Judith Rochelle

INTERVIEWED: October 2006


1.) Please tell us a little about yourself.

A: I live in the Texas Hill Country between San Antonio and Austin, so far out in the hills our friends think we're in the witness protection program. We're surrounded by a herd of white tail deer, which we feed, and have three adorable cats. Our kids are all out on their own, thank goodness! I've always wanted to write full time and used to make up stories all the time when I was a kid. Like the time when I told everyone I was going to Hollywood to write a movie. I've been a reporter, a fundraiser, a rock band manager and lived in four different states. I love country music, everything from Willie Nelson to Toby Keith. And I’m a chocoholic.

2.) Can you describe your feelings when you received your first contract?

A: Dazed and amazed. I had it sitting on my computer desk and my daughter had come over. I kept looking at it ever two minutes and she finally said, Mom, it isn’t going to change. Honestly. But I kept it in front of me for weeks! I could hardly believe someone actually, finally, wanted to buy something I wrote.

3.) What do you love most about writing - and what do you like least?

A: I love creating the characters and telling their story. They become real people to me and sometimes I can’t write fast enough to get them down on paper. The other thing I love is having someone read the finished manuscript and tell me they love it! What do I like the least? That’s easy. Proofreading!

4.) Which of your books did you find most challenging to write and why?

A: I think they’re all challenging, but my second one, The Hired Wife, was a real challenge because it has a lot of emotion in it and I wanted to be sure it came across to the reader as real, not phoney.

5.) Which of your characters do you like the most and why?

A: I’d have to say two of them: Paige in Love With the Proper Rancher, now available from Triskelion and Kate in Run For Your Life, no release date yet. Both are running from terrible experiences that could defeat them, yet both find the spunk and the guts to throw it back at life and move forward. Especially Kate, who’s running from killers. She finds an inner strength she never knew she had that is what makes her survive. I love women who can handle adversity.

6.) Did you find any characters hard to develop? If so, is there a reason for this?

A: Hmm, let me think. No, I don’t think so. I actually have my character profiles before I flesh out the plot, because the characters speak to me and tell me their stories. Even the villains!

7.) Do any of your books hold a certain fondness in your heart and, if so, why?

A: Run For Your Life. It was the first book I wrote, I finished it in two weeks…and it was awful!!!! I have so many rejections letters in that folder I could make a book of them. But each time the editors were kind enough to send details rejection letters and I soaked everything up. The version I finally sold was #23! I had it with two houses actually, and the one that had it the longest I finally gave a deadline to, because by then I’d signed with Triskelion. The deadline passed, I gave my Triskelion author the okay and not an hour later the other publisher called with an offer. You don’t know how good it felt to say, Sorry! And I’m glad it worked out this way, because Triskelion is very, very good to me.

8.) Where do you get the inspiration for your stories?

A: I have to say – everywhere. Television, books, newspapers, songs, b its and pieces of conversations. They all rattle around in my brain and then. When I’m in the shower, they come racing to the forefront. I tell people I’m the cleanest person in Texas because I take so many showers!

9.) Who is/are your publisher(s), and what are they like to write for?

A: My publishers are Triskelion Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and I just sold my first manuscript to Ellora’s Cave. I’ve just started with EC so I can’t say much except they got back to me right away and sent me a great acceptance letter. But Triskelion and Wild Rose are more than wonderful to work with. They have their act together and take wonderful care of their authors. I would give each of them ten on a scale of one to ten.

10.) If you could be anyone in the world (or universe), who would you be and why?

A: I’d be Kathryn Ross because she’s married to my all-time hottie, Sam Elliott!

11.) What is your favorite genre to write and why?

A: That’s so hard to say. I’d say whatever genre I’m writing at the moment is my favorite, because if I weren‘t in love with it I wouldn’t be writing. And I find I can switch easily from one to the other.

12.) Which genres would you like to try your hand at in the future? Are there any reasons for these choices?

A: Paranormal, just because I haven’t done it and because I’m really getting into shapeshifters

13.) What is your favorite type of story? Any reason for this?

A: Probably romantic suspense, because I grew up reading mysteries. And because four years ago I read Cry No More by Linda Howard and that was the book that really inspired me to write. But I’m pretty eclectic in my tastes. I love Vince Flynn’s political action thrillers, and Shiloh Walker’s hot, hot, hot romances, and Jennifer Crusie’s books crack me up.

14.) Who/What are your favorite:

- authors Lordy, I’m sure to leave someone out. Okay. Linda Howard, Suzanne Brockmann, Joan Johnston, Diana Palmer, Melanie Atkins, Gail Delaney, Linda wisdom, Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Robert K. Tananbaum, Karen Rose, Shiloh Walker
- books Watch Over Me by Gail Delaney, Melanie Atkins’ detective series, Mac’s Law by Sarah McCarty, and what I call an adult fairy tale, Trustee From the Tool Room by Nevil Shute. Everyone should read it.
- holiday destinations these days, home. We’ve been every place we want to!
- foods anything chocolate; pizza; Chinese food; steak
- colors blue, any shade
- other? I’m addicted to the television series 24, I’m probably the most fanatical football fan in the country, and I love to read. When I’m not writing, I’m reading.

15.) What advice would you give to anyone who would like to become a published author?

A: Join a writers group and find a critique group. I’m a member of SARA, the San Antonio Romance authors, and they are a wonderfully supportive group. The critique group within SARA has been the most valuable tool for me. I was grass green when I joined, and they showed me how to turn raw material into a saleable manuscript. I owe much of my success to these wonderful women. Talk to other writers and ask what they do and how they do it. But most of all, write!!! Get those ideas on paper and start writing. Enter contests. Keep knocking on doors. Eventually one will open. And never, ever, ever give up.