I GOING PLACES WEEK OF JAN. 29-FEB, 4 COMEDY DUFFY'S ON THE LAKE 3133 Union Lake Rd., Union Lake, Bob Posch and John Cionca, now through February, 9:30 and 11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, admission, reservations, 363-9469. Mark Hamilton, Steve Iott, Craig Mc Cart, now through Jan. 30, admission, 634-5208. COMEDY CASTLE 2593 Woodward, Berkley, Bobby Slatyon, now through Saturday, Rick Overton, Tuesday through Feb. 6, admission, 542-9900. - 1 z = - c 0 One of Greenberg's novels has been translated into Japanese. Awash in Romance Local author Jan Greenberg finds writing historical love stories requires research and diligence VICTORIA BELYEU DIAZ Special to the Jewish News t was 1975 when Jan Greenberg picked up a copy of Time mag- azine, and began to read an ar- ticle telling of the new and sweeping popularity of historical romance novels. As cases in point, the article mentioned the works of prolific authors Rosemary Rogers and Kath- leen Woodiwiss, and revealed the staggering financial success each woman had attained by simply creat- ing stories based on the age-old theme of boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy- gets-girl (or girl-meets-boy, etc.). Greenberg, a University of Illinois graduate with an English degree, who'd always "loved writing," but had never even submitted anything for Il publication, read on. According to the article, publishers were eagerly look- ing for more writers. "I'd seen these books. I'd read these books," Greenberg would say some years later. "it was the classic story, where I turned to my husband then and there and said, 'I could write books like this'." Husband, Larry, an insurance agent, agreed. "I'm sure you can," he said. And that's exactly what Jan Greenberg did. Since 1980, when her first romance novel, To Distant Shores, was published, Greenberg, writing as Jill Gregory, has written and sold five additional novels, and is now hard at work on still another. "We went out the very next weekend after I'd read that article in Jan Greenberg has six novels to her credit. Time, and I bought a new electric typewriter to replace my old, beat-up manual from college," says Greenberg, now 35. "I just started writing. I had a period in history I wanted to write about — the time of the American Revolution — and I wanted to do something with pirates and priva- teers. I knew I needed a conflict — every good story has a conflict. So, if my hero were an American privateer, I decided my heroine should be English. That would provide some built-in conflict. The story just took off from there. "I tried to work on it every day," says Greenberg, who, at the time, was also working full-time as a secretary at a Chicago paint company. "I think one of the major factors of my finishing the book and even- THEATER WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY Bonstelle Theater, Wild Oats Friday through Feb. 7, admission, 557-2960. FISHER THEATER Fisher Theater, Detroit, Julie Andrews, Thursday through Feb. 8, admission, 423-6666. UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT THEATRE CO. University of Detroit campus, Cradle Song Friday through Feb. 14, admission, 927-1130. VILLAGE PLAYERS Village Players Playhouse, Birmingham, Picnic today through Saturday, admission, 644-2075. WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY Hilberry Theater, Detroit, Mame 8 p.m. Saturday, admission, 557-2972. WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY Hilberry Theater, Detroit, Tartuffe now through Feb. 25, admission, 557-2972. ATTIC THEATER Attic Theater, Detroit, Tamer of Horses now through Feb. 14 admission, 875-8284. MEADOW BROOK THEATER Oakland University, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof now through Feb. 21, admission, 377-3300. THE AVON PLAYERS Avon Playhouse, 1185 Washington Rd., Rochester Hills, Night Must Fall 8 p.m. (except Sundays 7:30 p.m.) now through Saturday, admission, 656-1130. BIRMINGHAM THEATRE 211 S. Woodward, Promises, Promises, now through Sunday, admission. 644 3533. - Continued on Page 59 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 57