Interview and Giveaway: Her Forbidden Hero by Laura Kaye
Kitt: Hi Laura, we’d like to welcome you back to Paperback Dolls! We’re so happy to have you here.
Laura: Thank you so much, Kitt! I’m always excited to hang out with the Paperback Dolls!
Kitt: This is your second visit to Paperback Dolls, your first was last November when you took our Paperback Proust during your North of Need release, can you tell our readers a little about yourself now and what you’ve been doing since?
Laura: I’d love to! I am in the middle of writing two paranormal series and one contemporary series. The second in the series that began with North of Need releases on July 10 (West of Want, Hearts of the Anemoi Book 2) – and that will be my first book with national bookstore distribution! I’m so excited! I’m also writing a mini-series of novellas for Harlequin called the Vampire Warrior Kings series, and have two out and two more to come. And I’m contracted to write four more stories like my newest release, Her Forbidden Hero, all sexy contemporaries featuring hot alpha heroes – how much fun is that?
Kitt: When did you first start writing? What made you decide – ‘ok, this is it, I’m writing a book’?
Laura: Well, I’ve been a writer my entire adult life. But mostly it was non-fiction. By training, I’m an academic historian and college professor, and so I have scholarly books published in my field of early American history. But, about four years ago, I first tried my hand at writing fiction for publication. I experienced a head injury (similar to my hero, Marco, in Her Forbidden Hero), and when I started to heal, I had the strong urge to all kinds of creative outlets, and writing was the one that most demanded my attention. Within three months, I drafted my first novel, which ultimately became my vampire romance, Forever Freed. I haven’t looked back since.
Kitt: Do you have any authors that you took inspiration from or influenced you the most?
Laura: I grew up reading Stephen King and Anne Rice, and they definitely inspired me with their incredible ability to weave a tail, build suspense, and make you love and root for their characters! More recently, my favorite authors are J.R. Ward and Sherrilyn Kenyon, who both excel and writing male point of view and incredibly vivid, sympathetic and sexy alpha males. I feel inspired by and influenced by all four of these authors in different ways.
Kitt: When you want to get away from your own books and take a break, what do you read?
Laura: Mostly paranormal and contemporary romance, though I can enjoy almost any genre as long as the characters grab me. The two most recent books I read—and loved—were Lisa Kleypas’s Blue-Eyed Devil and Sylvia Day’s Bared to You. Both brilliant.
Kitt: Can you tell us a little bit about Her Forbidden Hero?
Laura: Sure! Her Forbidden Hero is the story of a physically and emotionally damaged prior Army Special Forces soldier named Marco Vieri who struggles to come to terms with how his life has changed—and the fact that he’s falling in love with Alyssa Scott, one of his oldest friends and his best friend/Special Forces teammate’s younger sister. Here’s the blurb:
She’s always been off-limits…
Former Army Special Forces Sgt. Marco Vieri has never thought of Alyssa Scott as more than his best friend’s little sister, but her return home changes that…and challenges him to keep his war-borne demons at bay. Marco’s not the same person he was back when he protected Alyssa from her abusive father, and he’s not about to let her see the mess he’s become.
…but now she’s all grown up.
When Alyssa takes a job at the bar where Marco works, her carefree smiles wreak havoc on his resolve to bury his feelings. How can he protect her when he can’t stop thinking about her in his bed? But Alyssa’s not looking for protection–not anymore. Now that she’s back in his life, she’s determined to heal her forbidden hero, one touch at a time…
Kitt: Are any of your characters, such as Sgt. Marco Vieri, based on other people? Do you have mental images for your characters?
Laura: I’m a very visual writer. I see scenes play out in my head like a video, and I can even move around inside the scene so I can see the characters and the setting from multiple angles. So I always have visual images of my characters. And Italian actor Giulio Berruti and American actress Olivia Wilde are very close representations of the characters as I see them. There’s also a lot of me and my own personal experiences in these characters—my head injury in Marco (though I wrote his consequences worse than mine were), my love of acoustic guitar and guitar playing (though I’m not good LOL), and my alcoholic father in Alyssa (though he was never violent). I also read and watched a lot of interviews with wounded veterans, and based Marco in part on a wounded Navy SEAL I read about.
Kitt: Was there a particular scene or part of the book that was more challenging to write, if so, can you explain?
Laura: These characters had been in my head for about nine months when I finally had the opportunity to write their story. So I really knew them and the story very well when I began and it just poured out (in four weeks). I really didn’t struggle with any particular scene, though I did feel challenged to be make Marco sympathetic and likeable and also let him express his anger and hurt and frustration, and it was sometimes a difficult line to walk.
Kitt: If there is a lesson that each of your main characters need to learn what would it be?
Laura: This is a really interesting question. They both need to learn that it’s not a weakness to admit you need help and ask for it. That’s something I think both have as a character flaw. More specifically, Marco needs to learn that he can’t control everything, and Alyssa needs to learn that she can’t fix everything for everyone else in her life.
Kitt: So, what’s next on your “to-do” list? We know you are busy promoting your new book, but are there any new works in progress we can be anticipating? Or are there any other genres that you’d like to explore?
Laura: Up most immediately is the release of my contemporary fantasy romance, West of Want, book 2 in my Hearts of the Anemoi series. Then will come the follow-on story to Her Forbidden Hero, which will feature the heroine’s brother Brady in his own book in the late summer/early fall. I’ll have at least one more book out in late 2012 as well, and maybe more! Stay tuned, it’s never a dull moment! And I love that!
Kitt: If there were a question that no one has asked you as of yet, and you really wish they would, what would that be? (with answer please!)
Laura: LOL Hmmm… I think I shared some of this above, but there’s so much of me in this book. I mean, I think that’s always true to some degree. Authors can’t help but put themselves, their views, their thoughts into the characters in various ways. So maybe that would be the question—how are you, the author, reflected in Her Forbidden Hero? And the answer is: I explored the issues related to my head injury with Marco’s character. I explored the fact that I grew up with an alcoholic father (who was largely out of the picture before I was a teenager) and my childhood poverty in Alyssa’s character. I explored my love of music, which has always been a source of solace, pleasure, and companionship for me, not to mention my own fledgling love of and interest in playing the guitar.
Kitt: We want to thank you so much for taking the time to visit us and answer our questions! We are super thrilled to have you on Paperback Dolls. Best of Luck to you!
Laura: Thanks for having me back! You dolls rock!
About Laura Kaye:
Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is the bestselling and award-winning author of over a half-dozen books in paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance. Hearts in Darkness is the EPIC eBook Award Winner for Best Novella and HOLT Medallion Award of Merit Winner for Best Romance Novella, Forever Freed is the NJRW Golden Leaf Winner for Best Paranormal of 2011 and is a finalist for two GDRWA Booksellers’ Best Awards, and North of Need, the first book in the Hearts of the Anemoi series, is a finalist for a FF&P PRISM award, was named GraveTells’ Best Book of 2011 and won their 5-STAR Gold Heart Award, and won Sizzling Hot Read of the Year at Sizzling Hot Books. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
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GIVEAWAY!: One commenter who leaves their email address will win A PRINT COPY of Her Forbidden Hero! The book is not available for sale in print, so this is a rare, exclusive opportunity! Open to international! Good luck!
She’s always been off-limits…
Former Army Special Forces Sgt. Marco Vieri has never thought of Alyssa Scott as more than his best friend’s little sister, but her return home changes that…and challenges him to keep his war-borne demons at bay. Marco’s not the same person he was back when he protected Alyssa from her abusive father, and he’s not about to let her see the mess he’s become.
…but now she’s all grown up.
When Alyssa takes a job at the bar where Marco works, her carefree smiles wreak havoc on his resolve to bury his feelings. How can he protect her when he can’t stop thinking about her in his bed? But Alyssa’s not looking for protection–not anymore. Now that she’s back in his life, she’s determined to heal her forbidden hero, one touch at a time…
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Giveaway provided by Entangled Publishing. By entering this giveaway, you are agreeing to the rules set by our Giveaway Policy. Ends 06/30 International.
Hello Laura thanks for the great interiew!! Was it a challenge switching to writing fiction? Can’t wait for West of Want!!!looking forward to it :D Thanks for the great giveaway!
Thanks Amiee! I had a lot to learn about writing fiction, of course, but I actually find fiction writing easier and faster than my academic writing. Good question!
Huge fan! Of course you know that! And soooOOOOoo exctied that your books are coming out in print! I have a kindle but when I love a book I like to have it a print copy of it also! Laura, were you ridiculously excited to find out your books were coming out in print and how did you feel when you first touched one???
Thank so much!
Erin
LOL It’s always amazing to pet a new print book! What’s especially exciting about this book is that it’s not for sale in print yet, so it was amazing to have print books made available for me for giveaways, contest entries, etc.! A real treat!
hi laura!
you’ve write paranormal and contemporary, do you have plans to try out other genres?
I really enjoy writing multiple genres, so yes. I also write erotic romance, and have one of those out already. And I’ve got an erotic women’s fiction manuscript drafted. My home is mostly paranormal and contemporary, but I’m willing to play in other playgrounds too! :)
Thanks for this giveaway. I loved this book and would love to have it in print form. I can’t wait until #2 comes out!
That’s awesome, Kristin! Thanks so much!
I would be thrilled to win a print copy!! I got an ecopy but I would enjoy it more if it was in print :D
Yay! That’s exactly why I was so excited to be able to offer the giveaway in print! Woot! Thanks Arianne!
AH! I’ve been dying to read this book!! :)
I love hearing that, Christina! Thanks!
This looks like such a cute book. Great giveaway!
Awesome! Thanks Kelsey!
Wow, I haven’t read anything by her but this book sounds really good. I think my to read list just grew a lot :D
And the interview was great, can’t wait to get my hands on one of her books now!
And a quick question, you were a history proffesor, right? have you ever thought of writing historical novels?
So glad it sounds good to you, Cynthia! :) Mostly, I’d thought I wouldn’t write historical because it was too much like “work”! LOL But in fact I am co-authoring a historical fiction right now – more details on that to come! :)
Laura I loved Seduced by the Vampire King, I enjoy your writing very much, I would love to win a copy of your book thank you for the chance.
Woot! So glad to hear it, Carin! Thanks!
Hi Laura – I’m following you around again :). I swear I’m not a stalker. I just love your books :).
LOL Victoria! In this context, stalking is welcome! ;)
*claps hands* A chance at a print copy, you say? Yippeeee…..
I love everything I’ve read from you, especially Hearts in Darkness *swoon*
Thanks so much for a chance!!!
Sebrina
Aw, yay! Thanks for telling me! :)
I like the subject of your story since we have so many heroes!!!
Congratulations on having this one in print. Is it hard for you to switch genres?
Thanks Diane! It’s not really hard to switch genres, it all just depends on what the characters tell me the story is. So either way, it starts with a character. I really enjoy writing in different genres, actually!
Thanks for the interview! I love how you write and I love to read different genres of romance so I’m thrilled you write all of them! Thanks for the awesome giveway!
Aw, that’s awesome, Laurie! Thanks so much!
Hi Laura,
I shared and tweeted and now i am entering…:)
Awesome! Thanks Kim!
How do you make a decision regarding stand alones or series?
I loved the interview & have added to my wish list.
Hi Mary – that happens a couple of different ways. Sometimes the initial story idea has several characters that will clearly each need their own story, so you know it’s a series. My Hearts of the Anemoi series is like that. Or sometimes you think it’s a single title/stand alone and then an interesting secondary character emerges in the course of writing it who could really have his own story, and that’s how this book was with the heroine’s brother, Brady. Fun question!
I gotta say that I’ll buy the bock just for the title! anyway, how do you feel about writing different genres?
Awesome! I love writing different genres, I feel like they let me exercise different parts of my writing muscles, and I get to play with different kinds of characters!
Congrats on the newest release!
Thanks for a fun interview! I’ve just discovered your books and I love them :) Is it hard to switch from genre to genre? (I’ve only read your contemporary novella Heart of Darkness and PNR North of Need)
Yay, Erin! Glad you’re enjoying! :) It’s not hard to switch because it’s what he characters demand, it just IS, if that makes any sense! :)
Congratulations to Laura on all her books coming out. I think it must have been difficult to revisit her suffering when she had the hero suffer a head injury.
You know, there’s something kind of cathartic about exercising issues through a character! Thanks for your comment, Maureen!
I’ve already been drooling after the eBook on Amazon for quite a while… And would absolutely love to have Her Forbidden Hero on my bookshelf too! Thank you so much for writing! Loved Hearts in Darkness!
That’s awesome, Armi! Hope you enjoy it! Thanks for telling me about Hearts in Darkness! :)
Her Forbidden Hero sounds really good! Would love to read it!
Thank you for the giveaway.
claudigc at msn dot com
Yay! I’m so glad it sounds good to you, Claudia!
I’m thrilled to get this chance for a print copy – I’m much more comfortable with print books so I haven’t gone digital.
Glad you’re enjoying this giveaway, Diane! I was thrilled to be able to offer some in print! :)
I really want to read this book. It sounds very good. Thanks for the giveaway.
You’re welcome! Thanks Victoria!
Oh my! You have a rare print copy to give away? As much as I love the convenience of ebooks, nothing beats a brand new paperback. Plus I just love looking at all the spines on my shelves :) That was a terrific interview, Laura. I had no idea you were writing Marco from personal experience with head trauma. I’m just glad you came away from it in one piece, and that you were able to fulfill your dreams of writing the kinds of stories you’ve given us so far. I’m nowhere near done with all of your books, but I’m getting there :)
Thank you for such a lovely giveaway prize.
mwilsonart(at)gmail(dot)com
I do I do! :) I’m so excited to have these print books to offer! And yay to the idea of you working your way through my books! *grins* Thanks Michelle!
Hi Laura,
Congrats on the release. I would love the chance to win a rare print copy, especially if it is signed *grin*. This book does sound really great. Thanks so much for the great giveaway!
June
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
Will definitely sign it, June! :) Thanks so much!
Laura and Dolls, thanks for the awesome interview–it’s a pleasure to get a peek behind the stories :) Thanks for putting so much of yourself into your work–Her Forbidden Hero sounds like one amazing read!
f dot chen at comcast dot net
Aw, you’re so welcome, Fedora!
Love hearing how different aspects of the story/characters are influenced by their real life. So interesting. Can’t wait to read this one!
Thanks for the great interview! :)
Glad you enjoyed, Anna! Woot!
I love Laura’s books that I have read so far and would so appreciate this one in print!!! I got hooked on her writing with HEARTS IN DARKNESS, then moved on to NORTH OF NEED! Wanted to get to this book and this would be a great way to read it!! Also waiting on WEST OF WANT in July and I can’t wait!!! Thank you for this interview and giveaway!!
brandypm(at)optonline(dot)net
Aw, Phyllis, you’re the best! So glad you enjoyed the books!
I enjoyed the interview. The book sounds good.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Yay! Thanks bn!
A chance to have a book to HOLD? Very cool indeed…especially when it’s a book by LAURA KAYE!!!!
Thanks for the opportunity!
Kathie
Aw, Kathie! Thanks for the wonderful comment! :D
dear laura…
may i ask why this book is not available for sale in print ? so it wouln’d sell on bookdepository ?
i hope i win this giveaway because i really want to read ur book…
thx u so much ^^
chiko_jubilee at yahoo dot com
Hi Nurmawati – the publisher’s line that this book is a part of is ebook only, at least for now. But they let me print some for contest entries and giveaways, which means I have a few I can offer to all of you! :) Thanks for commenting!
Very beautiful interview! I love the story of book and Marco and Alyssa seem very interesting characters.
Thank you for the giveaway!
Awesome! Thanks Artemis! (love your name, by the way! :) )
Omg! You sound like a fun person to hang out with. I actually don’t have a question, just comments. From this interview, I really need to add all of your books to my “to read” list on Goodreads :).
Woot! Your comment made my day, Alexandrea! Thanks!
I totally loved the interview so awesome, I do have one question have you ever mixed reality into your work ?
Thank you for the fantastic give away and thank you so very very much for allowing international entries you rock !
Hi Desere – I have in some ways – obviously, I’ve put parts of myself into my stories, as I shared here. But I also love using real places with which I’m familiar. I think that adds a layer of authenticity to the story and it’s fun for people who live there, etc. And I also like incorporating historical events into characters’ backstory. So in some ways, yes! You’re very welcome for the international giveaway, too! :)
Hello Laura – I think that you are a very creative author and I know that I get drawn into the stories and you feel the emotions of your characters. You really know how to bring a story to life. I do wonder if you plan on conituing to write in the same genre or branch out? Either way I will be still reading your books! Have a fabulous day!
Hi Wendy – thank you so much for your awesome comment! Made my morning! :D I plan to do most of my writing in paranormal and contemporary romance. But I do have an erotic women’s fiction manuscript I’m hoping to sell and I’m co-authoring a historical fiction novel (and I can’t wait to share more about that!). I’m a bit of a dabbler! ;) Good luck!
awesome interview, thanks for the chance to win!! and extra thanks for making it international!!
Do you prefer writing contemporary or paranormal?
You’re so welcome, Alaina! :) Hmm…this is a tough question! I really enjoy writing both paranormal and contemporary. Paranormal was always my first love as a reader, so it wasn’t surprising that I started writing in that genre (my vampire romance, Forever Freed), but I can’t imagine not having written Hearts in Darkness’s Caden Greyson or Her Forbidden Hero’s Marco Vieri. It’s about the characters for me, I think, that makes it hard to choose, because I really do love all my characters! :)
and it shows! lol..
Loved the interview and really enjoyed the insight you give us into your writing of it. Giulio Berruti is perfect and exactly how I envisioned Marco!
As an avid reader, sometimes I become so invested in a story and it’s characters that it is hard for me to let them go. Does that happen to you in writing? Have there been characters that, once you complete their story, are hard for you to let go?
Isn’t Giulio YUMMY? zomg!
That does happen to me sometimes. And it really happened to my with Her Forbidden Hero. I couldn’t let Alyssa and Marco go. They were just in my head. That’s why I started writing Brady’s book next–it wasn’t on my writing schedule to do next, but I couldn’t let the world go and so it made sense to just give in and stay there! :) Good question! :)
Loved this book – the characters really make you care and cheer for them.
Yay! Thank you Susan! :D
Laura, I LOVE your Anemoi series (and have preordered all that are available for it). I would love to read Her Forbidden Hero, but I don’t read ebooks. This giveaway is perfect for that. Thank you so much!
Karin
Aw, thank you for your support of the Anemoi series, Karin! That rocks! And good luck! :)
Very interesting interview. Thank you for sharing personal facts about you, Laura. As you already know, I absolutely loved HFH! Thanks so much for this once-in-a-lifetime giveaway! Your devoted fan, Hai-Yen
Thank you, Hai-Yen! xoxo
Great interview once again Laura! Can’t wait for West of Want and Zeph soon!! Thanks PBD for a great giveaway. I would love a chance at this. I have all of Laura’s in print that are available that way!
Woot! Awesome, Stephanie! Thank you!
Great interview–I think it is cool that you see scenes play out like a video–I do the same thing, I never was sure if that was how other people did it or I was just odd! LOL
Well, it might be odd, Holly! LOL But it works! :)
Do you have any favorite country or city which makes you easy getting much inspiration for your books?
Interesting question! Not necessarily, though I do enjoy setting books in places I’ve lived, visited, or know, because I feel it adds an authenticity to the story. But that’s not true of all of my books–my Vampire Warrior Kings series has two books (so far) set in Northern Ireland and Moscow, Russia, two places I’ve never been! :)
I absolutely can’t wait to read this. I would love a print copy!
bdulin12 @ netscape . net
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