AccessRomance interviews author Julie Leto.
AR: Thank you for spending time with Access Romance this
month, Julie, and
celebrating the release of your second Marisela Morales book, "Dirty Little
Lies." How did you come up with the character of Marisela in the first
place?
Julie: I had just read Alisa Valdes Rodriguez's DIRTY GIRLS SOCIAL
CLUB and was
intrigued by her Latina characters. Since I'd never been very in tune with
my Latina side (having grown up much more close to the Italian side of my
family though my paternal grandmother and a favorite aunt were
Cuban-American), I found the whole idea of exploring that ethnic side of me
intriguing. Also, I'd been itching to write a real kick-ass heroine. I loved
the characters Eve Dallas and Anita Blake. Bombshell was just launching. I
wanted to do something along those lines, but with my own gritty, super-sexy
spin. Thus Marisela was born.
AR: The book is the second in the series. What have been
the challenges in writing a continuing character vs writing those whose stories
are completed in a single book?
I don't think I have time to list all the challenges! Let's just
say many more than I expected. Probably the most challenging was deciding how
much to include from the previous book. The plot of the previous book doesn't
matter except in how it shaped the relationships between the characters, which
are very complex. I tried to give short recaps and my editor shortened them even
further. I think it's very snappy now. You don't have to read one to appreciate
the other, but I think all series books are enhanced by reading them in order.
AR: Tell us about those various ongoing relationships
in the series. Frankie and Ian. Max. Do you also introduce new characters in this
book who you will be revisiting in book three?
Julie: Oh, the relationships! It's funny because the Marisela
books are not
romance novels in the strictest sense (you can't really have a
happily-ever-after in a continuing series) but the relationships are as key
to the story as the suspense. Frankie and Marisela are still toying with
their sexual relationship, but the emotional relationship isn't progressing
at exactly the same speed for both characters, which leads to conflict. The
relationship between Marisela and Ian undergoes the most marked change in
this book, which sets me up nicely for books coming down the pike. Max is
just, well, Max. If all goes as planned, his relationship with Marisela
will be fleshed out more in Talk Dirty To Me, the next book. And then there
are relationships with the women--Brynn Blake, Lia Santorini, and the
villain of the book, Yizenia Santiago. It's very layered.
AR: What are the advantages/disadvantages to releasing
this book in mass market instead of trade format? Are there plans to reissue "Dirty
Little Secrets"
in mass market, too?
Julie: I can only see advantages, well, except for the fact that
quite a few new
readers discovered me in the trade format who may not be aware of the switch
to mass market. Otherwise, I think readers will like the lower cover price.
I write books that have a strong mass market appeal (or at least, I hope I
am!) and so I do believe the mass market paperback is the best place for me.
It will also help my romance readers find me more easily. As for plans to
reissue Dirty Little Secrets, there is talk. A lot depends on how well
Dirty Little Lies does.
AR: You had a Blaze release in August, "The Domino
Effect." Will you continue to write for Harlequin as well as for Pocket?
Is it difficult juggling schedules between two publishers?
Julie: I'm working on another Blaze right now. I love writing
for Harlequin. The
company gave me my start and I absolutely would be devastated not to be
involved with all the wonderful evolution of books going on right now at
Blaze. For as long as I can, I will try to juggle both series. It is
difficult, but it's the price to pay for having an opportunity to do what I
love. I'm getting pretty darned good at juggling.
AR: Since you do write both long single titles and category
length books, do you prefer one over the other?
Julie: No, I don't prefer one over the other. It's like comparing
pumpkin pie to
ice cream. Both are wonderful desserts, but different in texture and taste.
Switching back and forth gives me a chance to fulfill a lot of my
storytelling needs. I'm very grateful for the chance to do both and supply
books to both category and single title readers--as well as all the
cross-over readers.
AR: Some of our readers may not know about your plotting
group. Tell us a bit about the PlotMonkeys.
Julie: Oh! There's too much to tell and too much that's confidential,
LOL! Seriously, the plotmonkeys are best discovered at our blog: http://www.plotmonkeys.com.
Short version--we are four Temptation writers who clicked and connected early
in our careers and have been best friends since then. We (Carly Phillips, Janelle
Denison, Leslie Kelly and I) started plotting together about five years ago, jetting
once a year to a neutral location to brainstorm our books for the year. However,
now that we're all busier, we're starting to meet twice a year and that doesn't
even count all the time we spend on the phone. We support each other as writers
and as women, mothers and wives. I can't imagine my life without these women.
I admire them and depend on them more than I can say. And damn, we have a great
time together, too!
AR: Thank you for visiting with us, Julie. Is there anything
else you would like to share with the Access Romance readers?
Julie: Just to thank them for reading the interview and invite
them to visit with me at my Marisela blog or over at Plotmonkeys. Oh, and to ask
them to send a friend over, too. That's alway fun!
