Author Interview & Contest with Molly Harper

Today is the last but one Author event for this month! Please welcome Molly Harper back to Amberkatze's Book Blog!

Molly's new book, How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf, was released yesterday and I can't wait to get a copy! Plus we lucky fans can look forward to the second book next month! The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf will be released in March! Woohoo!!!

Enjoy the interview and make sure you enter the contest! Molly is giving away a copy of her latest release!

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Amber - Welcome back to Amberkatze's Book Blog! How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf is due out this month and you have another book, The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf due out next month! How did that come about? Busy much? ;)

Molly – Hi, thanks for having me! And the answer is, I do not sleep. I finished the books, one right after the other, after I finished AND ONE LAST THING. My publisher thought it would be neat to release it as a one-two punch. And I like the idea that readers won’t have to wait very long for the sequel!

Amber - So tell us about the two new books! Obviously there are werewolves involved but what else?

Molly - The books are centered on the werewolves of Grundy, Alaska. It’s my first series based outside of Kentucky! The first book, HOW TO FLIRT WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF, is about Mo Wenstein, a woman who moves from Mississippi to Alaska to get away from her hippie helicopter parents. Even in Grundy, it’s unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, Mo has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham—who has been openly critical of Mo’s ability to adapt to life in Alaska—has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.

For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it’s love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he’s worried that he might be the violent canine in question. Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit, but who is?

The sequel, THE ART OF SEDUCING A NAKED WEREWOLF, is about Cooper’s sister, Maggie, and her struggle with her feelings for a human paranormal researcher. Maggie, the pack’s Alpha, resolves to chase him away, even if doing so takes a quick bite on the butt. What a pity that researcher Nick Thatcher turns out to be so drool-worthy, and that his kisses make Maggie want to sit up and beg. Maggie just can’t seem to convince Nick to leave . . . and even worse, she can’t convince herself to stay away from him. Cross-species dating is problem enough for a harried alpha female, but on top of that, a rival group of werewolves is trying to move into the valley. With interpack war threatening, Maggie can’t afford to be distracted. Combining romance and a career can be tough for anyone; for a werewolf in love with a human, it may be disastrous. . . .

Amber - I am sure a lot of people ask you this but will we see more of Jane Jameson?

Molly - Oh, did I not mention there will be a fourth ‘Nice Girls’ book? There’s no publication date yet, but I’m very excited about the story. I got to plan Jane and Gabriel’s wedding and you know that didn’t go smoothly.

Amber - How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf and The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf are really cool titles. How do you come up with the titles for your books? Do you always go with the first title or is it hard to come up with the right one?

Molly – My suckiness at picking titles is legendary. I write a book and attach a title. My agent suggests an alternative. We submit it to the publisher. My editor asks for a list of better alternatives. I send her the list. She asks a panel of experts (I’m pretty sure they’re interns who are cooler and hipper than I am) what they think of the list. They suggest something better, and then she selects something they approved. Rightly so.

Amber - Is there a paranormal creature you just don't like, and would never use in your books?

Molly – Zombies. I don’t know why, because they’re very similar to vampires - animated dead people. But all zombie movies give me horrible nightmares. Even Shaun of The Dead, which I thought was hilarious and really well-done. I thought, oh, this won’t scare me because it’s funny! But I think having my emotional shield lowered by humor made the impact that much worse. When AMC was showing The Walking Dead, I couldn’t channel surf anywhere near it for about three months.

Amber - What other paranormal creatures would you like to write about besides the ones you've already written about?

Molly – I have an idea for a haunted house book, so I’d really like to write a ghost story. That’s definitely next on my “bucket list” of book ideas.

Amber - A lot of authors are writing YA series. Have you considered writing a YA book?

Molly – I have one YA book idea, but I’m a little leery about my voice, plus intimidated by the idea of making sure the humor is appropriate. It may take me a while to approach it.

Amber - As you know I loved your novel 'And One Last Thing ...' Totally not paranormal but an amazing story. So is there any other genre you have not tried that you would like to?

Molly - Thanks. I miss lovely, human Lacey and her lovely, human problems. I don’t see myself writing serious horror or suspense. I would like to write something post-apocalyptic sometime. I like to think I could come up with interesting ways for people to survive.

Amber - Do you have a favorite character that you've written, one you wish you could revisit or add a couple of chapters about?

Molly – Favorite characters are like favorite children. Any mother or author who says she doesn’t have one is LYING. Jane Jameson will probably always be first in my heart because she was the first character I got published. And she’s the closest to my own personality. But I will say that I wish I could write a book that focuses entirely on the romance between her friends, Andrea Byrne and Dick Cheney. They’re just so cute together. And I love writing for Dick Cheney. He gets all of the good lines!

Amber - Would you ever be able to write a book together with another author? If yes, which author would you like to work with and why?

Molly – In the tradition of Dwight Schrute, I’m a “lone wolf” when it comes to writing. I just don’t think I’d be able to share control of the characters, the setting, the dialogue.

Amber - How long on average does it take you to write a book? Do you have a process you follow? or do you just start at page one and see what happens?

Molly – I’m averaging two books a year, so six months. I start with a general outline of how I want things to go. I write the first chapter and the last, and then I fill in everything in between.

Amber - So what comes next? Will there be more werewolves or vampires in the future? Any new projects you can tell us about?

Molly – I’m contracted to write two “spin-off” titles for the Half-Moon Hollow universe, focusing on people who are connected to Jane somehow. But Jane won’t be the main character. I’m excited because I’ll get to revisit Jane and her friends, but still do new things. Until then, you can find the Naked Werewolf books as paperbacks, e-books, and audiobooks, wherever books are sold!

Amber - Being a recent purchaser of a Kindle 3 just wondering if you own an e-reader yourself and what you think of e-books? Do you think they help ncrease an authors audience base?

Molly – I’m always the last one to jump on the technology bandwagon. I was literally pulled onto Twitter and Facebook, kicking and screaming. So I just got a Kindle for Christmas. I had about 60 public domain books loaded onto that thing within 24 hours. I like that I can get books without having to wait for them to be shipped or go to the store. (The other shoppers frown when I show up at the bookstore in my jammies.) I like that I’ll be able to take it on vacation and have one little object instead of packing my usual six or seven paperbacks. (My husband is looking forward to fewer checked bags while flying.) I miss the smell of the pages. I miss being able to see a whole page’s worth of text. It takes some getting used to.

But anything that makes people more enthusiastic about reading is a good thing.

Amber - What are you listening and watching lately? What books have you read recently?

Molly - I’ve been listening to a lot of emo music lately, I’m not sure why. The Fray, Duffy, Natalie Merchant and Sia’s “I’m in Here” and “Breath Me.” Which is funny, because I’m pretty happy right now. I just finished a big project and I’m making long-term plans with my publisher. Maybe my brain is trying to find balance.

And someone sent me this list of 100 Books the BBC says you have to read to be a well-read person. I’ve read about half of the titles, but I noticed a shocking lack of Dickens, Bronte and other classics on my part. So I’m working through it. I just finished Nicholas Nickleby and I’m starting A Tale of Two Cities right now.

Amber - You have written about vampires and werewolves. So in the ultimate battle, who gets your vote: vampires or werewolves? Edward or Jacob?

Molly - I’m Team Jasper, and sometimes Team Emmett. I know, I’m weird. Something about Southern accents and general badassery do it for me. (Oh, and a LACK OF WHINING.) I love werewolves. But thanks to the corrupting influence of Joss Whedon, I will always be a vampire girl at heart.

Amber - Thank you so much for coming by again! Good luck with the new releases!

Molly - THANK YOU!



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Contest Time

Molly is giving away a copy of her latest release - How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf!

How To Enter

Is there a paranormal creature you just don't like?

No answer = No Entry

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The contest will stay open until Wednesday 2nd of March 2011 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.