Interview with Romance Author Rachel Ann Nunes

Rachel Ann Nunes is a best-selling author of romance and women's fiction. She not only speaks English but also Portuguese, Spanish, and French. She is the mother of six children, three boys and three girls, and the author of 30 published novels. As a stay-at-home mom, she’s on her computer for several hours a day. Her only rule about writing is to “never eat chocolate at the computer.”

Hello Rachel. What a great pleasure to speak with you! You are the author of contemporary romance novels such as paranormal romance, romantic suspense, and women’s fiction. You are also known for writing “clean romances.” Where do you get your ideas?

Authors usually get their ideas from five different places--personal experience, what they observe/overhear, research, imagination, and inspiration (or the mythical muse). I use a combination of all of these in each of my books. My first novel was inspired by a woman I met in Portugal. I didn’t know much of her personal story, but what I heard inspired me when I eventually began to write. The book was in no way her story, of course, but the real-life events were definitely pivotal in pointing my imagination in the right direction. The scenes with the children… most of my novels are based on my own experience with my children, and most of the ideas for my medical scenarios came from research. With my suspense and paranormal, I rely heavily on my imagination--basically making it up. And sometimes ideas simply appear in my mind, fully formed. That's the easiest way, but not always the most reliable. I still have to research to make sure the scenario is plausible.

As a plot develops in my head, it won't leave me alone until I finish it. The more I write, the more the ideas flow. I'm always compelled to write. It's as if I'm in a huge amphitheatre and sitting in the audience are all the thousands of story ideas and they are calling to me to write them. The one that yells the loudest wins.

What is Imprints about?

A young woman is missing. In desperation, her parents turn to Autumn Rain for help. Autumn reads imprints - emotions mysteriously left behind on certain treasured objects. But will this ability enrich her life or destroy it? Autumn isn't sure - her life has become far from normal - but for people whose loved ones are missing, her talent might mean the difference between life and death. Even the infuriating Detective Martin has asked for Autumn's help, though at times she feels more like a suspect than a consultant. Too often Autumn find herself retreating to her antiques shop and the company of her best friend, Jake Ryan, to avoid notice. But soon more than one woman is missing, and Autumn teams up with private eye Ethan McConnell to investigate their disappearance. Ethan's attraction to her is a pleasant change from Jake's frustrating offers of friendship, but once Autumn takes that first step, she sets in motion a series of events that risk not only her own life but the lives of those she cares most about.

Your book sounds like it’s full of suspense. Do you use an outline when you write or play it by ear?

I don’t outline. The only book I ever completely outlined, I ended up not writing. I know where I’m going to begin each book, a few scenes in between, and generally how I want it to end, but for me the joy of writing is discovering where my characters will take me. I do make little notes at the bottom of the screen about things I want to include, or at the top of the screen if it’s something earlier in the manuscript that I need to remember to add on the rewrite, but that’s as far as I go with planning. When the notes are all gone, I’m basically finished with the book.

Please tell us briefly why do you want to post at your door: DANGER, WRITER AT WORK, KNOCK AT YOUR OWN RISK!

The reason I've been tempted to post that sign is because all too often, I'm in my pajamas, my hair is a mess, and I'm so far in another world that even if I answer a question, I don't really know what I'm saying and I'll forget the second… whoever it is at the door… leaves. My kids have learned, though. Now when they ask me for something and I say yes, sometimes they'll come back and say, "Now, you really did mean yes, didn't you?" That's my clue to pull my head back to the real world and focus more on what they are saying.

Thanks. I was wondering about that hilarious sign. What does your family think about your writing?

My children don't know any different because I've been writing since they were small. The older ones seem proud of what I do and love to tell me stories of people they run into who read my books. One of my daughters is my first reader. She gets all the stories first and is my best fan. She's excellent at line editing, and I'm trying to teach her to be critical of dialogue and plotting, too.

Wow… your daughter is learning about editing. That’s wonderful. Please tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Hmm. I love to jump on the trampoline, I was in a roller skating club once as a youth, the Road Rollers, and to this day I love skating. I also have a concealed carry permit.

How about that? I wouldn't have guessed that you were a roller skating lady who packs a piece! That's really something. My husband loves to go target shooting and he takes me along, although I’m not very good compared to him. Now I know the real you and what a pleasure it has been!