~LAURA KAYE~
Hello Laura and welcome back to Under the Covers. We have to congratulate you on your newest release HARD AS IT GETS. I know a lot of us where very excited to read that!
Yay! Thank you very much! I am so excited for this book to get out into the world! Just three more days!
Is it hard to write two different genres? Do you favor one or the other?
I don’t find it hard. I actually find it invigorating. Since I currently have two paranormal series and two contemporary series, I often end up going back and forth between the genres and returning to one after having been immersed in the other makes me excited all over again to write it. I really like writing both for different reasons. Paranormal was my first love, and I enjoy the freedom of doing whatever whatever you build in your world. But I also love writing about real-world heroes in contemporary.
It’s paranormal month at UTC so let’s get down to PNR business! The Hearts of the Anemoi series is very different from other PNR books and is a favorite for a lot of readers, did you expect this outcome when the world started coming to you?
Not really, in part because I didn’t initially conceive of it as a series. When North of Need first came to me, I thought it was a cute Christmas story about a snow man who came to life to heal a widow’s heart. But when I tried to write the hero Owen Winters that way, he refused to cooperate and insisted he was a god. Which then sent me into a day of researching various cultures’ traditions about seasonal deities. When I found the Greek mythology of the Anemoi, I found great characterization for Owen and a series based around the four Cardinal Anemoi gods. And I’ve really loved writing these books.
The last of the series is East of Ecstasy, can you tell us about this book and what can readers expect?
East of Ecstasy will be about Devlin Eston, the outcast son of the evil Anemoi Eurus. He will have to hone his powers, earn the trust of the other Anemoi, and pretty much save the world in what will be a final Armageddon battle between good and evil. All while dealing with doing something he never thought himself capable of doing—falling in love. I’m writing this now and loving it!
Annalise Fallston made peace with postponing her big-city dreams to care for her ill father, but lately she’s been filled with a restlessness not even her beloved painting dispels. Worse, the colors don’t speak to her as they always have, and all her efforts produce dark, foreboding images of a dangerous man and a terrifying future.
Devlin Eston, black-souled son of the evil Anemoi Eurus, is the only one who can thwart his father’s plan to overthrow the Supreme God of Wind and Storms. But first, Dev must master the unstable powers he’s been given. Distrusted and shunned by his own divine family, he never expected to find kindness and passion in the arms of a mortal.
But Devlin’s love puts Annalise in the path of a catastrophic storm, and in the final Armageddon showdown between the Anemoi and Eurus, sacrifices will be made, hearts broken, and lives changed forever…or lost.
Coming April 22, 2014
Once this series is done, what are your plans for other paranormal novels?
Well, I have one final book to write in my Vampire Warrior Kings series, and then I have two contemporary series I need to finish out. I have a fantastic idea for a paranormal military brotherhood based out of mythology of a haunted valley in the Middle East, but the real question is whether paranormal romances will start selling well enough for a publisher to want to buy a paranormal series or whether they’ll want me to do another contemporary series next.
What has been your favorite writing anecdote during the Hearts of Anemoi series?
I’ve had to learn about something I had no prior experience with for each of the novels. Building igloos for North of Need, sailing for West of Want, horses and the experience of being blind for South of Surrender, and painting for East of Ecstasy. Doing that research was really fun in each case, as was the challenge of trying to get these things right.
Do you have a character that you identify with more?
The character I’ve written that I most identify with is Marco Vieri from the contemporary story Her Forbidden Hero. He and I both suffered traumatic brain injuries, and I put a lot of myself into him. But from the Anemoi series, though I probably most identify with West of Want’s Ella Raines’s grief from the loss of close family members (I’ve lost a lot of close family members within the past five years), my favorite character from the series is probably North of Need’s Owen Winters, who captured my heart from the first moment I knew he existed.
What are 5 things you would never leave home without?
LOL! Let’s see: my cell phone, Chapstick, my wallet/debit card, my two daughters LOL, and my car keys.
How do you handle the busy requirements you have as an author, the writing, the promo and even attending signings so that us readers can get to meet you!?
It’s not easy to balance all of this, and since I pretty much work 15-hour days, I haven’t figured it all out yet. Now, since I love what I’m doing, it usually doesn’t feel like work, but I definitely need to get better about building time in for me, my kids, my husband, exercise, sleep, etc.! When I’m on deadline, my goal is to write 3,000 – 5,000 words a day, so I always know I have to fit everything in around that most fundamental daily task.
Quick fire questions:
Vampire or Greek Gods? Vampires are my absolute fave!
Inked or not? Totally inked.
Boxers or briefs? Boxers.
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing with our readers!
Thanks for having me! I love coming here! *grins*
About Laura’s new release, Hard As It Gets:
Coming Tuesday! November 26, 2014
“Edgy, sexy, and full of suspense! A great read from a great new author!”
~J.R. Ward on Hard As It Gets
Five dishonored soldiers.
Former Special Forces.
One last mission.
These are the men of Hard Ink.
Tall, dark, and lethal…
Trouble just walked into Nicholas Rixey’s tattoo parlor. Becca Merritt is warm, sexy, wholesome–pure temptation to a very jaded Nick. He’s left his military life behind to become co-owner of Hard Ink Tattoo, but Becca is his ex-commander’s daughter. Loyalty won’t let him turn her away. Lust has plenty to do with it too.
With her brother presumed kidnapped, Becca needs Nick. She just wasn’t expecting to want him so much. As their investigation turns into all-out war with an organized crime ring, only Nick can protect her. And only Becca can heal the scars no one else sees.
Desire is the easy part. Love is as hard as it gets. Good thing Nick is always up for a challenge…
Read an Extended Excerpt of Hard As It Gets
Buy at Amazon | B&N | iTunes
[about-author author=”Laura Kaye”]
How about a giveaway? Share your favorite paranormal read and two commenters will win a $10 amazon or B&N gift card! Open to international!
I loved this book! It introduced me to Laura Kaye and I love all the titles that I’ve read.
The Kate Daniel’s series by Ilona Andrews 🙂 thanks for sharing!
I have so I’m gonna go with the first that came to mind and that is Lover Eternal by JR Ward!
My favorite books is Magic Bleeds and Archangel’s Kiss.
My current favorite is Bec McMaster’s London Steam Series. Note I said current. I adore so many paranormal series: Shelly Laurenston, Lora Leigh, Larissa Ione, Thea Harrison, G A Aiken, Jennifer Ashley, Gena Showalter…you. I adore paranormal romance! Thanks for the giveaway.
Dark Hunter Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon’ and Lords of the Underworld by Gena Showalter 🙂
Thanks for the wonderful interview 🙂
The Chronicles of Nick by Sherilyn Kenyon is one of my favourites!! 😀
Omg I love nick!.. this series is really blowing me away with how good they are!
Seduced by Innocence by Karpov Kinrade thanks
Wow there are too many to pick out just one: kate daniels, the hollows, bdb, anything by sherrilyn kenyon, christine feehan and nalini singh to name a few
well seeings as how I’d never read any other paranormal read by Laura Kaye other than North of Need I’m going to say North of Need is my favorite :p . Actually it was great 🙂
“The full Blooded” series by Amanda Carlson and North of Need is a definite favorite
Wow heard about this series on here and am soooo glad I did…I have since gotten my sisters and 1 friend so far addicted too
I don’t think I can pick one book. But a favorite series of mine is the Riley Jensen series by Keri Arthur
I was surprised by how much I liked this series because it’s not my usual type
Really enjoying all your recs, guys! I’m always looking for a next great paranormal series to read! 🙂 Thanks for all the comments!
I have so many! Let’s go with the one I have re-read a few times over the years: The Dante Valentine series by Lilith Saintcrow. The world and character building is some of my most favorite ever.
I love your Vampire Kings books!
The Tale of Lunarmorte by Samantha Young. Love this paranormal series.
There are a lot of books I love. To many to name. Here are some of the authors. J.R. Ward, Lora Leigh, Laurell K. Hamilton, Lauren Dane and Rhyannon Bryd just to name a few
Midnight Breed (Lara Adrian) and BDB (JR Ward)
J R Ward Black Dagger Brotherhood
The Night Huntress series
Laura’s one of my must-pre-ordeer, must-1-click authors. My favorite paranormal read features wolf, bear or big cat shifters in contemporary settings, with a healthy dose of comedy and life experience (characters 30 years-old +).
Dark Hunter Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
This series is fantastic,simply fantastic,one of the best! 🙂
Sherrilyn Kenyon is a literary genius! 🙂
I don’t read a lot of paranormal books but I’m a fan of Jennifer Armentrout’s Covenant and Luxes series.
Oh yeah JLA books are amazing. Especially the Lux series 😀 And if you count The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices too. They’re my two favourite authors.
Great interview! No matter how many I read, I still learn something new about Laura. As for favorite paranormal read, I’d have to say the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. There are plenty of other paras I love, but the Brothers have my heart.
Favorite paranormal reads? Larissa Ione’s Demonica and Four Horseman come to mind. Nalini Singh’s Psy Changeling and Guild hunter comes to mind too.
Wow favorite paranormals, that is a hard question. I just take the first one that came to my mind. Kerrelyn Sparks Love at Stake series.
Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs & Kate Daniel’s by Ilona Andrews.
Fav paranormal has to be my beloved BDB! who doesnt love Z?!
I have to agree….it’s hard to pick just one brother but z isv defintely tied for 1st on my list 😉
I don’t so much have a favorite, but I tend to like ones that feature heaven or hell, angels or demons, protectors and guardians, etc. Lately I’ve also been picking up a lot of witches too.
I love the BDB books by JR Ward. Also love the Lux series by JLA. Thanks for the giveaway!
The Kate Daniels series and IAD series have been two of my absolute favorite paranormal reads. Just recently though I read Dark Witch by Nora Roberts and loved it.
So many great paranormal authors and series out there that I love including Ms. Kaye.
My favorite paranormal read is “Running Wild” by Sarah McCarty. Thanks for the chance to enter this giveaway.
Anything in the Kate Daniels universe by Ilona Andrews – but within that, my particular fave is Gunmetal Magic.
My favorite changes according to my mood. J E Hopkins’ Misfits of the Lore is absolutely awesome and Kerrianne Coombes’ Demon Fairytales series is banging.
Love, love, love Immortals after Dark by Kresley Cole. Consistently good PNR.
My current favorite paranormal read is Kit Colbane series by JC Daniels and the Pride Series by Shelly Laurenston.
Love the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J r Ward.
Black Dagger Brotherhood series is really amazing!
Every book has great story! 🙂
My favorite paranormal series are the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost, The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward, and The Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole
Favorite paranormal read oooh tough one I have 3 I can never say just one! Lol
One Foot in the Grave – Jeaniene Frost
Magic Rises – Ilona Andrews
and any of Nalini Singhs book (Psy/Changeling and Guild Hunter novels)
Happy Release Day Laura 🙂 Can’t wait to read Hard As it Gets as soon as it arrives in the post 😀
amieesnow@gmail(dot)com
Can’t wait to read this, the cover says it all…smokin’ HOT!!
The Black Dagger Brotherhood is my all time fav.
Hmm Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning and Stray series by Rachel Vincent.
I am glad when I hear that someone else is a fan of the series Dark Hunter 🙂
About Fever Series I heard great things,I hope that soon I will read 🙂
BDB series
I love the Experiment in Terror series by Karina Halle.
Just found about this series from utc…cannot wait to start!