Interview: Rebecca Winters, 'The Texas Ranger's Reward'

A best-selling author of more than 100 romance novels, Rebecca Winters wrote as Rebecca Burton before joining the Harlequin family, where she now writes for both Harlequin American and Harlequin Romance. "Multi" comes to mind when I think of Rebecca. She's multilingual, has written for multiple Harlequin lines (including Superromance, M&B and HQN) and, as a mother of four, we know she can multitask. Top that off with the multiple honors her stories have earned, including the National Readers Choice Award, RT Reviewers' Choice Award, a double nomination by RT in 2010 for Best Harlequin American, Utah Writer of the Year and RWA's Centennial Award … just to name a few. It's truly an honor to have Rebecca here today.

Rula: Welcome to HEA, Rebecca! Your mom encouraged you to write your first book, The Loving Season (1978), based on letters you wrote to your parents while living abroad in Switzerland. Your daughter, Dominique Burton, has followed in your footsteps. And you're the first mother-daughter duo to write for Harlequin American. Looking back on Dominique as a child, did your intuition tell you she'd someday become a writer? How has writing for the same romance line affected your mother-daughter relationship?

Rebecca: I have to go back to the beginning. When mother suggested I read through the letters I sent to her and Dad from Switzerland and write something from them to leave to my children, she was inspired, but I don't believe she knew it. At the time, she was simply trying to help cheer me up because my husband and I had just moved to the Northwest for his work and I'd just had my second baby. One day I called her when I was down because I didn't know anyone yet, and he was gone a lot. I'm quite sure she didn't see me as a writer, but there's no question she believed in me whatever I did and always encouraged me in every endeavor.

It would never have occurred to me in a thousand years that my daughter Dominique would become a writer. She didn't write anything she didn't have to (school) and had no secret desire to write (in that regard she was exactly like me). I didn't ever think about writing. I hated to write when I could use the phone. But after I'd gone through my old letters from Switzerland and thought there might be a germ of a book in them somewhere, the muse grabbed me.

But, Dominique saw (and heard) me at my old Corona typewriter writing away and so she grew up knowing I loved to write. As she grew older, I'd talk to her about some angle to my story and I discovered she made a great little critic. She was so smart. When I'd ask her if she liked something, she'd say yes or no and give me a good reason. One day when she was in high school, she came home with an idea for me to write a book based on one of her teacher's experiences traveling to Russia as an exchange English teacher who'd been assigned a KGB agent. It didn't occur to her to write it. She told me to do it. I have to tell you it was a brilliant idea and it became my book The Nutcracker Prince. I suddenly realized my daughter had an editor's eye for a good story. I told her that at the time. She's a voracious reader.

One day after her first baby, my daughter called me and told me she'd written a play. I almost fell off my chair because this was the first time I found out she'd actually written something when I thought it was the furthest thing from her mind. Looking back now, I realize she always loved all kinds of movies and was in a play in high school, but still ... Anyway, she asked me if I'd look at it. Of course I was so thrilled I could hardly stand it, and when I read it, I thought MY DAUGHTER IS A FULL-BLOWN WRITER. It blew me away. I told her I loved it (and meant it), at which point she said she missed all the intricacy of a novel and decided to turn her play into a young adult fantasy novel. That was a subject I loved, but had never touched as a writer. I didn't know how to create other worlds. In time and lots of rewrites later, she was picked up by Harlequin American to write for their guidelines. We've always been close. If I could say one thing, this mother is overjoyed to know her daughter loves to write. I love writing more than anything. To know that through the years she's going to derive the same fulfillment I've experienced is a great great blessing and has made us even closer, if that's possible.

Rula: It's very cool that you both share 4 stars from Romantic Times on your 2-in-1 Harlequin American, A Mother's Wedding Day. Although you've written books set in Europe during WWII, the majority of your books have spanned numerous Harlequin contemporary lines. Subtle gems of history still manage to find their place in your contemporaries. For example, in your current release for Harlequin American, The Texas Ranger's Reward, your heroine, Melissa Dalton, reveals a nugget of gold-mining history as a possible clue to her mountain cabin's squatters. Given your background with studying and teaching history, what drew you to writing mostly contemporaries, as opposed to focusing on historicals? Are you planning to write more WWII romances?

Rebecca: Actually, the first novel I ever wrote and is still unpublished is an 800-page saga that traces the life of a man with the blood of three nations running through his veins. He's born in Paraguay, and his experiences take him to Europe, the U.S. and South America. It all takes place from the l940s to the present. I was told by several publishers at the time that they couldn't sell a story on South America.

My second novel was a contemporary and the first one to get published by Leisure books. It was the book closest to my heart at the time because I poured my love of France and Switzerland into it. Those were the countries where I lived, went to school and traveled. My memories were fresh at the time, making it partially autobiographical. I think every writer writes one of those.

I wrote one more book for Leisure. It was a WWII love story about a nun and an RAF pilot. Then Dorchester went through some temporary financial difficulties so no more of my books were accepted.

After that I wrote a time travel that took place in 1847, presenting the history of the Salt Lake Valley at the coming of the pioneers. It sat in my drawer for a long time. After I'd been picked up by Harlequin Romance, I was finally able to get it published in Harlequin's Dreamscape line. I was working on the sequel when they stopped publishing that line.

I might have gone on writing more historical stories, but when Harlequin Romance picked me up, they were publishing contemporaries. Their writers wrote a lot of books taking place in Europe, a place I dearly loved, so I kept writing them.

I would love to write more WWII novels, but it may be awhile. That period of time is a never-ending pot of gold of inspiring, thrilling stories of heroism. I wish I'd written Random Harvest, my favorite WWII love story, but it was done by the great James Hilton. Helas ...

I'm so glad my editor Kathleen let me keep in that tidbit about the gold in my book The Texas Ranger's Reward. I love Western American history and anytime I can insert that kind of fascinating information, I will.

Rula: The Texas Ranger's Reward is your third book in an Undercover Heroes trilogy (The Marshall's Prize and The Seal's Promise came in January and April). Superheroes are a theme in the book, from a superhero toy that essentially helps "save" the hero's son from his fears, to a superhero movie, to the heroine's "real-life" superhero, the Texas Ranger himself, Travis Stillman. What particular story or legend about real-life Texas Rangers made you decide to bring one up from the Lone Star state to the blue skies and beautiful mountains of Utah?

Rebecca: That's an easy answer. The Lone Ranger. I grew up listening to episodes of the fictional ex-Texas Ranger on the radio, then watching them on TV with Clayton Moore and then seeing them on the big screen. The actor was gorgeous and got my hormones all stirred up even as a girl. He was handsome, honest, fearless, kind and always got his man. There's a mystique about the Texas Rangers that's even more powerful today. Our world cries out for heroes. I couldn't do my series about my undercover heroes without one Texas Ranger in there. I think I'm in love with him.

Rula: In A Texas Ranger's Reward, children play a big role in helping the hero and heroine survive traumatic pasts. Travis has to set aside the brutal loss of his wife to do what's best for his young son. As a physical therapist, Melissa deals with a past relationship by focusing on someone else's needs. I love how the story draws a parallel between healing the body and healing the mind or heart. As it pertains to adults, including Travis and Melissa, would you say that children are a form of therapy, a form of escape/distraction, or both?

Rebecca: First of all, they are God's gift to the world. Besides being born to fulfill their own destinies, they are a parent or guardian's greatest joy. Under that umbrella they are a form of therapy, escape and distraction at times, but so much more. I believe the family structure is the most perfect on Earth because from birth the child and parent teach each other, provide comfort, friendship, healing, love, excitement and hope that life will continue on in the next life. Melissa and Travis embrace that concept and it makes them wonderful people in my opinion.

Rula: You said that so beautifully. Physical therapy and a child's love are not the only forms of therapy in The Texas Ranger's Reward. There's also the heroine's love of painting, nature therapy, a child's love and even dessert. Travis loves his sweets! Contrary to what some may think, writing can be tough on the mind and body. When you need to wind down, de-stress or refresh your creative side, what's your favorite form of therapy (a particular food, activity or maybe setting)?

Rebecca: I see my children and grandchildren all the time. We do so many things together. They refresh me.

When I'm alone, I must admit my favorite form of therapy is to walk away from the computer screen at the end of the day and indulge myself in a wonderful old film, or watch my recorded TV shows, mostly from British television. For some reason, I adore their humor be it Hyacinth, Mr. Brittas, the Frenchman Rene, Benny Hill, or their mysteries featuring chief inspector Barnaby, Rosemary and Thyme, Sherlock, Hercule Poirot … the list goes on and on. One series I watch is a time travel (I purchased the series) of Goodnight, Sweetheart. It's no surprise that I love it. A time travel in England that goes back to WWII. When I watch these shows, I get away from my work, but all the time I'm having fun, my brain is recording great drama that helps me come up with new stories.

Food is the necessity of life. I love hot chocolate. At the end of the day, there's nothing more satisfying for my sweet tooth.

Oh -- I'm a football fanatic, love the Tour de France, Olympics and I'm a Utah Jazz fan. There's plenty going on to keep me distracted. Our University of Utah football team just beat BYU. That was a night of total distraction and JOY because I Am a Utah Man, Sir (the first line of a Ute song).

Rula: I can see you loving a WWII time travel! Let's travel to the near future for a minute. You have two books for two different Harlequin lines releasing in November. You've been busy! Would you tell us a little about The Count's Christmas Baby (Harlequin. Romance) and Christmas in Texas: Christmas Baby Blessings/The Christmas Rescue (Harlequin American, two stories in one, written with Tina Leonard)?

Rebecca: I'll start with The Christmas Rescue. Since I live in Utah, when I was asked to write a Christmas novella, I immediately thought lots and lots of snow. But I'd just written three books that took place in Salt Lake, so I needed a different setting. Snow could be part of the setting, or part of the plot. Following that thought, I could see someone rescuing someone on a dark winter's night. Rescue. Who rescues better than a Texas Ranger? I have a crush on them. That story really wrote itself. Two unhappy people who dread Christmas are thrown together under dangerous circumstances and have to figure out how to survive. Perfect!

The Count's Christmas Baby is one of my favorite Harlequin Romances. I wanted this baby to be a Christmas miracle. But how? The plot for this one took me some time to figure out. The normal questions bombarded me. Would a woman who was ill, or couldn't get pregnant, suddenly find out she was? Did the hero have a physical problem or think he couldn't give a woman a child and it happened anyway? Was the baby sick, but got well because the hero had the right, rare blood type? What would make this book special?

I started thinking out of the box. What if there was nothing wrong with the baby and nothing wrong with the hero or heroine? What if, what if. What if it was the circumstances of conception that made it miraculous? When that thought started to take root, I could think of dozens of calamities that could trap two strangers together. I ruled out the ordinary ones until there was only one left on my list. Avalanche. At that second, my plot sprang to life and wrote itself. I've never had more fun with a book. May every woman caught in the same circumstance be trapped with the dashing Italian Count Denobli. Whew!

Rula: I must say! LOL. Trapped with a Count or rescued by a Texas Ranger … what's not to love? Rebecca, it has been such a pleasure having you here at Happy Ever After. I enjoyed reading The Texas Ranger's Reward and look forward to your Christmas releases.

Wishing you and everyone else an HEA.

Readers can find out more about Rebecca and her books on her bio page at the Harlequin website.

Rula Sinara lives in Virginia's countryside where she can indulge her love of nature — bugs and reptiles included. She's a writer, mother of boys and zany Labradoodles and, therefore, caffeine connoisseur. She loves dark chocolate, but she'd trade it out for "me" time with a romantic movie, book or a garden center shopping spree. Her interviews can also be found at her blog A Writer's Rush.