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All of Kathryn's photos have moved into her Diversions feature. A simple click will bring them all up for you to view. Cool! (And if you got to this spot through a link on Kathryn's site, it is outdated. Do us a favor and
where that link is and we will fix it. Thanks!)

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The Royle sisters trilogy is about three sisters trying to prove they are the secret daughters of the Prince of Wales. Do I have to read the trilogy in order to understand the mystery that links all three books? |


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No.
You do not have to read the books in
the order they were published to understand
the unifying story, however, reading the Royle sisters trilogy in order
will enhance the experience for most readers (and if you read the last
book first, you will learn the answer to the big question!)
The order of publication is:
How to Seduce a Duke
How to Engage an Earl
How to Propose to a Prince
  
Enjoy! |

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I just finished reading Love Is in the Heir, and I loved it. But I noticed that it is the last book in the Featherton sisters series. Do I need to read the series in order? Which book comes first? |


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Though my first four books, Rules of Engagement (May 2004, Warner), Lady in Waiting (January 2005, Warner), A Lady's Guide to Rakes (September 2005) and Love Is in the Heir (June 2006, Warner) are often referred to as the Featherton sisters series, they are actually connected books. This means that each book stands on its own, and does not need to be read in particular order.
That said, the books are chronological, and characters in the earlier books do make appearances in later books. And of course, the Featherton sisters make matchmaking mischief in all four books.
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How do you get your ideas? |


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The ideas are always there in my head, begging for their turn on the page. Anything can spark them. The ones that refuse to let me sleep, make me pace around the room in the dark (much to my sleep-deprived husband's annoyance), are the ones that earn a story. |
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What
do you most enjoy about writing? |


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Oh, the endless
creative possibilities. When I sit down to tell a story, I can
explore any topic, fold in elements of other genres, put my characters
through the wringer or let them savor a moment in each others
arms. Anything is possible. |
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What
do you least enjoy about being a writer? |


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Revisions. Ugh.
What is it that they say? Something like the real writing is
in the rewriting? It's true, I know. But for me, its like cleaning
up after a party. I know it needs to be done, and I’ll
feel better afterwards, but the initial writing was so much more
fun. |
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When
you just have to have it... and nothing else will do... what
is the one food that satisfies your craving?
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Now that depends on the season. Right now, it’s strawberries. Yum. In another month, tomatoes off the vine.
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Who
is your favorite author and why? |


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This is a hard
question because, like most authors, I read so widely. In romance,
my all time favorite author is Mary
Jo Putney, hands down. There is a magic to her stories, a
richness, that goes far beyond characterization and craft. Her
stories take romance to an entirely new level as she deftly examines
human frailties and the power of love to heal. She's a phenomenal
talent.
But of course, I have dozens of favorites. |
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Do
you have a mentor and/or critique partner? If so, how does
she/they enhance your writing?
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People often
say that writing is a solitary endeavor, but it’s not,
for me anyway. I have a wonderful mentor who taught me
by example, and bless her heart, by reading and commenting on
my early pages. I also work with an informal critique group.
Thankfully, we each possess different strengths and very different
writing styles. We celebrate and hold sacred these differences
because it allows us each to protect and develop our own unique
voice, which is so important. I also surround myself with my
writer friends who generously provided the guidance, support
and direction, I needed to see my first book sell.
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As a recently-published author, how did you snare that elusive contract when the chances of publishing with a major New York publisher are something like .03%? |


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I wish I had a definitive answer that would work for everyone. For me the answer was simple. Read. I learn something valuable from every book I read (and like most of you, I am a voracious reader.) But read widely, from a variety of genres.
And write. There is no substitute for time spent at the keyboard. Nora Roberts once said, "I can fix a bad page. I can’t fix a blank page." Sit down and write. Don’t stop. Don't listen to your internal critic. Don't give up. Finish the book and you've already dramatically increased your odds of selling your work. |

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Your debut
novel, Rules of Engagement, won the Romance Writers of America
Golden Heart for Best Long Historical Romance Manuscript. What
did winning the Golden Heart mean to you? |


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Finaling with
such an esteemed group of writers, more so than winning the Golden
Heart, reaffirmed my belief that I was close to publishing. Sure
enough, a two-book contract with Warner was only a few months
away.
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Are
you a fuzzy slipper kind of woman or a lover of bare feet? |


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Bare feet with
snazzy red painted toe nails. |
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