As a youth, I loved reading Trixie Belden books. She was great—smart, witty, and surrounded by good-looking guys. What's not to like? While in my teens, I discovered the answers to that question when I heard someone mention a romance novel she had read. Her shallow breathing and flushed face was enough to pique my interest. A trip to the bookstore was in order. I read with wide-eyed amazement. Trixie never spoke of such occurrences!

Other than the obvious, I found myself trying to appreciate what my friend had enjoyed about this book. Yeah, there was the hot guy and beautiful woman, but the book as a whole frustrated me. Why did it take 380 pages for the couple to admit they loved each other? To me, this is where the story began. Much to my sadness, I found this to be the writing norm.

I was determined to find an author who felt as I did. This is how I discovered Kathleen Woodiwiss. Yes! Someone who could tell a story with the two main characters committed to each other before the final pages. Needless to say, she became a favorite soon followed by Diana Gabaldon.

I hope to follow in both of these ladies' examples and combine history and romance throughout the entire story.