Laura Lee Gurhke talks about why she loves white knights, courageous spirit and the joy of leading honorable men down the garden path. Read on ...

MB: What or who inspired your novel?

LLG: "She's No Princess" is the fourth book of a series. When the hero, Sir Ian Moore, first appeared in "His Every Kiss," the second book of the series, I knew I had to write his story.

I love writing about those upright, honorable types who succumb to temptation.

MB: What do you like most about your novel?

LLG: What I like most about "She's No Princess" is the interplay between Sir Ian and the heroine of the story, Lucia Valenti. She is a hot-blooded, passionate person -- irresistible temptation to the honorable Sir Ian.

The chemistry between them turned out to be very combustible and a lot of fun to write.

MB: Who is the most heroic person you know?

LLG: That's a tough question. I've seen friends battle cancer, I've seen friends grieve over the loss of loved ones, I've seen friends and family take on battles that are so painful and hard, and I admire them all for their courage and the resiliency of their spirit.

Human beings are capable of the most amazing acts of bravery and kindness. I know this because I've seen it. I couldn't pick just one of those people and say that's the most heroic one I know.

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

LLG: You mean I have to choose?

Hmm ... I think in the romances I write and the ones I like to read, it's all about whether or not the hero can become the man the heroine would be happy with for life. If he's a bad boy, he must seek and find redemption. If he's a white knight, he must learn to have a little fun and enjoy life.

In "She's No Princess," that's part of what I liked about the story as I was writing it. I liked seeing stuffy Sir Ian loosen up his cravat a little. So in romances, either the bad boy or the white knight is fine by me.

In real life, of course, we may fantasize about redeeming the bad boy, but in my opinion, white knights are a better bet for happiness.

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

LLG: Yikes, you've stumped me with that one. I've been interviewed so often, I feel as if I've been asked every question there is.

In general, I'd like to see interviewers focus their questions more on the positive emotional message of romance novels, of the power of love and its ability to heal. Sometimes, it seems as if interviews focus more of their attention on the sexual aspects of the story and while sex is an important part of love and romance, it isn't the only part.