Crown princess of Regency romance Loretta Chase on the challenge of love scenes, the state of the historical romance novel, and why manly assets make the Regency man.

MB: What or who inspired your novel?

LC: I've been writing a Regencyera historical romance series about a set of brothers, the sons of the fictional Earl of Hargate. Since sons are expensive to maintain, he wants them to marry money. Lots of money. The original plan was to write a trilogy, dealing with the three unwed younger sons of the family. But at the end of the second book, "Mr. Impossible," the eldest son -- whom I thought was all taken care of -- turned up widowed. He was so intriguing (read messed-up) that I had to tell his story next. The result was "Lord Perfect." Since there's one more unmarried brother needing a story, it seems that this will be a four-book trilogy.

MB: Why do American romance readers care about dukes, viscounts and peerage, etc?

LC: Because we haven't any, and they are exotic and romantic to us. It has to do with the fairy tale, the fantasy. Cinderella didn't live happily ever after with a movie star or real estate mogul but with a prince. The aristocratic hero of the historical romance is the prince in the fairy tale.

MB: What do you like most about your novel?

LC: Apart from the fact that it's finished? The characters. Benedict is so buttoned up and Bathsheba is so … not. They're opposites, naturally, because that's so much fun to write about. This time, though, because the plot is one of my less convoluted ones, I was able to spend more time with them, and so I'm particularly pleased with the way their personalities develop. And I do like the dialogue. Oh, and there are some scenes ...

MB: How much do you love writing those wonderfully emotional and totally hot love scenes of yours?

LC: Thank you for saying that. Emotional and hot is what I strive for. As with the rest of the book, there can be a lot of cursing and teeth-gnashing with some scenes while others seem to write themselves. Love scenes are especially tricky, though: finding the setting and mood and hitting the emotional notes so that everything feels inevitable and exactly right for one set of characters at one particular moment in their relationship. And it definitely tests my writing chops: getting the words right, avoiding purple prose on one hand and clinical prose on the other. In short, it can be the most challenging part of writing a story, yet the most rewarding when everything falls into place.

MB: What is it about Regencies that is so appealing to readers?

LC: The men and the clothes, especially the men's clothes. I'm serious. Because I'm a history geek I used to think it was about the historical period, which to me is endlessly fascinating. I thought it was about "Pride and Prejudice" and Lord Byron and the Napoleonic Wars and the Industrial Revolution. I used to cite the tensions of this interval between the world of "Tom Jones" and the world of "Oliver Twist."

But now, may I commence the dissertation? Now I believe the appeal has to do with our image of the Regency hero. He's not flamboyant like the 18th century male in his silks and lace and high heels, his powdered wig and beauty patches. He's not buttoned up like the Victorian male in his dark colors and boxy clothes (this is grossly oversimplifying, but that's the image).

The image of the Regency male is sexy, virile elegance. He's got the starched white neckcloth wrapped around his throat and the immaculate white shirt. But the waistcoat and coat are close fitting to show off his powerful torso and they're cut away in front, so that his tight trousers or breeches can advertise his manly assets and muscled legs.

He's usually an aristocrat. Middle class values -- for better or for worse -- have not yet penetrated his world, so, to modern eyes, he has an extraordinary amount of power and an almost inconceivable degree of freedom. Even if he'd ever heard of Mrs. Grundy, he wouldn't care what she thought.

The clothes seem to express the dichotomy he is, too: On the one hand, there's the image of perfect manners and white gloves -- the man of refinement. On the other hand, these are hard-living, very physical men. Boxing, racing, hunting, dueling, gambling, and drinking are part of the picture, too. This is the untamed side. So you have this sense of something dangerous and unmanageable under the polished exterior. Whether historically true or not, it's an exciting image -- and it's my current explanation for the appeal of the Regency-era romance.

MB: We keep hearing that no one reads historicals anymore. Yet, I see wonderful historical titles released all the time. And, I know lots of readers who adore them. What do you think is the current state of the historical?

LC: My mind refuses to deal with markets and what people are or aren't buying. I have no control over that. All I can do is write my books and feel lucky to have readers who enjoy them. If the day comes when publishers don't want historical romance, I will write something else.

MB: Who is the most heroic person you know?

LC: I don't know how to answer this. Some people do spectacularly brave things. Others are not spectacular yet live bravely day to day. So I'd have list that began with my husband, my parents, and my grandparents, and then it would go on for miles with the names of people famous and obscure.

MB: Who's your romance hero: dark brooding bad boy or white knight in shining armor?

LC: Can I have both, please? So I'll have one for when I get bored with the other one?

MB:Answer the question you wish an interviewer would ask.

LC: Lycra and spandex.