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Bestselling Author Stuart Woods ReadersRoom: Stuart Woods, welcome to ReadersRoom.com, and thank you for joining us here this morning. Stuart Woods: Hi, there. Glad to be here. ReadersRoom: I would like to jump into this by discussing your latest novel Reckless Abandon which will be hitting book stores the same day this chat is posted -- April 15. Could you tell our readers a bit about the novel? Stuart Woods: I decided that, since Holly Barker and Stone Barrington had briefly met in Orchid Blues, that they might be good together in a novel. ReadersRoom: Indeed they are, and in this novel Stone and Holly search New York for a killer. Did you find it easy to put two such strong characters from two such different fiction series together in one book? Stuart Woods: Holly comes to New York in search of a character from Orchid Blues that she had previously thought dead. She learns that he recovered from his wounds and is being protected by the FBI as a witness, even though he is a murderer. She enlists Stone's help in finding him, and that's about all I'm willing to tell you about the plot.

ReadersRoom: That's fair -- let readers find out for themselves. I'd like to talk about your third series for a moment -- the Will Lee books.

Stuart Woods: Sure.

ReadersRoom: They are quite unlike your other series novels, and unlike most of your stand alones as well. Could you tell our readers a bit about that series?

Stuart Woods: Will Lee is a character who was born in my first novel, Chiefs, and who was the protagonist of my second novel, Run Before the Wind. He has appeared in half a dozen, or so, novels, either as a protagonist or as a supporting character, and I have followed his progress through his career, from Senate aide to Senator, and now, he is President of the United States. Or, at least, I wish he was.

ReadersRoom: Since Reckless Abandon has BOTH Holly and Stone in it, will we be seeing Will Lee in a novel any time soon?

Stuart Woods: My most recent novel to date, Capital Crimes, was, ostensibly, a Will Lee novel, even though the FBI character sort of elbowed him out of the way. It'll take a few more books before I can get back to him, since I plan well ahead.

ReadersRoom: Can you tell us what your next novel after Reckless Abandon will be, or would you rather wait until it is closer to publication?

Stuart Woods: The next novel, The Prince of Beverly Hills, is a stand-alone, set in Hollywood shortly before and during World War II. The characters are all new, except for the movie studio, Centurion Studios, which I have used in earlier novels. The book will be out on October 15th, and I'm looking forward to readers' reactions. I hope they'll like it.

ReadersRoom: And that is the perfect segue to my next question ... which is about my personal favorite of your novels, 1993's LA Times. LA Times is one of the only novels I have ever read that doesn't have a single "good guy" in the entire book. I am wondering if that was a harder than usual book for you to write, or easier?

Stuart Woods: In LA Times, I set out from the beginning to write a novel in which not a single character was a decent human being. I wanted to see if I could get readers to root for a really bad guy, and the villains were all simply equally bad people who opposed his ambition.

ReadersRoom: I have to ask -- how did the public receive the book?

Stuart Woods: It seemed to be well-received. One critic said it made What Makes Sammy Run look like kindergarten reading.

ReadersRoom: Well, any of our readers who haven't read it would not be disappointed picking up a copy!

Stuart Woods: I hope not.

ReadersRoom: Since we announced this chat, we have received a LOT of questions from readers. Would you answer a few for us?

Stuart Woods: Sure.

ReadersRoom: Frank S., Toledo, Ohio: I read that you have two books coming out this year. Is that average for you, or do you usually only have one? How fast do you write?

Stuart Woods: I took eight years to write my first novel, then I began writing one every other year. Then I had a revelation: If I wrote a novel a year, I'd be paid twice a much, or at least, twice as often. Then I discovered that I could write two novels a year quite comfortably, and I've been on that schedule ever since. The novel I'm currently working on is my 30th.

ReadersRoom: Larry Y., Moab, Utah: Sometimes you auction off the rights to name a character in your book, with the proceeds going to charity. How much would that cost me, and do I get to pick the charity?

Stuart Woods: Have a charity contact me and make the request. It's up to the bidders how much it costs. I know of one case where a man paid five thousand dollars for the privilege.

ReadersRoom: Aspen W., Seattle, Washington: I know you like to read. Who are some of your favorite authors, and why?

Stuart Woods: I don't read much fiction these days, and nothing in my genre. It would be a bad thing to inadvertently plagiarize another author, and even worse to get caught at it. These days, I read mostly history and biography. Right now I'm on volume four of six of Winston Churchill's History of the Second World War, and I'm reading Conrad Black's new biography of Franklin Roosevelt.

ReadersRoom:Carly L., Albuquerque, New Mexico: Do you REALLY base your knowledge of law on television shows, as I read on your Web site? You seem to know so much about it, and it is so "realistic." I work in a law firm as a paralegal, so I know these things. Stuart Woods: I guess I watch as many legal shows as anybody. The American public has a very good working knowledge of trial procedures and criminal investigation, because of television, and I'm no exception.

ReadersRoom: Lester J., Youngstown, New York: You've won some awards for your writing. Are they important to you, or did you already know your work had merit? Which award meant the most?

Stuart Woods: I've won only two - the Edgar for Best First Novel, for Chiefs and the French Academy's award for crime novels, the name of which escapes me, for Imperfect Strangers. I was also nominated one other time for an Edgar. I'm delighted to have won them, and I wouldn't reject them if I won more. Somehow, the Nobel has passed me by.

ReadersRoom: And our last reader question.Carson L., Las Vegas, Nevada: Which do you like better? Flying or sailing? Do you see a lot of similarities between the two?

Stuart Woods: These days, I enjoy flying more, perhaps because I do more of it. I sail now only on other peoples' boats, which I much prefer. I'm also a partner in a 77-ft. antique motor yacht, Belle, build in 1929 and beautifully restored. The only similarities are in the principles of navigation.

ReadersRoom: Thank you for answering those. Producing two novels a year must be a lot of pressure on you as an artist. Could you tell us a bit about your writing schedule? Do you have a set number of pages you look to produce each day?

Stuart Woods: I don't feel all that much pressure; I'm very fluent. I work about two hours a day, beginning around ten AM. I review the chapter I wrote the day before. (I always write a chapter at a sitting) and make small corrections, then I write a new chapter. The process gets repeated until I've finished the book.

ReadersRoom: Do you find it easier, harder or about the same to write your novels now with 30 under your belt than you did when you were starting out with Chiefs?

Stuart Woods: It was much harder with Chiefs. First novels are always harder, I think, because you have no reason to feel any confidence, except ego.

ReadersRoom: Chiefs was inspired by real events, was it not?

Stuart Woods: Yes. The first of the three books was based on my maternal grandfather, and it was as much his story as I could learn. The second book was based on real events in my home town, following World War II, and the third was entirely fictional. The murders were fiction, too.

ReadersRoom: And of course it was made into the TV mini-series with Charlton Heston. Were you happy with how television treated the novel?

Stuart Woods: I was delighted. They remained true to the intent of the book, as well as to the structure.

ReadersRoom: Okay Mr. Woods, before we wrap this up, I know that you are about to start touring in support of Reckless Abandon. How can our readers find out where you will be signing the book?

Stuart Woods: Anyone can go to my website, www.stuartwoods.com , and select the tour schedule page for a complete itinerary. Readers who can't come to a signing can call any of the stores on the list in advance and order a book, and when I arrive I'll personalize and sign it.

ReadersRoom: Finally, is there anything you would like to say to your fans, who may read this interview at ReadersRoom.com?

Stuart Woods: I'd like to thank them all for reading my work. Where would I be without them?

ReadersRoom: Stuart Woods, it has been a pleasure having you here this afternoon. Thank you for spending this time with us, and all the best with Reckless Abandon!

Stuart Woods: Thank you!




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