WWR: Holly, having had the pleasure of meeting you, we can vouch for your vivacity, and your finely-tuned sense of humor. So when you sit down to write, do you make a conscious decision to write romantic comedies or does the writing just come out the way it comes out?
Holly: LOL What you call vivacity my mother called your-mouth-waddles-as-fast-as-a-duck's-behind. I think I like your version better! <g> Thanks! As for when I write... I never really planned on writing comedy. It's just where my writing-voice and a lot of my story ideas gravitated to. The books I write for Silhouette Romance, aren't comedies, but even they all have a healthy dose of humor. I think a writer can pick the stories they'll tell, but they can't pick their voice. It's that innate way we put together our words, our stories. A reflection of the way we view the world. Rather than fight it, I simply honor it. And to be honest, I enjoy books that make me laugh, both reading them and writing them.
WWR: You're mother to four children. That's an amazing accomplishment, but you also manage to write books for multiple publishers. How do you stay focused?
Holly: Uh, four kids isn't really amazing. My husband and I were just slow...it took us a while to figure out how it kept happening! <g> Seriously, they're my biggest joy. They are not always, however, conducive to writing. I stay focused by carving out my time and guarding it jealously. I'm writing this interview at 5:41 am. During the summer I get up early to gain a few peace-filled hours. During the school year I do most of my writing during the day, when they're not here. Finding some quiet time makes a difference in my ability to focus. We also have a rule that if Mom is writing you don't interrupt unless there's blood. They remember that...most of the time.
WWR: Your latest book, Be My Baby, is set in your Perry Square universe. When you wrote the first Perry Square book, did you realize you were starting an entire series of books? Where did you get your inspiration for Perry Square?
Holly: When I wrote the first Perry Square book, Do You Hear What I Hear?, I never anticipated it becoming a loosely tied series. But when I'd finished, I loved the neighborhood so much I couldn't let go. It just keeps expanding. The thing is, I love communities with ties. We live in a middle-class neighborhood where my husband grew up. We know all the neighbors, they wave when we walk by. That sense of being tied to where you are, having bonds...I think that's what attracts me to Perry Square. Each book is stand-alone, but regular readers tell me how much they like remeeting old characters.
WWR: Next year, you'll have three new Perry Square books out. You've also written a series for ImaJinn Books as Holly Fuhrmann. Is it fun to write series like these, or is it a chore trying to keep everything straight?
Holly: I love writing series. Love having the opportunity to see what happens to my characters after I leave them with their happily-ever-after. If I do a series I can discover they've had babies, that they're doing well. It's fun for me as an author, and readers seem to enjoy it as well! And if you ever catch me in a mistake, I apologize. I have a notebook with all my books in it. Each character's there, along with what they look like, their job, etc... I also note if they've had children, or are pregnant in other books and try to keep it straight. But with each book it gets a bit harder to be sure I keep things straight!
WWR: Do you like to hear from readers?
Holly: I love hearing from readers! Writing is a solitary business. I'm alone in my office. It's nice to get feedback on books, to know that they've made a reader laugh, or even cry. Letters from readers remind me that although I write in a solitary environment, the books are out and about, and hopefully others have enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
WWR: What (or who) inspired you to write romance fiction?
Holly: I've always been a reader. I grew up with Tolkien, Lewis, Heinlein, McCaffrey. To be honest, when I started writing I thought I'd write fantasy. But romance pulled me in. I love that it focuses on two people's journey...that it focuses on people. I can add a bit of fantasy, an occasional dead body, or even a gaggle of kids. But at its heart, it's about those two people and what makes their relationship–makes them–tick. I love that sense of discovery.
WWR: Holly, you've written for both Harlequin Duets and Harlequin Flipside. Now that Duets is gone, and Flipside is on its way out, what future do you see for your more comedic stories?
Holly: I'm not sure what the future will hold for me in terms of straight comedy. I'll definitely keep readers up to date with new developments. But all my books, regardless of the line or the publisher, have humor, so hopefully I can promise to keep readers laughing for years to come!
WWR: Tell us about your journey to publication. How many years did you spend writing before you had your first sale?
Holly: My first sales happened just a short time after I started writing. I did short fiction for magazines. Then I sold a book to a small press. Finally, sold to Kensington's Precious Gems. I did three books for them. I also started writing my romance/fantasies for ImaJinn Books. All the time I was targeting Harlequin. When Precious Gem's line folded, I still hadn't broken into Harlequin. I really thought about going to work full-time. I couldn't justify staying home and making next-to-nothing while my husband worked a zillion hours a week. But when I told him that, he said, "No. You'll sell soon. Just wait it out." That was January 2000. I got the call from Duets that March. Silhouette bought a book in June. Since then I've sold eighteen books to H/S. And that's wonderful. But my husband's belief in me...that's something I treasure.
WWR: So, besides the upcoming Perry Square books, do you expect to have other books out this time next year? Please, give us the titles and dates of your upcoming releases, and if you can, tell us a little something about your current work in progress!
Holly: Well, I had two Flipsides scheduled, but with the line folding, they're gone. I'm waiting to hear what's next at H/S. In the meantime I sold two books to Avalon books. These are stories I always loved and am thrilled they've found a home. Pickup Lines and Lovehandles. Pickup Lines will be out April of 2005, and its sequel, Lovehandles, will follow later in the year.
WWR: If you could give someone only one piece of advice about writing romance for publication, what would it be?
Holly: Anyone who's ever talked to me and asked this question knows my answer already, because it's pretty much always the same. What advice do I have for new writers? Write. Write something, anything, every day. Make writing a part of the rhythm of your life. Sounds simple, but it's not. You need to carve out a chunk of time and devote it to your writing. Finding that time can be tough. (It's now just after six and I'm wrapping up this interview...that's carving!) But writing should be like breathing...something you can't not do. The more you do it, the better you get, the more a part of you it becomes. So my advice is always, write.
Thank you so much for interviewing me! I'd like to close by inviting readers to visit me at www.HollysBooks.com. I have a monthly contest, and there's always updated information about my books!
WWR: Thank you, Holly, for spending time with us!
