Kimberly Lang 's Interview

On Writing and Reading...

What do you love most about being a writer?
That I can read rafts of romance novels in the name of “Market Research.”

What do you like least about being a writer?
The worry that readers won’t get my jokes.

Do you have a favorite locale or setting for your novels? What is it and why is it your favorite?
Not yet.  Maybe that will change when I get a few more books under my belt.

Which of the books you have written is your favorite?
That’s like asking me who do I love more: my husband or my child? I love them equally, but in different ways for different reasons.

What is your favorite recent Mills & Boon or Silhouette or MIRA title by another author?
How to choose? I’ve read so many great books recently by the M&B authors! Okay, two that pop to mind are Kate Hardy’s In Bed With Her Italian Boss (Presents, 4/08) and Julie Cohen’s His For the Taking (Presents 2/08).

What are your five all-time favorite books (with authors)?
Ack! I always dread this question as I can’t narrow it down to five all-time favorites.  So, five random, yet fabulous, books from my keeper shelves: Montana Sky by Nora Roberts; Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie; Indecent Suggestion by Elizabeth Bevarly; Raintree: Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones; and For the Roses by Julie Garwood.

What one specific piece of advice would you give a would-be writer trying to kick-start a career?
Quit worrying so much about contests—and don’t write (or not write) anything because of what you’ve heard does well in contests.

On Romance...

Describe the ultimate romantic meal.
A loaf of bread, a jug of wine (and a block of cheese for some protein) on a blanket in front of a nice fire.

What is your all-time favorite romantic movie?
Baz Lurhman’s Romeo + Juliet—but I never watch the ending! I turn it off right before everyone dies and mentally rewrite the ending for a happily ever after.

What is your all-time favorite romantic song or composition?
Song--“Thank You (For Loving Me)” by Bon Jovi
Composition—the pas de duex from Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet

What is the most romantic gesture or gift you have received?
My hubby left his country with little more than a backpack and moved to the US to be with me -it doesn’t get much more romantic than that!

How do you keep the romance alive in your relationship?
We give each other space to explore our own interests then we make time to be together just the two of us.  That way, we never run out of things to talk about, and my hubby is still the most fascinating man I’ve ever met.

What tip would you give your readers to make their lives more romantic?
Romance isn’t always about the big gestures.  It’s the little things- the ones that show you really know your partner and are attuned to his/her needs and wants that make a person feel special. To me, that’s what romance is all about- making the other person feel special.

Where is the most romantic place you’ve ever traveled?
Hawaii-the place truly is Paradise!

All About me...

Besides writing, what other talent would you most like to have?
I'd like to be able to sing and play the piano at the same time (so I could perform in nightclubs, of course!).

Who is someone you admire and why?
I named my daughter after my husband’s great aunt.  She moved to London in 1932 to become an actress and though she never became a huge star, she worked steadily until her death at the age of 96. Amazing woman- sharp as a tack and absolutely one of the nicest people ever.  Every now and then, I’ll be watching something on BBC America and there she is! The way she followed her dream and succeeded inspires me, and I hope she’ll inspire her namesake.

Do you have a good luck charm or superstition?
Many.  The biggest superstition involves carnations- any carnations, but especially red ones.  They’re bad luck.

Share one of your favorite indulgences with us.
A mani-pedi. Yes, I can paint my own nails, but there’s just something wonderful about having someone else massage my feet and hands while I just relax.  And my toes always look so pretty when they’re done!

What quality do you most admire in a man?
A very even-keeled personality.  I tend to fly off the handle, wind myself up over small thing...I really admire (and need) someone who can remain steady while I freak out.

What is the one thing you've always wanted to do, but never had the courage to try?
Honestly, I'd like to twirl fire batons. (Shall we count the ways that could go horribly wrong?)

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?
A talk show host. Or are we talking reality here? I’d like to say I’d go back to dancing, but I don’t think the knees could take it.  I guess I’d go back to teaching.

What quote or personal saying do you live by?  Who said it?
'And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.' Max Ehrmann, 'Desiderata.'