Hi Laura! Thank you for stopping by to speak with us. I have been looking forward to hearing more about your work.

Your book, Heart of a Hunter, won second prize in the Phaze One Writing Challenge. What was your reaction to the news?

Boy, was that a big day for me! I’d just heard earlier in the morning that I’d made the cut in Amber Quill’s Heat Wave Contest. When I read the Phaze email that afternoon, my husband had to scrape me off the ceiling. The double whammy caused a rush of heart-thumping euphoria that lasted for weeks! Both publishers have been great, and I felt validated as a writer, especially since those were the first two erotic romances I’d ever sent out. I still get a surge of adrenaline when I think about that day.

The main characters from Heart of a Hunter, Asher and Raine, sound like a dynamic, fun couple that is sure to heat up the pages. How did you come up with their personas?

Every female character I write has a part of me in the mix. Raine’s unsure of herself – a lot like me – and hungry for an adventure. Asher wants her but is bound by duty to deliver her untouched to his Commander. So between Raine’s flashes of boldness and insecurity and his dilemma, I played them against each other to build them up.
A lot of writers use character charts and other tools to create people for their books. I prefer to sit back and let the characters develop through dialogue or deep point of view. It may seem lazy to do it this way, but things can get unpredictable; then it’s my job as the writer to rein things in, reshape, and rebuild.

Where do you find the inspiration for your work?

I’ve always been a daydreamer and a people watcher – a lethal combination for clumsy people like myself. When I spy a man in a busy mall cast a sideways glance at a passing woman, I wonder what would happen if they got together. Would they take it slow and sweet or take turns tying each other up to the bed? Unfortunately, my imagination doesn’t get much further than this because I’ll be too busy running into a bench or a kiosk or something. But when I get home, I’ve got a story to tell.

What is your favorite aspect of writing? Least favorite?

My favorite without a doubt is getting down that first scene, the one that planted the seed of a story in my head. Sometimes it’s the very start of the story, but most often it’s a little deeper into the tale, with tension – usually sexual – between the hero and heroine. My least fave is making sure everything makes sense during the first revision. I have a real knack for logic errors, so I have to go back and fix things when the right side of my brain works faster than the left side. I guess that’s what I get for being a pantser.

As a writer, you could have chosen any genre. What compelled you to write romance?

Heh heh. When I hit my mid-thirties, some strange things started happening to my body. Hormones. Really, really bad hormones. I decided to channel this, um, energy into something constructive. So whether I write nice or naughty, it’s generally about romance. I say ‘generally’ because I recently sold my first non-romantic sci-fi story to Sun magazine. Their sci-fi leans to the creepy side with endings that either leave you hanging or make it plain that the bad guys won. Writing something akin to horror was a stretch, and I really had fun doing it.

When you are not writing, how do you like to spend your time?

I love watching movies, goofing off with my family, and kicking back with friends (and fellow writers) Bridget Midway and Leigh Ellwood at a place called Señor Iguana’s. I’m also an artist, so I spend time painting and drawing when I can. I also like the social side of writing and hang out online at fellow Phaze author Mae Power’s chat listings or RomanceDivas.com when I should probably be writing.

Your June release is a short futuristic tale entitled, Chella Quest. Can you tell us a little about Chella and Kain’s quest?

I’d love to. Chella Ter-Berron is a chemist who spent years developing a powerful new painkiller. When someone steals the formula, Chella will do anything to find it – even sleep with the prime suspect. Kain Suvan is also looking for the stolen research and drags her to the seamy underworld of the Umbrian colony to hunt it down. Their quest not only brings to light the person who masterminded the theft; it forces Chella and Kain to face their growing feelings for each other.

If you had to select a favorite male hero from your books, who would it be and why?

Oh no – I want them all! Well, if I have to narrow it down to one, I’ll pick Kadir Takoda from my upcoming Amber Quill release, Relic of the Heart. He’s smart and sensitive and *gasp* a virgin LOL! But while on Earth digging up his planet’s relics, he meets a female archaeologist who unleashes his lusty side. He’s a very complex guy, and that really appeals to me.

The initial response to your work has been outstanding. What would you like to see next in your career?

Thanks! I've been pleasantly surprised. What I’d like is to write then sell a longer book. I want to go deeper with the storyline, just keep going strong after the novella stage and get past 35K. Unfortunately, being a pantser, I let the characters boss me around too much. If I could plot better beforehand, I'd be able to up my word count and produce a more fully developed story. I also want to incorporate more BDSM into my published work. I love to read BDSM erotic romance and want to make my mark in that sub-genre someday.

I have to admit, I had fun seeing the variety of quotes on your website. If you had to pick a quote to describe yourself, what would it be?

"I'm a good woman for a bad man." It's a Mae West line, and one my husband appreciates fully ;)

You have a number of works in progress: Moonshiner’s Daugher, The Gift, and Nights of Wine and Roses. Can you tell us a little about them?

I'm terrible – always starting WIPs then beating myself up when I don't keep the momentum going. I hope to get better at that one day…. And I hope to find homes for these three by the end of 2006.

Moonshiner’s Daughter tells the story of Liz Kincaid, a lawyer who returns to her hometown of Folly’s Bottom, North Carolina in search of a missing client. When she joins forces with her client’s nephew, sparks fly – even before a bomb sends flaming chunks of Liz’s new Mercedes through their hotel room window. I plan to put a lot of humor into this one because I love a romance that makes me laugh.

In The Gift, Cara Phillips can’t believe her editor sent her a submissive as a reward for winning the prized Xotica Writers Award. Michael Cameron is the prefect bottom and ready to submit to every fantasy she’s ever penned, but something about this man makes her want to try something new: submit. Will he agree to dominate her before his year-long contract is up? And, more importantly, will 365 days with Michael be enough?

Since my husband works in the wine trade, I thought a time-travel story about Bacchus would be fun to write. In Nights of Wine and Roses, the god of wine is on the prowl for the future’s finest vintages. When artist Lauren Kent wins a coveted bottle of Tuscan Masseto, Bacchus sends her and wine salesman Stephen DiMarco to the decadent world of Ancient Rome. They wake up in the middle of an orgy and slowly learn how to survive in their new environment. And like the saying, ‘When in Rome,’ these two are in for some adventurous, toga-tearing sex.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I love hearing from readers! Drop me a line at laura@laurabacchi.com or join my yahoo newsletter group to read excerpts and hear about my upcoming releases. Readers can subscribe by following the link at www.laurabacchi.com/contact.html. Thanks so much for this opportunity, Amanda. These were great questions and I had a lot of fun!

Thank you so much Laura for stopping by. I have really enjoyed getting to hear more about your work. Readers if you have not had a chance to see her website, stop by for some fun quotes and spicy tidbits on her work.

Interviewed by: Amanda