Site Meter Vamps and Scamps: One day and counting 'til "Murphy's Law!"

Monday, August 28, 2006

One day and counting 'til "Murphy's Law!"



Mornin' Ladies and Gents!

We're happy to welcome our wonderful Ms. Lori Foster to the Vamps and Scamps blog today. I sent her your questions, and she was gracious enough to answer all of them. So here goes...

And don't forget to rush out and buy your copy of Murphy's Law tomorrow!!!

************************************************************************************* 1) Who is your hottest hero to date and why?

That probably depends on whether you’re asking who I think is the hottest, or who readers think is the hottest.
Readers would say Joe Winston or Noah Harper. I get the most reader mail and emails on those two! But I was always super partial to Dane Carter from Beguiled. And I really like Mick Dawson from Caught in the Act. I thought both of them “had it all,” and that really appealed to me.
Bram Giles from Hot & Bothered was a sex fiend, and George Westin from I Love Bad Boys was a mega confident lover.

2) Who is your hottest heroine to date and why?

Oh geez. Do I write hot heroines? That’s hot really a trait that comes to mind when thinking of my heroines.
I guess maybe Ray Vereker from Unexpected. She knew what she wanted and had no real sense of modesty.

3)How do you choose your characters' names?

It’s a random thing. Sometimes I search through the baby name book. Sometimes I see a name listed in the credits on a movie, or in a commercial. I don’t fret over names too much, and I never try to think of “sexy” names. When a character is sexy, he or she makes that connection to the name.

4) Who are some of your favorite authors?

Oh wow, a lot! Let’s see... from my long reading list (meaning I haven’t read them in a while, but I still have a collection of their books that I’ll never give up) Julie Garwood, Johanna Lindsey, Catherine Coulter, Linda Howard... currently, Jayne Ann Krentz, Erin McCarthy, Susan Andersen... probably too many to name, and I’m afraid I’ll forget someone and she’ll end up insulted!

5) What is the funniest love scene you have written?

I’ve written funny “leading up to the love” love scenes, but I sure hope that once they’re “getting’ busy,” the humor stops. ;-)
In When Good Things Happen To Bad Boys, Axel and Libby cracked me up. I don’t know if anyone else laughed, but the scene in his office was, in my own humble opinion, hysterical.
For Chase and Allison, in The Winston Brothers, the ghosts made for some humorous moments.
And in Fallen Angels (2 reissued stories with a new novella) Harris and Clair, because of those funny photos, kept me chuckling while I wrote them.

6) What is the hottest love scene you've written?

I’d have to say the love scenes (probably all of them) in Luring Lucy, from the Hot & Bothered anthology. (St. Martins.) Bram was just all that and a bag of chips, too. The characters more or less create themselves for me, and all I have to do is put them on paper. With Bram, the man was a sex machine and it seemed everything he said and did somehow oozed sensuality.

7) Which of your characters would you most like to see in a series of books and why?

Uh... I’m not sure what you mean. Most of my characters are in a series of books! I write a lot of series. If you mean one character reappearing as the main focus in a series... huh. I dunno. I think maybe I’d pick Clint Evans from Just A Hint-Clint because no matter what I threw at him, he handled it with ease. He could easily go from book to book, kicking butt and keeping Julie Rose happy.

8) Do you do research for your books?

Yup. A lot of research. I’m one of those people who remembers nothing. My kids’ names and birthdays, and that’s about it. Everything else is whoosh, in the brain one moment, gone the next. So when I mention a car in a book, or a type of tree, or a style of house... gotta look it all up on the net.
I’ve also done scads of research on paranormal stuff for Star Quality and Jamie. (Not at all a waste of time because I plan to write books like those some day.)
And I’ve researched police procedures, pipe bombs, clothing styles, rape, scars... See, there’s that memory problem again. I can’t recall all that I’ve researched. But I’ve yet to get through a book without doing the work. It’s all good. Part of the fun, really. And the net makes it so easy to do. Google is a writer’s best friend.

9) What is your favorite part of being an author?

The actual writing. I love it. It’s in my blood. Getting characters on paper and telling their story is my favorite form of entertainment.
I also cherish the interaction with my reader friends online. It’s the perfect way to start my day – coffee and email with kind, generous people. Life is good.

10) What is your least favorite part of being an author?

The pressure. The more popular you get, the higher the expectations.
Promo. Somehow I’m supposed to tout my books, when I’m modest by nature. (Stop laughing, all of you!) Keeping up with the webpage and bookmarks and reader letters and... it all sucks up time.
A small percentage of readers can get really hateful when you disappoint them, and they take it personally, as if you shot their dog or something. Naturally, they HAVE to let you know how badly you suck. It cracks me up. Reviewers love to nitpick. I think stuff like that is annoying, and I hate to be annoyed.
Oh, and worst of all are those all-important lists looming around, forcing a right-brained broad like me to count the numbers, when numbers are soooo not my thing.
If I could just write, and not do the rest of it... it’d be heaven.

11) What have you not written that you would like to?

I’m dying to do some kids’ books. When my boys were younger, I loved bedtime when we’d all sit together and I’d read to them. It’s a very special time. And there are some incredible kids’ books out there! I want one of them to bear my name someday.
Not too long ago, I could have also said horror, but... drum roll please... I have recently agreed to a 2-book deal on a horror series, so that wish has come true. I’m not sure yet when the first of the series (I’m figuring on about 5 books total) will be available, but I’m hoping by 08.

12) Can you describe your typical writing day? I know you're an early riser, but am wondering if you jump right into writing or "play" a bit first. Do you have a daily page quota that you set for yourself? Do you like quiet, or background noise (TV or music) when you write? And like Jill Shalvis, do you work in your bunny slippers? LOL!

Well, I used to be a REALLY early riser – as in up by 4:30 am. But my husband retired this month. Yay! So no more crawling out of bed before the birds. These days, I’m sleeping in til 6, and it feels like I’ve lost a big part of the day, but I love it.
When I stagger out of the bed, I head first to my office to turn on the computer so it can be warming up. Then it’s downstairs to turn on the coffee pot (my husband gets the coffee ready before he goes to bed so even though he doesn’t drink it, all I have to do is switch it on.) and then I let my two fur-babies out. While they’re doing their business I toast a chocolate Pop Tart (or the equivalent of my sugar fix in the morning) and fix my thermal cup of coffee, then the dogs and I stagger back upstairs and I get started on emails.
I like to check my message board, too, and the RT message board, and the Quills site... If I have reader letters to answer, I do that next. Somewhere between 1 and 2 hours later, I get started writing.
I break it up by doing laundry and letting the dogs in and out, and answering phone calls, etc...Periodically I check my emails because I get posts from “business” people.
If it’s a morning when my grandson is here, I like to cuddle him when he first wakes up. It gives my son a chance to grab himself a juice and get his eyes open, and the baby is so sleepy and warm and IDLE first thing in the morning. After 10 minutes, he’s on the go, so I give him back to my son. But I do visit with him a few minutes here and there throughout the day. (He’s with us every other day – it’s wonderful.)
My big goal is to get 10 pages a day written.
I don’t hit my goal all that often.
Things come up, and I’ve found that family members (extended, not hubby and sons) don’t consider my work at home real work. It is what it is, so I don’t get angry with them over it. I just deal with it, and work around it.
Now, my husband and sons are very respectful of my writing time, and that helps.
And on mornings like this, I’m addressing these questions. LOL. If I don’t take care of emails and letters and blogs the day I get them, they might not get handled for weeks. So I try to do things ASAP. It keeps my desk orderly, and I don’t have a pile of things to do, so that when I want to write, I can.
Happy reading everyone!
Thanks for letting me visit.

Lori

19 comments:

Janice Maynard said...

Lori - I can't wait to read Murphy's Law! And I made myself wait until the official release date to snap it up. :)

Jude's Law was a wonderful book, and I know tons of people are waiting for this newest one.

Glad to see you here on our blog today!

Janice M.

Laurie D. said...

I'll be a tease and say that I've read Murphy's Law and that I know everyone will love it! Great questions/answers! Thanks for taking the time to tell us everything we want to know about you, Lori! - you make everyone feel like they're your very own best friend! lol

lamclane said...

Hey Lori, thanks so much for taking the time do do this interview.

Murphy's Law sounds wonderful. No one does sexy guys better than you. Your male POV is always real and believable!

Erin McCarthy said...

Hey Lori! Thanks for dropping by. I saw Murphy's Law was way up there on the B&N sales ranks... very cool. I know a lot of readers are waiting anxiously for it.

Congrats on the horror deal and mucho thanks for naming me as one of your favorite authors. :-D

LOL on the "all that and a bag of chips" comment. Love it.

Oh, and I always thought your hero Sam was way sexy too. The scene where she falls on him is hysterical.

Erin

Judy F said...

hey Lori, glad you could stop by. I loved Murphy's Law. Can't wait till everyone gets a chance to read him.

hope to see you soon

Wolfy said...

Welcome Lori so glad you came by to visit with us.

I know everyone will love Murphy's Law when get to read it. It will fly off the shelves.....it is so good.

I would have posted sooner but blogger has been giving fits and would not let me.

I love reading interviews from you, and your hero's are all great alpha males.......

Hugs,
Cryna

Anonymous said...

Great interview Lori! I know everyone who stops by the blog appreciates your taking the time to answer so many questions.

Since Quinton Murphy was "my" hero, I had the opportunity to read his story early, and I can say it was wonderful! This book is going to fly up the best sellers lists.

I'm really looking forward to your horror series too. Can't wait until you can share some details.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Kelley Nyrae said...

Great interview!! I loved the scene in Axel's office too. It had me cracking up!

I'm also one of the lucky ones who had already read Murphy's Law! Great book. I know you'll all love it.

Jodi said...

Lori,
Thanks for interviewing here!
I can't wait to read Murphy's Law.

Lori Foster said...

Hi everyone! I posted earlier, but it wouldn't go through. Blogger problem, I guess.
Anyhoo - thank you! Wow, y'all are generous and kind and all the good stuff. :-) I appreciate it.

I just found out today (from my agent) that Murphy is #1 at Waldenbooks and BN.
Cool, huh?

Also, I should be thanking all of you for the great questions. I had to give a few of them some thought, and that's a good thing, I reckon.

Any other questions, feel free to drop them on me. I'll try my best to come up with answers.

Oh, and to those of you who mentioned the horror novels - thank you! I am SO jazzed about them. It's like getting that first sale all over again. Really exciting!

Thanks again. You ladies rock!
Hugs,

Lori

Stacy~ said...

Murphy's Law is fabulous. I wrote a sappy yet true review of my reaction to it. Ashley is such an amazing heroine - love her to pieces. She's my kinda girl.

I saw the pretty blue cover of ML tonight - oh how I wanted to buy it! But gotta get those sales :)

I'm keeping fingers and toes crossed that this one does even better than all the rest. You deserve it, kid.

Anonymous said...

Hi Lori! Awesome interview. Murphy's Law sounds like a fun read. I really enjoyed reading about how your day goes. Sounds like you have lots of love involved outside your books, too.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Lori. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions. I enjoyed reading your responses. It doesn't surprise me that many readers like Noah Harper. He's a favorite of mine, too. :) I can't wait to check out Murphy's Law. Keep up the great work.

Diana

Lori Foster said...

Stacy, you're so sweet - especially to call an old broad like me a kid. LOL.

I need to correct myself real quick - I worded something incorrectly yesterday. Murphy is #1 a Waldenbooks, and he's on the BN list, but not as #1. LOL. He's a wee bit down there... like at #34 or something. Didn't want to mislead anyone.

Diana, Joe is even more popular than Noah. I wish I could figure out why readers liked him so much! What was it about Joe - and as to that, what was it about Noah?

Betty, hi! Yeah, I've got a very nice family and we have a lot of gatherings together. It's terrific to have that large back-up system.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday!

Lori

DianneCastell said...

Thanks for coming to visit, Lori!
Going to pick up ML asap. I promised Emily I'd get it for her, we flip to see who reads it first.
Thanks, too, for the great interview.
Hugs, Dianne

Lori Foster said...

Popping in to share fun news!
Murphy's Law made #25 on the NYTimes this past week! Yay. Thank you to EVERYONE who picked up the book. You rock. :-D

Lori

Michelle B said...

Yay! Murphy's Law is out:) Now I just have to find time to read it. I barely have time to sleep these days with teaching 4 classes and taking one myself!

Thanks for dropping by and answering the questions, Lori!

Anonymous said...

I just purchased Murphy's Law from Amazon. I can't wait to read it.

Lori, I don't know why other people like Noah so much, but I like him because he was able to see past the fact that Grace wasn't a stick-thin model. She's beautiful and smart, and not your typical heroine figure-wise, which I thought was pretty cool (and so did Noah apparently :P). He's just sexy to boot, too. :D

Anonymous said...

The message above was posted by me, Diana.