Talented author Candice Hern extols the virtues of younger men, praises the empowering nature of romance, and reveals why titled heroes make the best anonymous lovers. Read on ...

MB: What or who inspired your novel?

CH: It was conceived as part of a trilogy. With my Merry Widows books, I wanted each heroine to have come from different experiences with love and with sex, so that finding lovers (which is their secret quest) would impact each of them in different ways.

I also knew I wanted one of the stories to be a younger man/older woman story -- just because I wanted to write one -- and so that's where I stared with "Just One of Those Flings."

When Beatrice was introduced in the first book, "In the Thrill of the Night," I made her a bit older -- an ancient crone of 35! -- because I knew she would be the one to have a younger lover. But I didn't really know much of anything else about her story or her hero until I sat down to write the book.

I did have the first scene in my head pretty early, though. I knew I wanted the hero and heroine to have anonymous sex at a masked ball, with neither knowing who the other was. I decided he should be the Catch of the Season -- handsome, rich, titled -- which would mean Beatrice's niece, for whom she is acting as chaperone, would want him for herself. That would put Beatrice in an awkward situation at best.

But for that opening scene to work, the hero had to be someone Beatrice would not recognize. Even with a mask, she would see his eyes and his chin, etc. So I decided he should be new to town.

Since he was titled -- and I decided he would have a very high title, a marquess, the heir to a dukedom -- he could not have simply hibernated in the country for years. I needed to have a man who'd been away from England for many years, so many years that he is virtually unknown to Society. So I sent him to India.

MB: What do you like most about your novel?

CH: I have a favorite scene, but if I describe it will be a major spoiler for anyone who hasn't read the book. Let's just say it involves a relative of the heroine arriving quite unexpectedly at a ball and causing a huge scene that results in a doozy of a scandal.

There was so much emotion flying from so many characters that I absolutely loved writing that scene. It all started from a vision I had of that relative and her rather unusual entrance into the ballroom. And that's all I'm going to say about it!

The other thing I really enjoyed about writing "Just One of Those Flings" was the hero's background in India. I had seriously studied Indian Art in college and in grad school, so I gave the hero a collection of Indian sculpture, which allowed me to dip into an old passion of mine and to wax poetic for a moment about some of my favorite pieces of sculpture.

MB: Who is the most heroic person you know?

CH: You don't need to be a superhero to be heroic. There are heroes all around us, every day. From the first-responders who often risk their lives to keep us safe, to the single mother holding down two jobs to feed her children, to those who fight for the rights of others less fortunate, to those who work and fight for peace. I believe most of us embody a certain amount of heroism in the way we live our lives.

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

CH: I like men -- and women, too -- who don't always play by the rules, who take risks, who make creative decisions, who may seem a bit reckless, etc. So I do like a little bit of the Bad Boy attitude, but he shouldn't be cruel or heartless or evil. Not quite that bad.

As for brooding, no thanks. The brooding, wounded hero who is healed by love is a powerful protagonist and I enjoy reading, and writing, about such men. But in real life, who wants a brooder? They're much too high-maintenance for me.

So, my hero would be a guy who deals with whatever life throws at him, makes the best of it, and moves on. No brooding. No regrets. He should also have a wry sense of humor, a deep, sexy voice, and a killer body. Of course.

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

CH: Just once I'd like an interviewer to ask why I choose to write romance without a sneer in his/her voice and the implication that romance is trash. Just once I'd like to be interviewed about writing romance without the term "bodice-ripper" being used.

You are, of course, the exception, Michelle, since you actually love romance novels and appreciate the people who write them. If only your sensibilities could be the norm with the media, but such is, unfortunately, not the case.

So, if you were to ask me -- with a smile, of course, instead of a sneer -- why I choose to write romance, I'd tell you (and anyone else who asks) that I write romance because it is the most hopeful genre of fiction.

Romance reinforces the belief in hope, the belief that, together, through love, we can overcome anything. That as women we have power over our lives and the lives of our loved ones, and ultimately, our destiny.

Why would I not want to write about something so important?