Welcome to Lauren Dane's author day

Welcome Ms. Lauren Dane to Love Romances and More, thank you for joining us.

Thanks so much for having me!

Did you always want to become a writer?

I’ve always written, even when I was like 5 and 6 I used to write poems and little stories, later I wrote in literary magazines and for the college newspaper, but I never really thought of making a go of trying to write professionally.

It wasn’t until I was having to spend a great deal of time on bedrest when I was pregnant with my third child that I thought, “Hey why not give this writing thing a try full time?” My husband brought home a second hand laptop one day and that’s when I wrote Triad.

What is the most, and the least interesting fact about writing?

The most interesting fact about writing, for me anyway, is the creation of worlds. I love it. I love that I can sit down and spin an entire world out from my brain and even better, people want to read it.

Least interesting? For me it’s copy edits. I hate them. They come at the very end of the process when you are just totally DONE with the book. It’s mundane but totally necessary.

How did you celebrate your first release? What was it like to see your book in a bookstore? Do you have a special ritual for celebrating a book release?

That was May of 2005 when Triad came out. I had an all day party on the reader loop and then I think we had take out Thai food at home with cupcakes, LOL.

Seeing my name on a spine on a book sitting on a shelf is still one of the most thrilling experiences I’ve had. It’s amazing to me. I think about how much my life has changed since that story came to me on the screen and went through crit and beta and then was pitched to an editor and then sat and was finally contracted, finished, edited or possibly revised, gone through the process of copy edits, final pass pages, the cover and overall book design, promotion, etc and there it is on the shelf. It looks so simple but so much goes into it. But in the end, it’s beautiful and wonderful.

When I finish writing a book I have a goofy end of book dance I do, LOL. But when the book releases, I try to do something for myself that day. It can be as simple as going and having a coffee or buying a new lipstick to heading to bookstores to see if it’s on shelves. I try and have a presence online because I’m obviously excited about the process but I don’t want to be obnoxious about it either. My husband often brings home a good bottle of champagne and we have a toast after the kids go to bed.

How did your family react to fact that you also write romance novels? Have your family read your books?

My husband is my biggest supporter. He helps me with my research, he’s great to bounce ideas off. He’s wonderful with ideas for promotion and he takes over with the kids when I’m on a deadline. He’s really proud of me and that means so much.

My parents are very supportive of what I do. They’re proud. My kids know Mom is an author and they think it’s very cool. My oldest has recently started writing short stories, which is awesome. They know I write “love junk” as my middle kid calls it, but now that they’re all really good readers, the scrap paper they used to draw on has to be a lot more carefully vetted by me, LOL.

Most authors are also avid readers. Is this the case with you? If so, who are some of your favorites? Have any influenced your writing?

Oh most definitely! I was an early reader and I’ve been reading several books a week since I was in elementary school!

I didn’t start reading romance until I was in my 30s actually. But in the romance genre I really love Anne Stuart, Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, Jennifer Crusie, SEP, Megan Hart, Anya Bast, Cindy Eden

I have a great love for science fiction, paranormals, horror and urban fantasies too – I absolutely adore William Gibson’s books, Herbert’s Dune series, Mary Doria Russell, Ann Aguirre, Kim Harrison, Caitlin R Kiernan, Stephen King, Joe Hill

All really compelling writing influences me – whether to push me to be a better writer, whether it’s because when I close the book I’m left with a sense of possibility or envelope pushing, a great romance, fabulous characters, whatever. In seeing what other authors do, I can imagine more for my work as well.

Your characters come to life in your books. Do you feel each of your characters live with you as you write? Do their lives sometimes take over a part of your life? Can you name an example? Do you have living role models for your characters?

Thank you!

As I write a book I have a sense of who my characters are, but it isn’t until a certain point when suddenly I understand them. It’s my epiphany moment and I don’t feel like I can really, truly know them until I have it. Sometimes it’s early on, sometimes it’s later.

When I wrote Chased, the third book in my Chase Brothers series I knew Liv but only through the eyes of her friends. I had this idea of who she was but about 60% in, it came to me, why she was the way she was. I knew her mother had died when she was young but I hadn’t known how it had truly affected her until I was writing a scene between her and Maggie, just how much it inhibited her ability to love other people. I had to go back after I finished the first draft and adjust the earlier parts I’d written for that. But it’s an example of how the process works for me.

There are certain characters like Polly Chase, who sort of shove their way into the story until I write them more. Which is odd to say, she’s not real of course. But some characters become the heart of a series and she is one of those characters. Nina Reyes/Warden from my Cascadia Wolves series is another one who likes to be on the page.

I often to model certain aspects of my characters on people I know, yes. Not completely of course, but certain phrases or behaviors, definitely.

Where do you get the inspirations for your books?

Everywhere to be honest. From a song lyric. From a painting I see in a magazine or at a museum. Every time we take a road trip or I travel I come up with ideas. From my family.

Inspiration is everywhere!

Do you find it difficult at times to write love scenes?

Not usually. Most of the time, I just write the scene at whatever level that particular couple or group needs. Sometimes that’s super erotic, sometimes not. I don’t want to be repetitive though, which is a challenge. There are only so many words an author can use without being ridiculous or purple.

What is your favorite book from the books that you have written so far? Who are your favorite hero and heroine, and why?

Oh that’s like picking your favorite kid!! The book I’m proudest of is Relentless, which comes out May 5 from Berkley Heat. I do like to look back at Enforcer, Nina is my favorite heroine (followed in a close second by Polly Chase). My favorite hero is Gabe Murphy from Tri Mates.

Which book was the hardest to write and which the easiest?

Relentless was really a challenge to get just right. I wanted to be a certain way and the pacing had to be precise and a balance had to be created in the story so it took a lot of time for me to make it all work. But I love how it turned out. I’m so very proud of it.

The easiest book I’ve ever written was Relentless ( a novella) that I wrote in a weekend.

If you could change places with one character from your books, who would it be and why?

I have a great life. I really, truly do. I can’t say I’d actually want to trade places for real! But for the sake of a fun exercise I’d say I’d like to trade places with Em from Touch of Fae. Conchobar MacNessa, need I say more?

If you could travel through time to visit a special time period or famous person, what or who would it be and why?

I’d like to go back and meet my grandmother when she was a young girl. I admired her so much when I was growing up and I’ve always wondered what she was like at 14 or 15.

Do you listen to music while you are writing and if so what music is it?

I love to listen to music when I write but the genre depends on the book. Sometimes it’s Ministry and Tool, sometimes it’s Ani DiFranco and Feist. I’ve had techno book soundtracks with Basement Jaxx and Peaches and ambient tracklists with Sigur Ros and Massive Attack. Every book has a feel so I build it slowly as I’m starting to write each new project.

If you could choose of your books for a movie, which one would it be and who would you as the cast?

Hmm! Taking Chase would be a good one with Mark Valley as Shane and Claire Forlani as Cassie – I think the small town setting would translate to the screen with all the great Chase family stuff too and the romance between the former womanizer and the skittish Cassie is something I’d love to see up there. For Polly? There’s this actress on a British soap I watch called Eastenders – she plays Peggy and without the heavy British accent, she’d be perfect for Polly.

Non Contemporary wise? Relentless with Daniel Craig as Roman and Catherine Zeta Jones – because the political intrigue would be fun on screen as would the smoking hot chemistry and the futuristic setting.

Are you working on anything right now, and can you tell us a teaser about these projects?

I just turned in Laid Bare in September. It’s a ménage, contemporary erotic romance that’ll come out from Berkley Heat in September of 09. The heroine is a bass player/musician with some major tragedy in her past, one hero is a former cop, as clean cut and straight laced as they come and the second hero is his best friend, also a former cop but not nearly as straight laced.

I also just turned in Sweet Charity to Samhain – it’s a holiday themed novella that takes up after last year’s To Do List with Rafe’s brother Gabriel and a friend named, no surprise here, Charity. It’s a friends to lovers story much like To Do List was.

I’m writing Always for Samhain, this is a contemporary romance between an Irish photographer and an American law student – it’ll be category length and coming out from Samhain in April!

After that it’s on to No Reservations with Megan Hart – this is our follow up to Taking Care of Business and it’ll be set in Las Vegas.

So I’m busy, loads of stuff coming up in 09 that I’ve written and turned in already and stuff coming up for 2010 too! You can always check out my website in the news and coming soon sections to see what I’ve got going on! My blog with Megan Hart and The Bradford Bunch

Checkout Ms. Dane's newest keeper Undercover

Here is the blurb:


On the battleground or in the bedroom, one woman and two men fight for dominance in a bold, new, and excitingly different direction in erotica…

As a lieutenant of the Federation military, Sera Ayers is accustomed to giving orders, not taking them. Now she must obey the one man she can’t stand—and can’t stop thinking about.

With the enemy Imperialists gaining ground, a covert team is assembled by Ash Walker. Ten years before, Sera had lovingly submitted to Ash’s dominance in the bedroom. But when he was forced into a political marriage, she refused to play mistress. His marriage now over, Ash wants Sera on his team—and back in his bed.

The third team member, Brandt Pela, has an elegance to match Ash’s savage sexuality. And when their undercover plan requires Sera to pose as Brandt’s lover, it ignites a passion among the three of them more dangerous than their mission.

Reviews of Ms. Dane's books:

Ascension

Chased

Fire and Rain

Making chase

Reading between lines

Standoff

Thrice united

Tri Mates

Undercover

Vengeance due

What happens in Vegas

Wolf Unbound