Guest Author Carrie Lofty Interview & Giveaway!

I would like to Welcome Carrie Lofty to Book Junkie today as my Guest Author celebrating her latest release SCOUNDREL’S KISS The Castilian-set sequel to What a Scoundral Wants Set to release through Kensington Zebra Jan 05, 2010.
Remember to scroll down and enter the Giveaway, Carrie has offered a signed copy of Scoundrel's Kiss!

Carrie was kind enough to answer some of my questions about her Historical Romance which is wickedly delicious & thoroughly exciting! ……. let’s get started!

If someone were writing a story about Carrie Lofty, what would your blurb say?
She makes the school run in seconds flat, keeps her family happy with homemade bread, and watches far, far too much “So You Think You Can Dance”—even the international versions! But beneath this mild-mannered mom lies a recovering academic who shunned the world of footnotes for heaving bosoms and man-titty. Now her scintillating story is “must read” for every fan of romance and to-do lists!

How do you get started with writing a story (as in, how do you start developing the story, how do you get inspired for it)? Do you start with an outline, synopsis, characters; what is your writing process like?
I start with setting. Because I’m obsessed with learning new cultures and histories, I gravitate toward whatever novelty I want to explore. (That way I can justify months of research as work-related!) From there, I determine what characters could’ve inhabited this place. Are my hero and heroine natives? Foreigners? Tourists? Reluctant visitors? The synergy of setting and character leads me to my hook—the big central plot point—and then I’m off and running. I actually write as a pantser. It’s like getting all the dominoes in line and then watching it all fall into place.

Can you tell us a little about your newest release SCOUNDREL’S KISS ?

Scoundrel’s Kiss is the stand-alone sequel to my Robin Hood-themed debut, What a Scoundrel Wants. When last we saw Ada of Keyworth, she’d just been rescued from the Sheriff of Nottingham and had seriously burnt bridges with her family. She and a young admirer, Jacob ben Asher, head off to Spain together. But she’s haunted by the unlawful and sickening torture she endured and turns to opium for relief…

Gavriel de Marqueda is a warrior on the verge of taking his vows with the Order of Santiago. Before he can do so, he must pass one final test: save Ada from herself. He’s vowed obedience, nonviolence, and chastity, but Ada refuses to be held against her will, even for her own good, and vows to use every possible resource to thwart Gavriel’s offer of aid.

Why Historical Romance & is there another genre you would like to explore?
I am a recovering academic, as mentioned in the first question. I earned my master’s in history from The Ohio State University and taught there for two years. My thesis was on how Old West legends impacted society after the Civil War, so I’ve always been interested in the stories that come from history and how they shape culture. Fiction is a natural offshoot. As for why I write romance…for the love, baby! I still get a thrill with that little *sigh* moment, when the happy ending finds two lonely people.

I’ve already dipped my foot in a new genre, however. Co-writing with urban fantasy and sci-fi romance author Ann Aguirre, I write hot-n-dirty apocalyptic paranormal romances under the name Ellen Connor. Look for our “Dark Age Dawning” trilogy, coming soon from Penguin! (http://EllenConnor.com)

When reading a book I often imagine the characters in my head as thought I am watching a movie play out. If you could cast Ada of Keyworth & Gavriel de Marqueda for a movie who would play them on screen?

I don’t know the man’s name, but this model has been Gavriel from Day One. I found him on istockphoto.com and knew that was him. But…he sounds like Richard Armitage as John Thornton in “North and South.” I know, it doesn’t make sense, but that’s how my brain imagined him. Ada would be played by Eva Green, who played Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale. She’s tough, sarcastic, but ultimately wounded and almost noble.

Do you usually cast your characters (a mental picture) before or after you have started writing? Does it help inspire you and take the story in a different direction?
Yes. I don’t mention them unless asked once I start promoting, because I know every reader comes up with her own mental picture. But I chat about it quite often on my blog while I’m writing. Deciding on who to cast is an essential part of that initial step regarding character. It helps me to maintain a mental image, and I hope that it helps add specificity to my descriptions.

What is the hardest part for you about creating/continuing on with a series?
Logistically, it has to do with making sure a second book, etc., can stand alone. SCOUNDREL’S KISS is a stand-alone sequel to WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS because I want people to be able to jump right in and enjoy this story by itself. But the other tricky bit is determining which secondary character is ready for his or her own story. For example, Jacob, who appears in both books, wasn’t ready for his own leading role this time around. Maybe someday…

What was your favorite scene to write in SCOUNDREL’S KISS?
Pretty much any scene that featured Fernán was a blast to write. He turned out to be such a treat. But between the hero and heroine, I loved writing a very key scene in which Ada reclaims her power. Gavriel steps a little too near the temptation she faces with every breath, and her reaction is a turning point in her struggle against opium.

If you could be any of your heroine’s who would you be?
None of them! I like my nice, quiet, orderly life just as it is. I have a husband I love, great kids who make us proud, and a vocation I just adore. But more that that, I have a core of peace and stability that my heroines spend pages upon pages looking for. (They do get to bed down with some amazingly hot guys, though!)

What qualities do you look for in your Heroes?
In real life, patience, humor, and loyalty are key. In fiction, however, I’m drawn to almost-heroes. These are men who, for some reason or another, have the potential to be truly great. They just haven’t found the spark to inspire them to really reach that potential. Will Scarlet needed to mature and become his own person. Gavriel de Marqueda needs to escape the conditioning of his youth and make decisions based on his own sense of right and wrong. They also tend to be men who have committed some wrong in the past. Until they can be redeemed of that mistake, they cannot be true partners to the women they love. I am fascinated by that process of redemption.

Did you ever draw your characters from the personalities in your life?
The initial idea for Meg and Ada, the sister heroines of WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS and SCOUNDREL’S KISS, came from own daughters. I’d only ever read romances where the sisters got along well. But while my girls were still so young, only toddlers, I wondered what would happen if they had a tremendous falling out. Perhaps it was just my fears as a parent manifesting themselves!

Have you ever encountered someone who said, “You write what!!! “?
People are surprised on occasion, but I’ve never received any hostile or appalled reactions. They’re generally more impressed with simply being published. Sometimes I’ll hear some teasing and jokes, but it’s all in good fun.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve done in the name of research?
Um, used ILL (inter-library loan). Seriously, my research techniques are radically old school, all books and documents. Although I just finished a manuscript set in WWII, which involved a lot of old movies, songs and magazines—so much fun!

If you were not writing, what would you be doing?
Teaching. I’ll probably end up in front of a classroom again. It was the most enjoyable part of my experience in graduate school, and I’ve guest taught at local academies and colleges from time to time. I just feel that there’s so much to know about writing and language, not to mention the publishing industry, that I haven’t learned it just for myself. What a waste!

For you, what is the hardest part of writing a novel? Concept, Characterization, Plotting, Writing the story, Synopsis/Query letter writing, etc.
Oh, well, synopses are just EVIL. :P

If you could ask readers any one question, what would it be?
I love reading, researching and writing about unusual places and eras. If you could read a historical romance set during any time or place, when and where would it be? Don’t mind me. I’ll just be taking notes…

***GIVEAWAY***

+1 Entry for answering Carrie's question above.

+3 Bring a Follower

+5 Blogging about this Interview & Giveaway (Tweet & Sidebar ok, MUST leave link)

Winner Chosen via Random.org on Jan 08th

*give away a signed copy to anyone in the US or Canada. If someone international wins, then it would be an unsigned copy direct from The Book Depository (free worldwide shipping!)*