Dear Friends and Readers,

How were your holidays? (I'm all-inclusive in this term ... the winter season is a time of celebration and renewal in many cultures and traditions.)

Mine were quiet. This year Serge and I didn't go to California to visit my family, but stayed at home with the dogs and cats. I decorated the house from top to bottom, even though I only hosted one small party during the holiday season. Serge and I both enjoy the lights and festivity of this time of year.

The big disappointment was the complete lack of snow. As I write this, it's bright and sunny outside, with no precipitation in sight for at least another week. Some on the East may be wishing for a little less of the white stuff; wish you'd send it on to us in Albuquerque!

Perhaps because of the lack of snow, I've gotten myself into a snowflake collecting frenzy. I've done it with wolves and leaves; now it's snowflakes in the form of rugs, candles and candle holders, table runners, decorations, jewelry, you name it! Anything with a snowflake on it is fair game, and I've already put together quite a collection for next year.

January and February are not my favorite times of year; the holidays are over, and spring is still on the distant horizon. I have, however, been buying seeds for this year's seed-starting frenzy. It's always fun to see the little seedlings pop out of the growing mix after a week or two, and to grow them on until they're big enough to plant. Planting time usually arrives in late April in Albuquerque, so I have plenty of time to think about it!

Per request, here are a couple updated photos of Nahla. Since she's a rescue dog, we're not certain of her background, though I suspect she's half Basenji. She has almost all the behaviors, the basic coloring and conformation, etc., of a Basenji. She 's about 30-35 lbs. Extremely muscular, not a spare ounce of fat. It's like holding a sculpture. I don't know what the other half may be, but it has to be something like a terrier. She's super feisty, which Basenjis are as well. But she hasn't got a lot of additional bulk from any other breed. So who knows?

Thoughts on the New Year

This time of year is a time of reflection for many of us, including me, especially this time around. It's been a difficult year for many of my friends, with many new challenges. I have very little to complain about; while The Forest Lord did not have the print run I would have liked or the even distribution that might have put it on bestseller lists, it did receive very good reviews and favorable responses from readers.

What I'm thinking about now are the changes that may come to my writing career in 2003. I have been thinking more and more about expanding into "straight" fantasy with romantic elements (as opposed to fantasy romance), especially as I've been working on Kinsman's Oath and so much enjoying the worldbuilding and freedom of this kind of story. I think I've been working up to this for some time, but only now has it seemed "right" to head in that direction.

Change is frightening. It's a great deal easier to go along for the ride and not risk what you have for something that may only be a dream. But sometimes all the elements of your life come together in such a way that you seem to be "pushed" toward a certain goal, perhaps one that you've been afraid to tackle for one reason or another. Sometimes you realize you have a new opportunity that may bring even greater happiness and contentment, even though getting there may be difficult or even painful.

That's the way I feel as 2003 begins. I'm still not sure where this journey will take me; I know that I'll continue to write romance and romantic stories. I definitely want to continue the Fane series and write new books in my werewolf saga. But I also have other ideas that push beyond even the most flexible boundaries in the romance genre, and those call to me with greater and greater insistence.

The one thing I'll never give up is stories about relationships--deep, meaningful relationships and profound emotions. Whatever the setting or genre, these are the ideas that inspire me.

I hope that this year will bring new hopes and new dreams to fruition for many of you as well.

Current and Future Writing Projects

I've been hard at work on my current manuscript, Kinsman's Oath, the sequel to my novella "Kinsman" from the anthology Out of This World. It has a projected release date of spring 2004. I also just finished and turned in my contemporary werewolf novella, "Kiss of the Wolf," to Leslie Wainger at Silhouette for the anthology When Darkness Falls, to be released in October 2003. To Catch a Wolf, my next historical werewolf novel from Berkley, is scheduled for September 2003. Two werewolf stories in a row this year! In addition, I'm researching several future projects, including the next Fane novel (following The Forest Lord), a fantasy novel set in my own fictional "universe," and possible Kinsman sequels. My goal is to write two books a year beginning in 2003, one of which will probably be fantasy and one romance.

Other News

I also want to call everyone's attention to the change in my e-mail and web page URL, from:

skrinard@aol.com
to

http://members.aol.com/skrinard/
to
http://www.susankrinard.com

I still have bookmarks available for The Forest Lord, and can send two per SASE. Please send a Self-Addressed Stamped envelope to Susan Krinard, Bookmark, P.O. Box 51924, Albuquerque, NM, 87181.

If you are interested in receiving my monthly newsletter (sent via e-mail in February, March, May, June, August, September, November and December), please visit: www.simegen.com/mailman/listinfo/skrinardmonthly-l. The monthly newsletter contains additional excerpts, articles, etc. that do not appear in the quarterly newsletter. For a sample, click on this link: see the December Monthly Newsletter.

Rosina Ragusa has formed a discussion group for my books. If you'd like to join or visit, please go to Fantasy Romance/Susan Krinard.

This and That

The big movie this winter has been The Two Towers, which Serge and I went to see on my birthday. While I very much enjoyed it, I didn't like it as well as the first movie simply by virtue of the fact that it is the "middle book" and shows the characters in peril and transition. I also missed the intensity of Sean Bean's Boromir and the intimate warmth between the members of the Fellowship. But I greatly look forward to the conclusion, Return of the King, this December.

I just went with a friend to see the musical Chicago, which I also greatly enjoyed. It really put me in the mood to write a story set during the Roaring Twenties!

This year looks as though it might be as good a "movie year" for me as 2000. Being the fantasy lover that I am, I'm looking forward to Daredevil in February, and especially X-Men 2 in May. (Wolverine! Wolverine!) Master and Commander, starring Russell Crowe, is out in June. How I love a really good movie!

I'm also excited that my favorite Aussie actor, Hugh Jackman, has signed for a new fantasy movie called Van Helsing. Can't wait!

I have been very disappointed in the cancellation of Josh Whedon's new show, Firefly. I wasn't sure I'd like it at first, but it grew on me to the point that I'd become very fond of the characters and the boldness of the concept. Unfortunately, if I like something it's usually the kiss of death, and Firefly is no exception. I can only hope that Mr. Whedon manages to sell it to another network.

At least John Doe wasn't cancelled, and I find it pretty intriguing, though I'd like a little more information on Mr. Doe's secret origins. (Is he an android? A clone? A programmed human? An alien?)

I continue to enjoy The Dead Zone, and am glad it's doing well.

Reader Feature

Please welcome Courtney Mroch (MeridianPryor@aol.com)!

Sue: Please tell us a little about yourself, your family, work and home.

Courtney: I've been married for 7 years. (To my highschool sweetheart. We've actually been together 16 years.) I work from home, and I have a cat and dog who keep me company during the day when they don't keep me laughing.

Sue: Why do you like reading romance? Why paranormal romance?

Courtney: I only recently came back to the romance genre. As a teenager I couldn't get enough of this one series I can't for the life of me remember now. But it always involved the sense of treachery and perhaps the hero was the cause. I like paranormal because it conveys the same type of thing: the mystery, the unknown. And it's somehow just more romantic. Plus, it takes more imagination, and when done right, it makes for the perfect escape.

Sue: What other, if any, types of books do you like to read?

Courtney: Mysteries, suspense, some literary-type books.

Sue: Who are your favorite authors (in any genre?)

Courtney: Susan Krinard (new found favorite!), Maggie Shayne, Anne Rice, Stephen King, Mary Stewart.

Sue: Have you ever had the ambition to write a book of your own? If so, on what subject?

Courtney: Yes. I've written 2 books, one's a suspense and one's a contemporary romance. I've recently started researching for another book, a time travel romance involving pirates. And I've had a mystery idea in my head for several years. This year may prove the one I finally sit and write it.

Sue: What, besides reading, are your hobbies or special interests or skills?

Courtney: Writing (like to dabble with short stories because they don't come naturally to me and it's a good challenge); cooking; swimming; beach volleyball; movies.

Sue: What ability do you wish you had?

Courtney: The ability to move matter with my mind so I could really multi task! I could be making dinner, cleaning the bathroom, and walking the dog all at the same time!

Sue: If you could visit anywhere in the world, no matter how far away or exotic, where would that be?

Courtney: Ugh, this is a hard one. Torn between Puerto Rico and almost anywhere in Europe, but especially Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France or Italy. Maybe that's why I've not been yet! Can't decide which one to go to!

Sue: If you could have lived in any historical period other than the present, what would that be, and why?

Courtney: Late 19th/early 20th century. Okay, maybe it was a bad time for women and maybe the gowns were uncomfortable, but talk about exquisite! And their seemed to be a sense of chivalry, romance, and respectability that does not exist in our hectic times!

Sue: Which would you rather meet, and why: a friendly ghost, vampire, werewolf, sorcerer, fairy or alien? What would you ask him or her?

Courtney: A sorcerer. I'd ask him to teach me a spell to make my husband change the toilet paper roll when he used the last of it! =)

Sue: What, to you, is the most important thing in life?

Courtney: My husband, my animals, and my health.

Sue: Is there anything else you'd like to add or say about yourself or your interests?

Courtney: This has been fun. Interesting questions!

*~*~*

If you're interested in being one of the future interviewees, with the subject header "Reader Feature" and tell me why you'd like to be in a future "Feature."

Links of the Month

• Practical:
  • Personality Tests and Analysis
• Writing/Research:
  • Animal Symbolism in Celtic Mythology
• Fun:
  • Catalog City Okay, this is for catalogue shopping fanatics like me!

Best Wishes,

Sue Krinard

http://www.susankrinard.com/
P.O.Box 51924
Albuquerque, NM 87181