Site Meter Vamps and Scamps: August 2006

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

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Comfort Reads

I was reading over at PBW's blog the other day and 'comfort' reads were mentioned.

A comfort read~ if this ever made it into the dictionary, if would have an entry something like...

comfort read-a tried and true, well loved favorite that a reader seeks out when feeling depressed, blue, mad, pissed, lonely, bored, or otherwise needing a read that she knows she will love and enjoy without even thinking twice.

Okay, so I'm never going to be able to write definitions for Merriam Webster. ;o) But still, you get the idea.

Some of my comfort reads are the Irish Jewels books by Nora Roberts, the Stardoc series by SL Viehl, or when I'm really really feeling down, any of the Heralds of Valdemar books by Mercedes Lackey. SL Viehl is my fave among faves-her books almost make me forget what's bothering me. Nora Roberts, the Irish Jewels triology, the same thing. And the Heralds books by Mercedes Lackey, welllll.... they introduced me to fantasy stories back in the early 90's and I've gotten so much enjoyment out of them.

When I'm feeling down, a book will pick me up better than a Movie, chocolate or a glass of wine ever could.

I even manage to sweat out an hour at the gym thanks to good reads. I think I've discovered a new comfort read... Mona Lisa Awakening by Sunny, coming out next month. I actually...*GASP* went over my time on the stair climber and that's unheard for me. I totally forgot about the timer and just kept climbing and reading.

What books pull you away when you desperately need it?

Comfort Reads

I was reading over at PBW's blog the other day and 'comfort' reads were mentioned.

A comfort read~ if this ever made it into the dictionary, if would have an entry something like...

comfort read-a tried and true, well loved favorite that a reader seeks out when feeling depressed, blue, mad, pissed, lonely, bored, or otherwise needing a read that she knows she will love and enjoy without even thinking twice.

Okay, so I'm never going to be able to write definitions for Merriam Webster. ;o) But still, you get the idea.

Some of my comfort reads are the Irish Jewels books by Nora Roberts, the Stardoc series by SL Viehl, or when I'm really really feeling down, any of the Heralds of Valdemar books by Mercedes Lackey. SL Viehl is my fave among faves-her books almost make me forget what's bothering me. Nora Roberts, the Irish Jewels triology, the same thing. And the Heralds books by Mercedes Lackey, welllll.... they introduced me to fantasy stories back in the early 90's and I've gotten so much enjoyment out of them.

When I'm feeling down, a book will pick me up better than a Movie, chocolate or a glass of wine ever could.

I even manage to sweat out an hour at the gym thanks to good reads. I think I've discovered a new comfort read... Mona Lisa Awakening by Sunny, coming out next month. I actually...*GASP* went over my time on the stair climber and that's unheard for me. I totally forgot about the timer and just kept climbing and reading.

What books pull you away when you desperately need it?

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

revvved up and raring to go!

Hi Everyone!
I'm racing toward my deadline that is a mere two weeks away but I didn't want to miss my blog day.

Has Texas Bad Boys barreled out with both guns blazing or what!!! We've been listed as #1 on Barnes and Nobel on and off the last few days and that is such a fantastic feeling! Thank you everyone who put us on top!

My Romantic Times came in the mail and it looks so cool. I can't believe we made the cover. RT did a great job.

And we've gotten a few reviews in! Wow, the response has been wonderful.

And have y'all checked out our contest???? Top prize is a $100 gift certificate to Amazon! You can go to any of our websites for the details. We're giving away a lot of cool stuff.

Mine and Karl's anniversary is tomorrow. 37 years. It's still hard to believe I've known him and loved him that long. It seems like only yesterday that he was picking me up for a date in his pink car that didn't have a back floorboard. LOL God, we were so young and so in love. He still makes my pulse skip a beat---either that or I'm getting old. Hmmmm.....

What about y'all? How long have you been married, engaged, dating the same guy????

Karen Kelley

Sunday, August 20, 2006

The Texas Bad Boys are here!!!!!!!


It’s Texas and it’s Bad Boys and Rosemary, Karen and I had a blast putting them together!

After all these months of waiting, Texas Bad Boys is finally here!! Having a new book out is always a rush but when the book is an anthology with two of your best friends it’s all the more sweeeeeet!

In doing a connecting story like TBB you have to be really, really good friend or it’s hell! Too much planning, too much give and take. Trying to do this with a glory hound or prima princess would be torture. The only problem was trying to decipher Rosemary’s Brit comments. (Is Dicky Bird a good or a bad thing??? Still trying to figure that one out.)

In TBB since the stories are connected I had to write all the characters at the end to wind up the mystery. And, of course to make things even more fun, Rosemary’s character, Juliet, is a Brit. So now I have to write with a British accent… And again, when I’m writing this Rosemary is on holiday (see, I’m getting the hang of this) so I can’t even ask for help. Closest I could come was watching Parent Trap where one of the girls is from England. (they never said anything about a dicky bird).

Having Karen on board was really great because she’s from Texas so when we had a Texas questions, like where exactly in Texas is Silver Gulch and do cowboys really say howdy, we had a pro on board. Listening to Karen talk Texan on the phone put me in the mood to write Texan... (if it works for phone sex it can work for writing!)

And the icing on the cake was getting TBB on the cover of Romantic Times!!! I think the three of us had one giant heart attack over that one. 
What a great end to a totally fun project!

And to celebrate all this fun, Rosemary, Karen and I are having a big contest. (visit our websites. Links to the right of this post). The prizes are tote bags and books and baskets and a grand prize of an $100 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble!! Now that’s some serious book buying, partner.

The question for the blog is... Are you more likely to buy a book that is on the cover of RT???? We are totally curious!

So... Save a horse, ride a cowboy and come to Silver Gulch for some outrageous fun.

Ta-ta (thank you, Rosemary!)

Dianne

Friday, August 18, 2006

My New Cover


Happy day... I got the cover for the book I just turned in, Bled Dry, and I love it! When I get an email from my editor with a new cover attached, I always hold my breath and close my eyes, hoping like crazy I’m going to like it. Or at least not hate it. I’ve been really lucky, because none of my covers have been bad. Most I’ve been really pleased with because I think they reflect the tone of my books. Some I like more than others, of course, but none have been hideous. So far. LOL.

My Las Vegas vampire covers- High Stakes, Bit The Jackpot, and now Bled Dry, are so amazing that it’s going to be hard to top these. I love the bright colors and the sassy looks on the heroine’s faces. You Don’t Know Jack is a cool cover as well. I was worried because it was my first “guy” cover, but I really like the way it turned out.

Are you a cover shopper? Do you pick up a book because of the cover? Or is it author recognition? Have you ever passed on a book because the cover was yuck?

What do you like on a cover?

Erin :-)

Monday, August 14, 2006

And the winners are....

Okay, I absolutely loved the Criss Angel idea. And the horror character idea.

So we have two winners.

Amy S. for
...We've had Freddy, Michael, and Jason. You could be the next American Horror Character...

And Susanna in Alabama for
..."Turning Tricks" - Fledgling magicians attempt to be the next Criss Angel....

Ladies, if you'll email me at shilohwalker@gmail.com I'll get in touch with you about your prizes.

Thanks for playing guys!

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Flowers Anyone??


I've been thinking about what guys do to win a girl's heart... so I decided to go to the knowledgeable experts. We can keep this theoretical... doesn't have to be personal answers.

What kind of gifts from a hero (in a book) make your heart go "sigh...."? Is it the traditional red roses?... a new tire for her clunker car?... a shelf he built for her bedroom?... the cashmere scarf she has coveted but would never buy for herself?... her favorite chocolates?

It's hard sometimes not to be "cliche" in a story. So help me out here! Share some ideas that you think would make super romantic gifts from a man to his woman...

Janice

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Reality...

A friend of mine, Jaci Burton, has a book coming out in December about demons, survival experts and a reality show. ~sounds cool, doesn't it? Finally, a new idea in reality shows. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

But when I was checking it out on her site, I got to thinking about allllll the reality insanity that has struck TV. (Jaci also redid her website and it looks awesome. Sweetie, I'm so jealous. Gimme.)

But on to today's blog. Reality shows...

There was a reality type contest in the RT mag for authors.

There are reality shows on for clothing designers, self help, models, nannies, and insane people. By insane... I mean... agreeing to be locked into a house/sent off to an island/sent on a crazy race, etc etc etc... along with a whole bunch of people they don't know, competing for a prize. Sometimes the prize might be worth it... a cool million? Yeah, I'd go live on a deserted island for that.

But I would NOT eat cow brains for it. Nor would I eat horse innards for a mere $25,000. I would use up the bulk of it in therapy after eating that so why bother?

Then there are the contests where you open yourself of for scathing insults and humiliation in hopes of obtaining a record deal. I do have to wonder... the good ones, hey they have a shot and they probably know it, so if they can stomach some of the judges, go for it. But some of them can't sing their way out of a wet paper bag-the try outs are frightening. Do that think they have a shot or are they just wanting to do it just to do it? It's a puzzle for sure.


Is it just me or is anybody else tired of the reality show madness? If we're gonna keep seeing them, I wanna see something new. I don't want to see tomorrow's next great chef. Chances are he's going to end up a resturant I can't afford, or on a cooking show, or both, and I can't cook and watch tv at the same time, nor would I mess with looking up the recipe and trying later. Too lazy and mine wouldn't turn out like that anyway. I don't want to see some SUPERNANNY rescue a family in distress, terrorized by their kids, and as interesting as 30 Days can be, I don't want that.

Gimme a new reality idea. Come on... a good one. I'll either pick my favorite or toss the names in a hat and draw a winner.

Open until I remember to draw the name, probably a few days!

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

This n' That



I'm brain-dead. It must be the Sudafed and Coffee. I've been trying to think what to blog all morning. It shouldn't be that difficult. Maybe I'm trying too hard.

I could talk about the rising cost of gas---ugh! Way too depressing. Texas hasn't been as bad some areas. I saw on the news it was getting worse.

My yard is cracking because it's so dry here. We really need rain. The weatherman said that we had a thirty percent chance of rain over the next few days. Why doesn't he tell it like it really is. We have a seventy percent chance it won't rain.

I figured out the difference between Atlanta, Ga and Texas while I was at the RWA conference. Atlanta was like walking into a sauna and Texas is like walking into an oven.

I'm so ready for fall.

I'm less than 100 pages having my current book finished. Woo-hoo. Hey, I can't stay depressed for long--summer cold or not. And Rosemary Laurey, Dianne Castell and I are counting down the days until Texas Bad Boys hits the shelves. It's already available for pre-order. I always get excited when I have a new book coming out. Keep watching for a fun new contest.

Okay, back to the grindstone :)
Hugs,
Karen Kelley
Available Now! HELL ON WHEELS/BRAVA
09/06 Texas Bad Boys/Brava
www.authorkarenkelley.com

Saturday, August 05, 2006

A little bit naughty…a little bit wild?



We all have jobs, families and more responsibility than we want. We’re solid and totally responsible doing what we’re supposed to be doing day after day, our haloes glowing, our pastors and parents proud.
But…and there’s always a but…all of us have another side, that wild and maybe a bit naughty side that from time to time just kind of sneaks out. Maybe it takes a chocolate margarita or two or maybe we’re just fed up with being Ms. Goody-two-shoes and gotta do something else or bust. Just once...or more than once...every woman needs to be that wild child or sexpot or complete flirt that would embarrass the heck out of her family if they ever knew.
So, the trick is, not to let them find out! See, you thought I was this sedate suburban housewife. And I am...most of the time...except when I decided I really wanted to go to the strip clubs and see what all the excitement’s about.
I left my ID at home along with all credit cards and anything that connected me to my other self.(If I got thrown in the slammer I’d rot in the slammer) I hooked up with one of my more adventuresome friends (no, it wasn’t LuAnn) and hit the strip clubs. I dance, I flirted, I smoked and drank and stuffed money in waistbands and other places. Holy crap! And strutted my stuff. I did all the things I never do and knew what happened in Newport stayed in Newport, that was the agreement!
So have you? Did you? Are you going to??? If you are let me know…I wanna come! I bet LuAnn will come with us!

Friday, August 04, 2006

Puppy Love


Here’s our new puppy, Bessie, looking adorable. We love her, our cats want her to die. LOL. She’s a bundle of energy (contributing factor to why the cats hate her), and besides eating and sleeping, she loves to drag towels out of the laundry basket and throw them around the family room. Keep in mind, a bath towel is about nine times her size, but size is no object when you’re stubborn and determined. She fits right into this family. ;-)

I’ve only written one dog into a book, and that was Amanda’s poodle, Baby, in Heiress For Hire. My real life cat Max appears as the disdainful Ferris in Mouth To Mouth. Do you like to see animals in romances? Or are they distracting? Have you read a book where the pet stole the show? Jenny Cruisie always has hilarious scenes with dogs involved, and Lori Foster had her adorable Chihuahuas in a couple of books (Riley is the one that comes to mind).

And actually, I just realized I wrote a whole crowd of animals into my second vampire book, Bit The Jackpot. Now that was fun to write… picture a vampire walking the dog for his girlfriend!

When we were looking for a puppy, reading all the stories online at Petfinder and various shelters both warmed my heart and broke it. Pets give such unconditional love and there are so many animals out there who need a home. Bessie was born in the shelter and taken by a rescue group to help place her more quickly with a family, and I can’t imagine how we ever lived without her. Tell me about your fur babies, I’d love to hear your stories.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Interview with Lacey Alexander

Lacey Alexander writes the uber steamy erotica with what she calls a "touch of romance." She's graciously agreed to answer a few questions from our Vamps & Scamps. Enjoy!

What inspired you to be a writer? Did you always want to write?

I’m not sure what inspired me, but the desire to write has always been inside me. I’ve written off and on my whole life – and the “off” times were mainly due to having been told by naysayers that I would never succeed. Now that I’ve found some measure of success, I can’t imagine I’ll ever stop writing again.

What is the best part of being a writer? The worst?

The best part: the flexibility. For instance, I’m wearing pajamas as I do this interview. The worst: the uncertainty. A writer never knows how her work will be perceived, if her next book will be bought, etc.

If one of your books was made into a movie or tv series, what book would you want it to be and who would you pick to play the hero and heroine?

This question made me laugh – because my books are so very much ABOUT sex that any movie made from them would be, um, of a strictly “adult” nature, if you know what I mean. Based on that, I, unfortunately, don’t really have an answer.

What is your favorite cartoon character?

Aladdin, from the Disney movie. I thought that for an animated guy he was hot ; )

What is the hardest part about writing?

Well, for me, writing is mostly a joy. I guess the hard part for me is the business aspect of being a writer. I don’t enjoy it and it takes time from what I love to do – which is telling stories.

Do you have any habits, good or bad, or weird or funny that you do when you write your books?

Not really. I always hear authors talk about listening to certain kinds of music or lighting candles or taping up scene and character pictures around their work area, but I don’t do any of that, I’m afraid. I just write ; )

Describe what your work area/desk looks like?

Standard brown desk with a laptop – which has never been in my lap ; ) I bought it for the flexibility, but I’m so used to writing at my desk that I’ve never moved it. And I’m surrounded by lots of books, and two big windows that let the sun in.

Is there a genre/them/series that you haven't written yet, that you'd like to try writing about? Can you tell us about it?

I would love to try my hand at historical erotica.

For your Hot in the City series, did you travel to each city to do research for the book?

Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. I loved being able to provide a level of detail I could not have otherwise. Of course, some of the places I mentioned in the books were imaginary, but many were quite real!

Who is your sexiest hero to date and why?

That’s a toughie, but I guess I’ll go with Jack Wade from FRENCH QUARTER. It’s that Cajun thing ; ) Plus he was such a “protector.”

As above but female?

Wow, another hard one, but I’ll say Diana from SIN CITY. From a personal standpoint, Diana was the hardest heroine for me to relate to, because she was SO very wild. But that’s what I like about her – that she had the capability to be a total wild child yet she was also mature, confident, dependable, and likable. Being wild came naturally to her and she was comfortable in her own skin.

Which of your works is your "fave" to date and why?

You know, I remain really fond of FRENCH QUARTER, even though it was my first. I wrote it without ever reading any other erotica – I had this idea of what I thought “romantic erotica” should be, this goal of taking the reader on the ultimate erotic journey – and I decided if it didn’t sell, then I wasn’t meant to write erotica. So I’m very pleased that my “vision” turned out to be one that worked for so many people.

That said, I’m also really excited about the upcoming release of VOYEUR from Penguin Books next May. While I see most of my books as “erotic fantasies,” with VOYEUR I feel I’ve taken a step closer to a story that could really happen in real life and I hope readers will relate to that and to the heroine, Laura, who is kind of an “everywoman” who just happens into an extremely erotic situation purely by happenstance.

Do you ever go to the RT Conventions?

No, afraid not. Just not really my scene … I keep a low profile.

But readers can learn more about me and my books by visiting http://www.laceyalexander.net/.