Biography
In 1979, Sandra Brown lost her job at a television program and decided to give writing a try. She bought an armful of romance novels and writing books, set up a typewriter on a card table and wrote her first novel. Harlequin passed but Dell bit, and Brown was off and writing, publishing her works under an assortment of pseudonyms.
From such modest beginnings, Brown has evolved into multimillion publishing empire of one, the CEO of her own literary brand; she towers over the landscape of romantic fiction. Brown has used her growing clout to insist her publishers drop the bosom-and-biceps covers and has added more intricate subplots, suspense, and even unhappy endings to her work. The result: A near-constant presence on The New York Times bestsellers list. In 1992, she had three on the list at the same time, joining that exclusive club of Stephen King, Tom Clancy, J. K. Rowling, and Danielle Steel.
Her work in the mainstream realm has taken her readers into The White House, where the president's newborn dies mysteriously; the oil fields and bedrooms of a Dallas-like family dynasty; and the sexual complications surrounding an investigation into an evangelist's murder. Such inventions have made her a distinct presence in a crowded genre.
"Brown is perhaps best known now for her longer novels of romantic suspense. The basic outline for these stories has passionate love, lust, and violence playing out against a background of unraveling secrets and skeletons jumping out of family closets," wrote Barbara E. Kemp in the book Twentieth-Century Romance & Historical Writers . Kemp also praises Brown's sharp dialogue and richly detailed characters. "However, her greatest key to success is probably that she invites her readers into a fantasy world of passion, intrigue, and danger," she wrote. "They too can face the moral and emotional dilemmas of the heroine, safe in the knowledge that justice and love will prevail."
Critics give her points for nimble storytelling but are cooler to her "serviceable prose," in the words of one Publishers Weekly reviewer. Still, when writing a crack page-turner, the plot's the thing. A 1992 New York Times review placed Brown among a group of a writers "who have mastered the art of the slow tease."
Staggeringly prolific, Brown found her writing pace ground to a halt when she was given a different assignment. A magazine had asked her for an autobiographical piece, and it took her months to complete. Her life in the suburbs, though personally fulfilling, was nonetheless blander than fiction. That may be why she dives into her fiction writing with such workhorse gusto. "I love being the bad guy," she told Publishers Weekly in 1995, "simply because I was always so responsible, so predictable growing up. I made straight A's and never got into any trouble, and I still impose those standards on myself. So writing is my chance to escape and become the sleaziest, scummiest role."
When she started writing, her goal was always to break out of the parameters of romance. After about 45 romances, the woman who counts Tennessee Williams and Taylor Caldwell among her influences told The New York Times that felt she had reached a plateau. In fact, she doesn't even look at her books as romances anymore. "I think of my books now as suspense novels, usually with a love story incorporated," she said. "They're absolutely a lot harder to write than romances. They take more plotting and real character development. Each book is a stretch for me, and I try something interesting each time that males will like as well as women."
Good to Know
"I hate to exercise and only do so because I absolutely must."
"I love to eat and my favorite foods are all bad for the body. Fried chicken and gravy, TexMex, red meat (hey, I'm from Texas!). My only saving grace is that I'm not that fond of sweets. Salty is my thing. Chocolate cake and ice cream I can skip. But a bag of Fritos. . ."
"It takes me a long time to go to sleep, usually because I read in bed and hate to put down the book. But when I do nod off, I'm a champion sleeper. I can easily do eight or nine hours a night."
"My worst "thing" is mean-spirited people. People who deliberately belittle or embarrass someone really irk me. The people I admire most are the ones who find something good about even the most undesirable individual. That was a quality my mother had, the one I hope most to emulate."
"I have a fear of gravity. Recently my whole family went to Belize. We had several adventures. We tubed a river through miles of cave, wearing head lamps so we'd have illumination. No problem. I scaled Mayan ruins. I rode horseback (on a monster named Al Capone) through the rain forest. No problem. But I couldn't zip line. Even though my five-year-old grandsons did it with glee, I just couldn't make that leap."
"I and my husband are huge fans of Jeopardy! We never miss it if we can help it. Does that make us complete dorks?"Feature Interview
In the summer of 2009, Sandra Brown took some time out to talk with us about her favorite books, authors, and interests. What was the book that most influenced your life or your career as a writer -- and why?
Testimony of Two Men by Taylor Caldwell. This novel has all the ingredients I love -- family strife, a man in torment, a beautiful love story. The conflicts are believable because they're universal. The characters are richly drawn. The reader is swept into their lives and struggles. It's simply great storytelling. After reading it, I wanted to become Taylor Caldwell.
What are your ten favorite books, and what makes them special to you?
In no particular sequence:
Mila 18 by Leon Uris, who I believe is one of the greatest storytellers to put words on paper. This novel lived with me long after I finished it. The tragic story continues to haunt me. It's about hate at its worst and love at its best. Even though the ending is sad, it pays homage to the indomitable strength of the human spirit.
A tie: The Assassin and Rendezvous. Both by Evelyn Anthony, these novels are what every romantic suspense should be. They're rife with danger, intrigue, and have a dilemma from which there is no easy escape for either of the main characters. In both stories, loyalties are tested. That's another element I love - the moral dilemma.
The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland. This book is the first of an excellent trilogy about Josephine Bonaparte. I put off reading it for a long time, erroneously thinking that I wouldn't like it as well as those readers who had recommended it to me. I was wrong. Told in letter and diary form, the story captivated me from the first page. As Ms. Gulland warns her reader, Josephine and Napoleon are addictive subjects. Even after reading all three books, I couldn't get enough of them. As far from the genre in which I write as it could possibly be, this book is still one of my favorites which I frequently recommend.
Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett. He wouldn't know how to write a bad book. I've devoured all of them, including his two lengthy historicals, Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. But I "discovered" him with this novel and it remains a standout. Fascinating character. It's difficult to write an anti-hero - a ruthless spy, no less -- and make him human, make him even remotely sympathetic, and yet Follett did.
The Rainbow Season by Candace Camp, writing as Lisa Gregory. When I first hung out my shingle, proclaiming myself a writer, this is one of the first books recommended to me as a "how-to." I read it from start to finish about three times before putting it down. It's a wonderful romance, having all the elements that define the genre, plus the magic that defies definition. The reader simply cannot wait for these two people to realize they're in love. Terrific voyeurism. For the sheer toe-tingling joy of it, I read it about once a year.
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty. If Favorite Books are described as those that have the most impact, and pack the strongest punch, then this novel demands to be on this list. I remember well when I was reading it. I started hearing noises in the attic. . .and we didn't even have an attic! It scared me silly. It still does. Blatty's word images were so vivid that, as hard as Hollywood filmmakers tried, they couldn't portray the demon as terrifyingly as he did.
The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve. Since reading this, I've read all Ms. Shreve's books and have loved each one. But this is the first one I read, and it made me an immediate fan, so it deserves mention on this list. Oh, and lest you think that's the only reason I'm including it, it also happens to be excellent. Experiencing the heroine's heartbreaking disillusionment is torture of the best kind.
The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Every romance writer who came after owes her a debt of gratitude because she, almost single-handedly, gave life to this genre. This is another of those books that I read every year or so just for the absolute happiness it gives me. It's enchanting. It's pure escapism, and I don't know of a better reason than that to read a work of fiction. No explanation or justification necessary.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. Another tie because they're equally wonderful stories and each gave us an iconic character, Atticus Finch and Scarlett O'Hara respectively. The two authors had much to say on the subjects of love and war, loyalty and friendship, bigotry and honor, yet each folded the editorials into compelling, irresistible stories which the reader is fooled into believing he's reading solely for pleasure. What are some of your favorite films, and what makes them unforgettable to you?
Out of Africa -- Streep and Redford under Sydney Pollack's direction. A true story. Breathtaking film images. Just about a perfect movie.
The Godfather. If I'm channel surfing and I see this film is on, no matter at what point I join it, I finish it. It's totally compelling. The best acting scene ever on film: Brando in the vegetable garden with his grandson moments before he dies. Flawless. You believe it.
The Shawshank Redemption. Anything with Morgan Freeman (like Driving Miss Daisy) is superb. This story, adapted from Stephen King's short story, is mesmerizing.
Legends of the Fall. This movie got panned by so many critics, and I just don't get it. I loved it! It was melodramatic, sure, but I adore melodrama. Did the critics hate it because the cast was so pretty? If so, they need to get over it.
An Officer and a Gentleman. Again, the perfect combination of actor and director. Gere and Hackford. A film which so easily could have been awful was great because Gere gave such heart to the character of Mayo. Under the swagger, we feel his pain. Great script. Perfectly cast. And to think Gere wasn't first choice.
Tombstone -- because I love cowboys and Kurt Russell and Sam Elliott and Michael Biehn and Powers Boothe and Stephen Lang (who's read some of my audio books) and on and on. I relish every frame, every jingle of spurs.
Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam and Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. Because everybody needs a dose of Jane Austen every now and then. I watch them over and over and over. . .
Dear Frankie is the sweetest little movie that no one has ever heard of. It stars Emily Mortimer and Gerard Butler. Yes, him. Before he became so famous. I dare you to get the DVD and watch it. And I double dare you not to get a knot in your throat. Then there are Love With the Perfect Stranger, This Property is Condemned, and The Way We Were, all directed by Sydney Pollack. There's Twelve Angry Men and In the Heat of the Night. And Body Heat. I could go on and on.
What types of music do you like? Is there any particular kind you like to listen to when you're writing?
In my car I listen to either country or classic rock. When I'm writing I listen to instrumentals - either easy listening type stuff, or movie themes, or light classical. I can't listen to music with lyrics when I'm writing. I love show music, too.
What are your favorite kinds of books to give -- and get -- as gifts?
For Father's Day I gave my son Paul Newman's biography. My son-in-law got a coffeetable book on the history of baseball. I recently gave my daughter The Other Boleyn Girl. And my daughter-in-law received a book about the War of the Roses because I knew she'd like that. I give my husband every WWII book that comes out because of his interest in it. One grandson recently got a book about the Wright brothers because he's fascinated with airplanes and another grandson got one about baseball. I give books that I think the recipient will enjoy. As for the books I like getting, one can't go wrong. I like everything!
Do you have any special writing rituals? For example, what do you have on your desk when you're writing?
I drink General Foods International coffee French Vanilla. In the morning, I have two cups. On my desk is a small warming plate to keep the cup warm. In the afternoon, I switch to Evian. I'm all about creature comfort, so there are scented candles in the room, living plants and fresh flowers, and -- always -- family pictures. These are the things that make me happy.
Many writers are hardly "overnight success" stories. How long did it take for you to get where you are today? Any rejection-slip horror stories or inspirational anecdotes?
The first book I sold (in 1980) was to Dell for a romance series called Ecstasy. The editor soon bought my second. I became a prolific author for several romance lines, writing five or six of them a year. In 1987 I began crossing over into suspense and in 1990 I made the New York Times bestseller list for the first time with a paperback original, Mirror Image. That changed my life. I had published over 50 books by that time. I was no better a writer on May 23, 1990 than I'd been on May 22, 1990, but I was perceived by the industry to be much better. It's staggering to me that next year I will celebrate 30 years of being published. Each time a book appears on the bestseller list, I feel that it's a "breakthrough." I don't take it for granted. It propels me to constantly strive to do better.
What tips or advice do you have for writers still looking to be discovered?
Read, read, read. And write, write, write. I don't know of any shortcuts. You must spend hours, days, weeks, months alone in a room putting words on paper. You can read how-to books on writing, attend workshops, join critique groups, take courses on creative writing. . .and all that is good. But at some point you've got to do the WORK. That's what no one wants to hear. It's not work for the faint of heart or the undisciplined.
Write from your gut as much as from your head. If it feels right, write it down. But don't get too possessive of it that you don't take well-meaning advice. If two or three people give you the same criticism, be wise and listen. A good writer must be willing to edit. At least half of my time is spent rewriting.
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