Nora Roberts.
As with her more than 150 previous, best-selling romance novels, her new book Blood Brothers, is certain to set readers' hearts aflutter. Nora Roberts will now take your questions.
You are such a prolific writer. How do you keep coming up with fresh ideas? —Carole Ramsay, Morris Plains NJ
Ideas are infinite—writers are hardwired to think that way. We keep it fresh by using new people, mixing character types and putting them in a different setting. It's always the first book all over again, but one idea can be told a thousand different ways. There are 88 keys on the piano, but you can make an infinite amount of music from those keys.
Why should people read romance novels? —Mahtot Teka, Addis Ababa
They are a celebration of relations, finding love, overcoming obstacles and making commitments. I think that is something very worthy of respect. They're not just about naked pirates, although what's wrong with a naked pirate now and again?
How do you react to critics who say romance novels are trashy? —Rachel Malaguit, Manila
I think it is narrow-minded for anyone to say this entire genre is trash or fluff. In every genre you'll find trash. Not every romance [novel] published is wonderful—it would be very naive for me to say so. Some may edge over to trashy, but it really is in the eye of the individual reader.
Are you a romantic? —Laurie Crane, Baltimore
It depends on your definition.I don't think I am a traditional romantic who thinks about candlelight dinners and wonders if my husband is going to bring me flowers, though I'm delighted if he does. I'm more practical-minded. I find it incredibly romantic that my husband does the dishes.
Many of your books are set in beautiful, descriptive settings, like Ireland. Do you always visit these places before writing? —Komal Mehta, Mumbai
Sometimes. I always go in my head. With the Internet you can go anywhere and research anything. When I started writing, I had a 3- and a 6-year-old, and it was a little difficult [to say], "Sorry, kids, got to go! Here are the SpaghettiOs. [Put them] in the microwave, and you'll be fine."
Are your female heroines based on you or someone you know? —Julie Lavoie, Montreal
They're certainly not based on me—that would be boring. I'm not nearly as adventurous, brave or unselfish as any of my female leads. I don't know anyone that interesting either. My job is to make them up.
You write romantic suspense novels under the pen name J.D. Robb. Why? Do you get a secret thrill out of it? —Clint Hues, Quinton, VA
It's marketing. I write very quickly, and publishers can't publish just me—they want other authors too. So I agreed to try it if I could do something different. These books are edgier and much different from what I do under my own name, so putting it under a pseudonym helps brand it for the reader.
Children rarely read for fun. How can we encourage interest in recreational reading? —Tricia Munson, Highland Heights, OH
It's up to the parents to not only allow but encourage reading fun books. People tend to push books that are good for you, like broccoli instead of ice cream. But if you let them read Spider-Man—I sure did—they are going to move on to Ray Bradbury and Stephen King.
Why aren't there more successful male romance novelists? —J.R. Repich, Miami
They're emotion-based books, so perhaps they appeal more to women—although a lot of men will read them if they're sitting at home on the coffee table. It goes back to reading what you enjoy, and women enjoy romance as a genre more than men do.
Is it true you are a bad speller? —Andy Chu, Washington
I'm terrible! [Laughs.] I'm better than when I started, but thank God for spell-check!
TIME's interview with the author continues on Time.com. Read these extra questions for Nora Roberts. To subscribe to the 10 Questions podcast on iTunes, go to time.com/10questions