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: Mirabelle Island, Lake Superior off Wisconsin’s north shore
Subgenre: Romantic suspense
Hero: Jonas Abel
Heroine: Missy Charms

One sentence summary: What would you do if the love of your life, your husband, a man who’s supposed to be dead and gone, shows up on your doorstep, bleeding from a gunshot wound?

Scene you like most and would never cut: Jonas and Missy have always had a very hot, physical relationship. Even when their marriage was falling apart, it was the one thing that always worked. So when Jonas, in anger, goes to Missy’s bedroom one night and sees her naked silhouette, bam! It’s not a nice, happy, successful love scene, but it’s so critical to the story.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Missy would never eat meat. She’s a vegetarian.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Jonas’s mother died when he was six and so he traveled the world with his military father. As a result, Jonas can speak German, Spanish and several Arabic dialects.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She owns a small gift shop that specializes in earth friendly gifts on Mirabelle, a small tourist island, the wedding destination of the Upper Midwest. She also makes a lot of the jewelry she sells in her shop.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Jonas is an FBI agent who’s been deep undercover for several years. He takes his job a little too seriously, which is a part of his journey in this book.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think they’ll like the entire book, but if the ending doesn’t make readers both cry and laugh, then I haven’t done my job!

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: I’ve received a couple of reader letters asking when I’m going to write about Garrett Taylor’s three brothers. He’s the Mirabelle Island chief of police and the hero in my 2nd Mirabelle story, Next Comes Love. I’ve written about his youngest brother in The Pursuit of Jesse, just out this July. But Christian and Drew are still percolating.

What’s next:
The Pursuit of Jesse, Her Sure Thing, and Redemption at Mirabelle, the 5th, 6th and 7th Mirabelle stand alone books, come out back to back this July, August and September. I’m currently working on a Navy SEALS novella with a large group of authors, to be part of SEAL of My Dreams, due to be released on 11/11/11. And I’ve got a proposal in with Harlequin for 2 more Mirabelle stories, so I’ll be keeping busy!

About Me:
What’s my favorite movie of all time? Romancing the Stone and The Princess Bride generally run neck and neck for first place, but Pride and Prejudice (Kiera Knightly version) and Phantom of the Opera run close seconds.

What’s my favorite kind of story to get lost in? Since I would never dream of writing a historical romance, they’re the easiest stories for me to sink into.

What’s the first book I remember reading? Oh, that’s a tough one. Probably a Nancy Drew mystery. Although it wasn’t long after that I graduated to Harlequins!

What’s my favorite fairy tale? I’ve always loved the story of The Ugly Duckling. I had three sisters who were 8, 10 and 12 years older than me, so I think I identified with that baby swan!

What’s my favorite cartoon character? Oh, oh. Haven’t watched cartoons since my kids were little and I’m not sure South Park qualifies. I really liked watching the Rugrats with my kids when they were little and Angelica Pickles was probably my favorite character. From when I was a kid, though, and I’m dating myself here, I drooled over Johnny Quest!

What’s something I’d like to tell your readers? I love you guys. I wouldn’t be able to do this without every single one of you!

What would my occupation be if I were no longer a writer? I have an undergrad degree in accounting, so I’d very likely jump back into business.

What do I do to unwind and relax? Watch moves, walk the dogs, read, garden.

Tea or Coffee? And how do I take it? I love coffee with cream, but all that caffeine isn’t good for me. I drink tea. Black is my favorite, but I like green, too.

What does love mean to me? Love, to me, means accepting a person in his/her entirety. We all have flaws, but they’re part of what makes us, us.

Which era would I least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? I’m not crazy about wearing dresses, so I’d dislike just about any pre-1960 era from a fashion standpoint. I’m actually pretty happy with today’s fashions. So eclectic just about anything goes!

What name have I been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Oh, I love this question! Names are so important to me. For a long time I wanted to use the name Jamis, but the perfect hero, a horror writer, showed up for that one in THEN COMES BABY. Now I’d love to find a character to match the name Dixon. Haven’t quite figured out who he is yet.

Dog person or cat person? Both. I have two dogs and two cats. There are times when only my dogs’ devotion will do. And other times when a cat’s purr in my ear is just the ticket!

Question –
As I mentioned earlier, I have proposals in for books 8 and 9 in my Mirabelle Island series, that will hopefully come out in 2012, so I’m very curious about this. Do you ever get tired of reading a series written by the same author? What makes you stop reading a series?

Suddenly, it’s summer! We’ve been hankering for good weather here on the Triple L, and it’s finally here. The flowers are blooming, the horses are romping in their grassy pasture, and the dogs and cats love sunning themselves on the back deck.

You know, it seems like just yesterday that I was starting A Creed in Stone Creek, Book 1 of my new Creed Cowboys trilogy, and now that book is not only out, but so is Book 2, Creed’s Honor! And very soon, The Creed Legacy, Book 3, will be in the stores. Amazing.

I’m planning on staying around Spokane this summer, writing the new series, my “Big Sky” books, doing some art work and taking a class or two, and just generally soaking up the sunshine, here and out at the lake house, my favorite retreat. How I love to sit at the table in the front room, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, and watch the sun rise, lighting up the water. Moonrise is spectacular, too, especially when the moon is full, and lightning storms are too beautiful to be believed.

An eagle often perches in the top of the big pine tree, watching for fish, and it’s not uncommon to look down and see deer in the yard, munching on the shrubbery.

Second to staring out at the lake—it freezes over in winter and people skate on it—I like to read in my “Uncle Harry” chair, a comfortable leather seat that reclines. I gave it that name because it reminds me of my late uncle, Harry Bleecker, who loved to read the newspaper in a very similar chair, though his was a rocker. Some memories stick in your heart for good.

And memories are one more reason to love the lake house—my nieces and nephews and various friends love to vacation there, and it means the world to me that they’re creating a whole new bunch of memories in the process.

I am indeed blessed, with work I love, a wonderful daughter, family and friends, pets, plenty of books to read and all the art supplies I can use.

Color me grateful.

Harlequin will give away three random titles to three readers.

Setting: London, England, in 1821
Subgenre: Regency-set historical
Hero: Stephen Parker-Roth
Heroine: Lady Anne Marston

One sentence summary: Trapped between a secret and a lie, Lady Anne Marston must disentangle herself from her sham engagement to the charming, maddening Mr. Stephen Parker-Roth (the “King of Hearts”) before the truth comes out–or her heart gives in.

Scene you like most and would never cut: I have to say I like all my scenes or they wouldn’t be in the book! However, in every one of my books, there’s always some odd little scene that sticks in my mind, but readers might not really notice. In The Naked King one of those scenes is when Stephen is sitting in the blue parlor at Crane House with his parents, Lady Anne, Miss Strange, and Lady Brentwood. Stephen’s mother, in giving Lady Brentwood some parenting advice, mentions that she’s stopped trying to control the actions of her adult children. This is a surprise to Stephen. I guess I find this funny because I think I’ve stopped trying to control my children–and my children might be as surprised by that as Stephen is.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “Let’s go for a walk in the garden, Lord Brentwood.”

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero: Stephen acquired his nickname–the King of Hearts–because of his skill with cards…at least that’s what he says.

Tell us one quirky thing about your heroine: Lady Anne hates to shop.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Lady Anne doesn’t have an occupation; she’s the daughter of the Earl of Crane–aka “Crazy Crane.” Crazy Crane and Anne’s stepmother are apt to go off searching for antiquities at the drop of a hat, leaving Anne in charge of everything back home. When The Naked King begins, they have just dumped Anne in London along with her half siblings. She has to orchestrate her half-sister’s come-out whilst keeping her twin half-brothers and their dog out of mischief with only her eccentric elderly cousin to help.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Stephen Parker-Roth is a botanist and plant hunter. While he has his own estate, he enjoys organizing plant hunting expeditions and bringing back new plant species that he shares with his older brother John.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think they’ll fall in love with Stephen–and I hope they laugh a lot.

What’s next: I’m starting a new series of Regency-set historical romances–a novella and a trilogy–about a matchmaking Duchess, nicknamed the Duchess of Love, and her three sons. I’m anticipating the first story will be released sometime in 2012.

And now a question for everyone out there in the blogosphere–What book do you remember loving from your childhood?

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Probably Chariots of Fire. I love running; I love the Olympics; I loved the moral challenges in the film; and I was very pregnant with my oldest son when I first saw the movie.

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? A romance! I have to have a happy ending.

3. What’s the first book you remember reading? Gee, I think I go back to the Dick and Jane books which weren’t exactly great literature. My dad used to read Dr. Seuss to me–loved them all, so maybe The Cat in the Hat was the first book I read by myself. I used to devour the Nancy Drew stories, and I loved books with magic or fantasy in them: all the Mary Poppins books, Five Children and It, Half-Magic, and the Lloyd Alexander books. I was a big science fiction fan, too–I loved Andre Norton. And of course I was a huge fan of Georgette Heyer, arguably the mother of the Regency romance subgenre.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? My second son, when he was only 2 or 3, had me read him The Story of Jumping Mouse by John Steptoe over and over. It’s not a fairy tale, exactly–it’s based on a Native American legend–and it may not really be for young children, but I found it haunted and rather spiritual.

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? I don’t think I have a favorite character. I used to have favorite programs like the Flintstones and the Jetsons.

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? Thank you for reading Naked!

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? Can I be a duchess? No, I guess not. Back in the days when I went to an office, I wrote regulations for the US Department of Agriculture’s school nutrition programs. Anyone remember ketchup as a vegetable?

8. What do you do to unwind and relax? When I’m not writing, I like to exercise–I swim with a Masters group (swim team for adults) twice a week and go to the gym most other days. And I like to hang out with my husband, sitting around weekend mornings, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper together, or going on adventures, like exploring London or LA both of which we did this year without a car.

9. What does love mean to you? Love is the feeling you have as a young child for your parents–and an adult child when those parents are elderly and need help; the heart squeezing feeling you get when you look at your sleeping baby–and the anguish you feel when that baby’s sick; it’s the excitement and pleasure you get when you see your new love–and the comfort and warmth you feel when you’ve spent so many years together you often repeat the same conversations.

10. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? I hated the itchy wool leggings my mother made me wear as a kid in the late 50s and the white cotton gloves and the Easter bonnets and the dresses. I like comfort and simplicity–and easy launderability, it that’s a word. I like zippers–I even like Velcro. So I’m happy with today’s fashions.

11. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? I have to say I have the character first, and then I go looking for a name to fit him or her. I’ve made a list of names from Shakespeare and the Bible and other sources to help me find names that might have been used during the late 1700s/early 1800s. And with Regencies, I often have to choose a title as well–Duke of Alvord; Earl of Westbrooke–and I’d better be sure to get all that right. For many Regency readers, a peerage error jumps off the page at them and annoys them like a pebble in their shoe for as long as they’re reading.

12. Dog person or cat person? When I was a child, I wanted a cat, but my mom wasn’t a pet person (though I did have a turtle for a while). Once I got married, I had kids (four sons) and that was challenge enough for me. When the kids were older, it turned out two of them wanted a dog and two of them didn’t–and I know who generally is left holding the bag–ahem–with pet care. I didn’t want to sign up for that duty. Frankly, when the cub scout pack gave me a plant as a thank you gift one year, my first thought was: Oh no, not another living thing to take care of! But I like both cats and dogs when they belong to someone else.

More Naked books by Sally MackKenzie:

Setting: Regency England; London
Subgenre: Regency-set historical romance
Hero: Dr. John Blackmore
Heroine: Bathsheba, the Countess of Randolph

One sentence summary: A Widowed countess seeking rich, aristocratic husband is most definitely not in the market for a crusading slum doctor who doesn’t care about money.

Scene you like most and would never cut: The scene at the old ruins in the woods. Trust me!

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Money means nothing to me.

Tell us one quirky thing about your heroine: She bites her nails.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: She’s a widowed countess and leader of the ton.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: He’s a physician. Specifically, an accoucheur, which was the Regency version of an obstetrician.

What you think readers will like best about this book: This is a very, very sexy book, with a lot of wit and passion. John and Bathsheba are both mature adults, who really know what they want out of life and from each other. Lots of sparks flying between them!

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Nigel Dash, a secondary character who has been in all three books in the series.

What’s next: My next book is the last in the series, and it’s a Christmas book. The hero is introduced in My Favorite Countess. He’s Major Lucas Stanton and he’s just had to leave his military career behind when he inherits a tumble-down estate. He’s not very happy about it, but Christmas—and a Christmas bride—has a way of making things work out!

Many historical romances feature aristocrats as heroes but some, like My Favorite Countess, feature men who actually have a profession. Do you like your heroes to be dukes or earls, or can a man who works for a living catch your fancy?

Or if you are thinking about treats try this question!

This book has been called “A Sensual Treat.” I’m in the mood to surprise my husband, so I think I will make us a Butter Pecan, Hot Fudge Sundae with a little whipped cream and a strawberry on top.
What is your favorite fun, sensual treat?

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Lord Of The Rings – all three of them

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? - a really sexy and emotional contemporary romance

3. What’s the first book you remember reading? – The Wizard Of Oz

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? – Beauty and the Beast

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? - Bugs Bunny

6. What do you do to unwind and relax? - read

7. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? – Coffee, with soy milk and a little maple syrup

8. What does love mean to you? – my husband!

9. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? – The Victorian Era. Too many heavy and constricting undergarments – I’m sure I would have fainted on a regular basis.

10. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Agatha Tingley

11. Dog person or cat person? – Dog, although I really like cats, too.

More Vanessa Kelly titles:

Setting: 
London, 1814
Subgenre: 
Regency Historical Romance
Hero: 
Ellis, Baron Langley
Heroine: Minerva Sterling, the Marchioness of Standon

One sentence summary: When Lord Langley returns to London, he hardly expects a hero’s welcome, but he certainly doesn’t expect to find someone waiting to kill him, nor can he believe that a proper widow like Minerva Sterling could be the key to clearing his name.

Scene you like most and would never cut: The scene in the carriage where Langley narrowly avoids breaking his promise to not kiss Minerva. Hint to the readers: There is a lot a rake can do to a lady without kissing her.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “Oh, yes, Langley, kiss me again.” At least not until the end of the book. Minerva is one tough customer.

Your hero, is he a boxer or brief kind of guy: I have a feeling he’s a commando sort of guy.

Ancillary character you had the most fun with: Aunt Bedelia. Minerva’s aunt is such a riot. She’s been married so many times and loved all her husbands, so she can’t understand Minerva’s reluctance to remarry. She also appeared in How I Met My Countess and Mad About the Duke.

Your heroine’s favorite hobby: Avoiding her Aunt Bedelia’s matchmaking.

Your hero’s favorite hobby: Seducing women.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The humor. The engagement of convenience set up lends itself to all kinds of potential problems, especially since Minerva has no desire to get remarried—for all kinds of reasons she doesn’t want exposed. Unfortunately for her, Langley, being a former diplomat and spy, has got this unending curiosity, so the moment he realizes something is amiss about Minerva, he won’t stop until he’s uncovered her secrets. Or gotten that kiss he’s promised not to steal.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Orlando Danvers who was seen in all of 7 pages in Once Tempted—where he then died. Dead or not, everyone loves him and wants him to come back. His place in the “more, please” pantheon is shared by Griffin Marlowe (His Mistress by Morning and Tempted by the Night). Everyone wants to know what Griffin wishes for when he finds the ring.

What’s next: A trio of misses who come from a village that has been cursed for centuries—no man in his right mind will take a bride from Kempton. So my intrepid heroines are ought to break the curse and find their true loves. The only problem being that not having any experience with romance makes their untried efforts rather amusing. The first book, Along Came a Duke, comes out early next summer.

Other books in the The Bachelor Chronicles–The Standon Widows series:

Setting: Victorian England
Subgenre: Historical Romance
Hero: John Ready
Heroine: Genny Wallington-Willis

One sentence summary: John Ready must concentrate on clearing his name—and prevent the fiend who sullied it, the notorious Raventhorpe, from working his evil on another innocent victim—while resisting the temptation of Genny Wallington-Willis, a suspicious young lady already burned once by love.

Scene you like most and would never cut: When John goes to see Lady Phillip St. Giles at Evermayne

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: All I want is to get married, even if my husband doesn’t love me and only wants my social connections

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? He has been gone from England for several years and missed the scents of English ale on tap, fresh baking bread and roasting mutton.
Heroine: Tends to be impulsive in the defense of others, sometimes charging forward to “save” someone who doesn’t need saving.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Genny is the daughter of a decorated Navy admiral.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: John used to be a sailor, then worked as Samuel Breedlove’s coachman, but he is currently employed as a body guard for Annabelle Bailey.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The mystery of John’s past and the way Genny’s love supports him when his secrets are revealed.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Fox and Gin from Two Weeks With A Stranger.

What’s next: I am currently working on a contemporary paranormal trilogy for Tor, though I intend to keep writing historical romances as well.

My question for readers: I’ve noticed that paranormal readers don’t seem to mind historical paranormals, but historical readers don’t seem to be fond of paranormal elements in historicals. Do you think this is a true observation? Why or why not?

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Tie between Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.

2. What’s your favorite cartoon character? More of a comic book character, but Spiderman, because he has such cool lines.

3. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Black tea with milk and sugar. I don’t like coffee, and I tend not to drink herbal tea.

4. What does love mean to you? My husband. He’s my partner, my friend and my lover all rolled into one amazing guy.

5. Dog person or cat person? Cat person

More books by Debra Mullins:

Hello everyone! It’s so great to be back on Borders True Romance blog. This is the place to be when you are looking for great books to read, as Borders certainly has them!

My name is Sue Grimshaw & I used to host the Borders True Romance blogsite. Now, I’m doing something a little different, currently employed at Ballantine Bantam Dell publishing as Category Specialist & Editor at Large. One of the things we’re excited about at BBD is the new website we are currently developing which will offer a community for readers. Romance At Random will be a place for readers to be part of author chats, win free books, and obtain exclusive content plus so much more! It has been so exciting to be at the ground level creating this fantastic, interactive site for romance readers that I wanted to stop by Borders True Romance Blog to let you all be the first to know.

Romance At Random will launch as its own website later this summer, however, in the meantime, we launched a FaceBook page to keep our readers posted on the exact Romance At Random release date – you can find us here, http://www.facebook.com/RomanceAtRandom. Much like our blog site will be, Romance@Random on FaceBook offers the inside scoop on what the industry is up to & also highlights to our readers new books, author insights & GIVEAWAYS! (&, we all know how much we love those!)

This weekend we will be doing a Giveaway & want you to come on by to be included in the random, Romance@Random, drawing! But first, inquiring minds at Romance@Random want to know, what draws you to a blogsite? For me, it’s the authors – I love to hear what they have to say about their books, because, really, who better can explain why I should read a book, or their book, better than the author?

Comment below, then send an email to: RomanceATRandom@randomhouse.com, & an email to: suegrimsha@gmail.com, with, ROMANCE@RANDOM HEARD IT AT BORDERS, in the subject line & we’ll include you in our random drawing – 10 winners will be chosen to receive a FREE book – what do you have to lose? Please include your mailing address in the email. C U soon!

Happy Romance, SueG

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.

A Song for My Mother

Setting: Small town of Dreyerville, Michigan

Heroine: Marly Hanson

One sentence summary: A mother/daughter story. Marly and her mother face the dark secrets of their past to try and rebuild the love they once shared.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Where Reed’s friend Emily is desperate to find her lost little boy.

Thing your heroine refuses to face. The awful memories of her childhood.

Tell us one thing about your hero? Your heroine. Reed has faced grief and loss of his own, as Marly has done, which is why he understands her. Marly needs the kind of man who will stand by her, which Reed Bennett is.

What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Marly is a school teacher. She is determined not to get involved with Reed and return to Detroit where she has a job waiting.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Reed is the Sheriff of Dreyerville County.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The touching relationship that begins to grow between mother, daughter, and granddaughter, Katie

What’s next: Up next for me is the reprint coming in July of MAGNIFICENT PASSAGE, my very first novel, a Western Romance, with a fabulous new cover.

Do you think all mothers should do what they can to protect their children from adversity, or is it better to confront hardships as they come our way?

About Me:

1. What’s your favorite movie of all time? One of them is Quigley Down Under. Tom Selleck in a pair of chaps? Amazing!

2. What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in? Romantic action adventure.

3. What’s the first book you remember reading? One was Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor.

4. What’s your favorite fairy tale? Cinderella

5. What’s your favorite cartoon character? Bugs Bunny

6. What’s something you’d like to tell your readers? Reading is my salvation, my escape from the problems of the world.

7. What would your occupation be if you were no longer a writer? I’d probably be a real estate agent again–but I’d rather be an astrophysicist!

8. What do you do to unwind and relax? Have a glass of wine and sit on my deck looking out at the mountains and reading a book.

9. Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it? Coffee, for sure, with lots of cream.

10. What does love mean to you? Love means having someone there for you when you really need them. And being there for them when they need you.

11. Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most? The 1700’s would be torture. Those cages the women wore and only taking a bath once a month! The twenties, fashion wise would have been delicious.

12. What name have you been dying to use as a lead character, but haven’t found the right fit yet? Sage for a woman (but I’m starting a book with her in it next week!).

13. Dog person or cat person? Cat person. I love them!