First of all Louisa apologies to both Lynsay and anyone who reads this for the fact that this is posted on the site after the release of Tall, Dark and Hungry.  PC problems meant that my webpage program has been off of the computer since just after the last update and although Lynsay kindly did this interview in good time my computer was in the store and I could not post it on the site until now.

So now that the grovelling apologies are out of the way I hope that I am forgiven and that it is not too distracting to read the interview questions relating to Tall, Dark and Hungry after its release.

So anyway, no more delays and on with the interview.

LB    First of all could you please tell us a bit about yourself as an introduction to the visitors of the Magical Romance website?

LS    Hmmm, well I'm not sure what people would like to know. I'm Canadian, presently living in England (I'm one of those people who does everything the wrong way, I went to RWA in New York last year and fell in love, not with a New Yorker, or even an American, but a Brit...Go figure. So now I'm here in England, engaged to be married and researching a place I've been writing about for years <G> Yes, researching AFTER writing about it...aren't I clever? LOL)

I write funny stuff because I like to laugh. So, my stories, whether historicals or vamps or what have you, are usually funny...except for two anthologies I did where they wanted non-funny. They were difficult for me to write, I kept having to go back and remove the funny stuff. Most annoying.

LB    Your latest books have been contemporary vampire romance novels. What made you switch to this genre from historical romances?

LS    I've got lots of story ideas, some historical, some vamps, some modern, some just odd. The vamps came about when a couple writer friends and I were considering writing an anthology together. Each of us would have our own take, one dark, one deep, and mine funny. Well, I came up with some ideas at the time, but the anthology never came to fruition. However, the ideas didn't go away. They grew and grew and pestered and prodded at me until I decided I'd better write about them to shut them up. Instead, I just get more ideas.
 

LB    Tall, Dark & Hungry hits the shelves this summer. Can you tell us about this, your latest vampire romance?

LS    Tall Dark & Hungry...Well, that's an interesting book. Like Single White Vampire, it has characters based on real people again (my editor for instance who was the basis for Chris Keyes) But it's got more of them this time. Including myself. It's based in New York and also has some real events in it, lol. Tall, Dark & Hungry takes place around Lucern and Kate's wedding. Kate's maid-of-honor -- who is her cousin Terri from England -- has flown over early to help with the wedding. But she barely gets there when Kate is forced to leave town unexpectedly. Instead of helping Kate with wedding arrangements, Terri finds herself dumped on Lucern's brother Bastien and left in his care. Bastien doesn't mind her being dumped on him until he finds himself also saddled with his own cousin Vincent (an actor with a tendency to bite) and Kate's editor friend, Chris. Between trying to keep Vincent from biting his houseguests and trying to keep Chris from killing himself in one of the accidents he seems presently prone to, Bastien finds himself falling in love with Terri.

LB    The vampire series are being released in a different order to the sequence of events that take place in them. Whose decision was that? How do you feel about the order? I see from your site that Lissianna and Marguerite are going to get their own stories. Glad to hear it. Any ideas on roughly when they can be expected?
 

LS    Ugh. I get so many complaints about that. It isn't my fault I swear!!

When I wrote the proposal for the Argeneau series, it started with Lissianna's story, then Etienne's, followed by Lucern then Bastien. However, my editor (who I have duly punished in Tall, Dark & Hungry with horrible accidents -- just kidding. The horrible events that befall Chris Keyes were totally necessary to propel the story along. Really.) wasn't interested in Lissianna's story. He only wanted the brother's stories. I guess he didn't think female vamps were as interesting. He also wanted Lucern's story first, then Etienne's, then Bastien's. I have no idea why.  So, I had to do them in that order.

As for how I feel about it...ugh. I wasn't happen then and am no more happy now. I like to read stories in order myself.

I gather Lissianna's story will come out next year. Not sure on exactly when or how long between it and the others, yet. That isn't my choice either.

 

LB    One of the funniest parts of Single White Vampire was the cameo appearances of people in the romance writing industry. Do you have any more cameos planned and what has been the reaction of the people who have been immortalized in your novels?
 

LS    LOL. Ooops, sorry, already answered that somewhat. Yes there will be more cameos. And so far everyone has been very good about it. As I mentioned, I tortured Chris horribly in Tall, Dark & Hungry -- it really was needed for the plot line -- and he wasn't upset. He laughed and said he liked it. I let everyone know before I put them in, if they protested, I would take them out or change names or what have you.
 

LB    Do you have any plans to write any more contemporary romances for the B.L.I.S.S. series?

LS    I gather they don't have any plans to do more of the series. I would if they were going to, I had fun with that story too, but at this time, they aren't planning to.
 

LB    The Eternal Highlander is set to hit the shelves in September 2004. What is your story in this anthology about? Any paranormal elements as the title could suggest?

LS    The Eternal Highlander is a Scottish, historical vampire romance. Again Kensington didn't want funny, which is a bit of a struggle for me. Both stories in the book -- mine and Hannah's -- are connected. The heroes are cousins and vampires, who feel they have to marry. I don't think I can tell much more than that without giving too much away.


LB    What is next for you? What are you working on at the moment and what can we expect to see from you in the future?

LS    Right now I'm working on Lissianna's story. As for the future, that's hard to say, I have lots of ideas.
 

LB    What do you like to do in your spare time, assuming you have any between writing books?
 

LS    Well, of course, I love to read. I like movies, computer games, and I like to travel too.


LB    Finally do you have a message for all your readers out there?

LS    Thank you, thank you for reading my stories and allowing me to do what I love doing best in the world. And thank you for all your letters and emails of encouragement and support.

 

Louisa thanks Lynsay not only for doing the interview but also for her patience in my getting it online. 

Incidentally readers, my copy of Tall, Dark and Hungry finally got sent out by Amazon this week and so hopefully that review will not be too long in getting done.

 

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Paranormal Books by Lynsay Sands: Single White Vampire, Love Bites, Tall, Dark and Hungry
   

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