We have the pleasure of being able to chat today with the wonderful Marie Gray. Hello Marie and welcome to FAR.

Thanks! It's absolutely great to be here...

Marie, I visited your website and noticed you have volume 3, of Stories to Make you Blush part of the Naughty Tale Series out to purchase. I also noticed that your stories have been translated in twelve languages. That is really great.

Yes, but please note that Volume 2 and 3 will only be available in the US later... I am told that More Stories to Make you Blush will be released by Sourcebooks (a new and improved version, I find!) in November, and Volume 3 sometime early 2008. And yes... 12 languages, available in 26 countries. This is simply fantastic. I have a hard time believing it sometimes!

What gave you the inspiration to write this series?

Ahhh. About a few years into my relationship with my husband, my friends were telling me "enjoy it while you can, things will start getting boring soon!" I just refused to let that happen... So the first book was a sort of talisman against boredom... and it worked, not just for me but for many others as well!

Do you plan another volume in the future?

There are 5 books in the series so far, and I am currently writing a new series which I can't quite talk about just yet, sorry!!!

What is a day like for Marie?

Hmmm, actually, it's pretty much like any other working mother's... rush, rush, rush, get the kids up and ready (we have 2), get ourselves out to work (I own a publishing company along with my sister), rush back home to get the kids, then homework, dinner, etc... I could write full time, but I don't want to depend on writing to make a living, I'd be afraid the quality would suffer... Right now, I can just write what I want to, without wondering if it will bring home any royalties or not...

Which book was the hardest to compose?

I would say the second one. The first one worked really, really well, so the expectations were incredibly high for second one.

What is your best quality as a writer?

I think it's probably "accessibility", in the sense that my readers can easily relate to the characters, which I think is essential, especially for that genre.

Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write?

Definitely. They are friends, neighbors, they are real people... well, they're real to me anyway! Whenever I'm writing, these people are a part of my days, and insomnia nights; everything that happens makes me wonder "How would he or she react to this?"

If you could meet any famous person in the world who would it be and why?

Santa Claus... have a few requests!!!

What would you like to accomplish with your writing career?

I would like to see couples everywhere holding hands, people doing more to stay in love with each other instead of looking for fulfillment elsewhere, I would love to see girls and guys communicating better, finding ways to stay together forever and remember why they fell in love in the first place... I know... pretty idealistic, corny and romantic, isn't it?

In your opinion, what are the three most essential ingredients of an excellent novel?

Well, I think there has to be an element of surprise or suspense, the quality of writing must allow images to flow into the reader's mind, and the characters have to be believable...

While writing, how does the story develop for you? Do you go from start to finish or create scenes as they come to you?

I work best when I have everything planned out in my head before I actually sit down to write. I unfortunately don't have many hours in a day when I can write, so I need to make the most of them!

If you could be a character in any movie, which movie would you choose?

Ooh... Lara Croft would be fun to be!!!

Do you have any other sites for the readers to learn about Marie, besides? www.mariegray.com/IndexAN.html Any myspace, blogs, or groups?

Not so far, but I am working on it!

What would you classify as your favorite time of day?

Definitely the late evening hours when all is quiet... and I can hear myself think of the next story!

Do you have a favorite pair of shoes that you cannot do without?

I have many... why just have one when you can have 6?

Which do you think is more romantic, a walk in the country or along the beach?

Ah, beach most definitely. Soooo much can happen on a beach...!

If you were to replenish your cabinets with one junk food, what would it be?

I'd have to say "poutine" a specialty from my home province... French fries, cheese and gravy... either that or Oh Henry bars... difficult choice!

Marie, I appreciate the time you shared with us today. I enjoyed learning more about Marie and her great books, and I know the readers will too.

Thanks to you! Anytime...

Interviewed by: Linda L.