trueromance

BORN TO DIE

When my editor at Kensington Publishing came up with the idea for a new series, I thought he was nuts. His idea was a series about a team of two female cops. I immediately thought of Cagney And Lacey of 1980’s television fame.

Really?

That’s where we were going?

Now you have to understand that John Scognamiglio and I work closely together. We take turns coming up with and sometimes discarding new ideas. Most of my ideas come from something I’ve seen or read about or heard, a germ of a story that I develop into a novel. Honestly I don’t know where John gets his ideas.

So when John suggested the two female cop thing, I wasn’t completely on board. Then out of the blue, his germ of an idea blossomed. In my mind’s eye I saw the first cop–a struggling, twice-married single mother of teenagers, and not necessarily A students at that. No, those kids didn’t appreciate her. She had red hair to match her temperament. I’d name her Regan–-yeah, Regan Pescoli, once married to Luke “Lucky” Pescoli. Yeah! She’d have a daughter and a son by different fathers, neither of which were supportive. Hot-tempered, willing to bend the rules every which way, Regan would be teamed with a emotionally distant, never-been-married woman who was smart as a whip and played everything by the rules. Selena Alvarez began to form in my mind and she came to me with a dark, deeply-imbedded secret.

And they weren’t city cops. Oh. No. These women were detectives with a county sheriff’s department. Far away from New Orleans where my Bentz/Montoya series is set, I came up with the town of Grizzly Falls, Montana set right in the heart of the Bitterroot Mountains.

I’d deal with craggy mountains and a small town perched on an icy river rather than the sultry, big-city feel of New Orleans.
I saw the town and peppered it with the characters that came into my mind. A sexy, guilt-riddled sheriff, a loner who is convinced he was once abducted by aliens and a women who talks to ghosts are a few of the citizens.

Recently I wrote BORN TO DIE, the third book and it’s available in August 2011. Detectives Pescoli and Alvarez are on the scene again and this time they discover the victims have an eerie resemblance to each other. No one is more aware of this disturbing fact than Dr. Kacey Lambert, who, herself, bears an uncanny likeness to the victims.

From a B level actress in Hollywood, to a teacher in the local elementary school, the victims are near mirror-images to Kacey. It only makes matters worse when she learns that the sexy rancher she’s confided in has been involved with several of the dead women.

And it scares her to death.

All in good old Grizzly Falls, Montana around Christmas time! Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-Ti-Dah!

Question: What really has had you so frightened you could feel your heart skip a beat?

Setting: London
Subgenre: Regency Historical
Hero: Xander Jones, illegitimate son of a courtesan and a lord
Heroine: Cleopatra Spencer, impoverished daughter of a baron

One sentence summary: A self-sufficient loner, so cold he might be stone, marries for money and finds a woman passionate enough to tempt a saint.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Cleo overhearing Xander make a bad marriage proposal to another woman in a bank. It all starts with that.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: She might be caught dead at it, but she’d never back down.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? He hates closets.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Cleo Spencer’s occupation is making ends meet for herself and her younger brother after their father dies and their uncle gets hold of their money. She should be a bank president.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Xander Jones is an early entrepreneur in Regency London. He’s an investor with a vision of lighting the darkest streets of London.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The push and pull between two characters who are sure they can’t fall in love with each other.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Kit Jones, a character who appears at the end of To Tempt a Saint. The good news is that his story has been written as To Seduce an Angel and comes out this September.

What’s next: I’m working on the first book in a series about an exclusive club for young lords who have ruined their reputations and their fortunes and get a chance for redemption by spying.

About Me:
What’s my favorite movie of all time? I love movies, so this is a hard one. Monsoon Wedding and The Empire Strikes Back are two of my favorites. In both love is tested, and beautiful men are called by women to become heroes.

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? I’m a sucker for stories about the outsider who reluctantly finds love and connection. See Monsoon Wedding.

What’s the first book I remember reading? Early books for me were Coarse Gold Gulch and A Little Maid of Boston. I was hooked on girls having adventures in far away times and places.

What’s my favorite fairy tale? “Petronella,” from “The Practical Princess and other Liberated Fairy Tales,” by Jay Williams. Petronella sets out to rescue a prince and wins a powerful enchanter instead.

What’s my favorite cartoon character? Wall-E

What’s something I’d like to tell your readers? Thank you. Romance readers are the best.

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? I’ve never stopped teaching high school English, but I could be tempted to run a stationer’s store, maybe at Lake Tahoe.

What do I do to unwind and relax? I let my husband and my children make me food and make me laugh.

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? Coffee, a Peet’s low-fat latte in my own cup to start the day.

What does love mean to me? Love is the unfinished business of our lives—becoming who we are meant to be by giving and receiving love.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? The Victorian Era would be my worst nightmare. Everyday would be a bad hair day, and I’d be lost in the layers and giant sleeves, and extra frills. The Roaring Twenties would suit me best, with bobbed hair and skirts that flirt with a girl’s knees.

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? I think I just found it—Violet Hammersley!

Dog person or cat person? A wild bird person. Dozens of birds come to our feeder every day.

Question – What movie scene is your never-fail three-hanky scene?

Setting: Texas, Canada, Mexico, Upstate New York
Subgenre: Action Thriller
Heroine: Caitlin Strong

One sentence summary: Female Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong takes on a radical militia movement bent on starting a second Civil War.

Scene you like most and would never cut: The scene where Caitlin first confronts the villain whose father was killed by hers twenty years before.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Compromising in any way, shape or form.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Caitlin has an undying devotion and loyalty to the traditions of the past.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Texas Ranger

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Caitlin’s love interest, Cort Wesley Masters, is an ex-Special Forces commando busy raising his two sons.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The characters are uniquely drawn and fully fleshed out.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Many would like to see me bring back Blaine McCracken, hero of nine action-adventure tales that ended in the late 90s. And I’m thinking of doing just that in an original E-book.

What’s next: Caitlin’s third adventure, STRONG AT THE BREAK, publishes on June 21 and I’ve just finished the firsts draft of book #4 in the series called BLOOD STRONG.

About Me:
What’s my favorite movie of all time? THE GODFATHER

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? THRILLER

What’s the first book I remember reading? THE EXORCIST

What’s my favorite fairy tale? HANSEL AND GRETEL

What’s my favorite cartoon character? BULLWINKLE

What’s something I’d like to tell your readers? There’s no greater gift than that of entertainment and no greater entertainment than telling a great story.

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? LAWYER or TEACHER

What do I do to unwind and relax? EXERCISE (and heavy drug use! LOL)

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? COFFEE. STARBUCKS!

What does love mean to me? COMMITMENT, COMPROMISE and ALWAYS TELLING THE TRUTH.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? THERE’S NO ERA TO LIVE IN BETTER THAN THIS. I WOULDN’T DO WELL IN ANY ERA WITHOUT RUNNING WATER, INDOOR PLUMBING, AND PROPER GROOMING HABITS!

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? I’M STILL SEARCHING FOR MY “KAISER ZOSE”! I’VE PASSED THIS STREET CALLED TEOFILO BRAGA–WHAT A GREAT NAME FOR A VILLAIN!

Dog person or cat person? DOG, FOR SURE!

Question – WHAT MAKES A GREAT THRILLER?

Setting: The Highlands of Scotland, contemporary
Subgenre: Werewolf, urban fantasy, paranormal romance
Hero: Ian MacNeill, Laird of Argent Castle, alpha pack leader of a gray pack
Heroine: Julia Wildthorn, red werewolf romance writer

One sentence summary: Modern day werewolf laird Ian MacNeill reluctantly allows a film production company to use his castle, but he knows his secretive clan has a big problem when a beautiful red werewolf female who insists she’s working on the film keeps showing up in the wrong places… and a matter of pleasure…

Scene you like most and would never cut: Where the hero catches up to the heroine in a tavern and gets a good look at her, dripping wet, although she gets just as much of an eyeful as she peruses him as his wet clothes cling to every muscle group.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: My heroine would never ask a Highlander what he wears under his kilt, although she might wish for a nice strong breeze.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? He raises Irish wolfhounds, which were used in the old days to kill wolves, but also to unseat English knights from their horses in Ireland where the MacNeills were from originally.

Heroine: She has never ridden a horse, except for nags used in trail rides and is terrified to ride on a horse with Ian, although she soon learns holding him tight isn’t such a bad way to ride after all.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Julia Wildthorn is an American werewolf romance writer, as in she is a red werewolf who writes werewolf romances.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Ian MacNeill is the clan chief for the MacNeill clan and the pack leader for the gray wolf pack at Argent Castle in Scotland but soon to lose their ancestral home if he doesn’t act quickly.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The Highland theme with wolfish hunks.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: The MacNeill brothers, Duncan, who has a story coming up later, and Cearnach and Guthrie, although I’ve already had fan requests for their cousin Heather also.

What’s next: Dreaming of the Wolf is the next release coming up, followed by The SEAL in Wolf Clothing, but I’m currently working on a brand new jaguar shifter series for Sourcebooks also.

Question – Sourcebooks is happy to provide a copy of HEART OF THE HIGHLAND WOLF to either US or Canada addresses, if you leave your email address along with the answer to this question:

If you had the chance to move into a castle in Scotland with a hunky Highland wolf clan, what would you like most about it?

A winner will be selected by the morning of June 12. Thanks to everyone who participates and to Ellen for so graciously having me visit today! For more information on my books, please visit www.terryspear.com.

About Me:

What’s my favorite movie of all time? Prince of Persia because of the romance and humor and historical aspect and fantasy and adventure and danger—it’s just perfect.

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? Time travel romance.

What’s the first book I remember reading? I was way ahead in English class and remembered reading and loving Last of the Mohicans.

What’s my favorite fairy tale? East of the Sun and West of the Moon, a Norwegian tale where the hero prince is cursed to be a polar bear by day and a human by night, my first shapeshifter story.

What’s my favorite cartoon character? Mickey Mouse, especially in Fantasia.

What’s something I’d like to tell your readers? Believe in yourself and dreams can come true.

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? Being a writer is in the blood, although I’m a librarian by day and a retired Army reserve officer, but the storytelling will always be with me.

What do I do to unwind and relax? Garden, read a book or watch a movie.

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? Mandarin-flavored green tea, straight up.

What does love mean to me? It means never having to say goodbye. I think that’s a quote from somewhere, but I think it’s so appropriate because wolves mate for life.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? The Roaring Twenties—awful hat styles and clothes, Prohibition, Depression Era. Terrible time to live. Most? I love writing about the medieval times, although if you were a serf, it wouldn’t have been fun! But if you were royalty, beautiful gowns, lots of folks to wait on your every whim—then again, sanitation problems, someone was always trying to overthrow someone, most women couldn’t choose a husband for love…maybe today is really best.

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? None, yet. I often use the Character Naming Guide to help select just the right name for a character, although sometimes I just think of something fun and wing it.

Dog person or cat person? Both, since I write about wolves that I love so much, and jaguars, that are just as sexy—shifters that is, and I’ve raised both dogs and cats for years.

More sexy werewolves from Terry Spear:

Setting: Baltimore, Maryland
Subgenre: Romantic Suspense
Hero: Homicide Detective JD Fitzpatrick
Heroine: Dr. Lucy Trask, Medical Examiner

One sentence summary: When Dr. Lucy Trask stumbles over a body in the park, she has no idea that it’s the beginning of the end of all she holds most secret – or that she’ll need the help of dark and dangerous Detective JD Fitzpatrick to stop a killer who’s planned her death for years.

Scene you like most and would never cut: The alley scene! I sure don’t want to spoil things, but this scene is pretty hot. It almost wasn’t written to begin with. The inner me said, “Really, Lucy, in an alley?” But Lucy and JD weren’t listening to me. They were a little too busy at the time…

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “The sight of blood makes me faint.” Or … “Those heels are too high.”

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Lucy is a medical examiner by day. But by night she has another job which requires black leather miniskirts and five-inch stilettos and her business partner wields a whip. Get your head out of the gutter, people! It’s not what you think.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: JD is a homicide detective with a tender heart that he hides well. If he weren’t a cop, he’d be great at selling anything to anybody. He’s a real charmer. If that didn’t pan out, he could be a bar bouncer.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I hope they like the twists and turns JD and Lucy must negotiate as they track down a killer without a conscience. I really hope they like that JD and Lucy begin to open their hearts to each other along the way.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Well, the book before YOU BELONG TO ME was SILENT SCREAM, David Hunter’s book. For years David was the character everyone asked for (and I hope readers loved his story!). Now they want the story of David’s nephew Tom, who readers first met as a gangly but brave fourteen year old boy in DON’T TELL, my first book. Tom’s 21 now and a really great guy. But he needs to grow up a little bit more before he gets his own story.

What’s next: My next book is titled NO ONE LEFT TO TELL and is Paige Holden’s story (readers met her in SILENT SCREAM where she was friends with both heroine Olivia and hero David). More on this to come in future months!

Lucy’s night job requires a skill that I’ve always wanted, but have never been able to master. I can tell you that she’s very musical. When I was a kid I wanted to play the piano so badly! The other kids complained about having to go to lessons and I wished I could change places with them. When I was a teen, I did learn to play the guitar, but not so well. I’ve always wished I would wake up one morning and be able to play an instrument with fine technique and lots of heart. If you could wake up with a newly found skill, what would it be? Superpowers count

I’ll be giving away one signed book from my backlist, winner’s choice!

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. I’ve seen it countless times and it still makes me weep, every time.

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? I love stories with characters who steal my heart and secondary characters that make me want to be their neighbor or sister. Genre-wise, I’m partial to paranormal romance, but I’ll read any book where the characters make me fall in love.

3. What’s the first book you remember reading? It was a Disney book that came with a 33-1/3-rpm record. Tinkerbell dinged when you were supposed to turn the page. It was based on the Small World ride. An orphan boy wants to know where he’s from and goes to Disneyland with his friends. He rides the Small World ride to try to guess his own heritage and real name. I must have listened to that record hundreds of times. My parents were very patient! I still remember one of the lines: “Perhaps my name is Patrick. I do like green.”

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Probably Cinderella. I think Forever After, the Drew Barrymore version, might be my favorite of all the tellings!

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Evil monkey villain Mojo-Jojo from the Powerpuff Girls. Curses… He is my favorite because he is my most favored, the one I like the best, the one I hold in highest regard… Incidentally, SILENT SCREAM’s heroine Olivia Sutherland’s dog was Mojo, named after the evil monkey villain himself.

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? THANK YOU! You’ve made my dreams come true.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I’d go back to teaching high school math.

8. What do you do to unwind and relax? I binge on whole series of TV on DVD or Netflix. My most recent binge was Pushing Daisies. So sad when it had to end.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Coffee, with lots of cream. Tea if it’s iced. Hot tea is for sore throats. I think I have a mental block at drinking hot tea when I’m not sick.

10. What does love mean to you? YOU BELONG TO ME will be released on my 25th wedding anniversary. I’ve been a fortunate woman to have loved and be loved by my husband. I think it’s wanting the other person’s happiness to come before your own, but also to be irrevocably meshed with your own. It’s knowing that whatever happens, that person will be there. That together the two are stronger than the sum of them individually. I’m quite partial to the Clint Black song, “Love isn’t something that we have, it’s something that we do.”

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? I never could have survived corsets! I kind of liked styles in the late seventies, early eighties, with the ruffled skirts and cowl sweaters. Maybe this is because that’s when I began to choose my own clothes and it was my first statement of individuality. I’m not a fashionista and rather envy women who can accessorize! The simpler the fashion for me, the better. Which is why my closet is mostly filled with black.

12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Buffy, just because

13. Dog person or cat person? I like both and have both. I prefer dogs, big goofy ones who love you and want to be with you always. My dog Loki fits this bill perfectly.

Setting: Ireland 1803
Subgenre: Historical
Hero: Sir Grant Dunmore
Heroine: Lady Caroline Blacknall

One sentence summary: Lady Caroline Blacknall finds herself shipwrecked and then rescued by a man she believed she would never see again, a man who, long ago, held her life in his hands . . . and with it, her heart.

Scene you like most and would never cut: I love the very beginning, when Caroline is shipwrecked off the coast of the hero’s remote island, and he has to rescue her. It actually felt very suspenseful to me even as I was writing it…

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Caroline is a big reader (just like me) so I doubt she would ever, ever turn down a bookstore shopping trip.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Heroine: Grant, the hero, appears to be a dark, reclusive villain-turned-hero, but he definitely has his sensitive, art-loving side (which the heroine has to work to discover). And Caroline does NOT like horses. Until she’s forced into a mad gallop across the Irish countryside.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Caroline is a writer and a scholar of history. If she were alive today, she would definitely be a professor in some small liberal arts college

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Grant is a spy (but secretly of course).

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think they will like the hero (I like him, anyway. He’s so dark and mysterious), and the dramatic setting of an Irish island in the middle of the sea. They were both inspired by my love of Bronte novels, and old-school Gothics (which I devoured as a kid).

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: : I’m not sure there is a character in this series whose story hasn’t been told yet, but I do get questions about “What happened to Eliza and Will after they left Ireland?” (from Countess of Scandal)

What’s next: I am working on a whole new series, with a whole new setting which I am so excited about–Victorian London! Look for the first book in The Scandalous St. Claires series, One Naughty Night, in summer 2012…

What is your favorite kind of hero? Dark and broody, witty and fun? What book first drew you into the romantic world? (For me, it was Jane Eyre, closely followed by a box full of Barbara Cartlands I found in my grandmother’s closet…)

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? That is a hard one, as I love movies and always find a lot of inspiration in them. I do rewatch Roman Holiday a lot.

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? I love a dark, rich historical with a great setting and complex characters (any time period at all).

3. What’s the first book you remember reading? Eloise at the Plaza–I loved that book! I also remember my first Nancy Drew mystery, The Scarlet Slipper Mystery.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Beauty and the Beast of course!

5. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? Just thank you, thank you, thank you for reading my books! It makes the work so worth while.

6. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I would love to work in a museum. Or be a race car driver.

7. What do you do to unwind and relax? I take yoga classes, which is a big stress-buster. Sometimes I have to force myself to get up and go to class (okay, I have to force myself every time!) but it’s always worth it.

8. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Tea, the darker and stronger the better…

9. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? I love the looks of the mid-18th century (tight waists and full skirts with luxurious fabrics and trims), and I also really like the 1950s. I’m a true girly-girl and adore big skirts. But to actually wear, probably the Regency–so much more comfortable and still so elegant.

10. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? I love the name Emma, but it hasn’t fit any heroine yet…

11. Dog person or cat person? Both! I am an equal opportunity pet owner, with two dogs and two cats (yes, it’s a zoo here).

Other books in the Daughters of Erin Trilogy:

Setting: Nantucket, Massachusetts
Subgenre: Romantic Suspense
Hero: Colton Lang
Heroine: Vivi Angelino

One sentence summary: When risk-taking PI Vivi Angelino steps into the stilettos of an A-list movie star as a body double to lure and trap a serial killer targeting Oscar winners, FBI agent Colton Lang will do anything to protect her…including throw his well-worn rule book away.

Scene you like most and would never cut: The mile-high lap dance. In this scene, Vivi Angelino is forced to do whatever it takes to keep FBI agent Colton Lang from blowing her cover. And it takes…creativity, nerve, and the ability to unzip thigh-high boots with your teeth.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “We have rules about things like that.”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Lang uses words like malarkey and cockamamie and he likes to golf and live by the rules. And, whoa and damn, does he have a weakness for Vivi Angelino.

One quirky thing about your heroine: Vivi likes Lang…despite the fact that he uses words like malarkey and cockamamie and he likes to golf and live by the rules. (And a skateboard is her preferred mode of transportation around Boston.)

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: A private investigator and former reporter, Vivi is the founder and driving force behind a fledgling security and investigation firm, The Guardian Angelinos.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He’s the Assistant Agent in Charge in the FBI’s Boston office, seeking a promotion to SAC in the LA office.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The combustible chemistry when opposites attract, and the surprising depth of the emotional impact of that. (They surprised me!)

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Gabe, Gabe, and more Gabe…the elusive secret agent cousin who swears constantly but wears a cross around his neck. What’s the deal with this gorgeous Gabriel? Devil or angel?

What’s next: Plenty of books coming in 2012, but right now I’m just enjoying the thrill of back to back releases in the Guardian Angelino series and the fun of seeing these characters brought to life.

At the heart of FACE OF DANGER is a love story about two people who, on the surface, seem completely wrong for each other, but are really a perfect fit. How do you feel about “opposites attract” love stories? Love ‘em, hate ‘em, or what?

Setting: The Western Isles of the Scottish Highlands in 1513
Subgenre: Scottish Historical
Hero: Ian MacDonald
Heroine: Sìleas (pronounced SHEE-las) MacDonald

One sentence summary:
When Ian returns home to save his imperiled clan, he finds that the awkward bride he’s avoided for five years has blossomed—but now that Ian is finally ready to claim her, Sìleas won’t have him…at least, not without his heart.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
I can’t pick just one, but I would hate to cut the first scene in chapter 1, in which Ian’s young friend, Sìleas, corners him into helping her out of yet another round of trouble. Doom settles over him when he learns that he’ll be rewarded for his good dead by being forced to marry her. The rest of the book takes place five years later.

I’m also quite fond of the scene in which Sìleas whacks our returning hero over the head with a pan. The first love scene is a favorite as well.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead saying:
I want to go live with my evil stepfather and marry his hideous son so that they can keep the castle they stole from me forever.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero.
The clan seer predicted Ian would wed twice, once in anger and once in love. He was a lad of ten at the time and was hoping for a prediction about his great feats in battle.

What is your heroine’s occupation?
She is holding Ian’s family together through hard times while he is having a grand time fighting and who-knows-what-else in France.

What is your hero’s occupation?
He is a Highland warrior. It’s a full-time job.

What you think readers will like best about this book?
My Highland hero, for sure. I think readers will admire Ian’s determination to save his clan and right the wrongs of the past. I hope they will be touched by his journey with Sileas, as he moves from desire, to passion, and finally to respect and a deep, abiding love for her.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
Martin, the naïve but brave young squire in Knight of Passion.

What’s next:
THE SINNER, the second book in THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS series, comes out in November.

About Me:

What’s your favorite movie of all time?
I’m a huge movie fan, so I can’t say just one. The Gladiator, Clueless, the 6-hour BBC production of Pride & Prejudice, Gigi (yes, I’m serious), Strictly Ballroom, Horseman on the Roof (French), Lord of the Rings, When Harry Met Sally, Bend it Like Beckam, Last of the Mohicans, There’s Something About Mary…. OK, I’ll stop!

What’s the first book you remember reading?
Hmm. Pippi Longstocking?

What’s your favorite fairy tale?
I’ll say the tales of King Arthur and Camelot, although they are legends rather than fairy tales.

What’s something you’d like to tell your readers?
Thank you for the kind messages many of you have sent me. They mean the world to me.

What do you do to unwind and relax?
Read and watch movies.

Tea or Coffee?
I am not a morning person, so I MUST have coffee to get going. I drink herbal tea the rest of the day.

What does love mean to you?
Anybody can be there when it’s fun. Someone who loves you comes through in the worst times. My heroes make a lot of mistakes along the way, but they shine at the darkest hour.

Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most?
Wearing wigs and corsets would be insufferable. I’d like to wear the clothes from the Roaring Twenties.

Dog person or cat person?
I have both for office mates. You can see their photos on my website.

Now, a question for you…

THE GUARDIAN is both an ugly duckling story and a story of second chances. In answer to the movie question, above, I mentioned two ugly duckling stories—Gigi and Strictly Ballroom—and at least two movies in which the hero and heroine get a second chance at love—When Harry Met Sally and There’s Something about Mary.

Do have a favorite ugly-duckling or second-chances movie or book?

I’d love to hear! I’ll give a signed copy of THE GUARDIAN to one commenter.

Setting: Ohio and Kentucky, both in suburban settings, and then a private lake.
Subgenre: Contemporary romance
Hero: Dare Macintosh
Heroine: Molly Alexander

WHEN YOU DARE
One sentence summary:
In my brand-new back-to-back trilogy, three private mercenaries who never let business get personal are about to discover that love is the riskiest game of all.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
I don’t want to do a spoiler, but when Molly first meets Dare’s good friend, Chris, I smiled the whole time while writing it.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero?
I got the idea for Dare after watching Taken with Liam Neeson. In that movie, he’s so focused on the hunt for his daughter that whenever he finds other poor women caught in trafficking, by necessity he passes them by. That left me appalled. I created Dare specifically so he *wouldn’t* leave anyone behind. J

Heroine:
A few of Molly’s situations as a writer were derived straight from my own experiences. I won’t say which ones, but I will say that I hope no readers recognize themselves in the story!

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:
She’s a suspense writer, very successful, and has recently gotten a movie deal.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:
He’s a private mercenary with far-reaching influence and incredible contacts.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
Well, as with all my stories, I hope it’s the romantic relationship, specifically how Dare and Molly both match up, and how they conflict. Relationships are complex. I’d never want to write one that was a straight shot to love, since all couples have issues they have to work out.
I hope readers find the story romantic, heartwarming, and a reaffirmation that love conquers all.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: (answer only if applicable)
I get a TON of letters and emails from readers asking me to write stories for Joe’s children, from Say No to Joe? (and someday, I hope to!) and an almost equal number of requests for more L.L. Foster stories – something I hope to work on soon!

What’s next:
The next book out is Trace of Fever in June and then Savor the Danger in July. I’m currently working on another book that will be related to the series, titled A Perfect Storm. I only have tentative dates on that, but so far, I think it may be my favorite of the series!

I’m hoping this series will become a new favorite for my readers, but I’m curious – out of the books I’ve already published, what’s YOUR favorite? Why?
Is there a book for a specific character that you wish I’d write, that I haven’t yet gotten to?

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Hmmmm… I LOVED A Perfect Get Away. Timothy Olyphant is just too delicious. But I also really loved A History of Violence, the Kill Bill movies, and the Bourne trilogy.

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
Romance if it’s reading. And really, I don’t read anything else! My current favorite TYPE of romance is anything in the Kresley Cole Immortals After Dark series. Yummy mega alphas! It’s action or horror if I’m at the movies. J I’m not much for drama or chick flicks.

3. What’s the first book you remember reading?
I don’t remember the title, but it was a historical, and it got me hooked. It was incredibly intimate – that’s what struck me the most. Being character driven, and all about the relationship… it was incredible! The earliest author I remember reading is Catherine Coulter, and her early historical trilogies blew me away! The Sherbrook series is still one of my all-time faves.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Beauty and the Beast. I love it when a woman is smart enough to see the heart of a man over his appearance. We all age, we all change. But if you fall in love with the character, not the character’s appearance, then the love never ends.

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character?
Oh, this will tell oodles about me, I’m sure, but I’m totally enthralled with Archer! For those who don’t know, he’s a very sexist, self-centered, highly-qualified and lethal super-spy with a lot of mommy issues (which account for him being so sexist). Archer gets it done, and he cracks me up to boot!

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers?
I have NO control over reissues or when/if a book is released in audio or as an ebook, or other formats. I do have a list on my site that tells you all the books related in a series, and I show you the covers so you can tell which is a reissue. You’d find that on my site – www.LoriFoster.com – under the left hand menu, Booklists, and then Related Books and Series.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer?
I have the greatest respect for teachers. I’m not sure I’d be any good at it – because I believe teaching is a talent - but I adore young people, and I love sharing thoughts and ideas, so maybe I could make it as a teacher. I’d give it a try!

8. What do you do to unwind and relax?
Movies, movies, movies! I probably see 2 movies a week. It’s the only time I’m not plotting or going over dialogue, or finessing a scene. Even when I try to sleep, I often end up going over the book in my dreams. It’s insane.
I also love to take walks, to get outside with nature. Hocking Hills in Logan, Ohio is a favorite getaway! Hubby and I have an RV that we park near a lake in the summer. Taking walks in the evening, or following the trail through the woods, is a good way to unwind.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
Coffee!!! I set the timer so that coffee is done by 5am, and then I hope I sleep that late. I drink decaf, so I’m not a caffeine junkie. I love the smell, the taste, the warmth… it wakes me better than caffeine ever could! I drink mine with a little sugar and creamer, but *really* strong.

10. What does love mean to you?
Trying your best, but understanding that neither of you are perfect. Accepting his faults and knowing he’ll accept yours. Being supportive when you can, explaining why not when you can’t. Sharing… everything. Your thoughts, your fears, your worries and responsibilities. There’s a wonderful sense of security in sharing love.

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most?
Oh geez. Well, most eras had their wealthy dressing up far more than I like, but luckily for me (ha!) I come from such humble beginnings, I’d have been a field hand, indentured servant, or a maid or something like that, so I guess it wouldn’t have mattered. LOL. Seeing anything in the Renaissance (so fussy!) gives me the willies. I live in my jeans.

12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet?
After 80+ stories, I think I’ve used them all. Names have never mattered all that much to me. I think of characters in a scene, I start writing, and whatever names lands on them just sticks. That’s not the best strategy though, because I’ve slipped up a few times and used the same name in different books. Readers will write and ask me if the characters are related. But they’re not, and it’s so embarrassing!

13. Dog person or cat person?
Both! I adore all animals. They keep us humble and grounded, and give so much love. I currently have one little doggie and three big kitties who are sooo entertaining. Hubby and I also care for a dozen or so feral cats. We started with one feral cat who showed up years ago in the winter. She wouldn’t let us anywhere near her, but we could see she was hungry. We fed her and put out warm bedding… and a few months later she brought us a litter. We do our best to catch the kittens, so we can get them up to date on shots and get them fixed, but one always escapes us, and that one will inevitably bring us more. :::sigh::: But we’re doing our best! Every so often, a cat we’ve never seen before will join the group. I think word has gotten out that we’re “the place to be” for lots of fresh food and water, and warm shelter.

Funny stories – in our efforts to catch the cats, we’ve trapped a few really po’d raccoons, and even a few skunks. Yes, we got sprayed. Twice. And yes, raccoons can be scary! We take care to relocate the critters in a safe way. It’s sort of hilarious to get up in the morning and see a snarling raccoon in a cage with eight or nine cats lazing around the cage, watching with varying expressions of “told you so.” The possum are the messiest, but luckily they don’t stick around long.

Setting: New York City in an alternate universe
Subgenre: paranormal romance
Hero: Dragos Cuelebre
Heroine: Pia Giovanni

One sentence summary:
A dragon chases after a thief, falls in love, and learns how to say please…sometimes.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
I would never cut the beguilement dream, in which Dragos intends to trap Pia but finds himself ensnared, not only with his own beguilement but also with her.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
“Can I have cheese on that steak burger?”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero?
Dragos is OCD about his hoard. He knows every item down to the smallest detail, including the year stamped on every one of his coins. And he has a lot of coins.

Heroine?
Pia is not quite vegan. She will eat honey, if it has been responsibly harvested, and yes, she does background checks on the brand.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:
Pia used to be a bartender and now she’s unemployed. Even as I type this, she’s wondering if she should start job hunting.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:
Dragos is the CEO and majority stockholder of Cuelebre Enterprises, a multi-billion dollar international corporation. He is also Lord of the Wyr demesne, which is a full-time job all on its own. Even as I type this, he’s wondering if he should take a vacation.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
I hope readers like the humor and suspense. These characters really came alive for me. They just about danced off the tips of my fingers and onto the page, and I had so much fun writing the repartee between Dragos and Pia. I hope readers enjoy reading about them as much as I have enjoyed writing about them.

What’s next:
The second book in the Elder Races series, Storm’s Heart, comes out August 2, 2011, and the third, Serpent’s Kiss, is released October 4, 2011. My wonderful agent Amy Boggs at the Donald Maass Literary Agency has also finalized details on a second contract. I’m very excited to follow this series through book six, and I’m already plotting storylines for possibly beyond!

I have a question for readers and I am excited to read their answers. What is the story that no one has told but you would like to read?

Two lucky commenters will win a copy of DRAGON BOUND!

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
I don’t have a favorite movie of all time. I’m too fickle. But the last movie I got really excited about was Avatar.

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
I love the kind of story that has several things going for it—suspense, humor, sensual tension, a kick-ass fight scene. I adore being surprised, and when a book can surprise me, I fall in love with it.

3. What’s the first book you remember reading?
The very first book I remember reading is The Little Red Hen. I was about four years old, and I loved that book. I carried it everywhere, and tried to read it to my parents and older sisters. I seem to recall they got pretty sick of it. But I could never figure out why.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Erm, this may be a bit of a different take on the question, but right now I would have to say anything written by Patricia A. McKillip. Her prose is lyrical, and her stories are like fairy tales, only new.

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character?
I have quite a fondness for She-Ra, Princess of Power. My daughter had all the dolls, along with a She-Ra castle, sword and cape. We saved the world several times when it did not know it was in peril. You’re welcome.

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers?
I adore hearing from readers about how they’ve interacted with a story I’ve written. It makes my day when I hear from someone that they really enjoyed Dragon Bound. I love finding out I was able to give someone the kind of pleasure I feel whenever I get lost in a book. I hope to continue providing that kind of pleasure to readers for a long time to come.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer?
I have a Masters in Library Information Science, so I would be a librarian working with books and the public, hopefully as a reference librarian. Working at a reference desk can be very demanding, but it can also be very rewarding as well. And reference work can be like playing trivial pursuit in a library, which is a great game to play in one of my favorite places in the world.

8. What do you do to unwind and relax?
Read! And sometimes, for a change of pace, I might switch out books and read something different than usual. I have two dogs I like to spend time with, and I love going for walks near water. I’m also a General Hospital fan (I Google for spoilers!), and I play online Scrabble with friends. I haven’t had the opportunity to travel much lately, and I’m hoping to get back to that. I have a passport that’s going through withdrawal. Even as I type this, I’m thinking maybe I need to go on a vacation.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
I love both coffee and tea. Usually I drink plain black coffee, although I enjoy it with cream and sugar as a dessert drink. I have to drink my tea with a splash of milk, and occasionally sugar (and very occasionally lemon).

10. What does love mean to you?
I think at its finest, love is a decision. All the emotions of being in love can feel amazing and wonderful, and it’s easy when everything is going well, but the most important expression of love is how we choose to act when we’re feeling selfish, or when we’re tired or sick, angry or hurt, or abandoned and endangered. That’s when we are capable of amazing things like self-sacrifice, true caring and generosity. I think that’s when stories become really memorable and haunting.

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most?
I would have been a very unhappy Victorian. All those suffocating layers of clothes, the corsets, and knick-knacks everywhere, unable to take a deep breath and not able to move freely for fear of knocking something over—just the thought makes me feel very claustrophobic.

But I think I might have quite liked the Regency era. The styles seem looser, more flowing, and very feminine. But I would only like to live in the Regency era if I had a lot of money, and a butler.

12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet?
Phaedra. And I think I might have found a fit for it.

13. Dog person or cat person?
I am a both person. I love animals. I have had cats, and I now have two dogs. Sadly, I probably won’t have another cat because of family members with allergies. But I do love them.