AccessRomance interviews author Katherine Garbera.

AR: What can you tell us a about the NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS anthology and the novella you contributed to it?

Katherine: The Night Before Christmas is a collection of stories by Lori Foster, Jill Shalvis, Erin McCarthy, Kathy Love, Kylie Adams and me! My story Seducing Scrooge is an office romance with a twist.

AR: Your back list includes books from Silhouette Desire, Harlequin Blaze, Silhouette Bombshell, and now Kensington Brava. What are some of the differences and similarities in writing for these imprints?

Katherine: The differences are mainly due to length. Silhouette Desires are fast-paced stories that focus mainly on the heroine and hero. One Hot Weekend, my one Harlequin Blaze, is a longer story that involves a subplot and more secondary characters. My books for Silhouette Bombshell are the most different of anything I write—mainly because they are action-adventure stories that are focused on the adventure and not the romance. The books for Brava are longer and more complex. The thing that is the same in all of these books are the level of sensuality, the emotional intensity and the happy ending. I love a hot, sexy book that packs an emotional punch!

AR: You've written three books for Silhouette Bombshell. This female driven action adventure line is not traditional romance but focused more on the heroine alone. How much of a focus on romantic relationships would you say there are in your Bombshells?

Katherine: The focus on the relationship depends on the story. In my second Bombshell Night Life the hero and heroine were married but estranged and the suspense plot forced them together a lot and forced them to face the things that didn’t work in their personal relationship because it was hurting their professional one and putting their lives in danger. Some of my other Bombshell books have had varying degrees of romance in them. But I like romance so there’s always a pretty strong subplot in my Bombshells that focuses on the romance.

AR: Tell us a bit about how your writing career began. Why did you start writing, and why romance?

Katherine: I started writing because I wanted to read at work. This was back in ’92-93 before there were ebooks. I was a secretary, and I thought if I could open a file in my computer that had a story in in it then I could read at work and my boss wouldn’t know. I finished that first manuscript, and I was addicted to writing. I wanted to write more stories, and I did!

AR: Which one of your own books is your favorite, and why?

Katherine: This is such a tough question. Each book is a favorite for a different reason. The one that’s currently my favorite is the book I just finished because those characters are lingering closer to me. The title is Their Million-Dollar Night for Silhouette Desire, and it’s coming out next April.

AR: If you weren't a writer, what would you like to do?

Katherine: I can’t imagine doing anything but writing or if I did something else not writing. I do like to cook, so I would like to be a chef, but not in a restaurant--maybe a personal chef for some fabulously wealthy man!

AR: What do you do in your spare time? Do you have any adventurous hobbies in common with your Bombshell heroines?

Katherine: I spend time with my family, which is always an adventure. I also practice the martial art Tae Kwon Do. I love to swim and was a competitive swimmer for almost seven years in my younger days. I love to shop and cook as well!

AR: Finally, after this Brava novella, what's up next? Tell us a bit about your upcoming releases and what plans you have for the future.

Katherine: Next up is a new series for Silhouette Desire that runs in February through April...What Happens In Vegas. The books are His Wedding-Night Wager (she left him at the altar for a million dollars and now she’s back in town, he wants revenge and her!), Her High-Stakes Affair (she’s the producer of a top reality TV show; he’s the star, and they are attracted to one another, but if they have an affair and are found out, she loses her job!), and lastly Their Million-Dollar Night (she’s a show girl who was recently injured and he’s a CEO; her past interferes with his business deal).

In March my first Brava novel will be released...Body Heat. She’s a small-town fire chief who has learned to be just one of the guys. He’s the state arson investigator in town to find out who’s been starting warehouse fires in her back yard. From the first moment they meet, he knows she’s not one of the guys, and he’s determined to make her realize it too.

In June I have Exclusive from Silhouette Bombshell. This is a sequel to my Sept. 04 release Exposed. In November I have a Silhouette Desire continuity book called The-Once-A-Mistress-Wife.

AR: Thanks for talking with us!

Katherine: You’re welcome! Thanks for asking me to participate in this interview.