Interview with Lynn Viehl

Interview by Amy Brozio-Andrews

Lynn Viehl has published 28 novels in five genres under the names Gena Hale, Jessica Hall, Rebecca Kelly, Lynn Viehl, and S.L. Viehl, and also keeps a blog, Paperback Writer. If Angels Burn, the first book in her Darkyn series, was published in April. 

What made you decide to write in several genres? Are you an avid reader in each of the genres you write in? Do you have a large number of crossover fans?

I’m a self-taught writer, and I’ve never put genre restrictions on myself.  I read all types of fiction, so why wouldn’t I write them?  Most of my readers seem to be just as curious-- or restless-- as I am.

What did you do before you wrote full-time? Can you tell us a little about how you came to the decision to write full-time?

I’m an Air Force veteran, and I’ve also worked in the private corporate and medical fields.  I’ve been writing novels since I was thirteen, and chasing publication whenever I had spare time.  I retired in 1989 to stay home and raise my two younger children, and that seemed like the perfect opportunity to seriously pursue publication.

How do you deal with the isolation of writing?

I never met another writer until after I was published, so the isolation never really bothered me.  Writing has always been a very personal and private endeavor.  Learning to get along with other writers has been more of a challenge for me.

What is one thing you'd warn other writers never to do?

Don’t give up on yourself or your work.  After I retired, I gave myself ten years to get published.  I sold my first two books one month before the end of that self-imposed deadline.

We'd love to hear about your first sale. How do subsequent sales measure up? Is it still as exciting?

A friend copied one of my manuscripts and sent it to an editor in New York, who bought it and the sequel (which is ironic, as I had spent ten years submitting proposals and getting nothing but rejections).  I sold another thirty-three novels over the next six years.  Every sale is a thrill for me.  Seriously.  You should hear me scream.

Why did you start your blog, Paperback Writer?

PBW started as a way to keep in touch with a few friends online.  I enjoy writing journals and have kept one in some form or another for the last thirty years.  I had no idea this one would become so popular, but I’m trying not to let it go to my head.

Is it hard to switch between genres when you start a new book?

I generally write two or three books at the same time, so I’m forever switching genres.  It’s a natural work habit so I don’t think about it much.  I jump in and have a good time. 

Was it hard to find an agent willing to work with a writer penning novels in multiple genres?

I had a two-book offer in hand before I went looking for an agent, so that definitely helped.  Because I had plans to write in other genres, I chose an agent who was willing and able to represent me as a multi-genre author.     

How does the publishing industry welcome multi-genre authors?

The industry likes to apply labels, and it doesn’t exactly appreciate writers who won’t stick to them.  Success in more than one genre helps, but writers like me are always viewed with a certain amount of prejudice and suspicion.

I know there's some controversy among writers about Romance Writers of America's efforts to define the romance genre based on two qualifications, "a central love story and an emotionally satisfying ending." Would you be willing to share your thoughts on what you think romance is?

In my opinion, romance can’t be defined.  It’s different for everyone.  Love doesn’t require committee approval, and neither should books that tell a love story.  It’s incredibly offensive and insulting to think that RWA would even try to do such a thing to their membership.

If RWA is successful in redefining the romance genre for their members, do you think other genre writers' organizations may follow? Will implementing more narrow definitions of genre fiction limit new readers?

I could be wrong, but I don’t think other genre writers’ organizations would be that foolish and bigoted.  It’s also a mistake to tell writers what we are or are not allowed to write.  We don’t take kindly to it.

The majority of readers take great delight in discovering great novels.  We’ve all seen how breakout best-sellers are usually stories that don't adhere to a formula or standard.  If authors are forced to write under committee approval, the end result will only chase more readers out of the book stores.  Given the present state of the industry, can we really afford to do that?

Amy Brozio-Andrews is a freelance writer and book reviewer. She brings more than five years' experience as a readers' advisory librarian to her work, which is regularly published by Library Journal, The Imperfect Parent, and Absolute Write. Her reviews have also been published by The Absinthe Literary Review, ForeWord Magazine, January Magazine, and Melt Magazine. Amy is also the managing editor and an international markets columnist for Absolute Write. Visit her online at http://www.amyba.com.

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