Welcome to New Faces, where we are pleased to introduce the newest romance authors found on your local bookshelves. In this column, we welcome Michele Jerott, whose contemporary novel Absolute Trouble is a current release. Michele talks about winning the Golden Heart award and getting Absolute Trouble into print.

Tell us about Michele Jerott.

I'm a born and bred Wisconsinite. I have a degree in classical archaeology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, but am currently working in a research lab at the University of Wisconsin. I have a 9-year old son and I'm getting married at the end of September to a wonderful guy with three kids, so we'll be doing our version of the Brady Bunch quite soon!

Are you coming to romance writing from another job?

I'm continuing to work at the university while I write. The university job provides me money in a timely and predictable fashion [g], which allows me the luxury to write and enjoy it!

What led you to write romance?

Oh, like probably nearly every romance author, I grew up reading Mary Stewart, Anya Seton, Phyllis Whitney, etc. I read Woodiwiss when I was still in high school, and was hooked on the romance genre ever since. I read widely outside the romance genre, but romance is my favorite. So when I decided I wanted to write, it was a natural for me to write romances.

Tell us about your road to publication.

I started seriously writing in 1994 and sold my first book in 1997. In those three years between, I accumulated an impressive number of rejection letters. I won and placed in a few contests, but I managed to win the Golden Heart for single title contemporary romance (RWA's award for unpublished writers) in 1997. That book was bought by Avon just days before, and was released in August of this year as ABSOLUTE TROUBLE.

Many published authors provided me with valuable advice, but Denise Domning and Judy Cuevas (w/a Judith Ivory) have been my pillars of support. I met both when they judged my entry for a contest. Judy and I critique each other's work--when time and deadlines allow.

Who are your influences as a writer?

Oh, boy. There are so many. Outside the romance genre, I'd say writers like Anya Seton, Mary Stewart, Mary Renault, James Michener, Howard Fast, Sharon Kay Penman and Dorothy Dunnett, especially for characterization. I like to write strong heroines, and have to lay my inspiration for that on comic books because, in the comic book world, girls kick butt and, as the size of their breasts show, they're still very much female . In romance, I read single title contemporary as well as historial, and category and there's just too, too many authors to name and if I'd forget one, I'd be mortified for all eternity.

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

They've been wonderfully supportive, but there's been a few odd moments. The first thing my father did when he got hold of my book was cruise through it for all the juicy bits! My son tells anyone and everyone that his mom writes books but he no longer refers to them as 'sex books,' as he once did when he was six. Straightened him out real quick on that fine point.

Tell us about plans for future books.

I'm still working with Avon on the details of my next project so, at this point, I really haven't anything to report.

How can readers contact you?

Email me at jerott@geocities.com, visit my web page at http://www.geocities.com/athens/delphi/8911/ OR drop by the bulletin board at the Avon Ladies page (http://www.judithivory.com/avonladies/) and leave a message!

Thanks, Michele, and good luck with your next project! Readers, be sure to check out our review of Absolute Trouble.

September 2, 1998