I’m so happy to have author Laurie London here to discuss her new book, Bonded by Blood and hot fictional men! Let’s get to it.
Who is Laurie London? Give us the lowdown
Hi Mandi! Thanks for having me on Smexy Books today. Do you mind if I borrow one or two of your Smexy men? I’ll bring them back. Promise.
Sure I’ll loan out some of my boyfriends. Trust me, they are more fun than borrowing library books ;)
The lowdown: I live in the Seattle area with my verra hot husband and two kids. I’ve had jobs that ranged from wedding planner to cocktail waitress to computer programmer to underwriter before I became an author. I like being an author best.
Bonded by Blood is your debut book. What surprised you the most
about the writing/publishing process?
The biggest surprise was that people, particularly publishing professionals, actually liked what I’d written. When my sister (also an author) said she had a feeling about this story, I didn’t believe her. First of all, she’s my sister and that’s just what a nice sister would say. And secondly, there are so many great vampire stories out there. Who was I to think I could break into publishing by writing one? Not me.
I wrote Bonded By Blood as my own little indulgence because it’s the type of story I like to read. When my sister liked it, she encouraged me to enter a few writing contests. I was shocked at how well it did. In a roundabout way from a contest, I landed and agent, and a short time later the series sold to HQN Books.
What inspired you to write this book? Have you always wanted to
write about vampires?
I suppose it’s inevitable that I’m writing about vampires. In high school, my sister and I watched Fright Night eight times in the theater, and we had a mad crush on Chris Sarandon’s character. Seriously. If you’re not familiar with it, you should check out the Club Scene or the Seduction Scene posted on Youtube.
Even though vampires in literature and film have historically been the villains until the romance genre bent that cliché (though it can be argued that Louis in Interview With A Vampire wasn’t all that bad—at least he had a conscience), I’ve always been hopelessly drawn to them. Maybe I was “glamoured” as an infant. :)
In the letter to your readers you say "The power of love can change
everything," which makes me smile. That really is the foundation of
romance books. What else draws you to the romance genre?
I love that no matter how bad things seem, you always know the story will end happily. In today’s world, where people are out of work, getting laid off, are under-employed and unable to make ends meet, this theme is very relevant. Yeah, things may suck now, but if you just hang on, keep going, good things will eventually happen. Reading romance gives you hope that things will get better.
You set up Alfonso, Dom’s brother, so well for book two. I’m very
intrigued. And their friend Jackson also had me giggling a few times.
Did the supporting characters surprise you in any way?
Thank you! Jackson makes me laugh too. In fact, in the second book Lily refers to him as being “so obtuse.” Uh, yeah, he is!
Yes, supporting characters surprised me. Many times.
An example is when Dom held Mackenzie’s key ring and knew it was Hello Kitty. I thought, how in the world does a vampire warrior know who Hello Kitty is? My completely human husband with a normal job doesn’t know who Hello Kitty is.
I searched and dug around in his past to try to find the answer. He doesn’t have children and he isn’t an uncle…but wait, maybe a close friend has children. I searched some more. Voila, it was Lily!
If you’d have told me that the heroine of book 2 was going to be a kick-ass vampire chick who happened to be a single mother, I’d have laughed and asked what you’d been smoking. But that’s exactly what happened…all because of Hello Kitty.
I have a nice time chatting with you on Twitter. In 140 characters
or less, sum Bonded by Blood for us.
I enjoy chatting with you on Twitter as well. Often times, I’m laughing on this side of my computer at something you tweeted. J
Okay, here goes. I had to plug it into Twitter to see if it fit. It does.
A vampire haunted by loss falls in love with a human who supplies the strength he needs for revenge. But in doing so, he could destroy her.
HarlequinBooks did a funny #sixwordROMANCEnovel game on Twitter a few days ago. Here’s the one I posted that describes Bonded:
Flirt. Sex. Break-up. Reunion. Love. Forever.
Or
Bite. Danger. Sex. Leave. Save. Love.
LOL – those are two great books ;) What authors and books have influenced you over the years?
I fell in love with the hot alpha heroes in books by JR Ward, Gena Showalter, Jeaniene Frost, Charlaine Harris, and Kresley Cole. The men they write about are my fictional boyfriends. If readers think my heroes are half as hot as theirs, I’d be thrilled.
The emotion in books by Stephenie Meyer, Loretta Chase, Lara Adrian, and Nalini Singh sweeps me away. Those authors can describe a look, a touch, or a feeling in such detail that you feel as if you’re the character and the book is about you.
And I get lost in the almost poetic-like prose from writers like Carlos Ruiz Zafron, Lisa Genova, and Tana French.
Here’s a random sentence from Zafron’s The Shadow of the Wind: “Perpetually affixed to his mouth was an unlit pipe that impregnated his person with the aroma of a Persian market.” And because I love his work so much, here’s another: “Her lips shone with dark lipstick; they were moist and left marks that looked like bloodstains on the filter she held between her index and ring fingers.” The metaphors and the way these authors turn a phrase totally melts me. (Weird that both examples involve smoking—I’m not and have never been a smoker. LOL)
At Smexy Books we enjoy lusting after fictional men. Have any
caught your eye?
See answer above. J And TrueBlood Jason (remember when he had sex out behind Merlotte’s and we saw his…) and TrueBlood Alcide? I could stare at Joe Manganiello’s abs all day long.
When I saw the tagline and Australian cover of Bonded By Blood which comes out March 1 (If you love TrueBlood, you’ll die for the Sweetblood series), I almost hyperventilated. You can check it out HERE.
Oh wow – that boy can stare at me all day! What is up next for you?
Book two in the Sweetblood series, Embraced By Blood, comes out in late June. Beyond that, stay tuned. I will hopefully have something to share soon. Very soon…
Thanks so much, Mandi, for hosting me today!
I’m giving away a signed copy of Bonded By Blood to a random commenter who shares their favorite fictional crush.
Thanks Laurie! To enter to win a copy of Bonded by Blood, leave a comment with your favorite fictional crush. Open to US/Canada through February 24th.
Well I'm looking at a picture of Alan Rickman (it's his birthday today!) and I have had a crush on many of his characters. Especially Colonel Brandon in Sense & Sensibility. I adore Rickman in everything! BTW, I agree about Alcide *swoons* I would add Wolverine(Hugh Jackman) too.
StacieDM
user1123 AT comcast DOT net
Favorite fictional character crush would most likely be V from the BDB…*swoon*
Can't wait to read this book! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity ;)
Katie
Kaoutlaw@comcast.net
This is a hard question because I can give you one for just about every genre out there ( hey I don't call myself a the Crazy Book Slut for nothing, ha ha ha). I will pick Bones, only because he is on my brain today, lol!
Great interview, and thanks for the chance to win Bonded by Blood
Tena @ Crazy Book Slut
OMG. I've got a ton of fictional crushes. lol. But I'd have to say it'd be a tie between Dimitri from Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series or Ethan From Chloe Neill's Chicago Land Vampire series.
Thanks for the awesome giveaway and great interview.
~Felicia
fchien16@gmail.com
If the story is good enough my favorite will become whoever I happen to be reading at the time. Some of my all time faves are:
Black Dagger Brothers!
Bones!
Barons!
The Uderwold General docs!
Dimitri! (Vampire Academy)
Ash and his Dark Hunter buds!
Daemon Sadi (Black Jewel Trilogy!
This list could obviously go on forever but you get the idea!
Thanks! mmafsmith@gmail.com
I've been seeing this book everywhere lately! I want it. hehe
Thanks for this.:)
natashajennex(at)gmail.com
So so many crushes but most recently, Ryu the metrosexual vampire from the Jane True series-love him!
Thanks for the great giveaway!
ssalvc126@rogers.com
My all time favorite is Rutger Hauer in Ladyhawke. More recently I just read Secrets of a Proper Countess by Lecia Cornwall. I love Lord Blackwood.
Thank you for the giveaway.
qladyhawke at gmail dot com
Nice interview! The book looks fab. I am a fickle girl, I have many, many book boyfriends. But at the top of my list is Barrons from KMM's Fever series. Shhh don't tell Vishous, he thinks he's my number one.
Thanks for stopping by, everyone.
I'm swooning already! You've all got great taste.
Someone on Twitter this morning was lamenting over the fact that she's in her early 20s and lusting over a 65 yo (I think) Alan Rickman.
LOL A reverse cougar.
Barrons. (mmmmmmmm)
Thanks for the giveaway!
clairekimball at hotmail dot com
My favourite fictional crush would be Bones from the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost!
Thanks for the interview and giveaway! Would love to read this!
chibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com
*A* fictional crush? Oh man… too many to mention. How about all my crushes in one room. Yes… a man harem. Oh yea! :D *fans self*
I'm in my mid 30's and lust over Alan Rickman something fierce! ;)
Favorite of my fictional crushes. I certainly have a handful… okay a harem. Picking a favorite. Hmmm, how about I go with favorite fictional crush of the moment? ;)
I'm going to go with Brystion from Allison Pang's Brush of Darkness. I can't wait for her next book so I can enjoy more of him.
Great interview Laurie, I feel like I'm stalking you across the web lately but each one has been fun. :)
Aw, thanks, Rhianna! Glad you're finding my blog tour stalker-worthy. ;-)
Hi Laurie! One of my fav crushes from fiction is Ash from The Dark Hunters series and from TV Seely Booth from Bones. Thanks for stopping by today. I can't wait to read Bonded by Blood. bpatrick6113@sbcglobal.net
My favorite fictional character (at the moment) is Richard Castle from abc's CASTLE! He's such a cutie…. :-)
justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
My all-time fictional crushes are James Bond and Bruce Wayne/Batman.
sotheara_keat(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Your book sounds awesome!
my favorite fictional crush is Eric Northman.
Really looking forward to reading your book. Thanks for sharing. Mine would be Bones from the Night Huntress series and Roarke from the In Death series.
bacchus76 at myself dot com
Jennifer Armintrout's Cyrus :)
robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com
Wow, definitely a hard question. I like so many:
Black Dagger Brotherhood warriors-especially Zsadist
Any of the Lords of the Underworld
Doc E and Wraith from the Demonica series
and the Lykae brothers from Immortals After Dark series.
Laurie, I can't wait to read your book. It looks so good.
iqb99@yahoo.com
My favorite tends to change with every book I read, but at the moment I'm rereading the Night Huntress series to get ready for the release of Destined for an Early Grave, so I'd have to say Bones. He's just so yum.
jen at delux dot com
My favorite fictional crush is Jeaniene Frost's Bones – with Charlaine Harris' Eric Northman a close second.
Barbed1951 at aol.com
oh man..I have to pick just one..There are so many…hmmm…one of them is Bones :D
elaing8[at]netscape[dot]net
My favorite fictional crush is Roarke from J.D.Robb's In Death series.
seriousreader at live dot com
It's usually whoever I'm reading about. I love all of the men in Christine Feehan's Ghost Walker and Dark series, Sherrilyn Kenyon's hunters from all of her series and Lora Leigh's breed series.
sstrode@scrtc.com
OMGosh, Eric Northman. Yes!
On Twitter, Trueblood has been tweeting quotes. Here's what they posted this morning (Not sure who said/says it. Am imagining Eric.):
"You are going to invite me in, so I can protect you or have passionate, primal sex with you. How about both?”
Rhage from JR Wards BDB. I love the attitude & the way he carries himself.
forgot the email addy
truckchick at hotmail dot com
Awesome cover!
My fictional crush is Aragorn from Lord of the Rings.
marieimy (at) gmail (dot) com
I'll go with my favorite tv character, John Crichton from Farscape. Love him and Aeryn.
Thanks for the giveaway!
jbrink83 at hotmail dot com
it would be easier to answer what alpha-male haven't I lusted after .
Jorick from Shades of Gray (Joleene Naylor) is at the top. He is a vampire that is mysterious and decent.
My fictional crush: Curran… *drool*
Cadeon Woede. God I love that man.
venus_de_milo8787[at]yahoo[dot]ca
Mine would be Jamie from Outlander.
meredithfl at gmail dot com
I am going to have to branch out and say Ivy from the Hollows. She is HOT!