Welcome to our New Faces column, where you can meet new romance authors and hear about their books. This time we're visiting with Nonnie St. George, whose debut Regency is The Ideal Bride from Zebra.

Welcome, Nonnie! Tell us about yourself.

I live in Ottawa, Canada with my husband and our two daughters.

Are you coming to romance writing from another job?

I was a criminal lawyer before I stayed home with my kids.

What led you to write romance?

While I've always loved to read, I'm not one of those people who wrote her whole life or who filled notebooks with novels at age six. A number of things led me to write romance, including turning forty, reading my first Regency and falling in love with the genre, and the delusion that writing would be easier on our family life than the practice of law. Hahahaha-slap. Oh, sorry. Ahem. Frankly, I think turning forty was the key. Once you turn forty, you're a lot less afraid about making an idiot of yourself.

Tell us about your road to publication.

I entered my first two chapters in the Royal Ascot, the writing contest run by The Beau Monde, the Regency chapter of the Romance Writers of America and made to the finals, as did Glenda Garland and Meredith Bond. The final judge was Kensington editor Kate Duffy and she offered us each a two-book contract and then awarded us all a tie for first place. Being one of Kate Duffy's Royal Ascot triplets has been a fun way to break into the business.

What kind of research was involved for your first book?

Researching a Regency is always fascinating, and there are lots of sources of information in libraries and on the net. I also subscribe to a Regency research service that provides copies of original documents and I'm a member of The Beau Monde and take advantage of the expertise of other members. I even made a friend who went to London do research and take pictures when I couldn't get enough information about the Soho Bazaar any other way.

Tell us about your debut book.

The Ideal Bride is a comedy about a man who makes the a list of requirements he wants in a wife and sets out to get himself married. His life goes downhill from there.

Who are your influences as a writer?

Jane Austen, of course, the greatest novelist in the English language. Georgette Heyer, the originator of the Regency genre, Patricia Veryan's brilliant Georgian adventure romances, and current Regency writers Mary Balogh and Barbara Metzger.

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

That depends on when you ask them. Right now, I'm right at the beginning of my third book and it's great because my time is so flexible. But when deadline is looming, I'm pretty sure they'd trade me for a rabid skunk and a wad of used chewing gum. My 11-year-old daughter is looking over my shoulder as I type, and she says that isn't true-the gum is optional.

Tell us about plans for future books.

Courting Trouble will be a May 2004 Zebra Regency. It's the story of the Duke of St. Fell and heiress Arabella Swann. His story, actually, since he refused to go along with the very nice story I suggested for him. My third novel is something a bit different, although it's still a comedy.

How can readers get in touch with you?

My website is www.nonniestgeorge.com and my email address is nonnie_st.george@sympatico.ca

Nonnie, thanks for joining us, and best of luck with your next books! Readers, we have a review of The Ideal Bride in our Regency section.