Spotlight Author with Lori Handeland

Multi-published, and very talented, New York Times Bestselling Author, Lori Handeland is joining me here today at Micole Writes Romance. It seems this woman can write anything and she has! From historical, contemporary, series and paranormal romance, as well as urban fantasy! Sheesh! Let me catch my breath!!! My brain only works in one mode. And from the looks of things that mode is Turtle (slow)! ;-) This woman is like the hare she's done passed me up apparently over fifty times!!!! Yes you are reading right. She has over fifty books in print! I have to say I'm a wee bit jealous!;-( She's here today to share with us two of her latest releases CHAOS BITES and SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD. So lets not waste any more time. Lori tell us...

CHAOS BITES is the fourth entry in my urban fantasy series, The Phoenix Chronicles. In it Doomsday once again lies in wait for demon slayer Elizabeth Phoenix. Several weeks ago she had no choice but to kill a man she loved. Now he's started to invade her dreams.
She's also acquired a new set of paranormal powers along with responsibility for a shape-shifting baby.
Nothing is at it seems as Liz combs through the chaos of her new life while trying to outrun death every turn. She's going to need all the help she can get since every demon on earth is hell-bent on her destruction.

SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD is a mashed up--in the tradition of bestselling PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES or ABRAHAM LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER in this book we discover how Bard got his bite!

William Shakespeare was one of history's greatest writers, a master of words with his body of work that is truly impressive... some may say a little too impressive for a single man to accomplish in one lifetime. perhaps, like many have speculated, he had assistance, or perhaps the explanation was more... unusual.

Who was William Shakespeare?
Who was the Dark Lady of the Sonnets?
Why are the undead stalking the alleyways of London?
And can they be stopped?

Something is definitely rotten in the state of Denmark.

This book takes the reader on a wild ride through twisted streets and shadowed graveyards of Elizabethan London where Will Shakespeare and his lady love, Kate, fight zombies and vampires in a desperate attempt to save themselves, the people of London and Queen Elizabeth from a nefarious plot.

What do Lori Handeland fans have to look forward to in 2010?

CHAOS BITES will be released April 27th 2010
SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD on June 8th 2010
And the Nightcreature Novels will return in November with MARKED BY THE MOON--set in Alaska

Can you tell us what you are working on right now?

Another Nightcreature Novel, scheduled dor March 2011. This one is titled MOON CURSED and takes place at Loch Ness.

What do you feel makes your writing unique?

I have always felt I have a distinctive voice. My books are sexy, scary, and funny. I also make sure my books are fast paced. One thing I loathe when I read a books myself is when the story lags, so I try to keep everything clipping right along in my own books for 400 pages.

Some writers say that they have a story that has to be told others say that the characters come to them and demand that their story be told... how does it work for you?

My books usually start with a story, and the characters come from there. Unless it's a series and we've met the character in a previous book. Then the character's usually start talking first.

If you had to pick one character in your books, who would be your favorite? And why? Or if you don't want to pick a favorite... which one do you connect with the most? And why?

I've always liked Liz Phoenix from The Phoenix Chronicles--a can-do woman who stops at nothing to save the world. And she's funny too.

Liz is like you and me in many ways--she's lost things--her job, a man--but she keeps trying. She's never been faced with anything this tough before, but she certainly isn't going to quit.

I'm a huge fan of dark worlds, dangerous heroes and kick ass heroines who save the day. Probably because I don't want to live in such a world and if I met a man like Sawyer or Jimmy I'd run the other way. If I behaved like Liz, I'd wind up with a fat lip! But to imagine myself as savior of the world, with incredible supernatural powers, the object of lust for two incredibly hot and powerful men... that's fun!

What's your writing process? Do you carefully plan every detail of your novels, or do you fly by the seat of your pants and let your characters and the story take you on that wild ride to the end?

I've found that if I plan too much before I start writing, I'm bored by the story before I begin. So I know the basics of the plot and the characters, but I let the people and the story lead me.

Where does your inspiration come from?

Hard to say, I just hope it keeps coming.

What's one thing that you know now that you wished you knew when you started your journey as a writer?

That just getting published anywhere by anyone isn't a good thing. You're better off to wait for a publisher that can publish you in a way that will advance your career rather than kill it. A low print run and/or sell through can take years to recover from. If you believe in yourself and your writing don't sell either of them short.

Very good advice! ;-)

Do you have any other events o appearances coming up?

I will be speaking at the Wisconsin Romance Writers Conference on May 14-16 and the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books on June 18-19. I will be signing books at both of these events as well as at the Romance Writers of America national conference in Nashville July 28-31.

Thank you Lori. I am so glad you were able to join us here at Micole Writes Romance. It has been a pleasure having you here. Now tell us... where can we find your books?

Borders, Waldens, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, Amazon, some Wal Marts but not all. remember that any bookstore can order any book so if you don't see them ask. All the Nightcreature Novels and the Phoenix Chronicles are still in print and can be ordered with the click of a computer key.

Readers if you are interested in learning more about Lori, please visit her website. It's truly amazing! www.lorihandeland.com There you can join the Full Moon Club, a monthly newsletter where you'll find information about full moons, supernatural creepy-crawlies, recommended paranormal reads, recipes and more. There's a monthly contest where you can win books also. Make sure to check it out. until next time my friends.

hugs

Micole