Hello Tori, thank you for doing this interview. Would you tell us a little about yourself?
Hi, Laurie. Thanks so much for having me. I started writing as a kid but only started taking it seriously a few years ago. I'm fascinated with magic, mythology and history, so I like to write about those subjects. Basically I like weird stuff. I used to be a bellydancer, but I don't dance much anymore. Too busy writing. Also, I'm married and have a school-age son.
Out of all the books you wrote, do you have a few that holds a special place in your heart?
Well, Temple of the Heart does because it was so much fun to write. Also, the book I'm working on now, which doesn't have a title yet, is pretty special to me. It's about a man (Amaki, actually) who was buried alive beneath a house, and now thinks he's the spirit of the house. He doesn't remember being alive.
What are some of your favorite author’s and some of your favorite books you’ve read?
Wow, that would be a long list, lol. I used to read a lot of Mary Stewart, and especially loved The Crystal Cave as a kid. Also, M.M.Kaye's Trade Wind really influenced me, as well as Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series. And I love Charles De Lint. He's a huge influence. My favorite historical author is Laura Kinsale. I loved Flowers from the Storm. I admire Angela Knight and Morgan Hawke for their no-holds-barred sex scenes (sex scenes are really important to me). And for paranormal, I'm into Sherrilyn Kenyon, J.R.Ward, Kresley Cole, and I just discovered Kerrilyn Sparks. She's so funny.
What sub-genre that you write?
Currently I write mostly paranormal/fantasy romance. I also have a series of short stories that are basically humorous urban fantasy. They're about a witch named Skye Donovan, who works the graveyard shift at the post office in Portland, Oregon. I worked there for almost 6 years, so I thought it would be fun to write about it. Skye has all kinds of kooky adventures at the P.O. and elsewhere. I have two stories out in that series, Love Potion Number Ninety and Stainless Steel Vampire.
Would you tell those who had never heard of your book Temple of the Heart a little about your book?
Temple of the Heart is set in ancient Atlantis. It's about a sheltered priestess named Laila, who has never seen a man. When her temple catches fire, she's rescued by a vampire named Niko. But the authorities, instead of being relieved she's still alive, begin chasing her and Niko who then have to escape the city and have adventures along the way. Naturally they fall in love, too.
I really liked Garek and Sosima. I would love to read their stories. Any chance we can look forward to either of them getting their own book?
I definitely have plans for Garek. He's going to have his own book eventually, which is going to feature reincarnation. Sosima is probably going to appear in a vampire series I have planned. She'll be a truly ancient vampire by then, because the new series is set in the modern world.
Do you have any plains to write a series about the Amakis? I was really fascinated with their strengths and powers.
Actually, I already have a series about them. Temple is sort of a cross-over book. My Amaki book which is currently available is called The Heart Moon. I have two more in progress, one called Dragon Moon, and the other untitled (the house book I talked about).
How did you come up with the idea for a romance between a priestess and vampire?
Years ago, I heard a story about a Chinese lady who elected to remain in a burning palace because it was simply unthinkable for her to leave the palace grounds. I thought that was fascinating, and I wanted to write about it, but I made her a priestess instead. Of course, my heroine can't stay and burn. She has to attempt an escape. But I wanted her to get help from a man because men are forbidden to her, and I thought it would be even better if the man were someone scary and disreputable. And who is scarier and more disreputable than a vampire?
Have you always wanted to write about vampires and other supernatural creatures?
Pretty much, yeah. I used to watch the sky on Halloween night hoping I'd see a witch fly by. Lol. That was when I was really little. But I've always been fascinated by the mysterious and supernatural. I have a huge library of occult books.
Would you tell us a little of what you’re working on next?
I'm working on the house novel, and Dragon Moon, a sequel to The Heart Moon. After that, I'm probably going to be developing a vampire series based on the vampire world I created for Temple. And I'll also be doing a Skye Donovan story here and there for a change of pace.
Fun questions
What your favorite color? Hmm. Probably pink. Or maybe red. Then again, I love yellow. And blue. I love all colors, lol.
Do you have any pets? Yes. One tiny Yorkie mix who thinks he's the emperor of the world.
What your favorite movie and TV show? Oh, boy. I really don't watch much tv these days and hardly ever get to see movies. But I do love the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Firefly/Serenity. I was an X-Files fan back in the day, too. I'm waiting for Jane Eyre to arrive in the boondocks where I live.
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