AccessRomance interviews author Janelle Denison.

AR: What can you tell us about your newest release, TOO WILDE TO TAME?

Janelle: The first and most important thing I can tell readers is that this is the long awaited story involving Mia Wilde and Cameron Sinclair. Readers have been asking for their story ever since these two made their first appearance together in WILDE THING, when it became very obvious that they needed their own story. There was just too much chemistry between them to ignore, and with each book that they appeared in, that awareness grew hotter and stronger -- despite how opposite these two seemed to be. But that’s what made their story so fun to write -- the fact that I had pitted a "bad girl" with a "cool and collected" kind of guy. Mia was wild and untamed with a smart mouth that served to keep men from getting too close to her emotionally. Cameron, a private investigator, was methodical, stable, and certain that an impulsive woman like Mia was nothing but trouble.

On the surface, they had nothing in common but a strong, undeniable attraction, and I really had to think hard about how to finally bring them together. Luckily, during the process of writing TOO WILDE TO TAME I discovered that there was so much more to Mia than what she’d portrayed in previous books. I learned that she’d been deeply and emotionally affected by her mother’s death, and as Cameron and I gradually began to peel away the layers of that sexy facade she hid behind, we both revealed a woman who was hiding a wealth of insecurities. It took a stable and secure man like Cameron to understand and accept who Mia really was, and finally be the one to embrace that wild spirit of hers. Even though these two were opposites, in the end their individual strengths and weaknesses complimented each other beautifully!

AR: This is the sixth installment in your Wilde series. How did you initially get the idea for this series? How many more Wilde books are yet to come?

Janelle: A few years ago I decided I wanted to do a male-oriented series, and three sexy brothers came to mind: Eric, Steve, and Adrian. Then came the task of finding just the right last name for the trio. I wanted to do something fun and sexy with their last name – something I could incorporate into each of their titles. What could be more fun and sexy than the name Wilde? Creating all the titles to go with each of the Wilde stories has been just as entertaining as creating each individual story!

Eric Wilde was the first brother to get his own story, which was in a short novella format. I didn’t have a whole lot of room to explore the Wilde family, other than introducing the two other brothers, Steve and Adrian. However, when I wrote Steve’s story as a single title in WILDE THING, I discovered that they had four Wilde cousins that I didn’t know anything about! I introduced each of those cousins in WILDE THING, which included three men and one woman: Scott, Alex, Joel, and Mia. Each of them played a small role in Steve’s story, but by the time I finished Adrian Wilde’s story, it was clear to me that each one of the Wilde cousins had to have their own stories, as well. It was also apparent by all the letters I received that readers couldn’t get enough of the Wilde family, either!

Up next is Joel Wilde’s story in BORN TO BE WILDE – a bodyguard type story that is guaranteed to be hot, hot, hot! While Joel is the last of the Wilde family, his story will spin off into my "Elite Series" that will feature five new sexy heroes who served in the Marines together and are now all working for the same security specialist firm that Joel does. You’ll get to meet each of these incredible men in BORN TO BE WILDE, which will be out next July 2006.

AR: Your first book was published in 1993. What made you first decide to start writing, and why romance?

Janelle: I have to confess that I never intended to become a writer. I was working for a construction company when I first got married nearly 19 years ago, and it was a one girl office – ME. I’d finish my work early on a daily basis and found myself reading romance novels to pass the time, and one day I started creating my own stories on the computer for the fun of it. My husband worked swing shift at the time, so I had a lot of time in the evenings. It started out as a way to pass the time, but I quickly discovered that for me writing was an obsession! I loved creating stories and gorgeous heroes and sexy scenarios. Romance is what I loved to read, so that’s why I decided to write romance.

It took me over five years of writing to publish my first book, which was for Harlequin’s "Stolen Moments" line. THE FAMILY MAN was published under the name Danielle Kelly (my daughters' names). Another three years passed filled with rejections before I sold my second book, HEAVEN’S GIFT, to Leisure for their "An Angel’s Touch" line. Another two years of struggling ::sigh:: and then in 1997 I finally made my first sale to Harlequin Temptation and right after that my first sale to Harlequin Romance, and have been selling steadily ever since. I’ve also written for Harlequin Blaze, Kensington Brava, and now my home for my single titles is with Berkley. It’s been a long haul to get to where I am today, but worth every struggle and rejection I’ve received along the way!

AR: Is it easy to write sexual scenes that are exciting and tasteful for Temptation, yet semi-erotic for Blaze and Brava and Berkley?

Janelle: Writing has never been easy for me. I honestly love what I do, but each book comes with its own set of issues and complications during the writing process, and while some stories flow better than others, all of them do require me to dig deep to make the book unique and different and an enjoyable read.

As for writing sex scenes for the different lines, including Temptation, Blaze, Berkley and Brava, I go into each story knowing what a reader is looking for and keep that in mind when I’m writing the book, sexual tension, and love scenes. With Temptation, readers want a seductive, sexy read. With Blaze, readers want lots and lots of heat and provocative scenarios. With Brava and Berkley, readers expect something more erotic in tone. And knowing this while I’m writing each book sets the tone for each story. It’s all about knowing what a reader expects from a certain line of books and delivering it for them!

The main similarity between all these lines are that the stories are sexy and fun! But the degree of sensuality and amount of plot changes with each different line. For Temptations, I focused on fun, sensual, sassy stories. They were quick reads that were light on plot and focused mainly on the characters and their relationship. The sex was also fun -- a light, seductive kind of romp. With Blazes, I was able to turn up the heat a few notches. These books are longer in length, so therefore I was able to develop more of a plot. I’m mostly a "character" writer, so while I did have a plot to carry the story, my characters still got most of my attention. With Brava, and now Berkley, I was able to really expand my story line as well as my character development. I was also able to bring in secondary characters, which was a whole lot of fun and the main reason why the Wilde family became so popular. All the Wilde characters played roles in each and every book!

AR: Which authors do you feel have influenced your writing the most?

Janelle: I don’t know that any one writer influenced my writing in any way. But in the beginning, when I was learning how to write, I found that a lot of my favorite authors were category authors, such as Cindy Gerard, JoAnn Ross, Jennifer Greene, Sandra Brown, and Jayne Ann Krentz. Most of those authors have gone on to write single titles, and while I do still read some of their books, it’s all for pure pleasure!

AR: Can you share with us some of the most memorable fan mail you’ve gotten?

Janelle: I truly love hearing from readers – their letters really brighten my day and validate what I do for a living! Some of the most memorable fan letters I’ve received have been about how I was able to help that person escape for a few hours from the more unpleasant part of their lives. I love that I can do that for people, and give them a happy, uplifting story that can provide them with a few hours of entertainment. It’s amazing to me! Also, there are so many fan letters that I’ve received that have turned those readers into very good friends. Romance readers are truly the best, and when they enjoy an author’s work, they don’t hesitate to spread the word! It’s awesome!

AR: Do you find time for yourself in between being a writer, a wife and a mom? If so, what do you like to do?

Janelle: Being a writer, wife and mother pretty much consumes my life, LOL! My two daughters are teenagers (ages 13 & 15), and sometimes it seems like they require more work and attention now than they did as toddlers! I do try to do as much of my writing as possible during the day while the kids are in school, so that I’m free in the afternoon and evenings. But when I’m on a tight deadline (which seems like always!), I’ll write in the evening too.

I do find time for myself, which I spend with friends and my husband. I’ll go to lunch and a movie with a friend before the kids get out of school, and I spend my weekends with my husband and girls – usually renting videos, or going out to eat. Sometimes we’ll head out to Las Vegas for a few days since it’s only a few hours drive from where we live. It’s a fun and quick getaway for us all!

AR: Thanks for talking to us!

Janelle: Thank you! I always enjoy the chance to connect with readers in a new and different way! For anyone who would like more information on my Wilde series, be sure to visit my website at www.janelledenison.com!