Welcome to New Faces, where we are pleased to spotlight debut authors in the romance genre. This week we welcome Gwyneth Atlee, whose historical romance Touched by Fire is a new Zebra release.

Tell us about yourself.

I am totally smitten with books. If I'm not writing one, I'm using every spare minute to do research or discover an exciting new author.

Happily, I'm married to a very understanding man who treats me like a queen. Our son, who just naturally assumes he's a prince, is now nine years old and insists that every book I write be dedicated to him. Our family's greyhound, Echo, is not surprisingly lobbying for equal ink.

Are you coming to romance writing from another job?

I'm an intermediate school teacher, a career that I've very much enjoyed. I'm planning to take a break soon, however, to concentrate on writing.

What led you to write romance?

I'm in love with stories, all sorts of stories. I've read - and tried my hand at writing - other genres, from westerns to fantasy to young adult ghost stories, but the one best suited to my voice is the one I've learned to love the most of all - historical romance. Here I can combine my penchant for researching the past with exciting stories of romance and adventure.

Tell us about your road to publication.

After several years of writing, my first paid publications were nonfiction articles for educational magazines. This modest success thrilled me, but what I really dreamed of was a career in fiction, so I wrote short stories at first and later novel manuscripts.

When a friend convinced me to enter my first contest, I placed second and also received valuable feedback. Within a few years, I began consistently winning manuscript competitions in many fiction contests, including those of the Rice University and Houston Writers' Conferences.

A contact made as a result of one of these awards led me to my current agent. Several months later, I received The Call - an offer from Zebra Books to publish my first historical romance novel, TOUCHED BY FIRE in May of 1999. This occurred while I was attending the Houston Writers' Conference, where I won Best Romance for a different incomplete manuscript the following day (the icing on the cake). A few months later, Zebra also bought that novel, which is tentatively titled NIGHT WINDS and is due out in February of 2000.

Two factors I especially credit for my success were my membership in the Romance Writers of America and an excellent critique group, The Midwives. No one can support a writer, published or unpublished like another writer.

What kind of research was involved for your first book?

I've alway been especially fascinated by tales of survival. When I read of characters' struggles against hurricanes and blizzards, tornadoes and disasters at sea, I feel as if I'm with them, fighting for my life as well. When I learned about the Great Peshtigo Fire of 1871, I couldn't imagine why I'd never heard of it before. Then I discovered that the enormous conflagration, which killed hundreds and swept away entire towns, had occurred on the same day that Chicago burned. The legend of Mrs. O'Leary's cow nearly obliterated all memory of the far more devastating blaze.

The story of Peshtigo haunted my dreams. I read everything I could find about the disaster, but it wasn't enough. Finally, I packed up my husband and son and drove more than a thousand miles to the north to visit the rebuilt town. (I told you I was married to a VERY understanding man.) We visited the excellent Peshtigo Fire Museum and spoke with several long-time residents. Before long, the seeds were planted for the novel TOUCHED BY FIRE.

Who are your influences as a writer?

I love the historical romance novels of LaVyrle Spencer, Julie Garwood, and Christina Dodd. I'm also a fan of Larry McMurtry, James Clavell, Marian Zimmer Bradley, Ursula K. LeGuin, Sue Grafton, and the immortal Flannery O'Connor, among many, many others. As you can see, I'm an omnivorous reader.

What does your family think of having a romance author in their midst?

They're delighted for me, especially because they know the years of hard work I've committed to my goal. My mother's so proud I'm a little afraid she'll hire a skywriter to plaster my book's title over the sky above Oprah Winfrey's house. My son said he'd help me with the autographing, only he doesn't yet know cursive.

Tell us about plans for future books.

My second historical romance, tentatively titled NIGHT WINDS, is due out from Zebra in February of 2000. I'm also hard at work, and desperately in love with, my third, a western historical romance set in the canyon southwest during the 1880's.

How can readers get in touch with you? I enjoy hearing from readers. Please feel free to visit my website at http://atlee.cjb.net or email me at gwynethatlee@usa.net. I can also be reached at P.O. Box 731, Conroe, TX 77305. If you send a business-sized SASE, I'll send you a color bookmark and enter you in a drawing for an autographed cover flat.

Gwyneth, thanks for joining us, and best of luck! Readers, we have a review of Touched by Fire on our Historical page.

May 14, 1999