Those three words are at the core of every Raina James story. What else is there?

I love a good romance, from historical to contemporary, true-to-life to paranormal, science fiction and fantasy. As long as the characters are engaging and I can root for their relationship, I'm sold.

In my other life, I'm a journalist at a major daily newspaper. Life in a newsroom can sometimes be pretty grim. That's probably why I'm drawn to comedy and romance, and why I truly enjoy writing about romance filled with -- what else? -- love, passion and devotion.

As for influences, I greatly admire Emma Holly and Emma Wildes, Lori Foster, Nora Roberts (good God, if we could only all be so prolific and talented!), Stephanie Laurens, Kelley Armstrong, Janet Evanovich, Larissa Ione, Ilona Andrews, Jayne Ann Krentz (there's another prolific one for you), Virginia Henley, Kresley Cole, Jim Butcher, David Eddings, Anne McCaffrey ... the list goes on. With my writing career starting to unfold, I have nowhere near the time I used to for reading. Those authors, however, I make the time for.

I only hope that I can become that kind of author -- a writer whose words enchant readers and entice them to pick up the book when they really shouldn't and escape into my world for a few hours.