times Magazine (EXPOSURE, 4-1/2 stars)
"Even Letterman would agree that Susan Andersen is one of today's top ten masters of romantic suspense, with ON THIN ICE being her best work to date. Knowing who the culprit is (a la Hitchcock) doesn't detract one iota from the fast-paced, exciting story line or the slowly building terror and foreboding. Ms. Andersen's next tale can't come out soon enough to satisfy this reviewer." ~Harriet Klausner, Affaire de Coeur (ON THIN ICE, 5 stars)
BE MY BABY — USA Today Bestselling List; named one of Romance Writers of America's Top Ten Favorite Books of 1999; named one of Amazon's Top Ten Contemporaries of 1999MY BOOKS
BABY, I'M YOURS — USA Today Bestselling List; named one of Romance Writers of America's Top Ten Favorite Books of 1998; winner of Romantic Times' award for Best Contemporary Romance (1998)
EXPOSURE — Nominated for Best Contemporary Romantic Suspense Reviewers Choice award, Romantic Times Magazine (1996)
Me — Nominated for Lifetime Achievement Award for Contemporary Romantic Suspense, Romantic Times Magazine (1996)
PRESENT DANGER — National Reader's Choice Award winner for Best Single Title Contemporary; and nominated for Best Contemporary Romantic Suspense Reviewer's Choice award, Romantic Times Magazine (1993)
BABY, DON'T GO (Avon – May 2000)
ORDER this book - In Association with Amazon.com
ORDER this book - In Association with Amazon.com
ORDER this book - In Association with Amazon.com
(Zebra Reissue - December 1999)
ORDER this book - In Association with Amazon.com
(To be reissued December 2001)
(To be reissued July 2001)
(To be reissued December 2000)
 VALENTINE'S DAY RECIPE
1 tablespoon margarine
In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat margarine over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until
onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Add squash, apples, broth, juice, water, curry powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and uncover. When soup
has cooled, puree in a food processor or food mill until smooth. Return to pot and reheat. Ladle into individual bowls and garnish
with sour cream and parsley, if desired. Serves 6.
CHEF'S RECOMMENDATION:
And to go with this lovely soup, the chef recommends her upcoming BABY, DON'T GO, a delicious contemporary set in San
Francisco, where an old flame, plus close quarters, quickly equals compromising positions. A May release, it will soon be available in bookstores near you. Click on the link above to read an excerpt!  |
Graphics provided by IconBAZAAR
Avon Ladies' logo designed by Tanya Anne Crosby
