10 Questions for Janet Evanovich

From Time Magazine --

10 Questions for Janet Evanovich --

Dennis Kleiman --
June 22, 2009 --

This is the 15th novel in the Stephanie Plum series. Have you ever felt that the quality of your stories was declining? Dodie Stephens, OCALA, FLA.

I don't feel that the quality of the stories is declining. I think that some books are more successful than others to certain readers. People who read my books for the humor, they're going to love one book. People who read my books for the mystery, they might not like that book quite as much.

There is so much talk about a Stephanie Plum movie. Do you have an explanation of why it has taken so many years and if it will ever be made? Kimberly Johnson, FAIRFAX, VA.

My fans would love to see a movie, and I would love to see a movie. It just hasn't worked out so far. I think they love the characters, for one thing. Everybody wants to see what these two hot guys look like, Ranger and Joe Morelli.

Is it sinful to lust after a fictional character? Margaret Smith FOLSOM, CALIF.

Not in my world. If you want to lust after my characters, hey, I'm all in favor of it.

What made you want to write, and how did you get started? Linda Olsen ROSWELL, N.M.

I wasn't always a writer. When I went to college and majored in fine arts, I was a painter. Then I was a stay-at-home mom. Somewhere along the line, I realized that I liked telling stories, and I decided that I would try writing. Ten years later, I finally got a book published. It was hard. I had no skills. I knew nothing about the business of getting published. So I had to keep working at it.

Do you have a set routine you follow daily in writing books? Mary Gehin BELLEVILLE, WIS.

I'm at my computer at 5:30 to 6 o'clock, and I spend a full day at that. Then around 1 o'clock, I have lunch. I get a little exercise. Then in the afternoon, I'm a businessperson. I think of myself as a professional. I get up in the morning and I go to work just like anybody else.

Have you ever felt inclined to use your success to bring awareness to a certain issue? Tash Nordstrand AUCKLAND

I think it's appropriate for some authors. I don't think it's appropriate for me. I look at myself as an entertainer. You know my books are going to end well, you know you're going to love some of these people, you know I'm never going to kill a cat--and you can count on the fact that I'm not going to put my political agenda in your face. That just is not what I do.

Why do you let readers title your books? That sort of seems like letting strangers name your children. Walden Henning, INDIANAPOLIS

Yeah, like wearing somebody else's underpants--not quite comfortable. I actually really suck at naming books, so lots of years ago, readers were sending in their ideas for titles, and what we realized is that they were smarter than us. So we thought, Hey, go for it. So now we have a contest every year.

Will the Kindle and other e-book readers help or hurt the book industry? Taylor Zaborney MIDDLETOWN, N.J.

I think that the e-book is here to stay. I think it's fabulous. Can you imagine kids? No more backpacks full of heavy books. But what happens when I go on book tour if all we have are e-books? What do I sign? Body parts?

Are you planning on ending the series anytime soon? Tracy Simpson NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y.

No. You know, I wake up some days and think Stephanie should go off into the sunset with Joe Morelli and have babies, and then I wake up the next day, and I'm like, Oh, no, she's gotta go with Ranger. I don't see myself ending it anytime soon, just because I'm having a lot of fun with it.

If you could do anything else with your life, what would it be? Jennifer Frieouf BRAMAN, OKLA.

I'd be a bar singer. And I'd wear a really low-cut red sequined dress. Maybe I'd want to sit on a piano. I'm stopped by the fact that I can't sing, but, you know, aside from that.