Q. Are you going to write any more books like THE COLOR OF HEAVEN?Yes! The Press Release covers it:
Surprising Fan Mail Inspires Author to Write Sequel to Bestselling E-Book (via PR Newswire)
Sometimes the line between fiction and reality can get a little blurry. Download image HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Feb. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- When USA Today bestselling romance author Julianne MacLean self-published her first mainstream contemporary fiction novel The Color of Heaven in 2011--she…
Q. Are you going to write any more books in the Pembroke Palace Series?
First of all, I want to thank all of you who have written to me about this. Your letters mean so much to me. The last book in the series for Lady Charlotte (SEDUCED AT SUNSET) will be out in March 2013, and that finishes up the Sinclair siblings. I have received some letters suggesting that I continue with the next generation of Sinclairs, which would bring me to the turn of the century. I may return to Pembroke Palace to do that, but for now, I have some other projects on the go that will keep me busy to the end of 2013. But I love receiving your letters! They truly help me decide what to do next.
Q. What is your writing day like?
Most weekdays are like this: I wake early, get my daughter off to school, then I make tea. I sit down at the computer in my family room and answer emails, hang out on Facebook, check what’s happening on Twitter, and add updates to my website. By then it’s 10:30am. I go for a half-hour run, then shower and eat lunch. I’m not much of a morning writer, so it’s almost 1pm by the time I begin writing new stuff or typing/revising what I wrote the day before. I write longhand these days. I also write in the evenings. I aim to write 5-10 pages per day, or 30-40 pages per week.
Q. Do you have an agent?
Yes. I am represented by Paige Wheeler at Folio Literary Management and we've been together since 1998. She took me on as a client when I was unpublished, though I had been submitting my work to publishers on my own. At that time, I had already sent my book to Harlequin Historicals. When she agreed to represent me, she called Harlequin and asked them to pull it out of the slush pile. The rest is history.
Q. How long did it take you to sell your first book?
Six years. I wrote five manuscripts and spent that time learning the craft and the business of writing. I joined Romance Writers of America (I highly recommend this to anyone interested in writing romance). I attended romance writing conferences, entered contests and submitted my work everywhere. I received many rejections but never gave up. Persistence is key.
Q. Are your books available as Ebooks?
Yes, all my books are available in Ebook format.
Q. How much money do you make?
Not telling.
Q. Do you do a lot of research?
Yes, a ton, and I love it. It's a nice break from filling a blank page. When my creative well is empty, research fills it up.
Q. Do you plot in advance or write by the seat of your pants?
A little of both. Since I moved to St. Martins, I've started to write a longer, more detailed synopsis that shows the character's backstories up front (thanks to my friend Gayle Callen who showed me how to write a better synopsis). This has helped me to figure out more things before I start writing, but the ending always turns out differently than what I planned. Mostly, I have the main plot points outlined, but everything in between depends on how the characters are feeling and reacting on a scene-by-scene basis. Each day is usually a surprise. When I sit down I have a general idea of what's supposed to happen, but the details and the all-important dialogue are mysteries until I start writing.
Q Do you ever have to change or rewrite your books?
I am always rewriting, Every day I polish what I wrote the day before, and I have a critique partner who reads my full manuscript and offers suggestions before I send it to my editor. Once my editor receives it, she suggests more ways to improve it, and I do another revision. Then it goes to a copy editor at the publisher who does a line edit, and I see it again to make more changes. Lastly, I get to approve the final version just before it goes to print, and even then, I still might find some errors.
Q. How long does it take you to write a book?
I write 30-40 new pages per week, but then I need time at the end to revise, so about 4 months. But it takes me extra time to come up with an idea and flesh it out before I even start writing, so I would say realistically that I can deliver about 3 books per year. Sometimes I manage to squeeze a short story or novella in there if I'm keen.
