Welcome to Roundtable Reviews. Can you tell readers a little more about yourself?

I'm never sure how to introduce myself.  You see, I'm Holly Fuhrmann in my "real" life.  Holly Jacobs in my writing life, and frequently answer to "hey, you" and "Moooooommmmm!" <g> But the most basic introduction would have to be, Hi, I'm Holly.  I'm a happily married, mother of four.   Because my husband and I didn't feel four kids created enough chaos in our lives, we went and bought a two hundred pound Old English Mastiff.  Life is never boring here!

Other than my family, books have always been one of the biggest parts of my life.  Moving that love of reading into a love of writing was hard, but I'm so glad I did it. I can't imagine doing anything other than writing.

When you have an idea for a book, what processes do you use to get to the finished product. Do you outline or just dive in? How long does it generally take you to finish a book?

I used to be a seat-of-the-pants writer, but when I started selling, I learned to write a synopsis and have come to appreciate having a roadmap for the story.  Oh, I occasionally jump off and do something unexpected, but having a direction to drive the story in has been a big boon!  Mainly my writing process consists of...writing.  I write every day.  When I decided to try my hand at fiction, that was the deal I made with myself.  Write something, anything, every day.  It's still a pact I keep with myself, although I do now pencil in vacations.  But mainly my life is family first, writing second...dustbunnies dead last! <g>

You've been writing romance for a number of years. Are there any other genres you might be interested in trying your hand at down the road? 

I love romantic comedy and have no plans to get away from it.  But recently I have added a new dimension to it...I've been killing people.   That didn't sound right, so I guess I should specify that I've been killing fictional people! <g> I've added a hint of light mystery to some of my comedy and I'm really enjoying it.  The first book with the new layer is out in October 4.  I'm still waiting for its title.  I'm hoping it will be Can't Find Nobody...but for now friends know it as The Dead Body Book!  I'd love to do some more light comedic mysteries.

I've read a few interviews that mentioned you started writing to feel as though you were earning your keep. I can relate to that. It's hard staying home and raising a family on one income; and I can't count the number of people who tell me I have it so lucky. Did you run into those people who really had no idea what a sacrifice it is?

 Oh, sure.  Like I said before, family first.  The kids have always been, and will always be, our priority.  Being able to stay home with them was wonderful.  But when my youngest started approaching school-age, I wanted a job, something outside the family just for me.  After being a reader my whole life, writing was a natural place to try to find my "job."  It was scary.  Saying, I want to be a writer was sort of like jumping off a cliff and not knowing if your parachute was going to open.  But I'm so glad I tried.  I love what I'm doing.  And even now that I'm writing full-time, I'm still able to be here for the kids if they're sick or need something.  I've been very lucky with both my family and with my writing.

I realize it is impossible to pick favorites from your own characters, but how about from other authors. Are there heroes or heroines that you just cannot forget?

I loved Judith McNaught's characters from Perfect.  They both had baggage, both had flaws, but truly hit a chord for me.  The scene at the airport when full of doubt and betrayal, and finally guilt...  It's a book I love to reread every now and again.

HUNG UP ON YOU tackles a silly, yet I think very true to life situation. Sitting on hold with elevator music has to raise stress levels! Though for me it is a step under all of the "Push 1 if…" choices to get to the right place. How did that storyline come about? 

Sometimes it's hard to pinpoint just where a story was born, but with Hung Up on You I know exactly what I was doing when it happened.  I was lost in a phone-maze, trying to find a real human being to speak to.  It really reached the point of ridiculous.  Push this, push that, bad muzak.  In the midst of it all I thought, Hey, there's a story in this.  I sat down and wrote the entire opening right there and then, and only afterward built the synopsis and laid the groundwork for the rest of the story.  

Flipside is Harlequin's newest line. Did you enjoy the longer format?

 I really enjoyed having a chance to explore Ari's family a bit more than a shorter book would allow.  Her mother and grandmother, Bubbi, were so much fun, and watching how they all interacted was a blast.  With a shorter format the story has to zoom in on just the hero and heroine's journey.  Having a slightly longer format allowed me to broaden my focus and allow some of the secondary characters to really shine.

Do you write by a set schedule?

 Writing is my full-time job, and I treat it as such.  The kids are all in school by eight, so I hit the office and write until lunch, then come back up and write until time for school to get out.  After that, chaos reigns supreme here!

What are you working on next?

 I just sold a three book series to Silhouette Romance that will be out the summer of 2005 that I'm working on.  After that I've got two Flipsides to write.  So 2004 is going to be a busy writing year!  But truthfully, I love what I do, so that's good news.

Thanks so much for spending a little time with us. If there is anything you would like to add on, please don't hesitate!

 If anyone wants more information on my upcoming releases, they can visit me online at www.HollysBooks.com.  I have four releases in 2004.  There's HUNG UP ON YOU, a Harlequin Flipside in February.  FAIRLY HUMAN, writing as Holly Fuhrmann for ImaJinn Books in March, BE MY BABY, from Silhouette Romance in August, then that Dead Body Book (<g>) in October.  I'm so excited about the line-up and hope readers are as well!  

I'm also out-and-about a lot in 2004.  I'll be at the Toronto RWA group's meeting 4/17/04, and in Knoxville, TN April 30-May 2 at a conference.  You can find me in Texas at the RWA National Conference in July as well.  

Thank you so much!  Happy Reading!

 ~Holly

Holly Jacobs, Madcap Award Winner

HollysBooks.com --Where Love is a Laughing Matter!!

HUNG UP ON YOU, Harlequin Flipside, 2/04

FAIRLY HUMAN (w/a Holly Fuhrmann), ImaJinn Books, 3/04

BE MY BABY, Sil. Rom., A Perry Square Romance, 8/04

LOSING IT (working title), Harlequin Flipside, 10/04