Getting to know Beverly Barton

When did you start writing?
I wrote my first book when I was nine. After marriage & motherhood, I put my writing on hold for many years. I began writing again as a hobby, but soon realized that I wanted to fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a published author.

Where do you write?
I have a lovely home office that I personally decorated. It¹s functional and feminine. (To see photos of my office, go to www.beverlybarton.com and click on All about Beverly.)

What are the pros and cons of being a writer?
Earning a living doing something I love has to be one of the major pros of being a writer. Having my books published around the world and knowing that I¹m sharing my stories with so many people is a definite pro. The absolute joy of planning and producing a new book is a pro, each step in the process both fulfilling and difficult. For me, the major con is knowing that even if I live to be a hundred, I won¹t be able to write all the stories inside my head.

Which writers have inspired you?
When I was much younger, I loved Ellery Queen, Frank Yerby, Daphne DuMaurier and Edna Ferber, to name a few. When I began reading romance in the late 1980s and into the 1990s, I fell in love with books by Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Diana Palmer, Iris Johansen and Elizabeth Lowell. A couple of my all-time favourite writers are James Patterson and Dick Francis.

How important is a sense of place in your writing?
Extremely important. I was born and grew up in the South and am a sixth generation Alabamian. I know the South as only a ³born & bred² Southerner can know it. Whether I set my books in large Southern cities or small Southern towns, I bring a lifetime of knowledge and experience with me to create an authentic backdrop for my novels.

Do you spend a lot of time researching your novels?
Definitely yes! I¹d like to say that I know everything about everything, but unfortunately, I do not. I do pre-writing research while I¹m plotting and then I continue doing research throughout the writing process. I have accumulated a small private library of research materials ­ books, magazines, newspapers, etc. ­ and continue to add to this collection. I also use the Internet to do research, but never rely on only one source. In addition, I have interviewed, either over the telephone, in person or via e-mail, various professionals, everyone from doctors, veterinarians and nurses to policemen, FBI agents, district attorneys and lawyers.

Do your characters ever surprise you?
Always and in every book. I enjoy the process of getting to know my characters while I¹m writing the book. They become very real to me and I always hate saying goodbye at the end. I believe this is one reason I love to write books with continuing characters.

How much of your life and the people around you do you put into your books?
Probably a great deal, although I¹m usually not consciously aware that I¹m doing this when I¹m writing. I think every writer does this to some degree whether she realizes it or not. It¹s inevitable that any creative person will draw upon her surroundings, including the people she knows, as inspiration. The person we become and the work we produce are affected by everything and everyone we encounter from the day we¹re born.

How did it feel when you saw your book in print for the first time?
Amazing! It was almost as wondrous as the moment I held my first child in my arms. Seeing my first book in print was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

If you weren¹t a writer, what would you be doing now?
There is nothing that I¹d rather be doing. I think I¹m one of those people who was born to be a writer. But I do have other interests. If I had to choose another profession, I could narrow down my choices to: interior designer, caterer, teacher, or psychologist.