You're known to create vivid heroes and heroines. Do you begin with a plot idea or a character or does it vary?

When I'm writing, the germ of the idea might come from a person who has intrigued me, a situation, or a place. I think that everyone has gone somewhere and wondered what gave the place a particular feel, or heard a fascinating true story that might lead to a great deal more. In this instance, the germ was simple--vampires in the wild, wild West!

Do you believe in ghosts or paranormal encounters?

As far as the paranormal goes, I'm not sure what I believe. I honestly don't think we've had a society of vampires living among us for decades, but I do believe myth and legend comes from what happened, and grew. There were very real monsters in society, and one way to look at them is to create something unworldly about them--God knows, it's almost impossible for most of us to believe the cruelty that some human beings are able to inflict on others. I also grew up in an Irish household--my mom was born in Dublin--and my family told the best stories in the world, very easy to believe! If we misbehaved, the banshees would get us in the outhouse. My gran gave us that dire warning so well that my sister and I were in our teens before we realized it couldn't happen--we didn't have an outhouse. I'm was also raised in a "mixed" home, since we were half Catholic and half Episcopalian, but both religions recognize a "holy" ghost, and we believe in the concept of Heaven. Since I very much want to see the family and friends I've lost again, I very much believe in something after death. I've not sat down with a ghost--I would love to be a talk show host interviewing Robert E. Lee, Lincoln, and Jeff Davis in casual sofa style!--but I have heard enough about strange circumstances and events to keep an open mind!

You've published in romance, suspense, thriller--how many genres do you write in? Do you know what type of book you'll be writing when you start or is it a process?

I love different genres--I think going in different directions keeps me excited as a writer. It's a wonderful time to be writing--we're kind of in a no holds barred era. I do know when I start out what I'm writing, because books will have a different tone. My ghosts are actually grounded in reality--if that makes sense! Vampires are edgier. One I did this year for Christmas--home in time for Christmas--was fun because I actually refrained from killing anyone! And doing an illustrated fantasy was an amazing amount of fun, too. I just hope to get to keep growing, and trying new things, while keeping reader expectation satisfied as well.

How do you balance your busy writing schedule with all else you do?

Actually don't balance anything well at all. I stumble along. My family is everything to me, but I love my work as well, and my friends from writing groups are amazing. I guess I do want it all--travel, work, and family. My house is seriously a disaster, but I've already warned them all that no one is allowed to write that on my tombstone. I think it's important to get out there and live--that's how you find people, places, and situations!

Tell us about Slush Pile Productions and what are some of your favorite charities. You obviously have a great love for New Orleans, and your annual Writers for New Orleans conference is always a big draw. How is recovery progressing in the City That Care Forgot? Tell us about this conference and why you started it.

Slush Pile Productions came about in a couple of ways--I came out of a slush pile years ago, so it seemed a good name when I incorporated. I came from a musical theater background, and when I started hosting the vampire party years ago at RT, a production seemed the way to go. Now, we use the name for the band we have at various functions (our mainstays are F. Paul Wilson, Davie Simms, Alex Sokoloff and myself, with Harley Jane Kozak, Beth Ciotta, Nathan Walpole and others joining in when they're able--all thanks to Bob Levinson and the Thriller Killer Band!)

The vampire party raises money for Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids foundation and we've also raised money for the fire fighter and police (after 9/11) and we put on a workshop every year in New Orleans to benefit the libraries--and the city itself. Friends told me after the storm how grateful they were for help, but what they really wanted to do was get back to work. To work you need people in the city, and there is no finer group than writers to come and spend time exploring, heading to the museums--and, of course, Bourbon Street. It's a win-win situation--editors, authors, and readers. Hopefully, we're doing something good, and something that is tremendous fun as well.

To keep up with the every busy Heather Graham, check these sites: theoriginalheathergraham.com, eheathergraham.com, heathergraham.tv, myspace and facebook!

Carolyn Haines is the author of the Sarah Booth Delaney Mississippi Delta mystery series. GREEDY BONES is her latest title. She is a 2009 recipient of the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence.