The Renegade's Heart arrives in February, 2002. Diego (who as I have painstakingly described, is very dark & very Spanish) is a reluctant hero, & his Melanie finds few redeeming qualities in the former Renegade's younger brother - until his brother's pueblo is threatened by greedy & dangerous forces, and Diego must take the mask he has vowed never to wear.

The cover mood is quite perfect as Diego faces his destiny, cared for by a gentle & independent woman. (she's a photographer, & this is a heroine's career that lasts beyond the book's ending.) I kind of like my name in pink! It seems so feminine. I shall wear pink from now on. (That's kind of a scary thought - sorry.)

I am vaguely curious as to why all my long-haired heroes end up with short hair. And I've had two blond heroines who were dark in the book. Dane in the Midnight Moon was fairly accurate - although actually he had shoulder-length hair. I do not CARE if the modern world prefers short hair - I wept bitter tears when Jason Frank, aka Tommy the Power Ranger of various colors, cut his hair. Sure, sure, he's still handsome, but the hair... sigh. It was so sensual & mysterious!  So I hope the hair thing turns around & goes back where I like it!

I feel the need to point out that I've had one genuine blond heroine, modeled on my daughter Sofia & Neesa Hart, who was Nisa (pronounced, btw, as Neesa), in the Dawn Star. Cora in Free Falling was dark until I saw the cover, & I had time to make her blond. Melanie in Renegade's Heart is light brown, modeled on my daughter Natassja, & so I refuse to change her hair to blond in the book.

Ah! A picture of my child to illustrate!

So in case anyone cares, Melanie is supposed to look exactly like Natassja, above.

Diego would slightly resemble the youthful Guy Williams, but even more, this incredibly cute, charming young man named Carlos who I met in Mexico while on the Romantic Times Carnival Cruise. He was our guide through Mayan Ruins & he had lovely hair, a charming personality, & he was as close to Diego as I can imagine. Unfortunately, I don't have his picture - but he was really, really handsome, & had black, black, wavy hair, bright twinkly brown eyes & a very quick wit!!

"'There is not one of us here who would not gladly suffer death to rid this country of the Romans, once and for all.'

'Uh, well, one.'

'Oh, yeah. Yeah, there's one. But otherwise, we're solid!'"

John Cleese in Life of Brian