Janet Evanovich

Janet Evanovich is an American writer. She began her career writing romance novels under the pseudonym Steffie Hall. In 1994 (1995 in the UK) she published her first book in a series of contemporary mysteries featuring Stephanie Plum, a former lingerie buyer from Trenton, New Jersey who becomes a bounty hunter to make ends meet after losing her job. The novels became instant bestsellers. Janet has over 200 million books in print worldwide and her books have been translated into over 40 languages.

Who were your literary heroes as you were growing up and when did you first realise you wanted to write?

When I was a little girl, I always made up stories but never really considered writing. I was an artist. In fact, I majored in art in college with hopes of a career in painting. My world came crashing down when I discovered that those nagging rashes I often suffered were due to the pigment in paints. When I was young, I read a fair amount, but nothing that would qualify as great literature. I was, and still am, a sucker for comic books. I love everything Disney and still read Scrooge McDuck comics. I got a hankering to write when my kids were little. I wrote three romance novels over 10 years while they were in school during the day before I made my first sale.

You wrote the first Stephanie Plum book in 1994. How has your relationship with her as a character changed over the years?

It's hard to believe that it's been a quarter century. I think I have the same relationship with Stephanie and the gang that I've always had especially since, in Plum World, the characters never age. Stephanie and Ranger are still 30, Joe Morelli is 32, and Grandma Mazur, Bob the dog and Rex the hamster are still in the prime of their lives. It's only lately that I've decided to let Stephanie to grow up a bit. Twisted Twenty-Six was the first of a three-book story arc that has Stephanie asking those "is this all there is?" questions. In Fortune and Glory (Plum number 27 -- yep, no more numbers in the titles), we will meet a new female character who will give Steph a real run for her money. That one comes out on November 10.

How does your writing partnership with your daughter Alex work? Do you get to sit down together or is it all done remotely?

It's great. Alex is a very talented writer. We work on our own but get together often to re-write and edit. It helps that we live in the same town.

Do you have a message for your many readers in Suffolk?

Be safe. Be happy. Read.

Can you tell us one thing about yourself that your readers may not know?

My favorite vegetable is birthday cake.

You have sold millions of books and had a glittering career. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

My family. I've been blessed with a terrific husband of over 50 years and we have a couple of great kids who've given us grandchildren to spoil. Also my readers. I wouldn't have been able to get this far in a career that I love without them.