My editor asked me to try my hand at writing Regencies. I was reluctant, at first, but since I'd always enjoyed reading about the time period, I agreed. The Cinderella story was always my favorite when I was a child, and I thought some elements of that story could be incorporated into my first Regency. Melissa is a 19th Century Cinderella.

>2. How much research do you do before starting a novel?

I have a whole set of preparations before I begin to write a new Regency. The first thing I do is watch my tape of "Sense and Sensibility," or "Pride and Prejudice." That gets me in the right frame of mind. Then I decide on my characters and give them names that fit their personalities. I try to put myself in my heroine's slippers (or half-boots) and think about her life and what it was like.

>3. Do you have an entire novel mapped out before you or does the work take shape as you progress?

I always do an outline first, so I know where I'm going and why. There are times when the characters I've drawn refuse to cooperate with some action in the outline. That's when I revise the outline. They really do take on a life of their own, you know.

>4. I've always felt that Regency heroines are, in general, particularly witty, intelligent, and independent women - perhaps it's the influence of Jane Austen and her remarkable heroines, like Elinor Dashwood and Emma Woodhouse. Samantha Bennings, in your book A Season for Samantha, is one of my favorite examples of the resourceful Regency heroine. She can handle difficult, even perilous situations and isn't afraid to speak her mind. How important are spirited, bright heroines to your fiction?

Bright, spirited heroines ARE my fiction. I would find it boring to read about a heroine who was shallow and unintelligent and I believe my readers feel the same. The role of women in Regency times was socially restrictive, that's a given, but I'm certain that there were women who thought for themselves and exercised their independence.

>5. Well-developed, interesting secondary characters are another important aspect of your novels. How do you develop your characters? Do you sketch them out completely at the outset or do you change them as the story grows?

I attempt to sketch out my secondary characters, but there are times when I wonderful secondary character will pop into my mind and I'll simply have to write him or her in. They're usually not sketched out completely. Character traits occur to me when I'm writing and if they fit, I use them.

>6. Just about every Regency author starts out as a Regency fan. When did you first become interested in the genre? Was there a particular book or author that inspired your interest in Regencies?

I've always been interested in the time period. I read Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" when I was quite young and I loved it.

>7. Which Regency authors have been influences on your writing? Are there any writers outside the genre that have influenced you?

Of course Jane Austen has influenced me. Her books are truly wonderful. And I love the Georgette Heyer novels. I do have a favorite author outside the genre. She's LaVyrle Spencer. Her romances are simply delightful.

>8. What do you feel is the appeal of Regencies?

They're far enough removed from modern society to be fascinating. At the same time, they're not so distant in the past as to be incomprehensible. I think Regency readers can whisk themselves back to Regency England. We can easily imagine what it would be like to live with electricity, telephone, and computers. In some ways (when computers break down and the phone rings a hundred times a day) we may wish we were back in a simpler time. And don't forget that the people themselves, don't basically change with time. Regency ladies have many of the same joys, fears, and problems that we all experience.

>9. Please tell me about yourself. Do you write full time? What is your educational background? What are your favorite hobbies?

I'm married with 5 children and I write full time in an office above the garage. I have 3 dogs and a 25-pound cat (who really ought to go on a diet.) I love to write Regencies and I also write in other genres. I've written two contemporary romances under the pen name "Gina Jackson" and my new mystery series is debuting next month. The first book is "Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder" by "Joanne Fluke" and it's a mystery and cookbook combined.

I have a degree in psychology which makes me a real people watcher. I feel my training in that field lends depth to my characters and makes it easier for me to understand their motivations.

I like to garden (I'm not very good at it, but I like it) and I read everything I can get my hands on. I LOVE to bake and that takes up a lot of my time. Desserts are my specialty, perhaps because I was born and raised in Minnesota and my mother never served coffee without cookies, cake, or something sweet to go with it.

You didn't ask, but I'd like to tell you about my new Regency series. I'm doing 4 or 5 books that are tied together by a common theme (though they can also stand alone on their own merit.) The subtitle of the series is "The Knollwood Legacy" and it's about a family that was separated when the daughters were children. Each book concentrates on one daughter, her life in her adopted family, and her shock when she reaches her twenty-first birthday and is told that she was a foundling and has a legacy from her real mother's family. In the last book of the series, the whole family is reunited and each daughter finds happiness. The first book "A Townhouse For Tessa" will be published in 2001. I'm writing it now and truly enjoying it.

Thank you so much for asking to interview me. And now I must whisk myself back to Regency London where Theresa Lockhard is about to discover that she has inherited a townhouse from her real grandparents, the earl and countess of Knollwood.

Kathryn Kirkwood

Books: A Match for Melissa, A Husband for Holly, A Season for Samantha, A Valentine for Vanessa