Welcome to our New Faces column, where we are pleased to introduce some of the debut authors in the romance genre. This time we're visiting with the writing team of Astrid Haugenand Susan Sipal, who write as Lora Kenton. Their first release is Sinfully Delicious, now available from Leisure books. Let's meet them.

Astrid and Susan, welcome to TRR! Tell us about yourself.

Lora Kenton is the pseudonym for Astrid Haugen and Susan Sipal. Lora is Susan's daughter's name and Kenton (Kent) is Astrid's son's name.

Astrid- I don't really know where I'm from. I was born in New Jersey and moved to Europe when I was 9 months old. I grew up in Italy, Germany, Norway, and Spain. I moved back to the United States when I was around eleven years old. I very much feel like I have one foot in this country and one in Europe, especially since my father is originally from Norway and my mother from Italy. I still have many relatives in Norway and Italy that I visit. My immediate family right now consists of just my five-year-old son, Kent, and me.

Susan - My family has lived in the same area of North Carolina since the 1600s. I've lived in NC all my life - except for about 4 years in my husband's homeland of Turkey. We have 2 children, a son and a daughter.

I was a religious studies and Spanish major at Guilford College, and have always worked for church ministries.

Are you coming to romance writing from another job?

Astrid - I have a degree in biological sciences from Guilford College, and completed some graduate work as well. I work as a biologist in the field of molecular genetics for the National Institutes of Health.

Susan - I work part-time for Habitat for Humanity.

What led you to write romance?

Astrid - The truth? There was no hero in real life (I'm divorced now) so I felt the urge to make one up! That's my reason, anyway. Susan and I have both been avid readers of good romance novels. We have read and talked about them since our days in college. Actually, I read my first romance novel my freshman year (1984), thanks to Susan. We always used to joke that we should write one together. But life always side-tracked us - marriage, kids, and jobs. Better late than never! We even started an outline once, back in 1990. But we never wrote a real novel until May 9, 2000. That date is our "wedding" anniversary. When you write in partnership it becomes a lot like a marriage.

Susan - I have read romances voraciously since my best friend, Patricia Ness, passed me one in 6th grade. I think it was Bonds of Love by Lisa Gregory. But what got me started writing was Astrid sending me a one sentence starter over e-mail and saying, "Now, you write the next line."

Tell us about your road to publication.

Astrid and Susan - We started writing Sinfully Delicious in May 2000 and finished it in time to enter the Golden Heart in November of that year. It was in desperate need of revision, but it was a finished manuscript. From that point on we revised, revised, revised, and became contest sluts. We finaled in three contests, coming in second at the 2001 Merritt Awards, as judged by Micki Nuding, and winning first place in the 2001 Winning Beginnings Contest sponsored by the Valley Forge Romance Writers. Alicia Condon from Dorchester/Leisure was the final judge who placed us first. She requested a full manuscript, which was passed to Kate Seaver. Three months later (September, 2001) Kate called us with an offer. The rest is history.

What kind of research was involved for your first book?

Astrid and Susan - Sinfully Delicious takes place in Texas and New Orleans. We researched about the Dallas area and New Orleans in 1880. Other research was devoted to mostly detail kind of things - names, places, clothing, horses, furniture. We did read a book on the only recorded account of being a Comanche Eagle Medicine Woman and used it for some scenes involving Comanche healing methods. Otherwise, Sinfully Delicious is a love story and history is background flavoring. We do have a cooking theme in the novel, and each chapter has recipe headings that are authentic to the time. Yes, they did have angelfood cake at that time! Our book is being promoted with a contest giving away a cookbook with recipes from the book. These will all be recipes from the time period.

Who are your influences as a writer?

Astrid - I love Catherine Anderson and Julie Garwood, Catherine Anderson and Julie Garwood, Cath…J! In many ways, Catherine Anderson's books changed my life. I admire her deeply. She touches my heart and always delivers the perfect hero. I also love her heroines because they often start out as waifs but become strong women by the end. I like the idea of a character evolving strength, maybe because I can really identify with them. I think women tend to have that kind of heroine's journey rather than be the spitfires one tends to read more often these days in romances. Anyway, I have read and reread Catherine Anderson's and Julie Garwood's books so many times they're falling apart! But it's so hard to choose these days from so many good writers!

Susan - Julie Garwood has definitely been the strongest influence on me, but I would also say Amanda Quick (JAK), Laura Ingalls Wilder and J.K. Rowling have inspired and influenced me as well.

What do your families think of having a romance author in their midst?

Astrid - My parents are proud, but maybe a little embarrassed. I think we're dreading the possibility our parents will read the sensual scenes and be scarred for the rest of their livesJ! Susan and I don't hold back when it comes to those scenes, and we intend for them to get hotter in subsequent books.

Susan - Ditto what Astrid said.

Tell us about plans for future books.

Astrid & Susan - Right now we're waiting to hear on a proposal.

How can readers get in touch with you?

Astrid and Susan - Please look us up on our web site, www.LoraKenton.com . We'd love to hear from you. Also, please enter our contest to win a limited edition Sinfully Delicious Recipe book with recipes from the romance novel.

Astrid and Susan, thank you for joining us, and best of luck on your future books! Readers, we have a review of Sinfully Delicious in our Historical section.

June 30, 2002