Welcome to our New Faces column, where we are pleased to introduce some of the newest authors in the romance genre. This time we're visiting with Paula Reed, whose debut historical romance is Into His Arms, a Zebra release.

Paula, welcome to TRR! Tell us about yourself.

I live in the Denver area in Colorado. I'm married to my high school sweetheart and we have a thirteen-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl. I have my BA in English from the University of Colorado.

Are you coming to romance writing from another job?

I taught high school English for fifteen years. I've been on a leave of absence for the last two to work on getting my writing career off of the ground. Next year, I'll be going back part-time.

What led you to write romance?

I read my first romance novel when I was fourteen, and I've been hooked ever since. Before my son was born, I started writing my first novel as a lark, but then I had kids, and life got busy, and I just didn't get around to finishing it. In 1999, we faced an overwhelming tragedy at Columbine High School, where I work. Two boys brought guns in and killed 13 people before taking their own lives. I was in need of a happy ending somewhere. My husband suggested that I finish my book. He even bought me a laptop to do it. I've never persistently tried to sell that book, but I wrote Into His Arms next, and I've written several others since. Writing romance is as addictive as reading it!

Tell us about your road to publication.

I spent about a year trying to stay on top of submitting my first book, teaching full time, and writing Into His Arms. I entered and finaled in a couple of contests, but I wasn't as organized or systematic as I needed to be. That was part of why I took some time off. A local paper ran a sort-of "where are they now" article about teachers who had left Columbine, and a local agent, Kristin Nelson, read about me and my writing. She had just opened her own office, and she contacted me through the newspaper. Kristin was a huge help. Before she signed me up, she gave my book a very serious, very thorough critique. She's one of my best sources of critique for every novel I write. She sold the book to one of the first five publishers she contacted.

I've had other folks helping out, too. My mother-in-law reads several romance novels every week, so I know that if something doesn't fly with her, it won't fly with anyone else! My friend Beth used to sail in the Caribbean, delivering yachts, and she helped with nautical information.

What kind of research was involved for your first book?

I had taught Puritan literature for years, so I already had an extensive background on their lives and theology. Most of my research was focused on the seventeenth century Caribbean and pirates and privateers. Along with a lot of book and Internet research, I took two trips to Jamaica (the things we do for art!). I absolutely fell in love with that island and its people!

Tell us about your debut book.

Geoffrey Hampton has little faith in his fellow man. The English privateer follows his own fearless code, taking his fortune and his pleasures as he sees fit. And as for the possibility of finding true love, well, it's an illusion as unlikely as a beautiful woman hiding in his cabin. But Faith Cooper is no illusion--she's a stowaway from Boston Harbor who seems immune to the captain's considerable charms. In fact, Faith is unlike any woman he has ever known--intelligent, unwavering in her beliefs, and truly innocent. Someone who challenges his heart at every turn. The two unlikely lovers make passage to the warm, sultry winds of Jamaica, and a deep, abiding passion flares, giving Geoffrey a treasure he never dared to hope for and a woman he cannot afford to lose.

Who are your influences as a writer?

This is always a tough question for me, because there are so many. In romance, I truly admire LaVyrle Spencer, and I thoroughly enjoy Johanna Lindsey, Nora Roberts, Jude Deveraux, Mary Balough-just so many writers. But there are touches of Arthur Miller, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Bryce Courtenay in my work, as well. I just love to read, and everything I read influences me somewhat.

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

They're all pretty excited. My husband is glad to see his encouragement paying off, and my daughter loves having a mom who's a writer and can come talk to her class at school. My son's girlfriend thinks it's way cool, so he thinks it's pretty cool, too.

Tell us about plans for future books.

Into His Arms is part of a three-book contract with Kensington. The next book, For Her Love, is about Geoff's best friend Giles, and it's going to be released in October of 2004. Then, in March of 2005, Nobody's Saint will be released. It's the story of Diego Montoya, a sort of knight in shining armor who sails in and out of the previous two books.

How can readers get in touch with you?

I have a website at www.paula-reed.com and my email address is paulareed@comcast.net.

Paula, thank you for joining us, and best of luck with your next book! Readers, we have a review of Into His Arms in our Historical section.