Volume 4, Issue 1 – February, 2001

Leigh Greenwood: Real Men Write Romance

Romance knows no gender. Just ask Harold Lowry, who under the pen name of Leigh Greenwood, writes some of the most romantic novels around.

This bestselling author contends he never planned to write until his wife introduced him to the romances of Georgette Heyer. The books struck a chord, and with the help of his local Romance Writers of America (RWA) chapter, the one-time music teacher carved out a new career. But Leigh Greenwood remained loyal to his literary and organizational roots. Recently, RWA members returned the favor by electing Lowry as their first president of the new millennium. For Lowry, the experience gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “getting the call.”

Crescent Blues: What does it take to be a guy in a woman’s world?

Leigh Greenwood: Actually it has been very easy for me. I went to my first meeting of a local RWA chapter in 1985 and was accepted immediately. At no time was I aware that I was the only man present. Maybe I was too focused on trying to learn why my books didn’t sell to notice, but I don’t think so. I’ve always been accepted at the local and national level. Members seemed genuinely happy for my success. RWA is the most warm, supportive, accepting group of people in the world.

What inspired you to write romance?

I guess you could say I’m a romantic at heart. Once I found romances (my wife introduced me to them), I liked them immediately. I don’t know why I suddenly wanted to write. I never had before, but I loved the stories and wanted to tell my own. As I’ve said before, despite the fact that our stories are considered fantasies, they’re based on the realities of the world around us. They are also among the most uplifting books published. Our characters face problems and succeed in conquering them. We give people hope and a road map for life and entertain them at the same time.

How did you get from Georgette Heyer to western romance? What do you feel distinguishes western romance from those novels shelved in the “Western” section of the bookstore?

It was a gradual journey. The first two books I wrote were not westerns. I was working on a Civil War book when I went to the RWA conference in Atlanta in 1985. They said Civil War was out and westerns were in. So I went home, plotted a western, wrote it and sold it. For the next nine books I alternated between westerns and other locations. I sort of got stuck in the West when I wrote the Seven Brides series. It was so much more successful than anything else I’d written I decided to do a second series set in the West, The Cowboys. Now no one thinks I can do anything else.

I haven’t read a great number of westerns except Louis L’Amour (and I’ve read everything he wrote several times), but the main difference is the emphasis on the romance rather than the action. Too, many of the westerns focus on the conflict with the Indians. Romances are more likely to make the Indians the heros.

How many books do you plan in the “Cowboy” series? What’s the greatest challenge about writing an extended series? What’s the greatest pleasure?

I’d originally planned to do 13, but my publisher wants me to stop after nine and start a new series. I hope to come back and finish up. I hate leaving loose ends. Besides, every orphan deserves his own story.

I supposed the greatest challenge is to find a way to make the books all truly connected yet each able to stand alone. I like to have characters appear in several books, but it’s not always easy to find a logical reason for that. It was much easier with the Brides because they were brothers. Orphans wouldn’t have the same feeling of connection.

The greatest pleasure is definitely being able to keep favorite characters around for several books. I would have hated to lose George and Rose or Jake and Isabelle after that first book. I really liked those characters and what they stood for. It was also fun having them around with the women being bossy and the boys loving them in spite of it. I also like seeing characters grow up and change. Characters like Jeff can have serious flaws when it’s not their own book. Later you get the fun of making something admirable out of them.

In a lengthy series, what techniques do you use to keep your own and reader interest high?

There is no technique. You just have to come up with an interesting story each time. The only real hook for writer or reader is that you already know something about all the reoccurring characters and you want to see how their story turns out.

How long have you been writing contemporaries? How do you distill the expansive style of your single-title westerns into the strict requirements of category romance?

I wrote my first contemporary, a Superromance, with a friend in 1997. From there I was able to sell two books to Special Edition and two to Zebra’s Bouquet line. I had two out in 1999 and two more in 2000. I loved writing contemporaries — I’d written my first one ten years ago and couldn’t sell it — so I was thrilled. I had no trouble switching style or compressing the story. I’ve written four novellas, two historical and two contemporary, so different lengths didn’t bother me. I’ve just signed to write another Special Edition, so I hope there will be more contemporaries in my future.

Do you consciously seek mythic models or popular culture icons? What’s the lure of redefining these models? In addition to the connections of the “Brides” series to Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, I couldn’t help wondering if the private investigator in Love on the Run was inspired by John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee.

I don’t consciously use mythic models or popular culture icons. I just create characters that interest me. The hero in Love on the Run came completely out of my head. I’ve never read John MacDonald.

How did you get involved in Romance Writers of America? What do you see as the value of RWA to the romance reader, fledgling writer and professional?

I don’t remember how I discovered RWA, but I discovered it after I’d written two books (which were rejected) and was 200 pages into the third. I had read lots of romances, but I didn’t know a thing about the market. I joined my local chapter in May and went to the 1985 national conference in July. I learned what they were buying (cowboys), what they weren’t (the Civil War book I was working on), and where to send my book when I finished it.

RWA is a professional organization of published writers as well as aspiring writers. It’s critical to anyone wanting to be published in romance. We not only teach writing skills, we teach the market, and we offer a chance to meet editors and agents. We’re also a fabulous support group. I’m certain that I wouldn’t have been published if I hadn’t joined RWA.

What inspired you to run for president of RWA? How did you rate your chances when you submitted your application?

Two things. First, several people did their best to convince me to run. I resisted before finally deciding to run. I changed my mind because there are several things I want to do that I think are important for the future of RWA. To be honest, I thought I had a really good chance of winning.

How long will your term last?

My term as president is two years followed by one year as immediate past president. After that I’m prohibited from ever again holding an office in RWA, so I’m free. Nobody can talk me into anything.

How did you find out that you’d won the election?

The way I learned I’d won is rather interesting. The election results were to be announced on Tuesday, October 19th. On Monday, I flew to California to spend several days with my son before speaking at the Orange County RWA conference that weekend. My son works in outdoor education, and he wanted to spend the week showing me places like Yosemite and Sequoia National Park. I landed on Monday morning and we drove north, spending the night in Monmouth Lakes. Next morning we woke up to six to eight inches of snow and the mountain passes into Yosemite closed. We spent the rest of the day driving north trying to find an open pass through the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

I had hoped to call the national office on his cell phone to find out if I’d won, but it wouldn’t work in the mountains. We finally found a pass and stopped at a telephone on a mountainside. There wasn’t even a booth. I had to stand in the freezing cold and swirling snow. I got the results then we drove on as quickly as we could to avoid being caught in the mountains in a snowstorm. I hope that’s not a harbinger of my two years in office.

By the way, Yosemite and Sequoia were absolutely beautiful in the snow. Driving up those twisting mountain roads with no shoulders or guardrails nearly gave me a heart attack, but I’ll never forget those magnificent mountains and incredible trees covered with snow in the brilliant sunshine.

What short- and long-term goals have you set for yourself as president? How much progress have you made towards these goals?

I have one major goal which is to develop a sense of unity, to encourage RWA members to think of themselves as one, not of the differences that separate them (published, unpublished, etc.). It’s too soon to have made any progress toward that goal.

Back to the man in a woman’s world theme, has being a man helped or hindered your work as RWA’s president?

It’s really too soon to tell, but I don’t think it will hurt. I’ve been a member of RWA for so long everybody accepts me without thinking that I’m different.

Was your identity always an open secret?

My identity has never been hidden. I joined RWA before I was published. I joined the national Board of Directors in 1989. My picture appeared in the Romance Writers Report as well as Romantic Times (RT) magazine. I was in front of the membership at the national meetings. I spoke, I gave workshops, I did anything a regular member would have done. I “exposed” my identity inRT with my fifth book. A year ago, I put up a Web site with my picture. So far I’ve only had positive responses, but then I suppose those who hate the idea wouldn’t bother to tell me about it.

How many men do you estimate are currently working as romance writers? Do you see those numbers increasing over time?

The official number is approximately 1 percent of the RWA membership is male. There may be more published, but I doubt it. Yes, I do expect the number to increase over time. Contrary to popular opinion, men are romantic. We just have more cultural obstacles to overcome. Also, it’s very difficult to break into writing and make a living. Since most men are the primary breadwinners in the family, this is a major deterrent. Since we receive no benefits, this is an even greater problem. I couldn’t have quit my job to write full-time, even though I was making enough money to survive, if my wife hadn’t had a job with benefits. We had three small children at the time, and benefits were essential.

What advantages do men bring to the genre? What are the greatest challenges they face? Is resentment by fellow writers, editors or marketing staff a problem?

First, if there is any resentment, it’s probably not going to be apparent, so we can dismiss that question. If you give people a break, they’ll do the same for you.

I don’t know that men bring any advantages to the genre. Certainly we understand men better than women, but women are constantly telling us they don’t like us the way we are, so that may not be an advantage. The challenge is to portray men in a way that is true to men as well as attractive to women.

On the other side, we have to understand women well enough to create a heroine women can identify with. I don’t think that’s an extraordinary talent — male and female writers have been doing it for years in other fields — but I do think it’s more difficult in romance. Here we deal primarily with emotions, an area with which women are more familiar.

How much do you feel your previous career as a music teacher and choir director contributed to your writing career?

I do think my musical career was important to my success, but I’m not sure I can say in what way. I’m certain there are similarities in structure and narrative, but they are too dissimilar to pinpoint. Maybe the greatest contribution was the ability to judge the emotional impact of material, which couldn’t be measured, which has to be felt or sensed. Studying music, rejecting most of what I saw, had to help in evaluating the written word. After all, the text is an essential part of vocal music.

Before your wife threw These Old Shades at your head, did you have any ambition to become a writer?

I never had any ambition to become a writer, not even AFTER my wife threw that book at me.

What were the first goals you set for yourself as a writer, and how have they changed?

My first goal was the obvious, to sell a book, get published. My current goal is to continue to have a successful career as a writer.

Would you like to explore other genres or sub-genres? Where do you see yourself in five years?

I think I’ll probably always write romance, but I would like to include more suspense elements. I love mysteries. I also love humor. In five years I hope I can be writing single title contemporaries that can make the New York Times bestseller list. I’d love for my historicals to make the list, but westerns just aren’t that popular.

Which elements do you feel are most important to a compelling story? What prompts you to weigh the balance in favor of one element or another?

You’re asking me to be able to evaluate my writing, and I can’t do that. As I’ve told my editor, I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer. I expect each book to be so terrible it will kill my career. Personally, I like a story with a strong plot that moves along. I like characters with guts and integrity, but they must have common sense. I love strong emotion, but I also like humor. And I like a nasty villain who gets it in the neck in the end.

Do you find your readers respond more to your male or female characters? Which individual characters have prompted the greatest reader response?

I’ve gotten the most fan and critical response for my Seven Brides series. I attribute this partly to the fact that this is the first group of books that I’d written that attracted a lot of attention. I think the Cowboys are just as good, maybe even better, but people are expecting a certain level of work from me now, so it’s not so noteworthy. Too, fans that wrote me for the Brides don’t feel like writing for the Cowboys, too. Most only write once.

I’m getting a lot of e-mail now, which is a lot easier to answer than letters. I think they respond more to the males, but that’s hard to say. I haven’t kept a running account of who they mention. The individual characters they like best are usually the gunfighter types. The more unconventional, the better. Unfortunately, I’m a rather conventional character and I think of somewhat ordinary people.

What do you feel are the most important elements of a memorable character? What tricks do you use to create convincing heroines?

Never, NEVER, attempt to use tricks in creating characters. Your readers will sense it immediately and pillory you for it. Create people you like, who are admirable, who are faced with difficult situations and persevere regardless of how slim their chances of success seem to be. The whole world loves an underdog, but they like him/her to be somebody who deserves to win, somebody they can root for.

How important is research to your western romances and contemporaries? How has the Internet changed the way you conduct research?

Let’s get one thing straight. I HATE the Internet. I was born without a single computer-compatible gene in my body. I think of my computer as a typewriter with a printer attached. I use e-mail and forget the rest.

Research for historicals is essential. You have got to get the period right, but you can overdo it. Readers want an accurate setting. They don’t want a history lesson. I don’t use the Internet. Period. I believe the best tools are books for history and books and/or articles in magazines or newspapers for contemporaries. Somebody somewhere has written extensively on everything. Some people can find it on the Internet. I prefer to look in the library.

What were your inspirations and models when you started writing? How has that list changed over time? Any writers (past or present) you’d like to recommend to aspiring writers?

My first model and inspiration was Georgette Heyer. There is no better writer of historical romance anywhere. Her historical accuracy is legend and her characters are priceless. Her dialogue is fabulous, and her understanding of the genre was complete. Later I added Louis L’Amour to the list. No one in the world understands the essence of genre fiction better than this man — make it seem familiar but make it different.

Looking back over your writing career, is there anything in particular you’d like to change? Anything you know now that you wished you knew then?

This list is too long to even begin.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Know your market. You’re crazy to try to sell a product to someone who’s buying something quite different.

Jean Marie Ward

In addition to editing Crescent Blues, Jean Marie Ward writes for a number of Web-based and print magazines, including Science Fiction Weekly. She is the author of Illumina: the Art of Jean Pierre Targete (Paper Tiger) and several short stories, including “Most Dead Bodies in a Confined Space” in Strange Pleasures 2 (Prime Books). Her first novel, With Nine You Get Vanyr, written with Teri Smith, is scheduled to be released by Samhain Publishing in late 2006..