Karen Robards's well-reviewed romantic suspense novels have made her a bestseller, and now her latest, Beachcomber, lands in the #11 spot after just a week in the stores. Atria Books launched the title with a 125,000-copy first printing, and she is doing a nine-city tour. An author of more than 21 novels, Robards got her first writing payment at the age of 18—a $100 check from Reader's Digest for a "Life in These United States" item. She was in law school when she wrote her first book and, happily for her fans, she sold it before she earned her degree.