THE KEEPER

People do talk about second book syndrome. The basic idea for THE KEEPER--the reunion story of a couple who became estranged when she came to the conclusion that he married her for a green card--is not new. What was different was the development of mental health problems in the hero. When I pitched the idea to Paula, she said, "I'd have to see it."

I remember writing and rewriting and rewriting again just to complete the first draft, struggling to make each sentence perfect the first time through. (I have never not had to rewrite a book for Harlequin, and I'm thankful for this. Rewrites ALWAYS improve the book, usually drastically.) I work differently now, doing more to perfect the book after the first version I send to an editor. This is because I love to rewrite; for me, the first draft is the most difficult to produce.

The research for this book involved obtaining knowledge of river trips on the Colorado and of mental health problems. I had worked for a river outfit, so the first was not difficult. For the second, I read extensively and paid for a consultation with a psychiatrist to discuss what I hoped to portray and how to make it realistic.

THE KEEPER was well-received and a finalist for the then Janet Dailey Award for romances addressing social issues.