One of the greatest things about going to writing conferences is meeting other authors. Last summer at RWA, Eve Silver introduced me to Ann Christopher, and it was friendship at first sight. One of the things I love about Ann is that she writes about hot, sexy lawyers; mmmm, gotta love a man in a suit who can think on his feet. So I talked her into giving me a look at her newest release (although this time the heroine is the lawyer; it's still OK), and she also agreed to stop by and chat about her books, even after the New England Patriots whipped her Cincinnati Bengals last fall.

Caroline: In your first book, Trouble, the hero is an older man. In your second book, Risk, the heroine gets a younger man. So which is best: older or younger? Any comments on which was easier or more fun to write?

Ann: Older or younger? Interesting. Well, Mike is arrogant, smart, funny, sexy, protective, and, ah…energetic. Justus is arrogant, smart, funny, sexy, protective, and…energetic. Wait. I didn't answer the question, did I?

Caroline: Um…no. But I got distracted for some reason.

Ann: Both heroes spend some time worrying about the age difference: Mike is afraid Dara will see him as some sort of father figure, and Justus fears Angela thinks he's too immature.

I enjoyed writing both heroes, but Trouble was such a learning experience for me that it was painful at times. Between the two books I did a lot of studying on how to become a better writer, and one of the things I learned was to get to know your characters before you throw them into situations, so you'll know how they should react.

With Risk, therefore, Justus was already so clearly developed in my mind that the book just wrote itself, and I knew he'd be doing a few—well, several—outrageous things.

Caroline: Your writing is very lush with descriptions. What do you hope to reveal about your characters through descriptions of their surroundings? Also, will you come decorate my house? Because you have an exquisitely tasteful imagination.

Ann: Lush with descriptions, eh? Is that code for I skipped ahead to the interesting parts?

Caroline: Oh, please. Although your 'interesting' parts are very interesting.

Ann: Surroundings are important, I think. Angela's pristine apartment shows that she's a control freak with borderline OCD tendencies. Not that I, uh, you know, know anything about, uh…control freakdom. No siree, not I.

Caroline: (That sounds a little defensive…)

Ann: Vincent, Justus's father, has a huge house stuffed with antiques and first edition books he's never read.The house feels cold and unwelcoming, and this is a commentary on Vincent's personality and lack of father skills.

Justus's apartment is fresh and hip with a huge bed. You do the math.

Caroline: Well, hot guy plus big bed is easy math, Ann. Even a lawyer like you could do it.

Ann: Here's my secret descriptive writing tip: the Pottery Barn catalogue. Save it. Peruse it. Love it. Any time you're wondering about what kind of bed the characters are making love in, and you've already put other characters in a four-poster bed, whip out the PB catalogue. Oh, look: a sleigh bed! What's this? A wrought iron bed! See how it works?

Caroline: Yeah…I think you cheated!

I really loved, in Risk, how you turned the heroine, Angela upside down and sideways, stripping away the order and precise planning from her life. But it gave Angela some big hurdles to get over when things got down to the wire, specifically involving her sister's child and a serious mistake Angela makes near the end of the book. Did you feel bad, torturing her this way?

Ann: Did I feel bad? Hmmm… I think I felt worse about what poor Maya, the niece, went through. Being a mother, this aspect of the book was very painful to write.

As for Angela, she was a little self-centered at the beginning of the book, and she had some growing and changing she needed to do. Another of the writing tips I learned was that you need to torture your characters to make an interesting book. Think about it. Would you want to read a book where Jane lays eyes on John on the first page, they fall in love at the end of chapter one and have smooth sailing until the end, when they get married and live happily ever after? I wouldn't. What could be more boring?

Caroline: (hey…that's my life)

I also liked how the hero, Justus, had to face up to certain truths about his father, whom he had always disliked. In doing so, you stepped into the father's point of view. Was that easy to do, step out of the hero and heroine's perspective, or difficult? It didn't always reflect well on the other characters.

Ann: Stepping into other characters' heads is fun. The thing to remember is that every character has a story with a motive, every character thinks s/he is doing the right thing and/or choosing the best of some poor options (generally), and every character thinks s/he's right.

So the thing I had to do was get into the father's head and try to make him (a little) sympathetic. Why wasn't he such a great father? What kind of son does he think Justus has been? Why does he do the things he does? He had his reasons, and I had to find them. People are complex, and I like to peel back the layers.

Caroline: In both your books, lawyers and legal careers play a role. In Trouble, it's basically in a 'good guy' way; in Risk you show it from the other side, as a backbreaking career. What do you love about lawyers?

Ann: I know some people will be shocked—shocked!—to discover there's anything loveable about lawyers, but I do feel the need to stick up for my former profession.

Lawyers, in general, are bright, hardworking critical thinkers, and I think that's incredibly interesting. Say what you will, but I know lots of lawyers, and I don't think I've met one yet who's boring.

Caroline: Your heroes are pretty alpha men, yet both of them make some terribly romantic gestures. What's the sweetest thing you've made a hero do, and why?

Ann: Sweetest thing…sweetest thing… Well, in my March book for Harlequin/Kimani, Just About Sex, the hero writes some really sweet e-mails. In Trouble, Mike gives Dara a gardenia, which is sweet because he's already mentioned how her scent (gardenias, of course) drives him wild. In Risk, Justus gives Angela a Christmas gift related to his nickname for her, and I think that's sweet.

Caroline: Any time a man goes shopping for a woman, you have to think he's a goner.

So, I don't suppose you have any photographic inspiration, do you?

Ann: My husband has somehow gotten the impression that all the heroes I write are based on him, so we'll just keep this portion of the interview to ourselves, okay?

Caroline: Uh-huh. Sure. Just between you, me, and the world wide web. He'll never find out, Ann.

Ann: For Justus, think Henry Simmons, Det. Baldwin Jones from the now defunct NYPD Blue. Sorry, I couldn't find shirtless.

For Angela, think Sanaa Lathan from Something New. Two excruciatingly attractive people, don't you think?

Caroline: Well, I see why you've got a bunch of books out soon; your imagination has plenty of fuel. Did you try really hard to find a shirtless photo of Henry Simmons? Well, what's up next for you?

Ann: Well, Just About Sex comes out in March, and Sweeter Than Revenge, my second book for Harlequin/Kimani Press, will come out sometime after that. Since I want to keep getting paid, I guess I better write some other stuff, huh?

Thanks for having me, Caroline! It's been so much fun! And I think I behaved reasonably well, don't you?

Caroline: Yes, I edited out all the parts that could get you in trouble. You can pay me later.

Thanks so much for taking time to chat, Ann!

Trouble and Risk are on sale now, and you can pre-order Ann's next novel, Just About Sex as well.

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