USA Today bestselling author Judy Duarte has written more than sixty books and novellas for Harlequin Special Edition and Kensington, earned two Rita® finals, won two Maggies and received a National Reader’s Choice Award. She lives in Southern California with her personal hero.
When she’s not cooped up in her writing cave, Judy enjoys traveling with her husband and spending quality time with her grandchildren who refer to her as Memaw because she reminds them of Young Sheldon Cooper’s spunky grandma.
I have the pleasure today to be speaking with multi-published author Judy Duarte. Her romance novels always leave the reader wanting more!
Jann: What does romance mean to you? Has it changed since Cowboy Courage, your first book, was published in
2002 by Silhouette Special Edition.
Judy: The industry has certainly changed, and so has technology, but romance is eternal. And so is a happy ever after. Life can be rough and painful, and I believe a lot of readers want to be reminded that there’s always hope, that the night is always darkest before the dawn.
Jann: You have published over 60 novels. Does it get easier?
Judy: Yes, it gets easier, especially when you have an acquiring editor working with you to make a book stronger and more marketable. But I’m always open to learn more about the craft and to apply what I’ve learned to my books.
Jann: Your books focus on families, second chances, true love and have lots of babies J. How important is the setting, theme and plot in your stories?
Judy: They’re all important to me. I grew up in a small town, where yards were big enough to have horses and pets, and where people tend to know each other. So I tend to gravitate to those settings. And I like creating real-life characters who could be your best friend or your neighbor. Take, for instance, a single mom or a single dad. Raising a child on one’s own implies that there’s been some grief of stress in the past. And who else deserves to fall in love and be happy?
Jann: What inspired you to write your latest series, Rancho Esperanza?
Judy: Two years ago, my husband and I vacationed in Big Fork, Montana. We’d barely gotten into a rental car in Kalispell, and I was already swept away by the beautiful, big sky country. And I knew the setting of my next books. So I created the town of Fairbrook, Montana.
Jann: Book One, A Secret Between Us, with main characters Callie Jamison and Ramon Cruz, and Book Two, Their Night to Remember, with characters Alana Perez and Clay Hastings, in the Rancho Esperanza series have received great reviews. Would you share with us how you develop your characters?
Judy: 
I create a flawed character. Then I ask myself, given that character’s fears and flaws, who would be the worst possible person for them to fall in love with. The built-in conflict will help both characters learn and grow—and earn their happy-ever-after.
Jann: Starting Over with the Sheriff, Book Three in the series makes its debut on May 25th. What is the premise of this novel?
Judy: A woman running from her entangled past finds herself attracted to a single father of twins, but when the by-the-book-lawman learns the truth about her, she fears their romance will be doomed before it ever begins.
Jann: What do you hope readers will take away from this series?
Judy: That everyone deserves a second chance and that love is worth fighting for.
Jann: Will there be a Book Four or will you be starting a new series?
Judy: Yes, I’m working on book 4 now, and book 5 is simmering in my mind.
Jann: I see that you were included in the Harlequin Special Edition March 2021 Box Set 2 of 2 with Marie Ferrarella and Christy Jeffries. What was that like?
Judy: As an author, I can’t imagine a greater thrill than to be matched with Marie Ferrarella, the queen of Harlequin romances, and my very own daughter, Christy Jeffries!
Jann: Do you have any writing rituals? Schedule?
Judy: I write or edit every day, even if it’s just a few pages. At the end of a writing day, I print out the scene/s I wrote and set them in the kitchen, next to the coffee pot. The next morning, I make a cup of coffee then pick up a red pen and edit those pages. Next, I sit down at the computer and input my changes. That’s usually all it takes to jump back into the story and write the next scene. I’ve also learned not to end my writing day at the end of a scene. I always push on and write a couple of paragraphs of the next one. That usually gives my muse a jumpstart.
Jann: Are there any words of inspiration on your computer, in your office or in your mind when you write?
Judy: My daughter, Christy Jeffries, gave me a plaque that sits next to my computer. It says: Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were written in a book! – Job 19:23
Jann: What are you working on now? Can you tell us about your next project?
Judy: I’m writing the third book in the 2022 Fortunes of Texas series. I love working on continuities, especially this one. It’s the third romance in the series and will be released in March of 2022.
Jann: Where can we get your books?
Judy: My books are available at online in print or e-format. You can find them at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the Harlequin website.
Jann: Do you have a website, blog, twitter where fans might read more about you and your books?
Thank you for spending time with us her on A Slice of Orange. Your novels have inspired so many readers. Good luck with the debut of Starting Over with the Sheriff on the 25th of this month!!
Some of Judy’s Books
Hover over the covers for buy links. Click on the cover for more information.
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Jill Piscitello is a teacher with a passion for writing and an avid fan of multiple literary genres. Although she divides her reading hours among several books at a time, a lighthearted story offering an escape from the real world can always be found on her nightstand.
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Glynnis Campbell is a USA Today bestselling author of swashbuckling “medieval action-adventure romances,” mostly set in Scotland, with over two dozen books published in six languages.
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USA Today bestselling author Judy Duarte has written more than sixty books and novellas for Harlequin Special Edition and Kensington, earned two Rita® finals, won two Maggies and received a National Reader’s Choice Award. She lives in Southern California with her personal hero. When she’s not cooped up in her writing cave, Judy enjoys traveling […]
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USA Today bestselling author Judy Duarte has written more than sixty books and novellas for Harlequin Special Edition and Kensington, earned two Rita® finals, won two Maggies and received a National Reader’s Choice Award. She lives in Southern California with her personal hero. When she’s not cooped up in her writing cave, Judy enjoys traveling […]
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Barb loves reading, writing and animals, not necessarily in that order. She writes contemporary and paranormal stories of love, laughter and magic, and you’re going to know there’ll be a feature creature in there somewhere.
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This sounds like a terrific series, Judy. And a heat interview, Jann.