Monday, May 23, 2011

Interview and Giveaway with Laura Kaye!

I am pleased to have had the opportunity to read and review the book Forever Freed by Laura Kaye (which I have posted HERE). It's a wonderful book and I highly recommend it! I also had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Kaye, keep reading for more:

I read that your new release Forever Freed was actually the first novel you had written. When did you write it?

That’s true! Forever Freed was the first novel I wrote and the first I sold! I wrote the draft of Forever Freed, which was muuuuuuuch longer than the published book, in eleven weeks during the fall of 2008. I revised and revised and revised again, then started submitting to agents, and revised some more. *grins* I received a lot of requests from agents but didn’t get a taker, so in December of 2009, I submitted to The Wild Rose Press, who bought the book!

Did you get to choose the model for the cover? Who designed it?

At The Wild Rose Press, authors get to give input on covers through a very detailed cover art questionnaire that solicits author input on character appearance, story themes, preferred color schemes, objects of significance to the plot, etc. Some epublishers will allow authors input into selecting the stockphotos used (and thus the models used), but only at traditional publishers do they hire actual models and do photoshoots with them. Ironically, authors at traditional publishers tend to get less input into the cover art process than epublished authors! At The Wild Rose Press, cover artist Angela Anderson did Forever Freed’s cover, and she really met a lot of my requests!

You have books in a variety of genres, which one is your favorite to write in?

Paranormal romance is my true home as a reader and a writer. I love the creativity you can have in paranormal romance because anything can go as long as you justify it in your world-building. Plus, I just flat out love vampires!


What is your biggest challenge of being an author?

Time! Probably the same thing most authors would say! I work a full-time job, have a husband and two young daughters, etc., and so finding the time to do everything I need to do plus the things I’d like to do can be challenging. I tend to be a nightowl as a result!


Approximately how long does it take for you to write a book?

It varies. I tend to be a fast writer. When the story is ready to be told, it tends to pour out in large chunks at once. Like I said, I drafted Forever Freed in 11 weeks. My contemporary romance novella Hearts in Darkness I drafted in two weeks. The novel-length fantasy romance I just sold to Entangled Publishing entitled North of Need, I wrote in four weeks. The novel-length women’s fiction I completed in January, I wrote on and off for a year because the damn thing just wouldn’t cooperate. When I got blocked on that, I’d go off and write something else (thus the three novellas I completed while writing it!). But writing is only part of the process. Revising can take as long or longer than the initial drafting stage. And that, too, varies by manuscript.

Who is your favorite author/book?

J.R. Ward, her Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and, if I have to choose just one from within that, I’d have to go with Zsadist’s book, Lover Awakened. ZOMG don’t even get me started on Zsadist! Okay, do…


Out of all your books, which character is your favorite?

Such a difficult question, because I really do adore all my heroes, in particular! But, if pressed I’d have to say hero Lucien Demarco from Forever Freed. I probably know him better than any other character I’ve written, because I’ve gone so much deeper into his character and backstory than probably any other. Lucien just has a yearning and a loneliness that draws me to him and makes him so sympathetic. I’m totally in love with him! Caden Grayson from Hearts in Darkness would be a close second, though! *winks*


Do you have anything else you'd like to say about your new release, or about what you are working on now?

Thanks to all the readers and supporters out there! I hope you enjoy the book!

Working on now? I’m in the revising phases of the women’s fiction project I mentioned, and I’ll soon be getting first-round edits back from my publishers for my contemporary erotic romance, Just Gotta Say, coming late this summer from Decadent Publishing, and for the fantasy romance, North of Need, coming out in November from Entangled Publishing.


Otherwise, I’d just like to add a discount code and a giveaway!

Discount: Through 5/31, get 25% off of all titles/formats at my publisher http://thewildrosepress.com with code 18b632d0b0 !

Giveaway: Follow Laura at her blog (http://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com) and twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/laurakayeauthor) and comment here to let her know you did so – everyone who does so by 9AM EST on Tuesday the 24th will be entered into a drawing to win one of two copies of Forever Freed – ebook or signed paperback – winners’ choice! Winners to be announced Tuesday the 24th by noon EST!

[Note: 1) existing followers are eligible to win, just make sure you follow me at both & comment

here; 2) I’ll follow you back on twitter!]


Find Laura on the interwebz:


Website: http://www.LauraKayeAuthor.com

Blog: http://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/laurakayeauthor

Twitter: @laurakayeauthor

TWRP Publisher Website for paperback & ebook: http://thewildrosepress.com

/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=800

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Thanks for coming by my blog Laura! How awesome was that for her to offer the discount coupon AND to give away 2 signed books???

Oh, and I couldn't agree with you more about Zsadist! It's that dark, tortured, brooding thing...


23 comments:

  1. I'm sorry I missed this. I love BDB and yes Zsadist is one of my faves! Please enter me in the the give away if it isn't too late. I am looking forward to reading Forever Freed.

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  2. Hi Patti! Not to worry! You're just in time! Giveaway goes through *tomorrow* morning! I'm so glad you stopped by. We'll get along just fine as long as you don't claim Zsadist for yourself. ;)

    Thanks for hosting me here today, Tishia!

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  3. i so want to read this book i am so curious bout it. i liked reading what was wrote as well its always nice to see questions and answers.

    babydoll82959307(at)aol(dot)com

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  4. If you don't have twitter, let me know that here, and just blog following will count! How's that? ;)

    (I had to be dragged into twitter myself *winks*)

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  5. I would love to be entered...I already follow the blog and on twitter!!

    Thanks for the giveaway! ;). I am excited to read Forever Freed!!!

    Katie
    Katiewalthall AT ymail DOT com

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  6. :O) I follow you both on Facebook I am Katrina whittaker and also on twitter, I am run_with_wolves..
    I also posted the comp on twitter and linked you both so you know I follow ;) I follow Lauras blog, and this one ;) loved the interview !!! SOunds like my def kinda book ;) and great giveaway thanks Laura :P)

    kat

    kittee_cat@bigpond.com

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  7. Hi Katie and Katrina--thanks for the follows! Good luck!

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  8. Thank you for the awesome giveaway and love the interview. I follow you both on the blog as Janae VanderWoude and at Twitter @janaevw
    Thank you!
    janaevw@gmail.com

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  9. Thanks for the follows, Janae! Glad to meetcha! :)

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  10. I follow you at both! Great interview and I'm so jealous of your fast writing skills! :P

    I won't fight you for Z. But Rehv's all mine!

    purdueliz@gmail.com

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  11. Great interview, Laura. I found the part about the cover art to be really informative, because I don't really know much about the process. And you already know I follow your blog and Twitter, so sign me up for the copy of FF! :-D I can't wait to sink my teeth (see what I did there?) into it.

    xoxo Sarah
    sarahallanauthor@gmail.com

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  12. Okay PurdueLiz, Rehv's all yours. Phew! You know us mated females can't share! ;)

    @Sarah - glad you found that interesting. Geez, there's so much to learn, isn't there?!

    Thanks for stopping by! Good luck!

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  13. This sounds like an awesome book. I am following your blog and twitter. I definately want to be entered to win!
    heltondexter@yahoo.com
    FB-Rhonda Perkins-Helton

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  14. Woohoo Rhonda! Glad it intrigues you and thanks for the follows! Good luck! :)

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  15. I can't wait to read this, it sounds like a wonderful book. I follow you on both the blog and twitter and want to enter to win!

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  16. Woot! You're entered, Dianna! Thanks!

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  17. I follow you just about everywhere! Stalk much? I have Forever Freed on my wishlist!

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  18. Stalking is totally embraced here, Elena! Welcome aboard!

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  19. From what I have read this book sounds like a good read.
    I follow on the blog (kimy)
    on twitter (kimberlybrasher)

    kimberly(dot)brasher at gmail(dot)com

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  20. STAY TUNED FOR THE WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT AT 12 NOON EST! I'LL ANNOUNCE HERE, FACEBOOK & TWITTER!

    Thanks to everybody for commenting, following, and joining in the fun!

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  21. Lindsey Hutchison and PurdueLiz--YOU WON! Email me your preference of ebook or signed paperback and, if the latter, send me your mailing address!

    Thanks for being here with me!

    laurakayeauthor (at) gmail.com

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  22. Laura,

    Congratulations on your new release and I wish you much success!

    I followed you on GFF (ReneeRearden) and on Twitter (@ReneeRearden). I look forward to reading Forever Freed! Dark, tortured heroes are my favorite!

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  23. Thanks so much for hosting this interview and giveaway. So excited to win a copy!

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