>> reporter: do people always ask you if these experiences come from your own life? >> oh, yeah, i've had all that great sex with many many different men and i've solved crimes. i've committed them. you know, i've traveled in space. you know, i've climbed mountains, done it all. >> reporter: she's done it all, all the writing, that is, from her home in rural maryland where she's lived since 1972. >> it's my place. i recognized it immediately when there was nothing here that this is where i want to be. it's where i want to raise my children >> reporter: she was a young mom, marooned here during a snowstorm in 1979 when she decided to start writing. >> two children. two boys for days. i thought i'm going insane. murder-suicide could happen here. that's how far gone i was. i said i'm going to write one of these stories down that is always playing around in my head. just for fun.

just for something to do. for sanity. the minute i started, that was it. and the notebook with a pencil. >> reporter: but publishers were not immediately impressed. they rejected you >> they rejected me many times reporter: but you still kept at it >> oh, yeah. i wanted it. i wanted it really really bad. >> reporter: her first novel was published in 1981. in just over three decades she's turned out more than 200 books. many of them number-one best sellers. she says she spends 6 to 8 hours a day working here in her home office. we were surprised to learn she finds writing a struggle. i think people hear, gosh, she's written 200 books. it must be so easy for her >> so not. reporter: it's not? writing is never easy. i don't think it should be. if it wasn't hard, everybody would do it. like baseball.

>> reporter: you've got a shelfful >> i have plenty of them reporter: the work has won her 19 romance writers of america awards and reportedly a whooping $60 million a year. so if you're wondering what she can possibly spend it all on... >> i would see this building just falling apart. it just really broke my heart. i kept thinking i could save that building >> reporter: the building is an inn built in the 1790s in the town of boonsboro maryland just a few miles from her home. it is is now up and running after a multimillion dollar renovation. >> the building itself had changed and deteriorated over the years but there were features in here that were extremely important for us to respect like the arch ways >> reporter: the arch ways are great. roberts' personally designed each of the inn's guest rooms in honor of a famous couple in

literature. there's one dedicated to elizabeth and darcy from pride and prejudice. >> so it's got a little reej ensy flavor >> reporter: jane and rochester from jane ayer. and even eve and rourke from her science fiction series >> if i can't name a room after my own characters in my own inn, who can? so this is much more contemporary or a little bit futuristic with touches like the chairs and the pop of orange in the antiquey looking dresser. >> reporter: roberts used the renovation of the inn as the back drop for a fictional trilogy about boonsboro. and the town is something of a family preoccupation. her son owns the local pizza joint. and her second husband, bruce welder, owns the bookstore. what's fun about being married

to nora roberts? >> it's all good, you know. she's a fun person to be around. she's very creative. i love her. >> reporter: loves her so much he's got a whole section devoted to his wife's amazing career. so welcome to nora world >> that's right. this is nora world. i think every book that is in print is in this room. >> reporter: all 200 of them yeah. they're here. >> reporter: in fact, her own story seems like the stuff of a nora roberts novel. so kind of like one of your heroin, you had a happily ever after life >> yeah, that's a pretty good deal >> reporter: but at age 61, don't expect her to ride off into the sunset any time soon. why? what makes you... >> what would i do with all those stories? they'd be crowding in my head driving me crazy.

let me out of there. what would i do with my day? just work. >> osgood: no doubt about it. "no doubt" is next. ♪guitar [phone ringing] hi. oh there you are. hey babe.how are ya? daddy,look! you lost another tooth. [man thinking] don't grow up without me. oh,uh riley wants to say hi. riley... hey buddy...keep 'em safe. [announcer] we know how important your dog is. so help keep him strong and healthy with the total care nutrition... in purina dog chow. because you're not just a family. you're a dog family. we miss you. ♪ [laughing] why? please?

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young ♪ funny how i found myself in love with you ♪ >> it's the new season on sunday morning, and here again is charles osgood. >> osgood: "it's my life" was a huge hit for the group "no doubt." now after a long hiatus, it is poised for a relaunch. the band members spoke with our anthony mason "for the record." ( cheers and applause ) >> reporter: one of the breakout rock bands of the '90s, "no doubt" has sold more than 33 million albums worldwide.

♪ don't think i know what you're thinking ♪ >> reporter: but after ruling the charts with monster hits like "don't speak," and" it's my life," no doubt went more than a decade without releasing a new record. now the band is back. ♪ get in line and settle down ♪ snet >> reporter: lead singer gwen stefani has reunitedded with her three band mates. this week they'll release "push and shove," their first album in 11 years >> the boys rehearse way more than me because i kind of feel like i'll just wing it. >> reporter: (laughing) at 42, stefani is still a style icon.

as well as being the band's lead singer and songwriter, she's a cover girl, fashion designer, and a celebrity mom to two boys, kingston and zuma >> it's just chaos now. a lot of great problems >> reporter: in fact since their last record all four band members have married and become parents with eight children now between them. bass player tony kanal, drummer adrian young and guitarist tom dumont all had kids recently which means touring ain't like it used to be >> we'll be up there and i'll be doing don't speak and thinking, is there a children's museum in dallas or should we go to the zoo? >> reporter: it's a long way from the california club scene that gave birth to the band. "no doubt" came together in anaheim in 1986. you were sort of a quiet catholic girl from california >> that's true, yeah.

reporter: stefani's brother started the group and encouraged his sister to join in. he's the one who told you to sing >> he would pound on the piano every morning. come on! i'd be like, no, i'm watching brady bunch. >> reporter: did you have to pass an audition? >> i auditioned at gwen's house reporter: tony kanal was just 16 when he signed on to the be the bass player. his first gig was upstairs here at what was then a los angeles club what did that feel like at the time? >> it was incredible. i think with the band i was... when i joined the band i felt like i found my identity. >> reporter: in those early days money was tight. kanal recently found these old ledgers in which the band kept track expenses >> to actually buy this ledger was $4 >> reporter: you kept a record of that? >> yeah reporter: you're paying for the rehearsal space here >> exactly. so tony put in $5, tom put in $5 and i put in $4

>> reporter: they all worked odd jobs to pay for that rehearsal time. stefani was a salesgirl in a clothing store for older women. >> and i had a whole wall of polly he is ter pants in every color. pulp ons. i could make pretty cute outfits for them. they were so grateful. i loved that >> think about how that was like the training ground. think about how much experience you got from the polly he is ter pants and then the make-up counter. you know what i mean? it all contributed to who you are now >> it did. so crazy to think about that reporter: kanal and stefani became a couple. they would date for seven years. it was their split in 1994 that changedded everything for the band. >> when he broke up with me, i was like... all of a sudden i wrote these songs. i didn't know i could write them. it happened like i was writing one after another like all these lyrics were coming out of me. ♪ you and me, we used to be

together ♪ >> i remember calling him going, listen to this one. on the phone and reading it to him. it was like really mean about him. you know, like horribly mean but he was like actually that's really good. this is really good. >> it's because she put herself out there and people could relate to it on some level. >> reporter: she's putting you out there too >> it was. it was rough. ♪ i don't know what to say >> reporter: "don't speak" the song about their break-up, would spend 16 weeks atop the radio air play charts and hit number one in countries. you got to relive the thing over and over >> we were opening this wound next to each other constantly. >> reporter: how do you deal with that? >> you would go back to the room so emotionally physically spiritually like everything was drained. it was brutal.

i look back on it now. but we got through it. we wouldn't still be here if we didn't love our band so much. to go through that break-up and then stay together as a band >> reporter: did you have a conversation about that? >> yeah, he said what should i do? should i leave the band? right >> um-hum i was like, no. no. ♪ that pathetic little me ♪ that was the girl i used to be ♪ >> reporter: their record "tragic kingdom" would become one of the landmark albums of the decade selling 16 million copies. but in 2004 the band decided to take a break. kanal and due month with make music with other artists. young indulged his love of golf and started playing professional tournaments. you don't think of a lot of rock

stars as being golfers >> no, they're not. they're two totally different worlds. it's a little bit of an escapism, i think. >> reporter: stefani also went into another world, fashion. >> these are what i'm wearing. see the matching jacket. can you imagine altogether? wow. >> reporter: she launched three clothing lines >> bold. reporter: became the face of loreal and also set out on a hugely successful solo career. you have all these different identities. i mean in a sense, right? >> but we all do, right reporter: most people don't have them become quite as large as yours have become. i mean, how do you manage all these different gwen stefani? >> a funny question. i don't. it's like every day is a struggle, you know, like i feel

like you have to prioritize what's important >> reporter: stefani, who is married to gavin rossdale, lead singer of the band bush, says the hardest job of all is being a mother. >> like today i'm a total failure mom day because i am, i haven't seen them yet this morning. i woke up before they woke up, got here. he's like, "i just really wish you were here." i'm just going to get through the next couple of hours. we're going to be together all night. that's what i'm thinking in my mind >> reporter: you're posing for pictures you're thinking of that >> of course i am. that's what we do. you're always thinking about them. for the rest of your life. it's crazy. >> reporter: this past week stefani and the band were getting ready for their new tour. they may all have children now, but no doubt is still a family of its own.

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>> osgood: summer has come to an end. the new own is getting underway. a good time to find out what's on your mind. we received an email from deb pertner, no location given, complaining about segments that we repeat during the summer months. she asked how can the show be called new when it's not? well, we do try to include new segments along with the stories we rerun which we also update by the way. and the stories we choose to air again are the reports that we believe are memorable enough to merit another airing.

we received a number of complaints reacting to a recent commentary from taf it smiley on poverty in america. one note under the header shame on you all commented i did not appreciate or accept what this man was saying. mr. smiley is just one of a number of people who contribute commentaries to sunday morning. his remarks are his opinion. our hope is that they will be thought-provoking whether you disagree or agree, mr. smiley's comments clearly accomplished that goal. and then there's this from a woman with no address given. please have mo rocca cut his hair. it looks terrible, she says. well, we will pass your opinion along to mo, but his hair style is entirely up to him. if you have a comment, a complaint or perhaps an idea for a story, you can write to us at 524 west 57th street.

ahead... >> i approve this message the price of democracy. ounded back , they've been committed to putting clients first. helping generations through tough times. good times. never taking a bailout. there when you need them. helping millions of americans over the centuries. the strength of a global financial leader. the heart of a one-to-one relationship. together for your future. ♪

>> and now a look at campaign 2012 by the numbers. with just 44 days to go to election day, most polls show president obama with a lead in the race for the 270 electoral votes it takes to win the white

house. in the race for campaign money, federally lex commission figures for august show mr. obama outraised mitt romney 85 million to 67 million dollars. and the obama organization has more cash on hand, 89 million compared to 50 million. but those figures don't include the bank accounts of the two national committees or those independent super pacs. as to where all money is going, the obama team has spent $236 million on tv advertising compared to romney's $92 million >> i approve this mess osgood: but again that figure doesn't include tv spending by pro romney super pacs >> restore our future is responsible for the content of this message >> osgood: $205 million so far. it's not over yet. by campaign's end the cumulative number of political tv ads, national, state and local, will total $3.6 million... 3.6 million ads. ♪ vote for me

>> osgood: again 44 days and counting to election day. and that brings us to bob scheiffer here in new york today with a special guest on "face the nation." good morning, bob >> schieffer: good morning, charles. well he was the star of the democratic convention, and today we'll sit down for a one-on-one interview with bill clinton. >> osgood: thank you, bob scheiffer. we'll be watching. next week here on on sunday morning, we get to the point. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] you've been years in the making. and there are many years ahead. join the millions of members who've chosen an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. go long.

insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. hershey's drops. a lot of hershey's happiness in little drops of milk chocolate. and cookies n creme. pure hershey's. >> this sunday morning moment of nature is sponsored by... >> osgood: we leave you this sunday off cape cod where seals are frolicking without a shark in sight.

>> osgood: i'm charles osgood. please join us again next sunday morning. until then, i'll see you on the radio. irregular heartbeat put me at 5 times greater risk of a stroke, my first thoughts were about my wife, and my family. i have the most common type of atrial fibrillation, or afib.

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