Welcome to New Faces, where we're pleased to introduce the newest authors on the romance scene. This time we're delighted to present Terri Brisbin, whose time travel A LOVE THROUGH TIME is a Jove Time Passages release for October. Welcome, Terri!

Tell us about yourself.

I'm from southern NJ -- Berlin is a small suburban town located halfway between Camden and Atlantic City. I'm married to Chris and our kids are Matt, 17, Dru,12, and Michael 6&1/2 -- the 1/2 is very important to Mike right now.

Are you coming to romance writing from another job?

I am a Registered Dental Hygienist in real life and I work part- time in two offices. I've been very active within my dental hygienists' associations on local, state and national levels. I just finished a 9-year stint on Berlin's Board of Education.

In writing circles, I'm a member of RWA, NewJerseyRW, ValleyForgeRW, the Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapters and a founding member of the ToBeez - an email loop/group of debutting authors.

Most of my writing experience prior to starting to write romantic fiction in 1994 was in my professional field and in professional journals and newsletters.

What led you to write romance?

I'd read some scattered romances over the years but came back to them in 1991 when I was pregnant with my third son. I picked up Julie Garwood's new release THE PRIZE and was pulled back into romances by my love of history and happily-ever-after endings.

In 1994, I realized that I had some ideas that sounded/seemed like story ideas. My hubby suggested I write them down and see what happened. I did and came up with ideas for about 6 stories!

Tell us about your road to publication.

Well, after I started keeping the story ideas in computer files, two seemed much more developed than the others so I concentrated my efforts on them -- a short contemporary and a time travel to medieval Scotland. I'd been on Prodigy online service and became more active in their Romance Writers Groups and paid more attention to their writing workshops. It was through Prodigy's Romance Novels BB that I met up with members of NJRW and started attending their meetings.

By the time NJRW had its 1995 conference, I'd entered my partial manuscript in their contest for unpublished writers, finished the short contemporary manuscript, and requested an editor appointment to pitch my book to Silhouette and Harlequin. Silhouette editor Gail Chasen requested the full manuscript. I sent it in and continued work on the time travel story.

That manuscript was eventually rejected by both Harlequin and Silhouette but the rejections offered me some hope since the editors involved gave me personal comments.

In 1996, I entered the time travel manuscript in NJRW's and the Georgia RW's contests to get feedback on it. Also, I requested another editor appointment for the NJRW 1996 conference and pitched the book entitled A LOVE THROUGH TIME, to Berkley editor Cindy Hwang. Cindy requested the full manuscript. I needed a few months of work on it so I planned to send it to Cindy as soon as it was completed.

In February 1997, NJRW was contacted by Lifetime Cable TV's Our Home Show about featuring an unpublished writer in a segment of their show. After sending in my info and writing samples, I was chosen to be on the show along with published author Debbie Macomber and Harlequin Senior editor Paula Eykelhof. What a thrill! The producers arranged for Paula to read my manuscript. Although my time travel wouldn't 'fit' into their Historical line, Paula had some great things to say about it and encouraged me to send it on.

I'd revised it a bit more and sent it in to Cindy Hwang at Berkley by July of 1997. At the NJRW conference in October 1997, Cindy mentioned to me that she did have it and would get to it soon. In late November of 1997, I received THE CALL from Cindy offering to publish A LOVE THOUGH TIME. I then signed with Linda Kruger of the Fogelman Literary Agency as my agent.

I completed some revisions to the book and it was scheduled for release in November of 1998. So, my second completed novel, after only 3 years writing seriously in romance fiction, is now about to be published.

FYI -- my 'critique' group consists of my colleagues in my dental office. The dentist I work with --Paul Adler and his wife Rochelle, are two of the best proofreaders I've come across yet. Everyone in the office gets into the act in planning out my plotlines and characters and most of them are in this book. Dr. Adler is living vicarously through the Fabio-lookalike blacksmith and Rochelle shows up as Rachelle, one of the important secondary characters.

My biggest support group has been the New Jersey Romance Writers -- both the published and unpublished members have been right there with me as I've pursued publication. Their information, networking and support has been vital to me.

How did you handle research for your book? Did you visit Scotland?

I have not yet visited Scotland but hope to soon. Most of my research came from reference books, biographies of Scottish monarchs, maps, dictionaries and the Internet. I used the Internet to check locations and connect with people to translate Scots Gaelic for me. I also researched food, customs, villages, on various websites -- including many in Scotland's universities.

Who are your influences as a writer?

My influences as a writer are Jill Barnett, May McGoldrick Susan King, Julie Garwood, and many, many more. I love Jill's sense of humor in her writing and strive to add humor to my writing. Although my books don't come close in historical perspective and depth to May McGoldrick or Susan King, I try to make sure I have a sound basis in the historical facts. And the thing I like best about Julie Garwood -- in addition to her sense of humor -- is that she never lets the history take away from the romance of the story.

Of course, as an avid romance reader, I have too many authors whose work I read and admire but those are a few.

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

? Geez, like any family, I have to keep reminding them that 'I AM AN AUTHOR'. My hubby has been incredibly supportive in his own way and my oldest son realizes the amount of work I've done in my writing. The 12-year-old isn't quite sure about it and the 6&1/2 year-old is thrilled that Mommy's book will be in Shop-Rite (the local grocery store).

Now that they've seen the bookcover and the bound galley, it is feeling more real to all of us and they are beginning to get excited. They are also glad that the book will be coming out during soccer and football seasons so I won't expect them at any of my booksignings.

That's what happens in a house full of boys!

Tell us about plans for future books.

I'm working on 2 followup/related books to A LOVE THROUGH TIME -- one is a historical and tells the story of Anice, the villainess/bad- girl of ALTT, and one is a time travel about the son of the hero and heroine from it. Anice's story may be put off while I complete the time travel tentatively titled "Touched by Love".

I've also been getting ideas for a time travel to Queen Elizabeth's time and one set at the time of the Glencoe Massacre in Scotland. So far, they are in the development stages.

Thanks, Terri, and good luck! Readers, you can contact Terri with your comments at Terri_Brisbin@prodigy.com, and you can also read our review of A LOVE THROUGH TIME.

September 23, 1998