Welcome to our New Faces column, where we're delighted to introduce some of the debut authors found on your romance shelves. This issue we're visitng with Angie Daniels, whose romantic suspense Intimate Intentions is a March release from Genesis Press. Welcome, Angie!

Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in Chicago. My family relocated to Missouri while I was in high school and I've been here ever since. I have a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration from Columbia College. I am currently married and have three wonderful children.

Are you coming to romance writing from another job?

My career has been in Human Resource Management. I have always enjoyed working with people and found a love at helping others find jobs. The last corporation where I was employed closed and at that point I decided to pursue writing full-time. I find that I love it and currently have no desire to return to HR unless the need arises.

What led you to write romance?

I have always enjoyed romance novel and have read so many of them that I believed that I could do it too. In fact, I believed I could write one in thirty days. Well, it ended up being a lot harder than I imagined. It took me six months to write Intimate Intentions.

Tell us about your road to publication.

I had heard the horror stories about years of rejection letters until receiving THE CALL and was prepared for a long ride. But I guess I was lucky. I submitted to two publishing houses and within three months I received a call from Genesis Press. At that time I didn't know any other authors so most of my closest friends did the critiquing for me. It was also my friends who told me how good my writing really was and because of them I decided to pursue it further.

What kind of research was involved for your first book?

I don't know how I started writing about modeling because I know absolutely nothing about it. But it seemed like such an interesting profession that I thought I would research it. I spent a lot of time on the Internet studying models like Tyra Banks and Cindy Crawford. Intimate Intentions also centers around a psychopath. For my research, I spent a year working part-time in a psychiatric clinic. The doctor I worked for was kind enough to let me borrow as many of his textbooks that I needed.

Who are your influences as a writer?

I love Donna Hill, Monica Jackson and Rochelle Alers. Their characters seem to jump right off the pages of their books. A long time friend influenced me the most. I made the mistake of mentioning to him once that I wanted to write and he never let me forget it. He hounded me! For an entire year he sent me emails, cards, and even woke me up in the wee hours of the morning asking me "Where is that book?" Finally I realized that the only way to get him to stop was to start writing. So I did it. Now I am forever grateful.

What does your family think of having a romance author in their midst?

My family is my biggest support. They are so excited for me. My kids treat me like a celebrity. My parents are especially proud. My mother has glaucoma but she was determined to read my book. With the help of a new pair of glasses and a magnifying glass she was able to pull it off.

Tell us about plans for future books.

I have a contract with Genesis for three more books. Right now I am completing a sequel to Intimate Intentions. I have also started outlining two more. I hope to have something released before the end of 2001.

How can readers get in touch with you?

I would love to hear from my readers and can be contacted by email at daniels_angie@yahoo.com or my new website http://www.angiedaniels.com.

Angie, thanks for joining us, and best of luck with your sequel!

April 8, 2000