The time has come to pin this month’s guest blogger, the wonderful Leanne Banks, to the wall with some awkward & pressing questions. Maybe we can even find out if she’s naughty or nice before Santa comes to town… 
What is your favorite color? Pink, red and blue. (Can you tell I’m not particularly decisive?)
Favorite song? Toooo many! “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You,” “I’m Gonna Make You Mine.”
Favorite movie? The Sound Of Music. While You Were Sleeping.
And of course, favorite book? It Had To Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Note from Heidi: Loooove that one!)
What are you currently reading, & how are you enjoying it? A Silhouette Special Edition by Christine Flynn. She’s awesome. Writes sexy books with compelling characters.
What was the first book in your chosen genre that you remember reading, or that made you want to write the same? Anything by Elizabeth Lowell and Sandra Brown.
What do you think of Heidi? She’s great, right? She actually is quite great. Heidi is very fun and amusing, but she is deeper than most people realize. I’m proud of her and very thankful that I know her. (Another intrusive note from Heidi: Aww, that’s so sweet. Not sure about the “deep” part, though, unless we’re talking mudpuddles. 
)
How did you get started writing? I lost my last pregnancy and realized I was going to have to go in a new direction. I had always LOVED romance, so I set a goal of writing and selling my first romance within two years. Kinda crazy, but I did it. My family used my advance to go to Disney World. 
Tell us a little bit about your first sale. I was very depressed because I had entered a lot of contests and the critiques felt like bullets! I was upstairs with the draped pulled and the quilt pulled over my head. The phone rang. It was Kate Duffy, and my husband gave me the phone. She said. I loved your book and I want to buy it. I felt as if I were having an out-of-body experience.
Fill in the blank—If you like [blank], you’ll love Leanne Banks! If you like fun, heart-warming romance with wish fulfillment, you’ll love Leanne Banks
Tell us about “The Medici Men” series, especially FROM PLAYBOY TO PAPA!, and why we’ll love every word. “The Medici Men” is about brothers separated by tragedy and raised by foster parents. The brothers survive and thrive on their own, but need to find each other and the women who will love them in order to make their lives complete. These stories are full of romance, sexual tension, melodrama and wish fulfillment. You will root for them!
If your plane crashed in the Andes, would you convince the other survivors to eat Heidi first or last? Last, because I would want Heidi to survive and be rescued. I totally love Heidi’s bubbly personality and I have a lot of admiration for her for a lot of reasons—cats, exercise, great Mom and all.
If you could write anything—whether in the same genre/sub-genre as you’re writing now or another—what would it be? Two: My version of erotica and women’s fiction.
What are you currently working on? Line edits for a Silhouette Desire and a Silhouette Special Edition and a single title. I’m very excited because I’ve just accepted a new 3-book contract with Special Edition. (A final intrusive note from Heidi: Whoo-hoo times three! 
)
Fabulous, Leanne, thank you so much! And I just have to say, given your answers to Mistress Heidi’s questions, it’s obvious you have very good taste! In books, music, movies…& people. 
I can’t wait to chat with you about your return to Silhouette Special Edition, & I know others are looking forward to chatting with you about your new mini-series with Desire & your writing in general.
For everyone who does pop in to chat with & about Leanne today, you’ll be happy to know that she’s giving away an autographed copy of her first “Medici Men” title, FROM PLAYBOY TO PAPA! (not due to be released until January! 
), after today’s visit.
And another next week, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29TH, when she returns to The Dungeon one last time. 
So let the posting begin!
Really now….you guys are going to trust me with the “Golden Halo” ?
Welcome Leanne! Love your books. So you would really like to write erotica? Very cool. I do believe you fit in quite well here. (see previous blog posts comments)
Hi Leanne, welcome to the Dungeon. Loved your responses to Heidi’s questions. Now, did Mistress Heidi force you to say that you wanted Heidi to be eaten last? Because I wouldn’t put it pass her to pull out the whip when that question came up…LOL!
I like the premise of the Medici Men series…four brothers lost in a system, but through discovery of love and family they are able to become they a truly meant to be. LOVE IT!!!
Now business questions: When you came up with the idea for the Medici Men series, how did you know where to start? Which brother to write about first? Are the books going to be in order of the ages of the brothers? Now the ultimate question: Are you a pantser or a plotter?
I know, there are lot of questions there…sorry. I wouldn’t be doing my job here if I didn’t torture you…ahem, ask questions that would elicit some useful information. Did I do okay Mistress Heidi?
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Welcome, Leanne! What a wonderful interview about you and your writing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a last-minute request for Santa, and I don’t know if he knows how to spell Medici!
Morning, all! And thank you again, Leanne for being with us, & for such a fun interview!
I’m with Pam…I’ve got all three of your Medici books on my Xmas list, with a notation that bookstore gift cards would be just fine—I can run out & buy them myself later that way, since we’ve got 3wks of sexy Medici Men to look forward to.
And don’t worry, Laura, no one *really* trusts you with the Golden Halo. That’s why Mistress Heidi has an industrial-size vat of halo-cleaner on hand for after you turn it in later in the day.
Morning all and welcome back Leanne, enjoyed last weeks vist and this weeks too.I relly love your books, (they are all keepers} and if Santa brings me some gift cards to book stores I will be picking up the “Medici Men”. IS
I have not checked in with you all for 4 days, made a quick trip to Pa. to visit my Mom so I have been away from the computer for awhile, I am catching up today. We have a short work week so if I get busy and don’t get back on everyone including Leanne have a wonderful Christmas…
Thank God for the halo cleaner because she’ll get ‘jello shot’ on it…
Leanne, so wonderful that you allowed yourself to be subjected to Mistress Heidi’s torture…er…I mean interview. Can’t wait to get my hands on that hero…I mean the BOOK.
*snork* jello shot! We know!! We know!!!!!…
ANYWAY..Welcome back Leanne! Love your books! You are one of the authors that I always buy when i see your name on a book!
Great post!
Hey Leanne…..I love the concept of the brothers who need to fins each other as well as their HEAs to be truly complete. Count me in as one who will be reading these.
Heidi, you and your obsession with crashing in the Andes! A cousin of mine is the pilot who found the wreckage of that famous plane crash and alerted searchers as to where to find the non-cannibalized survivors. From now on I’m asking to see passenger lists before getting on flights to visit relatives in Argentina to make sure your name isn’t on there! LOL
Congrats on the book deal, Leanne. I really hope you’ll try your hand at erotica.
Hey, TigMode! It’s not so much that I’m obsessed with crashing in the Andes (since I have absolutely zero plans of ever flying anywhere near them in the first place!
) but that I need to sort of feel people out & see where they stand on the whole “save Heidi first” issue. I mean, a girl’s got to know who her friends are & who she can rely on *not* to cut her up for stew until after she’s well & truly Abominable Snowman food. 
And I’m all kinds of curious over what kinds of stories Leanne is going to be writing for Special Edition. I know I just loved A Date with Dr. Frankenstein…did you do more than that for SE, or was that your only one, Leanne?
Laura, thanks for the welcome!
Regarding erotica, there’s this one story that keeps running around in my head. I hope I get the time to write it!
Paula! WHat great questions! Heidi didn’t force me to choose her to be saved. She gave me free choice. I genuinely like Heidi, think she’s very talented and want her to succeed. Heidi’s super cool here on the boards, but even more fun in person.
Now, your other questions, How to start the Medici Men once I had the idea? I asked the series of what if questions and went in the direction of ideas that intrigued me. I added and discarded several ideas along the way and when the idea was accepted, I was asked to change a few elements, which I did.
How did I decide which brother to write first? I wrote the brother whom I found most compelling and about whom I had the most information. By the end of the series, though, I loved them all. I didn’t write the books in order of their ages. The books lead to the discovery of the missing brother and I wanted to write about the brother most profoundly affected by Leo (the missing brother) just before I wrote Leo’s book.
Am I a pantser or a plotter? Mostly panster. I wish I were more of a plotter because I have to believe that way would be easier than my way! I brook over my storyline and I’m primarily guided by a few questions. What does my character most fear? What is my character’s secret wish? What is the worst thing that could happen to my character?
Again, great questions Paula! THank you for the welcome and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Pamela, you are too sweet!
Merry Christmas!
Hi Leanne, Great interview. I love yor books and am looking forward to your January one.
About the Halo. I can explain.
Leanne–I’ll be watching for that story!!
Barb, you sound like a busy lady! Don’t forget to take a few moments to breathe.
Merry Christmas!
Maisey, thanks so much for your warm welcome! I hope you’ll let me now what you think of my January book if you get a chance to read it! xo
THanks Hollie! I’ve always wanted to use your name in a book!
Merry Christmas! xo
Thanksabunch Minna! Merry Christmas to you! xo
Thanks Tigmode! These guys were a great challenge for me! And I’m with you. No planes crashing in the Andes! No planes crashing at all!!! Merry Christmas! xo
Jane, thanks so much for the encouragement! Merry Christmas! xo
THanks Debra! I hope you’ll let me know what you think if you get to read FROM PLAYBOY TO PAPA! Merry Christmas! xo
Heidi, I actually wrote a follow-up to A Date With Dr. Frankenstein (I still cringe over that title.) The book was “Expectant Father” and I loved writing that book. It was a finalist for the RITA and featured a genius hero. The editors at Silhouette have actually discussed me writing the third brother in that group. That would be fun! Thank you for letting me come to your happy dungeon Heidi. You have a fab group of people here!
Yay, Leanne, you made it!
So great to have you. And such great answers to the questions!
I remember Expectant Father. (Didn’t before, do now; just needed a jog of the old memory bank. And you’ll notice that even tho you may cringe at the Dr. Frankenstein title, it’s the one that came immediately to mind.
) It would be so cool to go back & do the third brother’s story!
And you are so right about my Darling—they’re the best.
Leanne, thank you very much for your indepth responses. I like you process. I am a budding writer, and I haven’t figured out my own process yet, so it is always good to hear someone elses technique. I figured Heidi would be a cool person to hang out with in real life. She is pretty funny here, but Mistress Heidi can be such a task master…LOL!!! I hope you have a wonderful rest of the evening. I know it is pretty late here, so have a good night’s rest. Merry Christmas…I will see the rest of you guys tomorrow.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Laura, do we want to hear the explanation?
A Date With Dr. Frankenstein?? Leanne, I’m intrigued, so there must be something right with that title.
ooooo…a book with Hollie in it….i like the way that sounds! I got doubly blessed(cursed)when i got married…i became Hollie Rieth…and yes it sounds like Holly wreath!
Dropping by, and kindda late, from my vacation place *grins*. Hi Leanne! Your book intrigued me.
Hi Leanne! deff be getting this i get some books for my birthday deff be asking for this one it pays to have a birthday on the 3rd of january new year new books works for me lol