Faqs

When will your next book be out?
I write one book a year, which usually is released in mid-to-late summer.
Why can’t I get your latest book for my Kindle?
Readers in the UK, Australia, and other English-speaking countries have emailed me about this problem. It’s so complicated and aggravating—trade agreements, individual business arrangements with the E-tailer, and in many cases, simple human error—that it’s impossible to explain coherently. What it boils down to is, EBooks’ surge of popularity took everybody unawares, and they’re all scrambling to catch up and adjust. Meanwhile, my agent and publishers are working on the problem—you can send them aspirin, if you want—and I simply beg you to be patient. For another rant on the subject, please see my blog post EBooks abroad.
When will your out-of-print books be available as EBooks?
2011, very likely. We’ve begun the process of converting the older books to digital format.
When will your books be available in audio format?
We're looking into some opportunities, and may have books in audio format sooner than we'd anticipated, that is, before Never.
Do you design the covers for your books?
No. I do the writing; the publisher does the packaging.
Will character A from book B ever get his or her own story?
This question has been asked about Jason in The Lion's Daughter, the Marquess of Arden in The English Witch, Lord Berne in The Devil's Delilah, and some others. The answer is, Probably not. If they didn’t fire up my imagination for a story back then, the chances are slim that they will now or in the future.
Do you accept speaking engagements?
Not anymore. I’m a writer, not a talker. I’ve learned that giving talks or workshops trashes my writing schedule.
Do you have any advice for someone who wants to write a book?
The best find-it-all-in-one-place resource I know is Laura Resnick’s website. Under Resources for Writers, you’ll find all kinds of useful information.

If you’re considering genre fiction, you may want to join a writers' organization such as Romance Writers of America. If you can't find a local chapter at a reasonable distance, you can join one of the online chapters. This gives you access to educational programs, special workshops, mentor programs, conferences, and newsletters full of writing tips, and critique groups.

Local libraries and bookstores often host writers' groups. And of course, you can always turn to the numerous writing books. Laura’s site mentions most of my favorites, especially Lawrence Block. Writers Digest is another helpful tool.

If you question isn’t answered here or elsewhere on the website, please contact Loretta.