What do you like most about "Untouched," your highly sensual new novel about a widow abducted to become the mistress of "mad" Lord Matthew Sheene, who's been imprisoned by his greedy uncle?

I love the hero! Matthew isn't your standard romance hero but I think he's really strong and sexy. I love his courage and his dry sense of humor in the face of impossible odds. Once he sees Grace, she becomes the focus of his life and he'd do anything, whatever it costs him, to keep her safe. I love that he's so clever. He's vulnerable in many ways, yet at heart there's this steel core of honor.

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Who or what inspired "Untouched"?

Sadly, there's been quite a lot of serious illness in my immediate environment in recent years. I think that's what got me thinking about courage that endures the unendurable. In her way, Grace has endured the unendurable, too. When I was younger, I read a lot of gothics (Victoria Holt, anyone?) and I still love that gothic element in a romance. This story could definitely qualify as a modern gothic!

In "Untouched," you've placed your hero in a role often associated with heroines: captive. How do you manage this without your hero appearing weak?

The way Mathew fought to keep his dignity and his health and his sanity against the horrible forces ranged against him struck me as the essence of strength. And it was such stalwart, persistent, unremarked heroism where he just wouldn't give up, no matter how futile the fight seemed. When Grace is thrust into his life, his reaction to her is so unselfish and focused on what's good for her and, well, heroic, that again he emerged to me (and hopefully the reader!) as a very strong character.

Who's your romance hero: dark, brooding bad boy, or white knight in shining armor?

Variety is the spice of life! The Duke of Kylemore from my first novel, "Claiming the Courtesan," was dark and brooding, and I love those wild, tormented alphas. But I love knights in shining armor, too! And they can burn with passion - Matthew from "Untouched" sure does!

In terms of physical types, I like them long and lean and dark. Do you know a British actor called Richard Armitage? A friend of mine told me he was the absolute physical model for Kylemore. And when I checked him out, he is. Who knew?

The Australian and New Zealand romance community - of which you're part - is very strong. Why does romance thrive "Down Under?"

I think it's because we take a collegiate approach to our careers - what's good for one is good for all. We're small in number and fairly unrecognized in our own country so perhaps that makes us cling to each other, although the number of published authors for our population is amazing.

What does the romance genre need more of?

Variety in settings. I look back at some of my favorite romances, and there's not only Regency England and the Highlands of Scotland -- which for me will never go out of style -- but medieval France and Imperial Russia and Renaissance Italy and 17th century Spain. I miss the epic sweep and grandeur of some of those earlier books too. I don't want an epic every day, but I'd love the opportunity to read one when I do.

Answer the question you wish an interviewer would ask.

As I've just handed in my third manuscript, I think I wish an interviewer would ask me about my third book, "Tempt the Devil," (October, '08/Avon). I'm describing it as a Regency noir "Affair to Remember."