Interview and Giveaway with Lori Handeland

Happy Hump Day Monsters and Addicts!  Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION are very pleased to welcome Author Lori Handeland to our sites today.

Lori Handeland is a New York Times, USA Today, Waldenbooks and Bookscan Bestselling Author and the recipient of many industry awards, including two RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America for Best Paranormal (BLUE MOON) and Best Long Contemporary Romance (THE MOMMY QUEST), a Romantic Times Award for Best Harlequin Superromance (A SOLDIER'S QUEST), the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, the Write Touch Readers Award, the National Readers Choice Award and the Prism Award.     

Lori is published worldwide in several genres--historical, contemporary, series and paranormal romance, as well as urban fantasy and historical fantasy--by such publishers as: Dorchester, Kensington, Harlequin, St. Martin's Press, Harper-Collins, Simon and Schuster and Penguin/Putnam.

She also publishes gritty, sexy western historical romance under the name Lori Austin.

Lori lives in Wisconsin with her husband, enjoying occasional visits from her grown sons.

Lori is the creator of the paranormal romance series, NIGHTCREATURE, as well as the urban fantasy series, THE PHOENIX CHRONICLES and the historical fantasy series, SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD.

Under her pseudonym Lori Austin, she writes sexy, adventurous western historical romance.

To keep you up to par with all of Lori's books, check out the synopses from Lori's books:

Lori Austin Books:

"Beauty and the Bounty Hunter"

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST

Coming October 2nd, 2012
Preorder Now:
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Cathleen Chase is no killer—but as Cat O’Banyon, she is a ruthless bounty hunter who always gets her man. Catching one lowlife after another, she continues her search for the only man she really cares to locate: the one whose voice she will never forget; the man who murdered her husband. She'll stop at nothing to find him.

Con artist Alexi Romanov taught Cat every trick she knows.  He is a master of deceit, of disguise and of desire. He’s difficult to trust, and even more difficult to resist, but he has news she can’t ignore. The man she’s after has placed a bounty on her head. To get him before he gets her, she’ll have to team up with Alexi again…  And just like before, the two of them together are nothing but trouble.

SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD Series:

"Zombie Island"

SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD Series, Book 2

Just released on May 22, 2012

Buy Now:

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Fresh from a triumphant battle over the zombie horde that invaded London, vampire William Shakespeare concocts a plot to rid the love of his life from the encumbrance of her husband. Will plans to give his "dark lady," Katherine Dymond, a potion that will make her sleep the sleep of the dead. Once she is entombed, Will can sneak in, wait for her to awaken, then spirit her away. After her husband returns to his plantation in America, Kate can return to London under a different name and assume a new identity. No one will believe that the dead Katherine and the live Kate are the same woman.   

Of course, as is often the case with true love, all does not go as smoothly as planned. When the two of them are shipwrecked on an island ruled by a wizard and a nymph, as well as infested by zombies, Will and Kate must stop an even larger plot afoot: a plot that leads all the way to the royal palaces of Queen Elizabeth.

"Shakespeare Undead"

SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD Series, Book 1

Buy Now:

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Something wicked this way comes . . . and it keeps coming and coming and coming. . .
 
William Shakespeare was one of history's greatest writers, a master of words with a body of work that is truly impressive . . . some may say a little too impressive for a single man to accomplish in one lifetime. Perhaps, as many have speculated, he had assistance. Or perhaps the explanation is 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.
So brace yourself for a wild ride through twisted streets and shadowed graveyards of Elizabethan London, where you'll discover how the Bard got his Bite.




PHOENIX CHRONICLES Series:

"Any Given Doomsday"

PHOENIX CHRONICLES Series, Book 1

Buy Now:

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Darkness will summon her…

Elizabeth Phoenix once used her unique skills as a psychic to help in the Milwaukee Police Department's fight against injustice. But when Liz's foster mother is found viciously murdered—and Liz is discovered unconscious at the scene—her only memory of the crime comes in the form of terrifying dreams...of creatures more horrific than anything Liz has seen in real life. What do these visions mean? And what in the world do they have to do with her former lover, Jimmy Sanducci?   

To places she's never been before…

While the police question Jimmy in the murder, Jimmy opens Liz's eyes to a supernatural war that has raged since the dawn of time in which innocent people are hunted by malevolent beings disguised as humans. Only a chosen few have the ability to fight their evil, and Jimmy believes Liz is among them. Now, with her senses heightened, new feelings are rising within Liz—ones that re-ignite her dangerous attraction to Jimmy. But Jimmy has a secret that will rock Liz to her core…

"Hex Appeal"

PHOENIX CHRONICLES series, Anthology - Book 4.5

an anthology containing "There Will be Demons,"

Available June 5, 2012!

Preorder Now:

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Fall under the intoxicating spell of their hex appeal . . .

In the magical world that lies hidden beneath our own, witches and conjurers play deadly games. They know just the right spell to kill a man with one kiss—or raise him back again. And they're not afraid to exact sweet revenge on those who dare to cross them. But what if you're the unlucky soul who falls victim to a conjurer's curse? And if you had the power to cast a magic spell of your own, would you use it?
   
In this bewitching collection, nine of today's hottest paranormal authors tell all-new, otherworldly tales. Spellbinding stories featuring bigfoot, albino vampires, professional wizards, resurrected boyfriends and even a sex droid from the twenty-third century named Silicon Lily. But as our conjurers are about to discover, it's all fun and games until someone gets hexed. And sometimes, even the best spun spells can lead to complete and utter mayhem.

NIGHTCREATURE Series:

"Blue Moon"

NIGHTCREATURE Series, Book 1

Buy Now:

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Buy at Amazon | Buy at iTunes

By the light of a blue moon, danger prowls...

Miniwa, Wisconsin is under siege, but not by the usual summer tourists. The area's normally shy wolf population has begun stalking human prey, and their victims have been disappearing... or worse. Something is happening in the woods. Something brutal and primitive...   

and desire is unleashed...

Officer Jessie McQuade has seen plenty in her years on the forceÑbut nothing as intriguing as the gorgeous, naked man she encounters while tracking a rogue wolf. Professor Will Cadotte is a Native American activist. He's also the only man capable of distracting Jessie from her work. And for a cop, distractions, no matter how pleasurable, can be deadly. It's against Jessie's better judgment to accept Will's help in her investigation, yet she soon finds herself doing exactly that, and more. Will's dark, penetrating eyes see into a part of Jessie's soul she never knew existed. It's exhilarating...and terrifying

Now, as a town's deepest secrets come to light, no one is safe: not friends, lovers, or strangers. And as Jessie follows a bloody trail to the shocking truth, she'll have to decide who she can trust when the moon is full...

"Crave The Moon"

NIGHTCREATURES Series, Book 11

Buy Now:

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Buy at Amazon | Buy at iTunes

THE ENEMY
Gina O'Neill will do anything to hold on to her beloved ranch that has been in her family for generations. Enter Mateo Mecate, an archeologist whose greatest wish is to dig there. Prepared to despise Matt--and to thwart his agenda--Gina cannot deny the shocking desire she feels for him.
 
THE PASSION
Matt believes that the Nahua Springs Ranch holds an important key to Aztec history--one that will restore his standing in the archeological community. But he never expects to go head-to-head with the maddeningly sensuous owner, Gina. The ranch seems to have cast a spell on them both . . .

THE WAR
When Gina and Matt delve into the secrets of this ancient place, they awaken something unspeakably evil--a shapeshifter who is centuries old. A werewolf with vengeance on its mind. A sorcerer of incredible power. Can Gina and Matt defeat this enemy--even as their conflicts deepen . . . and their attraction grows more dangerous?

Download a printable booklist (PDF Format)

Amazing right!?  Before you run off to start buying these amazing books and adding them to your TBR list,  let's get to the interview so we can learn more about Lori and what she has coming up……

REMINDER:  Lori will be chatting with us over in the LITERAL ADDICTION CHATROOM from 8:00 - 9:00pm EST (7-8pm CT, 6-7pm MDT & 5-6pm PDT) so make sure to set a reminder and drop by to say hi to Lori.

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Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Hi Lori!  Welcome to Book Monster and LITERAL ADDICTION!  Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down and chat with us.  We’re so happy to have you here!

Lori:  Thanks so much for asking me!

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  We always like to start out by getting to know you a little bit better.

Q1):   Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we can't find out on the internet, in your bio, etc?

Lori: Wow, that's tough.  I pretty much blab everything on my blog etc.  LOL!  I'll have to dig deep.  Let's see--I am the payroll officer for my husband's family company, which has been in business for over 20 years.  Snore.  I'm allergic to shrimp, which bums me out since I love Cajun cooking and New Orleans.  One more.  Hmmmm.  Michael Jordan once asked me out.  That got me some cred back when I was teaching school.

2)  When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and how long have you been writing for?

Lori:I decided I wanted to be a writer when I was 10 and was seized by the sudden fear that I'd read all the books in the world and have nothing left to read.  Panic!  I decided I could solve that by writing my own.  Of course life intervened and I didn't start writing seriously until I was married with children.  That was nearly 20 years ago now.

3)  Do you have any interesting writing quirks or things that you must have with you to begin the writing process?

Lori:  I need to have all my paperwork/email done and off my desk before I start.  Otherwise I can't concentrate.

4)  What are some of your hobbies, or things that you enjoy doing when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business?

Lori:  I like to watch sports, the TV shows I'm addicted to (Game of Thrones), movies and read. 

5)  Do you like to listen to music when you write?  If so, what genre or musical artist most inspires you?

Lori:  I need total silence when I write.  No music.  Nada.

6)  Do you have a personal favorite book among those you have written so far?  Maybe one that holds special meaning for you, etc?

Lori:  My personal favorite is always the book I just finished.  Right now I'm very partial to BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER.

7)  If you could spend the day with any of your characters, who would it be, and what would you want to do?

Lori:  If I weren't such a chicken I'd spend a day with Jessie McQuade from Blue Moon.  But I'd hide if we saw a werewolf.  It might be nice to meet vampire Shakespeare, but then there'd be all those zombies. Shudder.

8)  What are the easiest and hardest parts of writing for you? 

Lori:  With every book the easiest and the hardest parts change. It's always a mystery.

9)  What are some of your favorite TV shows and movies?

 

Lori:  Game of Thrones, Castle, Once Upon a Time, True Blood.
Movies-Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Die Hard.

10)  What books do you have in your TBR pile right now?

Lori:  Dead City-Joe McKinney, The Husband Recipe-Linda Winstead Jones, The Night Circus-Erin Morganstern

11)  For those who have not yet read your SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD series yet, can you please tell us what the series is about and what upcoming plans you may have for this series?

Lori:  In Shakespeare Undead, William Shakespeare is a vampire and the dark lady of his sonnets is a zombie hunter.  In the first book, SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD, they band together to save London and the Queen.
 ZOMBIE ISLAND is a retelling of The Tempest, with zombies, vampires, a sorcerer, a fairy and a werewolf.
If ZOMBIE ISLAND sells well enough, I hope to continue the series and the adventures of Will and Kate.

12)  What inspired you to create the SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD series?

Lori:  My editor thought of the title at a breakfast one year at RWA.  I said "I wanna write that!"

13)  Can you please tell us about more about the NIGHTCREATURE series and what will be coming up next in this series?

Lori: The Nightcreature Series is my paranormal romance series, which tells the tales of the Jager-Suchers, a special forces monster hunting until begun during WW2 to fight the shapeshifters created in Mengele's laboratory in the Black Forest.

Right now, there are no more of these books schedule.

14)  And how about the PHOENIX CHRONICLES?  Can you tell us a little about this series and what will be coming up next?

Lori:  The Phoenix Chronicles is my urban fantasy series, which tells the tale of Liz Phoenix, a Milwaukee private investigator tasked with stopping the Apocalypse.  She has help from the two men in her life--half vampire Jimmy Sanducci and the Navajo shapeshifter, Sawyer.

"There Will be Demons," a Phoenix Chronicle short story will be available in HEX APPEAL on June 5. 

15)  Congrats!  You have a new series coming out under your pseudonym Lisa Austin!  Can you tell us a little about the new series and what you have in store for it?

Lori: I'm very excited to be returning to my roots in western historical romance for the series "Once Upon a Time in the West."

The first book, BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER (10/12), tells the story of bounty hunter Cat O'Banyon and the con artist, Alexi Romanov.  I'm still totally in love with Alexi.  He is an amazing character that I had great fun writing.

The second book, AN OUTLAW IN WONDERLAND, will be released 4/13.

16)  What traits do you feel are paramount for a hero and heroine to have?

Lori:  Courage, humor and ingenuity.





17)  If you were to write an auto-biography what would you call it?

Lori:  I DID MY BEST





18)  What's one of the most surprising things you've learned throughout your writing career?

Lori:Writing gets harder not easier, as does publishing.

19)  If you could leave your readers with one legacy, what would you want it to be?

   Lori:  Love and laughter.

20)  Is there anything specific you would like to say to your readers while we have you here today?

Lori:  Thank you for reading my books over all these years and I hope you follow me to my new ventures.

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Lori, thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us.  We would love to have you back again in the future to help you promote your upcoming releases.

Lori:  Happy to!

To keep up with Lori and her latest news visit her Website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter & Goodreads.

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CONTEST:

Lori is graciously giving away an autographed copy of SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD to a winner from Book Monster and another winner over at the LITERAL ADDICTION website

TO ENTER:

1)  Please become a member of the Book Monster Blog by clicking on the “JOIN THIS SITE” button at the top left hand corner of blog page.

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Don't forget to drop by the LITERAL ADDICTION website (http://www.literaladdiction.com/) and follow the directions and links to enter their contest for an extra chance to win!!!

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