Hello Loree, it is good to have you with us today. Your readers are curious to learn more about Loree Lough.

Loree, you have an impressive list of books out and soon to be releases. I read Midnight Frolic and absolutely loved it. Is there any particular book that you would like to discuss with us today?

So glad you enjoyed Midnight Frolic! As for a book I'd like to discuss, well, that's a tough question. Every one of my books is a 'favorite' while I'm writing it. Time and again, readers tell me their top choice is The Wedding Wish (out of print and available now only through used bookstores). 2 of the stories that stand out, though, were the historical/romana clef novels for kids, Dream Seekers and Fire by Night. I enjoyed researching the time period, and telling the stories from the kids' points of view was a lot of fun.

How much of your personality and life experiences come out in your writing?

Oh, I think a whole lot of 'me' ends up in every single story, and I believe that's true for most novelists. We all come to the wide and wacky world of fiction with so many built-in personality traits of our own that it's only natural a little bit of that will end up in our characters. Life experiences mold us, give us world views and opinions that naturally show up in our fiction...the narrative stuff, in particular. When I read books written by my friends, I often smile as I recognize their quirks and tendencies in the people who act out their stories.

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?

My husband's job took us from Baltimore to Richmond, VA, and I saw an ad in the local paper for a 'neighborhood writer'. I knew from the way it was worded there'd be no paycheck attached, but I figured it'd be a great way to get to know the area and help the kids meet new people.

Pretty soon, the editor was asking me to write about the county's EMTs, new machinery at the hospital, the latest shop to open at the mall...for pay! And before long, editors of other periodicals, having seen my stuff in the local paper, were calling to make assignments...for better pay!

So when my husband's job brought us back to Maryland, I had a nice stack of clips to show editors in the Baltimore/DC area. Sadly, ad dollars often dictate the so-called truths that end up in "non-fiction", and I quickly got tired of seeing facts altered (and sometimes flat-out changed) to appease advertisers. I complained to my husband one night that if I was gonna write fiction for a living, I might as well just write a novel. When he said "So, do it!", I did. That first novel, Pocketful of Love, won the Readers' Choice "Best Contemporary" that year.

So now you know how how I developed this raging case of Fiction Addiction!

Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?

Gee. I wish there was a 'stock' answer to that one, but the truth is, it depends on the project...and the deadline. I have, on about a dozen occasions, written a 55,000 word novel in a weekend. No, I don't get much else done while I'm writing this way, and naturally the books required another weekend to edit. But, when a writer makes promises to editors, she's smart to come through, even if it means less sleep and no time for leisurely walks!

Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?

Oh, I have a schedule. Always. I could never accomplish anything without one, especially when I'm on a deadline. Working at home, as all writers know, requires Herculean-type discipline. Without it, we're tempted to chat on the phone, run dozens of miscellaneous errands, alphabetize our spice racks and pantries, and put our closets in color-coded-sleeve-length order.

What is your writing routine once you start a book?

First comes the idea, which can come from just about anyplace . Then I fill out "my" Timeline, so I can keep all my ducks in a row once I start the story setting, time period, character backgrounds and motivations, conflicts (and how I'll resolve them), and all that 'elements of fiction' stuff. I keep an oven timer on my desk, and work in 4-hour periods. (Otherwise, I'd forget to eat, drink water, or use the potty!) I get all my housework done by 7 a.m., so that once The Mister heads for the office, I can get to work, myself. And by forcing myself to stop at 4 p.m., I have an hour or so for those miscellaneous errands.

At the end of the day, I just quit. Mid-sentence. And walk away from the computer. Next morning, I edit what I wrote yesterday, which not only cleans up the stuff I've written, but puts me back in 'the mood', and move on to the next scene.

My goal for every day is 5,000 words. Most days, I hit the target, but if I've managed to get 2,500 into the computer, I'm pleased.

Do you have many interruptions after you begin writing?

Yeah. Most days, I have to contend with about half a dozen interruptions. The dog needs to go out. A neighbor needs a cup of sugar. The hubby wants to know if I've called/done/gone the stuff on HIS to-do list for me. Except for the dog, I pretty much ignore the other stuff. Sugar can be borrowed after 4. And the hubster's to-do list can wait until after 4. (All I can say is, THANK GOD FOR CALLER I.D.!)

What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?

When the weather is nice, I love to putter in my flower gardens. (I have about 2 dozen of 'em in my yard.) I also enjoy sitting quietly in a deck chair, watching the birds come to the dozen or so feeders/birdbaths I've situated in the gardens.

What truly motivates you in your writing?

Early in my career, getting that first book into print was my major motivation. After the 6th or 7th book hit the stands, money became more important. Along about the 25th novel, letters from my readers became the primary motivation. When an author hears she has created characters her readers can identify with, that she's written a story that moved them to tears, made them laugh, caused them to worry...well...that's such a marvelous feeling that it compels her to write more stories that accomplish those same things!

Where do your ideas come from?

Some of my stories were born 'people watching' (at the movies, in the mall, dining in a restaurant, during a family reunion, etc.). Some stories began as a news story on TV or in the paper. A few have come to me in dreams. Still others started out as great titles that inspired me to create stories, and a couple originated from an unusual career, a unique person, or a particular event. My biggest regret, as a writer, is that I can't possibly live long enough to write all the stories in my head!

Do you have any bad writing habits?

Putting stuff off until the last minute is a dumb, dumb, DUMB thing to do. It causes a lot of unnecessary angst, sleepless nights, that 'oh lordy how will I ever get this done?' feeling 24-7. Hard as I try to avoid it, procrastination is my biggest writing flaw. The older I get, the less I fall prey to the temptation to put stuff off. But something tells me that I'll still be doing it, to some degree, if the Good Lord allows me to keep at this fantastic career until I'm 100.

What type of books would we find on your bookshelf?

You'd find all kinds of things on my bookshelf. How-to books for writers, romance, suspense, thrillers, horror (one of my all-time favorite books, period, is Watchers by Dean Koontz), cookbooks, gardening books, 'pretty-up your house for free' books.... I could go on, but I'm sure you have the idea.

If you could go back in time, what time and place would you enjoy visiting and is there anything you would change?

I think I'd have made a pretty good pioneer woman, so I might like to live in the mid-1800s...provided my neighbors were willing to allow me to befriend American Indians (I'm 1/8 Shawnee Indian, see....).

What really draws your attention to a good book, the cover art, the genre, the author or the blurb?

If I had to choose from just those things, I'd have to say the blurb. I love skipping around from one genre to another, and cover art, as any author can tell you, can get messed up in a really big (and sometimes scary) way. And just because an author wrote a great book in 1999 doesn't mean s/he 'got there' this year. A well-written blurb is what entices me to read Page One. And if that grabs...and holds...my attention, I'm sold.

Do you have any other website or blog, myspace that you would like to share with us?

I hope everyone will visit me often at www.loreelough.com/

Thanks so much for a great interview, Linda. Great, thought-provoking questions!

Thank you so much for spending time with us today, Loree. Be sure to check out Loree’s website and discover stories that will captivate.

Interviewed by: Linda L.