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 Madalyn Reese, whose first romance is No Place To Hide, an August, 2003 release from Sihouette Intimate Moments.

Madalyn, welcome to TRR! Tell us about yourself.

I live in Central Minnesota with my husband, three kids, two cats, and our dog. Never really studied writing as a profession, although I did once take a short fiction course, and fell instantly in love with the likes of Dorothy Parker and Shirley Jackson. Dorothy's "You Were Perfectly Fine", and the left-handed honesty was probably the only thing I actually learned in college when I was supposed to be learning music composition.

Are you coming to romance writing from another job?

I have three kids at home, ages 8, 5, and 4, so I definitely have a full-time job on my hands. Before deciding to be a stay-at-home-mom, I'd been everything from an ER registration clerk, to a bartender, to a jewelry salesperson -- No, I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. Luckily for me, Susan Litman -- my editor -- decided I was going to be a writer.

What led you to write romance?

I am the poster-child for ERA (early romance addiction). My mother had a room full of Harlequin Presents, Harlequin Romances, and Barbara Cartland when I was growing up, and I started devouring them at age 12. Between my mother, sister and I, we now own every Betty Neels ever released in the states, and she'll forever be my favorite.

Tell us about your road to publication.

I started writing in 1994, when I was home alone, very pregnant, and very bored. Didn't get too serious about it until 1998, when we got the Internet and I had vast writing resources at hand. I wrote what I will loosely and presumptuously call a Harlequin Intrique in late 1999, had the full manuscript requested and rejected -- decided rejection was a BAD thing, so I took two years off from submitting to learn how to write.

Shortly after I received the rejection, I found the eHarlequin boards, along with the unbelievable amount of guidance, support, and advice to be found there. I also heard about RWA, and Debra Dixon's Goals, Motivation, and Conflict, plus hooked up with a lot of honest and patient critique partners. All of these things are the reason I finally worked up the gumption to submit again in last 2001. Got THE CALL on 8/8/02, and have now seen the release of my first book, NO PLACE TO HIDE a year later.

What kind of research was involved for your first book?

Aside from writing mechanics, I did some psychological research on the villian, but that was basically about it. The jewelry angle came naturally, from a life-long love of shiny things, so I got to write about something I love, which made my job exceptionally easy in that respect.

Tell us about your debut book.

Anthony Bracco has NO PLACE TO HIDE from Emma Toliver once they discover they’re sharing a stalker. Sequestered together under FBI protection after two years spent apart, it doesn’t take long to rekindle the powerful attraction between them, nor provoke their stalker’s wrath.

Who are your influences as a writer?

There are so many.... Short list? Patricia McLinn, for great arcs and internal monologue that always makes me giggle, Karen Templeton for her voice, Kate Walker for her intensity. Betty Neels for invisible characterization. P Cornwell for knowing the line between fiction and bull, Dave Barry for finding the absurd in any given situation, J Sandford for great characters. Barbara Michaels for being able to write a story that sticks with me forever, Shakespeare for showing the way on how to build multi-dimensional secondaries, villians and just... being Shakespeare. (Yeah, yeah, or Bacon, or whoever)

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

They're getting used to the idea. My mother, of course, was surprised by the writing itself, but NOT the romance angle. My dad has a good sense of humor, thank the Lord. My husband's still in shock, bless his heart. My kids? Well, let's just say Mommy will never be allowed to grow an attitude.

Tell us about plans for future books.

Right now, I'm deep in revisions on the next one while working on the third one. None contracted yet, but hopefully once the kids are in school again, I'll get caught up. Remember when summer vacation was so much fun?

How can readers get in touch with you? I'm always happy to hear from readers, and they can reach me either by e-mail at: madalynreese@madalynreese.com, or snail mail at Madalyn Reese, PO Box 304, Staples, MN 56479.

Madalyn, thanks for joining us, and best of luck with your books!

September 21, 2003