Welcome to our New Faces column, where you can meet some of the debut authors gracing your bookseller's shelves. This time we welcome Shannon Donnelly, whose first Regency is A Compromising Situation, now available from Zebra.

Shannon, welcome to TRR! Tell us about yourself. And is that you jumping a horse on your web page?

Yes, that is me on the horse-- I ride and show hunters. In fact, I often say that I grew up with the perfect education for a Regency sportswoman, learning to ride, fence and shoot (the last courtesy of an uncle who collected flintlocks). The horses have always been there, the fencing came in college, and the flintlocks came one summer on a 4th of July visit.

Are you writing full-time? Or do you hold another job as well?

I do work another job. I've been in the high tech industry since 1983, writing video games and now days doing web sites. It's fun work and I get a lot out of it.

What drew you to writing romacne? Are you a long-time reader?

I am also a long-time romance reader--I read a lot of books. My mother got me started with Georgette Heyer when I was in high school, but I read a lot of different things--romance, mystery, westerns, horror. But when it came to telling my own stories, I noticed they always had a romance in them. Relationships just interest me a lot. And the Regency era really is my spiritual home. I've been a past-president of the RWA's Regency Chapter, the Beau Monde, and spoke at the 2000 Regency Conference, as well as at other events.

Tel us about getting your first book published.

A Compromising Situation, my first published Regency from Zebra, won the Romance Writers of America's national Golden Heart contest, Regency category. That contest--and others--really did help me make the sale. I'd been writing for ages, and now I'm glad that it took me as long as it did. I had the chance to learn a lot of my craft--and I'm still learning. That's the joy of writing, there's always something new to learn.

Among other awards, I also won the Grand Prize in the Minute Maid Sensational Romance Writer, judged by Nora Roberts, which got me a trip to Paris. The RWA contests helped me get some excellent feedback, but at some point you really do have to just start writing to please your self.

What kind of research was involved for your first book?

I'm fortunate in that I've researched the Regency for years--it's a great interest of mine. I collect stampless postal covers from the late 1700's to 1840, and I love to read historical non-fiction, so I know a lot about the era. I didn't have to do too much more for that book. In addition, I set the book in Yorkshire because I lived there for a year when I was twenty. That let me use a lot of my own experiences.

Any particular wrriters who have influenced your own writing?

There are so many. How can you read a book and not be influenced? I actually think Dorothy Sayers wrote the best romance ever--Gaudy Night. She's actually a mystery writer. I love Dick Francis, too. And Ray Bradbury! He is a fantastic stylist. I just adore his prose. I'm someone who can get drunk on words. I read a lot of the great poets--that sounds pretentious, I know, but to me that's where you really start to understand the power of words, and how to shape rhythm and style. And, of course, what Regency writer isn't influenced by Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen? For more modern writers, Mary Balog is just a wonderful writer, as is Jo Beverley. But everyone had their strengths. Catherine Coulter and Nora Roberts both write the best dialogue, in my opinion. And I could name a dozen more romance writers who have done just such fantastic work. It's amazing that there are so many really good writers in this genre.

What does your family thik of having a romacne writer in the house?

My family is actually really, really supportive. My mother is one of my best readers. I don't know how anyone does this without support of those who care about them.

What's next from the pen of Shannon Donnelly?

As for future books, my next--A DANGEROUS COMPROMISE--is due out in June 2001, then I have a story in the AUTUMN KITTENS ANTHOLOGY, and a Christmas book in 2001 called UNDER THE KISSING BOUGH, and then a Valentine's story, and then....well, as you can see I've never lacked for ideas. I'm under contract for five books just now with Zebra and it's wonderful to know that they have a home and an audience.

How can readers contact you?

Fan mail is actually turning out to be an amazing thing for me. It's so solitary to be a writer--and its so nice to know that people enjoy your work. So I'm always delighted when someone emails me or writes. And folks can always reach me through my Web site at www.shannondonnelly.com or by writing me at PO Box 3313 Burbank, CA 91508-3313.

Shannon, thanks for joining us, and best of luck! Readers, we have a review of A Compromising Situation on our Regency page.

December 10, 2000