Danielle Steel: I Don't Write Romance Novels

Beloved author Danielle Steel has sold more than half a billion copies of her 113 books. How does she do it?

The prolific author sat down with "Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez to share how she writes so much -- and keeps up with her busy life and big family.

Read an excerpt of Steel's "Legacy"

Steel has nine children, ages 22 to 39. She said one of her children still lives at home, and she said she's "holding on dearly."

However, the famed writer is also creating an adult life of her own.

She told Rodriguez, "It's been very hard, after being mostly a mom, to develop an adult life of my own. And not being married anymore, I have to come up with challenges. So I get into all kinds of things like starting art galleries and traveling. Visiting my children, annoying them endlessly."

Steel, who often doesn't read her books after they're published, said she's also working on two more.

But don't call them romance novels!

Steel told Rodriguez, "They're not really about romance. It's an element in life. But I think of romance novels as more of a category, and I write about the situations we all deal with. Loss and war and illness and jobs and careers, and good things, bad things, crimes, whatever. And I really write more about the human condition."

For her complete interview on "The Early Show" and more on her latest book, click on the video below.