Welcome to New Faces, where we are delighted to introduce the newest authors on the romance scene. In this column, we welcome Victoria Dark, whose historical romance Marrying Mattie is on the shelves now. Let's meet her.

Victoria, tell us about yourself.

A child of the sixties, I grew up in the southern piney woods, near where opera soprano Leontine Price grew up. Inspired by this fact, I was very certain I would be a great opera star, and practised loud and often.

Something about the enthusiasm with which our red-bone hound joined in with my efforts finally convinced me Destiny might have a different plan for me. I'm certain my family was grateful when I gave up the ambition.

The area was so rural there was no phone service. The summers were interminable. When the weather was right, we could catch two channels on our black-and-white TV. After watching Jeopardy, with Art Flemming, I'd quickly take the pliers and change stations -- the channel knob having long since departed -- and see John Wayne win WWII, or Audie Murphy conquer the Old West on the Afternoon Matinee'. Otherwise there was little to do.

Except for the books.

Big, beautiful boxes of books, stored in the attic. At one time or another, my father and every aunt and uncle I owned must have belonged to a book club. Probably because they couldn't even get two channels on the TV. William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mary Roberts Rhinehart, P. G. Wodehouse -- writers who had something to say and writers who were just plain fun -- I loved them all and I developed a profound reverence for the written word.

And I knew one day, I would be an author.

With that kind of background, had you always planned to write?

No, I had planned to be an RN. That kind of fell through, since I never quite got over that fainting-at-the-sight-of-blood thing. So for many years, I earned my bread and butter as a bookkeeper at a used car dealership -- and that led directly to my fiction first sale. I made my boss a character in a horror-mystery short story and killed him off rather brutally. The story, BEST OF LUCK, written as Vickie DuBois, sold to Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and was published in December of 1987.

What led you to write romance?

I picked up Rosemary Rogers' SWEET SAVAGE LOVE when it hit the shelves, and I stayed up all night reading it. I was hooked. A sensual, adventurous book written by a woman, mostly for women -- hot ziggedy! I've been an avid fan of romance ever since. I knew I wanted to write books that touched readers' emotions and create characters that people would fall in love with. I think Mattie and Ty are like that in MARRYING MATTIE. They feel very real to me.

Tell us about your road to publication.

As I said, from the time I was young, I always knew I would be an author. However, I had no idea how long it would take, or I might have held onto my original operatic aspirations!

About 1991, I joined the Romance Writers of America -- the thing that helped me most. I attended RWA workshops and learned to target specific markets, to send editors what they were looking for, and most importantly, to network with other authors.

Having always lived in rural areas, I've found the computer a handy tool, too. Online services with writers' round tables provide help and support. I've many online friends.

Who are your influences as a writer?

Kathleen E. Woodiwiss tops the list of all-time faves! However, I feel I learn something every time I read a book. I love to read Cheryl St. John, Rebecca Paisley, and Kasey Michaels -- all for different reasons. I like Jennifer Crusie and Sally Carleen/Sally Steward in comtemporary romance.

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

My two sons, 20 and 21, are very proud of me. Where they used to think me strange, mumbling conversations with imaginary characters as I dusted furniture or washed dishes, they now call it "writer's eccentricity". My husband of 25 years has always given me his full support. When I got up the courage to announce to the world that writing romance was what I was going to do, he sold his favorite tractor to buy my first computer. What a man!

Tell us about plans for future books.

Things are popping! My next release, FIRE & LIGHTNING is written as Victoria Darkwood. This is due out in April 99, by New Concepts Publishing (newconceptspublishing.com ). This book is very close to my heart. Inspired by the wild action in ROMANCING THE STONE, I literally started this story when my boys were in T-ball. While I was sitting in the bleachers, I scribbled notes about it. Over the years it's been rejected -- often with praise -- by every publisher in New York -- twice. Seems no one wanted to take a chance on a story about a swash-buckling Regency heroine, who can really kick butt when she has to.

Then E-publishing came into being. This novel will be available on disk, or by download attachment. I'm excited about being a pioneer on the leading edge of a new technology, and I'm certain this new field is going to mean a lot more variety in romance as well as other the genres! Good news for us readers.

LOVING ELIZABETH, my next Zebra Splendor, will be published in September of 99. Set circa 1870, in it a single-mother with a young daughter goes to Oregon to be a mail-order bride -- and finds her daughter's outlaw father is not only still alive but serving as sheriff of the town.

In December of 99, I have a novella appearing in Zebra's SNOW BABIES anthology. Presently untitled and unwritten, I am planning a Regency setting for this one.

How can readers get in touch with you?

I hope readers will let me know what they think! Please feel free to write to me at:
victoriadark@yahoo.com

Thanks, Victoria!

December 28, 1998