About Susan

Susan Mallery is the New York Times bestselling author of over one hundred romances and women’s fiction novels, and she has yet to run out of ideas! Her funny and sexy family stories consistently appear on the USA Today bestseller list and have landed as high as #5 on the New York Times list. She has won many awards, including the prestigious National Reader’s Choice Award. Her books have been named to the Top 10 Romance Novels lists of 2007, 2008, and 2009 by Booklist, a publication of the American Library Association, and she was the only author on the list all three years. Because her degree in Accounting wasn't very helpful in the writing department, Susan earned a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction.

Susan makes her home in the Pacific Northwest where, rumor has it, all that rain helps with creativity. Susan is married to a fabulous hero-like husband and has a six pound toy poodle...who is possibly the cutest dog on the planet.

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.

How did you get started writing?

I'd always read romances-starting when I was around thirteen. I'd never thought about writing one myself because I thought writers were exotic people who lived in France, wore black all the time and talked about things like dead philosophers and existentialism. While I was in college, I saw that a local adult education center was offering a class on "How to Write a Romance Novel." I signed up for that class and, the very same day, began my first book.

The book was awful, but the class changed my life. It was 8 weeks long and I knew by week 6 that this is what I wanted to do with my life. I stayed in school to complete my degree (in Accounting of all things) then walked away from a job offer to try my hand at writing. Fortunately, I sold fairly quickly. My first book sold in August 1990 and was published in January 1992.

Where do you get your ideas?

Ideas come from everywhere. Situations I find myself in, songs, movies, conversations I’ve overheard. (Okay, I admit it—I overhear those conversations because I’m intentionally eavesdropping. When you talk in public, you must realize a writer may be hanging on every deeply personal word.) The idea starts with a spark. The tough part is building that spark into a novel-length story. Sometimes an idea doesn't go anywhere, and I have to save it for another day, when it might merge with another spark and become something wonderful.

My 2009 series, Lone Star Sisters, was sparked with the question, "What would you get if you crossed Dallas with Sex and the City?" High drama, incredible family tensions, and a fun female friendship at its core. (Plus some pretty fabulous stilettos.) Then I looked for the sparks that would inspire me to create stories for each of the three Titan sisters and for their friend Dana.

The spark that led to my 2010 series, based in the fictional town of Fool’s Gold, California, was a news story about the census. I thought of how interesting it would be if the census discovered that a town faced a serious man shortage. How would the women in town react? Would men begin to arrive in town by the busload, thinking there are women ripe for the picking?

The Bakery Sisters came about because of a story I heard on NPR about a child prodigy. A twelve year old American boy living in England, studying graduate level physics. While his life is wonderful, it’s incredibly far from normal. I kept wondering what his life would be like when he grew up. Claire, the first heroine, grew from that, which led to the three book series.

How can I get on your mailing list? I want to know when your books are coming out.

Click here to subscribe for free. When you subscribe, you’ll be among the first to hear when I have a new book out, a series in the works, and when I’ll be in your area for a book tour. (That’s why I ask for your zip code.) You’ll also have access to lots of fun insider stuff in my Members Only area, such as puzzles, games, members only excerpts and short stories posted just for you. Just so you know, I’ll never share your e-mail address with anyone.

What’s coming next?

I love it when readers ask this question because I get such a charge out of talking about my current work in progress. I’ll let you in on a little secret: My favorite book is always the book I’m working on at the moment. When I’m deep in the throes of a story, I’m living in the characters’ world, breathing their air and feeling their emotions. That world is immediate and real to me, sometimes more so than reality.

I love the world I’m living in right now! I’m working on a series scheduled for release in 2010, set in a sweet little California tourist town called Fool’s Gold. It’s got festivals, wineries, a world-class ski resort, and beautiful mountain scenery I can see on my eyelids when I drift off to sleep. Plus, a couple of feuding hairstylists that crack me up every time they grace the page. Join the Members Only area of my website to get updates on Fool’s Gold release dates.

How long does it take you to write a book and do you write on a schedule?

The single title books take about 3-4 months from start to finish. They are long with intricate plots and a lot of characters, which makes for a lot of writing…and rewriting. I do have a schedule. I'm slow in the beginning but after the first few chapters, I generally write about 15 pages a day. And I do plot out the whole story. I need to know what's going to happen before I can comfortably move ahead. This doesn't mean the characters don't get a vote. They frequently surprise me with their actions and dialogue. Then we all have to have a meeting and figure out what happens next!! :)

Because I write so many books a year, it's important for me to have a plan of what I'll be working on next, then to stick to it. Being disciplined is as difficult as being creative.

Help! I'm looking for an older, out of print book of yours. Which one is it and how do I buy it?

First, check out the printable backlist, which you’ll find at the bottom of my Current Books page. That lists all my books, in reverse order of publication—meaning the most current books are on top. Series are marked by icons so you’ll know which books go together.

As to buying older books, there's the challenge. Generally the single title books can be ordered from any bookstore or at an online bookstore. The category books are trickier as they come and go in about a month. eHarlequin will keep them in stock for about three months. Amazon, Borders, and Barnes and Noble are good for about six months. After that, you need to start checking for used copies in some of the other online bookstores. If the prices for older books are really high, try eBay. They usually have less expensive used copies.

*Note: The Sparkling One, the first book in the Marcelli Family series, has been frustratingly unavailable due to a computer glitch when the reprint was ordered. Rumor has it, The Sparkling One will be back in stores soon.

Why don't you just reissue your older books so your new readers can find them?

Would that I could. In truth, it's not my decision. I bug my editor all the time about various reissues, but it's not her decision, either. However, if you e-mail me about a specific book, be assured I pass your e-mail along to my editor and she passes it along, and so on.

Will you write a book for my favorite secondary character?

I never say never when it comes to writing stories for people who have made an appearance in my books. Many of the characters who’ve captured your imagination have also captured mine, and these people have a way of sticking with me so long that I finally surrender and give them a book of their own. The last two books of the Marcelli Family series are great examples of this. The Marcellis were supposed to have a three-book series: The Sparkling One, The Seductive One, and The Sassy One. But that family just wouldn’t get out of my head. Three years later, I followed up with stories for the missing Marcelli siblings: The Marcelli Bride and The Marcelli Princess.

After my 2008 Bakery Sisters series, I heard from a lot of readers who wanted a story for Raoul, a troubled teen in Sweet Spot. Raoul’s story is part of my 2010 Fool’s Gold, California series.

You see, I’m easily manipulated, both by characters and by readers. I succumb to pressure. My best advice to you if you want a story for your favorite character is to e-mail me and let me know. I can’t make any promises, other than to assure you that I do listen and I do want to know which characters mean the most to you.

Why don’t you release all of your books in audio format?

Sadly, it’s out of my hands. My publishers buy all the rights to my stories from me, including the audio rights, and then they get to decide whether or not to release the book in audio. You should be able to find my single title books available for download from Audible.com. E-mail me with specific titles that you’d like to have in audio format, and I will pass your e-mail along to my editor.

I'm thinking of writing a romance. How should I get started?

The best place to go is http://www.rwanational.org/. Romance Writers of America is a terrific organization for both published and unpublished romance writers. There are local chapters, conferences, contests, plenty of how-to workshops and seminars.

Writer’s Digest has a series of "how to" writing books that are all excellent. I highly recommend those, and you can often find a copy in your public library. Also, if you have access to a community college writing course, that is a good place to get started.

Do you read your e-mail yourself and do you answer it?

Absolutely. I love hearing from readers! Your letters brighten my day. Just click on the "e-mail" button and a contact form will appear. I do read them and answer them. You can always tell how close I am to my deadline by how long it takes me to respond. Usually it's not longer than a week unless I'm out of town.