In my newest mini-series coming out from Silhouette Desire in August, September, and October (called The Gypsy Inheritance), I’ve used three different settings for each of the books. Well, except for the prologues, in which every hero meets the Gypsy in New Orleans. It’s the first time I’ve tried placing books of a connected series into separate world settings. I’ve been having a lot of questions about why I wrote things in that way.

Uh, because it was fun? Okay, not good enough. Setting is often a forgotten step-child when new authors begin creating plot and character, yet setting controls the entire mood and theme of a book. You can’t have conflict inside a blank box, and since I write romance novels, the senses and surroundings are all important components of my stories.

The premise of The Gypsy Inheritance series is that a gypsy gives three men (who are distantly related) a magic gift that will bring each man to his true love. The idea was to explore the difference in the three heroes’ emotional needs. Each magic gift is especially chosen to fit the man. It seemed only natural to me that very different men with very different needs should be placed into settings that perfectly matched their character.

In SEDUCTION BY THE BOOK (August), the gift is a first edition book of fairy tales, bound in a gold and leather cover. The hero is a tormented man who is living in self-imposed exile. Where better to put him than in an island fortress high on a cliff? Then I added the conflicts of an animated beauty and a dangerous hurricane just to torment this beast in his isolation.

In REFLECTED PLEASURES (September), the gift is an antique hand mirror. The hero in this novel is a self-made man who likes to dress as he grew up, in jeans and boots. Who needs to fuss when you’re a billionaire? He has never looked beyond the obvious when it comes to judging others. This down-to-earth but out-of-touch hero just had to be from Texas.

A SCANDALOUS MELODY (October), is full of dark secrets and revenge. The gift is a jewel-encrusted egg reminiscent of the Russian masterpieces, but with a twist that only adds to the surprise revelations that the self-made man in this book must face. Swampy mists and old plantation homes of the Louisiana Bayou country are perfect for such a modern-day-gothic tale.

Thankfully, I knew a little about each of those places. I currently live in the Florida Keys (and have faced quite a few hurricanes in my time). For many years I also lived in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. And then I had a good friend that I visited quite often who lived in Cajun country in southern Louisiana. But having lived in a place is not always necessary in order for an author to use it as a setting. Research, friends, and travel all are invaluable tools for the writer.

Look for The Gypsy Inheritance series from Silhouette Desire (Aug., Sept., Oct. 2005) Visit Linda’s website, http://www.LindaConrad.com for news, articles and contests!

Now, I would love to hear your comments and opinions! Can we chat?

At the end of the month, one lucky person who has participated will win a complete autographed set of the new series… And maybe a little chocolate will be offered along the way. (It never hurts to bribe new friends with chocolate.)