You have written a little bit of everything, were your shifts from category to romantic suspense to historical romance to single title contemporary romance driven by market changes or by the kind of story you wanted to tell? What do you think of first? Plot and premise or characters? How much time do you spend thinking/planning versus actually writing?

OF NOBLE BIRTH came out in November of 1999. But writing kept me sane and hopeful during a dark time, and I was fortunate enough to sell that story to HarperCollins when I finished it. We lost our business, our house and just about everything else during that period. It took me five years (during which I had two more kids) to research the Victorian era, where the book was set, and teach myself the craft of writing. It wasn't the quick fix I'd hoped for, however. After all, it was something I could do from home, with the kids, so I decided to give it a shot and started just a month or so later. I remember I was reading Jude Deveraux's KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR (and loving it) when I first got the idea that maybe *I* could write a novel. So when they napped, I'd escape into a good book to carry me away from the stress and worry.

I needed to help keep a roof over our heads, and yet I couldn't trust anyone else to watch my kids.

I'd quit my job, so I was home with the kids but had other problems. The story of how you started writing has become a bit of romance-writer legend, but when I think of the shock of finding your babysitter drugging your youngest so he would nap, followed by the way you turned your life upside down in order to stay home with your kids - I can’t imagine how stressful that was! Did you start writing right away? How did you find the time? How long did it take you to write your first book? Do you remember any of those days, or are they all a blur? She's undeniably classy and consistently putting out great books. Her efforts on behalf of Juvenile Diabetes research has made over 2.4 million dollars. She is a writer whose work in the Harlequin Superromance line I've always admired and she has only gone on to do bigger and brighter things in all sorts of genres. THE AUTHOR IS.Interview with Brenda Novakīecause of alphabetical seating I've had the incredible good fortune to sit beside Brenda Novak at RWA and RT booksignings (only when it's a slow M year, I guess).

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