Hot and steamy not only describes how it feels in Vicksburg National Military Park this time of year, but also the romance novels written by Gina Danna, one of the park’s seasonal interpretive rangers.

“I have worked in history for a long time, and I view myself as an historical fiction writer with a romantic element,” Danna said.

The Missouri native has been working at the park since May, and even though she describes her books as “sexy,” she said she is also dedicated to the historical accuracy of the time period in which the stories take place. So much so, Danna said she researches extensively and even posts a bibliography and author’s notes in the back of each novel.

“As a historian, I demand accuracy of my portrayal of the period I’m writing about,” she said. “But the real story lies in the characters, who they are and why they do what they did. My stories involve people we want to know who are like of us, fighting the same demons and looking for the same type of love — the end-all, heart-pumping, blood-racing, to-die-for type of love.”

Danna holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history and has worked in museums including the Missouri Civil War museum named Jefferson Barracks, the St. Louis County Park and the state Parks of Missouri. She is also a Civil War re-enactor, which became the catalyst for her story-telling.

Two years ago, Danna said she attended a writer’s workshop to present a program on period clothing. It was there, she said, that she caught the bug to write.

As an avid reader of romance novels, Danna said she’d often considered writing a book but had never gotten around to it.

“Life got in the way,” she said.

After attending the workshop and becoming involved with the Missouri Romance Writers Association, Danna has become a USA Today best-selling historical romance author with five published works to her name and two more in progress. One of those unfinished novels is titled “Unconditional Surrender” which she said includes Vicksburg.

“Unconditional Surrender,” is a sequel to the “The Wicked North,” said Danna, and her website states that the story focuses around a Confederate officer by the name of Charles Silvers and love interest Sarah Lawrence, a Southern Belle who is not what she appears.

“I have critique partners that say she (Sarah Lawrence) needs to be boiled in a pot of oil,” laughed Danna.

Working as an interpretive ranger has kept Danna busy and has not allowed her much time to write, she said.

However, her contract expires with the VNMP at the end of this month and, with no formal decisions made as to her next job, the petite blonde will have plenty of time to continue writing her spicy stories.

For more information on Danna and her novels, visit www.ginadanna.com. Her books are available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iBooks.