Bettye's Views on romance and mainstream fiction

Interview with Bettye Griffin

What is your idea of the perfect romantic hero?

In a nutshell, someone who isn't perfect.  He's got to have faults and make mistakes.  And definitely no alpha males.  Their behavior borders on abuse, in my opinion.  He’s got to be sexy, although he doesn’t have to have the perfect physique, especially if he’s over forty (yes, an overweight man can be just as sexy as an overweight woman.)

What do you think of the direction AA romance is heading in now?

The market for a bigger, more realistic romance has definitely shrunk.  Sexy, light stories rule, which is good news for those who can grasp this formula.  Unfortunately, I’m not a category romance writer.  I was told my stories have “too much story.”  But readers are happy with the lighter fare, and that’s always a good thing.

What contribution do romance novels make to the life of the modern woman?

I think they're great stress relievers, especially in these times of worry and uncertainty.  Most women want to be involved in a happy, thriving relationship, and romance depicts that.

What was your greatest writing moment?

I still can’t come up with an answer to this one, so I’ll just say the moment I finish a manuscript is my best.  My last two completed manuscripts were challenging, Once Upon A Project in that it had a complicated plot and four main characters; and the upcoming A New Kind of Bliss because it was written in first person.

What other genre are you dying to try?

From the beginning I wanted to get into women's fiction, and I've been writing that since 2005. (At this time it's romance that I'm not writing).

Tell us about your best, worst, weirdest experience with a fan.

I’ve met some really wonderful people in my writing career.  I don’t really recall anything that stands out, good, bad, or weird.

What are you working on now?

I'm working on my women's fiction for 2010, which is a sequel to The People Next Door and, to a lesser degree, Nothing But Trouble.  Suzanne Betancourt's marriage to Brad is in big trouble, largely due to her mother and siblings, who live down the road from them.  Also down the road is Micheline Mehu Trent (the "Trouble" of Nothing But Trouble) who has decided she needs a husband with more money than the one she has and is scheming to get rid of Suzanne so she can have a shot at Brad.

If there's a question you wish I had asked you, please feel free to answer it now.

I just want to say that there’s more information about my books at my web site, www.bettyegriffin.com, including excerpts, and that there’s a podcast at my blog (accessible from my website).

Thanks, Roslyn!

(You're welcome, Bettye!)