I Haven't Been to Outer Space Either

I just got a text from a friend who’s reading And Then You Fall, right now. She asked if it was weird that she got embarrassed reading it because she pictures me as the heroine (you know, in the steamy parts). I told her to STOP IT, that it isn’t me, isn’t anything like me (okay, maybe a little like me, but not very much like me). 

A few months ago Nora Roberts was featured during a CBS Sunday Morning segment and the person interviewing her commented on how she was known for her great love scenes (I think the interviewer gushed a bit more than that, my personal opinion is they are trite, but that’s beside the point). So the natural follow-up question would be (and was), do you personally have all that great sex? 

Nora gave her an annoyed look and answered, “Yes, I've had all that great sex. I’ve also been a bank robber [I’m paraphrasing here], a jewel thief, and I’ve been in outer space.” She went on a bit longer than that, given she’s written at least one hundred books, maybe more. Her point was that she was not, personally, the heroine in each of her books. And neither am I. 

A good book should inspire the reader to identify with the main character. Who of us doesn’t dream that we’re the heroine when we read a particularly steamy book in which she is beautiful, in perfect shape, smart, clever, rich, a world traveler, has great sex, etc.? I think that’s the whole idea, or at least part of it.

So please, when you’re reading my books, don’t picture me in your head. It’ll only make it weird for both of us. ;-)