She's been dealt a rough card. It might be fair to say that we matured together *g*. . I think subconsciously I worried about that. (And there are definitely elements of Derek in some of my heroes). You could read one page of anything they write, and know immediately who wrote it. . So Derek began a trend of mine, of writing about self-made men back in the Regency and early Victorian periods. I also got an unusual number of letters asking about him. Former Miss Massachusetts Lisa Kleypas Talks About Her Writing Career Twenty-three-year-old Lisa Kleypas may not have won the Miss America pageant in 1985 (Miss Mississippi was victorious that year), but the former Miss Mass. She and her family lost everything except the clothes they were wearing and her purse. But for some reason there was a strange kind of offbeat sexiness to him. Not at all. But I saw a need for a minor character that would be a friend of sorts to Lily, and it seemed logical that if she made her living by gambling, she would make friends with the gambling club owner . and so the character of Derek was born. First published in 1987, Lisa Kleypas is far more than simply the creator of hero Derek Craven. Laura Kinsale and Judith Ivory in particular. Separately, each of them had also chosen a romance novel, a necessity to them in helping them escape the stress they were currently under. Magical realism and breathtaking contemporary romance converge in the newest from Lisa Kleypas, Dream Lake.It's our August 2012 Romance of the Month, and as romance columnist Christie Ridgway writes, "This is Kleypas at her contemporary best: The writing wows and the ending evokes happy tears.". First, thank you so much, Lisa, for taking the time to chat with AAR. I was married by then, and I had a three-year-old son. You’ve hit on something I absolutely love about your books. Lisa Kleypas (born 5 November 1964 in Temple, Texas[1]) is a best-selling American author of historical and contemporary romance novels. It’s so much fun to write about these young women, joking and plotting and getting into tricky romantic entanglements. I imagined four perpetual Wallflowers who band together and vow to help each other find great husbands. . Lisa, thank you once again for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. Thank you! Let’s chat for a minute about your heroines who today don’t bear much resemblance to those from your early years. But our entire Texas town flooded in the space of three hours, and by the time we realized what was happening, our house was submerged over the roof. We had each gotten a romance novel. . Her book Devil’s Daughter releases today and tells the story of Phoebe, the Duke of Kingston’s daughter, and West Ravenel.. Keira Soleore: Lisa, welcome to Frolic. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two children. . there are times when I have to take out some really pretty verbal flourishes because my instinct is to keep my style an invisible presence, and let the reader focus purely on the story. I suppose I could sell the rights and have them republished. . But when she and I pushed our separate baskets up to the checkout line, I saw that we had each put a certain “essential” thing into our carts. And there were so many of these professional men in so many areas, that I think it makes my plots a little more interesting, and allows me to infuse the story with a lot of great research material. . There are so many talented female authors writing successful romance . The Writing: Lisa Kleypas is a master at keeping the storyline gripping and seductive. Lisa Kleypas (born 1964) is a best-selling, RITA award-winning American author of historical and contemporary romance novels. For more about Lisa, please visit www.lisakleypas.com. You could probably divide my career into three stages, with the middle part being the time of not-very-much growth as a writer, but a lot of growth as a person . Naturally Ellen rejected that one too. It’s rare that I purchase a new release hardback and even rarer if I am at the bookstore looking to buy it on the day of its release. To me it’s a facet of my strong respect for my readers . Since the publication of her break-out book Dreaming of You in 1994, Lisa’s experimentation with characters and settings showed her to be an author who would never be content to rest on her laurels. Since the publication of her break-out book Dreaming of You in 1994, Lisa’s experimentation with characters and settings showed her to be an author who would never be content to rest on her laurels. Lisa Kleypas. Her stories have a way of wrapping around you, like a comforting cup of coffee. Lily was most definitely a turning point for me. . She definitely was a kick-butt kind of heroine! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25. Not only that, but in 1985 she was also named Miss Massachusetts, and is now currently living in Washington with her husband. . The fact that I could turn him into a hero probably reveals much of my American attitude toward the concept of aristocracy and the supposedly inherent superiority of blue-bloods. The worlds of law enforcement, Victorian publishing, and railroad manufacturing are just a few of the settings I’ve been able to tackle as a result. So when I graduated and told everyone that I was going to be a romance writer (I sold a manuscript a few months before graduation), there was a sense among some of my friends that if I was publishing a novel, it should be a literary one. It’s a pleasure to sit down for a chat with you. And if you're a true fan, you probably own one of her New York Times bestselling novels! 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