PSUDST asked Julianna Keyes:

Ooooh, a Canadian! Haven't read any of your books yet but they all get a minimum three stars in advance for the Canuck love. :-) My question: which of your books would you say came to you most easily and which one would you say was the most difficult to write?

Julianna Keyes Thanks for the question! The "easiest" book to write was "Going the Distance." I'd had Jarek's character in my head for a while and several of the scenes had been floating around in my brain as I tried to find a home for them. Combined with the fact that I'd lived in China for a year and a half and really wanted to capture the feeling of being abroad and being there, specifically, the writing came quite easily. With the exception of hacking out a few unnecessary chunks (and one tedious chapter), the finished product looks remarkably similar to the first draft. (A feat I have yet to repeat!) And some of those scenes I'd been wanting to write and finally found a place for are among my all-time favorites, the break-up in particular.

The book I found most difficult to write (and actually published - there are plenty that will never see the light of day) was "In Her Defense." It was my first time writing with a deadline and something I "had" to write. The book was contracted when I sold "Time Served" (it's the second in the series) and I'd never even considered writing it, so I had to write about a certain character, in a certain world, by a certain time. The deadline was very generous and I had a lot of freedom, but the combination of trying to write a challenging heroine without veering into stereotypical "mean girl" territory and a hero that would complement (not just compliment) her and provide his own challenges, was a struggle for me. It took about 9 months to get a polished draft, when normally it takes me 3 or 4. That said, I love that book, so even though I lost a bunch of hair in the process, it was totally worth it.

Love your profile picture, btw!

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