The Tuesday Special - Author Interview: Lori Foster

Jamie, Lori Foster

Author Name: Lori Foster
Website: www.lorifoster.com
Genre: contemporary romance
Latest book in shops now: Jamie, Fantasy, and out in a couple of weeks: The Night Before Christmas, Tempted, Jingle Bell Rock.

Jingle Bell Rock is a reissue from Trade to mass market.Tempted is a reissue of 3 older Harlequin books of mine – Little Miss Innocent? Annie Get Your Guy, and Messing Around With Max.

Karen: Before we begin this interview, I need to check that you're still grounded and that your head isn't swollen from all of your success, so with that in mind, what was the last thing you bought on Ebay, and do you know how much a carton of milk costs?

Lori: The last thing I bought on Ebay was a Guild Wars item for my middle son – though I don’t know exactly what it was, since he picked it out and just asked me to pay for it. :) I think a gallon of milk costs about $2 now, right?(In my defense, I’ve never known the cost of groceries because my husband has always worked for a grocery store, and done the majority of grocery shopping.

Karen: That’s what I like to hear… a well trained husband… (g)

Karen: Name your top five favourite books that you read as a child:

Lori: I didn’t read much as a kid. Sorry. I remember some required reading that almost turned me off books forever... but we won’t go there.

Karen: What does a typical day as a writer consist of?

Lori: Coffee in the morning, along with a snack, (like a Pop Tart or brownie) which I consume while checking through the 200+ emails that accumulated through the night.

After that, I visit a few favorite web sites, like the RT message boards, the eHq message boards, my own message board, and reader comments on my books at Amazon and Bn.com. When that’s done, I usually throw in laundry and make beds, take my two little dogs out a gazillion times, and talk to my friend Dianne Castell.

Now that my kids are off to college, I IM with them, or talk to them on the phone.Then I get started writing. On most days, I average about 10 pages. On better days I get closer to 20 or 25. I write until I’m done writing, or something more important comes up. Usually around 4:00 or 5:00, but sometimes I quit earlier, and sometimes I write right up to bedtime.

And some days I don’t write at all.

Karen: It always amazes me that you have kids in college, you just don’t look old enough (g)

Karen: Name your top five favourite books of all time.

Lori: Hmmm... that’s a toughie considering I have several boxes of “keepers” under my bed! But let’s say...
Dream Man by Linda Howard
Honors Splendor by Julie Garwood,
True Bliss by Stella Cameron,
Perfect Partners by Jayne Ann Krentz
Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey

Karen: Awwww, I recently read Dream Man by Linda Howard, I loved it, although I am quite partial to stories featuring psychics and empaths.

Karen: Which authors are you glomming at the moment?

Lori: Susan Andersen! My gosh, she’s good!

Karen: Do you have other close romance writer friends, and if so who are they?

Lori: I have lots!
Dianne Castell
Toni Blake
Stella Cameron
Erin McCarthy
Rosemary Laurey
Janice Maynard
Lucy Monroe

... too many to list them all. I’m afraid I’ll forget someone and she’ll be insulted!I talk to Dianne almost every day, so she’d be the closest.

Karen: Wow… I’m impressed… Man, it took me forever to include all these links! :)

Karen: When did realise that you wanted to write books, and who or what inspired you?

Lori: I don’t remember the exact year, but I was married with 3 sons (all very young) and my sister brought me over a bag of books. I got hooked on the romances, and soon after, decided I wanted to write as well as read.

Books by Linda Howard and Catherine Coulter just blew me away. Johanna Lindsey, Julie Garwood, Brenda Joyce, Jayne Ann Krentz under her many pseudonyms... they’re all such incredible writers that they inspired me just by writing such good books.

Karen: If you could have a one-to-one conversation with a famous historical figure, who would it be with and what would you talk about?

Lori: Oh, I’d say Adam, and I’d ask him what it was like before Eve showed up. I bet he never took her for granted!

Karen: Oh good answer, I’d probably speak to Eve, and asked her what the hell she was playing at eating that damned apple, the strife that that’s caused since… oops, away I go again. Next question!

Karen: What is your ultimate goal when it comes your writing?

Lori: To keep my readers entertained. I live in fear of the day that I start to bore them.

Karen: What's your favourite food?

Lori: Now, you need to be more specific. Salty snack food would probably be Better Cheddars and Mountain Dew. (That’s my version of falling off the wagon, btw) Sweet snack food would be cherry malts and something made of dough – like pastries.Dinner type food would be chicken or pork chops with dressing and mashed potatoes.

Karen: What is it, with Americans and Mountain Dew? It just tastes like Limeade to me… (g)

Karen: Which of your books is the dearest to your heart, and why?

Lori: They’re all dear for one reason or another, but (at the risk of turning off readers) my next single title, not out till Feb 06, features a guy who fought in the UFC. That’s the Ultimate Fighting Championship . Yeah, I know a lot of readers are probably not keen on that, but I LOVE the sport.

I’m utterly hooked and have my favorite fighters (currently Randy Couture) and I’ve learned the different moves and holds and submissions...

Anyway, the hero isn’t currently fighting. That’s backstory – so please, readers, don’t freak out and skip the book! Fighting (and some other things) shaped him into the man he is for my story – which is a really honorable, totally sexy, kick-ass hunk.

Karen: When was the last time you went overseas and where did you go?

Lori: I haven’t! But I’d like to someday. I’ve been to lots of places in the states, and to Canada. That’s it! Generally any distance travel is because of business and I see very little of the area outside the hotel and restaurants.

Karen: Who's your favourite romance hero of all time?

Lori: Man, that’s a toughie! Probably Wolf Mackenzie, from Mackenzie’s Mountain, by Linda Howard.

Karen: Who's your favourite romance heroine of all time?

Lori: The lovely school teacher from Mackenzie’s Mountain!

Karen: What was the last movie you saw?

Lori: I see movies a LOT. It’s about the only time I’m not plotting. I go at least once a week, if not twice, and we rent movies throughout the week. (I don’t watch much TV, but I’ll park my butt in the chair, the two Chihuahuas on my lap, for just about any movie that isn’t too sad or sappy.Last night we saw a rental. Triple X, and yeah, it wasn’t too good.

But right before that I saw Devil’s Rejects, which rocked; The Island, which was decent enough to keep me entertained; Skeleton Key, which sucked; (Hated the ending especially.) Four Brothers, which infuriated me because it glamorized the whole “thug, gang” mentality; and we also recently rented Stone Cold with Tom Selleck, which was wonderful.

Karen: Tom Selleck sans moustache is totally droolworthy…

Karen: Name your top five favourite romantic films.

Lori: I’m not big on romantic films. I like more horror and butt kicking and action. Are any of the Blade movies romantic? No? Okay, let’s see... The Big Easy. Love, Actually. Geez, I can’t think of any others! But I could talk some more about Devil’s Rejects or Blade or X Men or Fantastic Four or Constantine... :)

Karen: I loved, Love Actually too! Hey, X Men could count as a romantic film, I felt totally romantic when Hugh Jackman got his claws out… BTW, don’t think I haven’t noticed that you seem to be somewhat bloodthirsty (g).

Karen: If you could be any other author, who would you be and why?

Lori: I don’t want to be any other author. The authors I know are really good at what they do, and I admire them, but I don’t want to be them. We all have our own set of problems and perks.

I LOVES my perks (3 healthy sons and a wonderful husband and lots of friendly readers) and I’m familiar with my own problems, so I’m better equipped to deal with them than I would be someone else’s problems.Now, there are some authors I might like to visit... :)

Karen: What was the last book you read?

Lori: Skintight by Susan Andersen. It’s delish!

Karen: Finally, when's your next book due out, and what's it about?

Lori: The next book out is my Christmas novella in The Night Before Christmas. I think my editor titled it A White Knight Christmas, but don’t hold me to that. After 50+ books, I have a hard time with the titles.

It’s about a cop burned out on the lunacy of the holidays, and a philanthropic heroine who has a very special reason for cherishing Christmas. She not only wants the cop, but she wants to convert him from being a scrooge to loving the holidays as much as she does.Naturally, she succeeds!

Karen: Yay, sounds great, no doubt another one that I’ll have to buy!

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions Lori, much appreciated, now get back to writing! :)

Coming up next week, Emma Holly!