September

Where has the time gone? It’s September!!!

 

I know...I haven’t updated my blog and I apologize. Summers are always hectic when you have younger kids still at home. What did my summer consist of? Helping my mom settle in more. She moved from California to Nevada to be closer to us. I got the O.H (office house) up and running. It’s fully functional and even has some bonus features like a pool table and a few large screen TV’s for movie viewing. I had a few guests come visit the O.H too. Author Ditter Kellen stayed at the O.H twice, Author Allie Standifer spent a week with me. Ellora’s Cave has a radio show called Cave Chaos and two of the hosts stopped by on their way to California to say hello. It was fun having Ramrod watch Hansel and Gretel - Witch Hunters at the O.H and Jose from Da Hood spent some time with Mr Laurann at my home. I also had leg surgery to remove a cyst (nothing major - I’m still healing up from it). I’m also gearing up to go with Mr Laurann to Romanticon in Ohio for six fantastic days to spend time with everyone there from Ellora’s Cave, a bunch of author, and readers. The Cavemen will even be there (Ellora’s Cave cover models).

 

What’s new? I finished writing True - the 11th New Species book! It’s a monster of a book on word count. I hope no one reads it and says “It’s too short.” LOL! There was a lot of story to tell about True. You’ll see some of your favorite Species in the book. A lot more stories are coming. I get many emails asking about that. I can assure you there will be books coming out in that series for years to come. It’s gone into edits and that takes a little time. After they are done, a release date will be set and I’ll announce it. For now...I can give you the cover. I love it. Ready?

 

 

 

In other news...I’m working on Blackie’s story and should have it finished soon. It’s a Cyborg Seduction book. More are planned. Cousin Brand from Mating Heat series will be the next book in that series. More of them are planned as well. I have a to write list that is pretty long. I’m going to finish the last three Zorn books and you’ll see more of the Raines brothers in the not so distant future from the Riding The Raines series. It’s been a hectic year so I’m still behind but I’m slowly catching up!

 

I’ll do a quick most asked questions section since I get a lot of emails. Here goes.

 

Q - Is there anywhere that I can buy New Species, Cyborg, or other merchandise for your books?

A - Not right now. I get that a lot and have looked into it. Right now I’m really just trying to get the books out. Some contests are held on my official Author page at Facebook HERE so like my page and you might win something!!! Author Ditter Kellen runs them.

 

Q - Does (insert name here) get a book?

A - Most of the Species you’ve read about get books. I have a LONG list. The most asked about are Breeze (yes), Ven (yes), Brass (yes), Darkness (yes...NEXT book after True!!!), Jaded (yes), Jericho (yes), Smiley (yes), and Flame (yes...and it’s Amanda). There are a lot more. All the Raines brothers including Trip and Adam get books in that series. All the brothers, including cousin Brand get books in the Mating Heat series...and even Alpha Elroy. There are three more Zorn Warrior books planned for Zorn. Vhon, Vinlotti, and Coto. I might write more later but for right now...that’s it on that list for ZW. Cyborg Seduction and New Species are open series which means I’m always adding names to the lists of books to write so plenty more Cyborgs including Sky, Deviant, and Mavo...just to name a few.

 

Q - Do you REALLY have an O.H? What is the O.H?

A - Yes, we really bought a house that is about a block away from my home to write at. I have three kids at home, 5 cats, and a wonderful husband. I wrote my first book in 1993. I went on to write 54 more until that 55th one was Ral’s Woman and Ellora’s Cave picked it up to make me a published author in 2009. I always wrote in a corner of my living room hunched over my computer screen so my kids couldn’t read over my shoulder. It was grand central because we have four kids (our oldest is married, has a child, and lives on her own now). It was...crazy! Hectic! Now I write full time and Mr Laurann is retired so he’s my wonderful ‘House Hunk’. It’s worth every penny to have a quiet place to write with no distractions. It also gives us space to have visitors stay from time to time. It was a dream of mine since I started writing to have a writer’s retreat. It came true. It’s a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house and I took over the master bedroom as my office. It even has a balcony and a view so I’m inspired late nights when I go outside to sit at the table out there. I needed more room too with all the promo stuff I do. I’ve got it now. It has a loft we turned into a library. The living room has a pool table. The fridge is full of iced coffees. Here are some pictures and you’ll even get to catch a pic of Mr Laurann playing some pool.

 

 

 

Q - What is the best advice you can give an aspiring author?

A - Love to write, write what you love, and don’t give up! I’m going to be blunt. I’m a high school dropout. We were poor with four kids so going back to finish my education wasn’t an option. My spelling sucks. My job history is...if it paid the bills...I’ve done it. In other words...not impressive. I spent most of my time as a housewife up to my ears in dirty diapers and trying to get cartoon songs out of my head when they got stuck from watching so many of them with my kids. I had a dream though. I loved to write. I wasn’t sure how to get published or even if I had what it took. Some people laughed at me or dissuaded me from it. I got the whole...well, I told you my background. They didn’t think I could do it and was wasting my time. It didn’t matter. I was going to write regardless of if I ever got a book published. It’s a part of me and who I am. It’s what I love. Bottom line...don’t give up. You can improve your writing skills. I’m always learning. I’m always pushing myself to write better. My editor is amazing and has taught me so much. Every book edit is my classroom and I try really hard to get an A. LOL. Just hang in there. Don’t give up. Do research online and have people read your books. Stick to it. Ask for HONEST feedback and be willing to listen to any critique. It’s how you learn and get better. It’s how I’m always learning and getting better. Just hang in there and write. If it’s your dream...don’t give up. 1993-2009. That’s how long it took me as an example of clinging to a dream. It was worth it!

 

Okay...last but NOT least...speaking of dreams...my critique partner had a dream too. Kele Moon is an amazing person who wrote for years and finally became published. She wrote a story some years ago in a series that I was lucky enough to read about two years ago. She sat on the series because she was worried people would find it controversial because the two leads are cousins. Remember in the old days when royalty would marry their cousin? Think modern day and they are werewolf royalty. Their entire race depends on them to mate to save the fate of their future. The story made me cry, laugh, and haunted me. I loved it. It’s coming out on September 22nd. Finally. I’m so proud of her for braving her fears and that’s what being an author is about. It’s writing a story that came from your heart and putting it out there for the world to see. So...congratulations, my dear friend. You ROCK!

 

Here is the LINK to the website for the series. Please give it read. Just get the tissues out and prepare to go for an emotional rollercoaster. No one can me feel an array of emotions like Kele Moon when she writes a story.  

 

  

Have a great week!

 

Laurann