Interview & Giveaway with Lorie O’Clare

I’m pleased to have author Lorie O’Clare here at my blog today! Her latest book Strong, Sleek and Sinful was released at St. Martin’s on March 30 and in April her Men In Danger Anthology and in June The Bodyguard Anthology will become available.
Lorie is the author of many different books and series in all kinds of genre. At her website you can check out the first chapters of her books to get a little taste of her writing. Today I like to learn a little bit more about her and about her new fund raiser she launched: Keep the HEA in our lives.


Hi Lorie, let’s start with what do we absolutely need to know about you?

Well, let me think. I’m a really nice person, a mother of three incredible teenage boys, and friends to very good people who love me in return. But I think the best thing to know is how blessed I am to share my stories and have so many people be able to read them. I’m truly a very lucky lady.


Your latest release is Strong, Sleek and Sinful. Can you tell us something about the series that it’s part of?

Sure. Strong Sleek and Sinful is the third, and last book in the FBI Sex Crimes Series. These books are all about FBI agents who work undercover and become involved in the community where they’re trying to solve a case. In each book we have two law enforcement agents who meet, work together to find the perp, and wind up in a torrential love affair. There is passion, a spine-tingling adventure, and a good mystery involved in each book.


Can we read the three books in this series as standalones?

Tall, Dark and Deadly, Long, Lean and Lethal and Strong, Sleek and Sinful are all books that stand alone. You don’t need to read one before reading the other. In fact, the only connection between these books is that a minor character’s story is told in the following book. Otherwise, each of these books are stories on their own. My publisher referred to them as a series because they are all FBI stories.


What was your favorite scene to write in Strong, Sleek and Sinful?

I think my favorite was the scene where they catch the bad guy. I was right there on the edge of my seat typing away as fast as I could to learn if I was right. (Yes, my books tend to take off in a different direction than where I thought they would go.) With Perry growing angrier and angrier because his woman is facing a killer, and Kylie’s heart pounding a mile a minute while she faces a man so evil she can see the cruel coldness in his eyes, until the moment when she takes him down, it’s definitely a scene I’ll never forget.


You’ve written a variety of genres. Is there a genre you would like to write but haven’t yet?

I don’t think so. I can’t get enough of historical romances, but I’m not sure I could write them. I think there are some books I should just enjoy reading. And I do love to read!


What is your favorite genre/book as a reader?

As a reader, historical are probably my favorites right now. Not the ton. I lean more toward lords and ladies of the castles of Scotland, Ireland and England. Although I’m reading one right now that takes place in the new colony of Massachusetts. I’m really enjoying it. Although, you can’t go wrong with Hannah Howell. :)
I do love a good contemporary romantic suspense as well. I think there is enough of a student always in me that I get off on a book that teaches me something. There is the story of man and woman falling in love, but learning what it’s like to own and run a candy store, or be a firefighter, or a rancher—and the stories that really get in to the details of that characters line of work—that appeals to me most.

Does everybody know you write erotic romance?

Everybody? If you mean my family, then yes. My boys know. All of my friends know. My Mom and Dad know. They are all proud of me. I tried for so many years to get published so they are all very proud of me today. I’ve got a wonderful family though. None of us are perfect but all of us support each other in whatever it is we want to do with our lives.


Which one of your books/series would you like to see turned into a movie?

Honestly, I’d love to see either the Nuworld Series in a movie or the Lunewulf Series. The Nuworld books have always been my favorites and in my mind I’ve always seen these books on the big screen.


Is the Nuworld series one of your paranormal series? What is it about this series that makes it perfect for the big screen?

First of all I have to say the Nuworld Series is not currently in print. Unless you can find one of the first two books of that series used somewhere, you can’t buy them. Although, I do offer the entire series for sale on ebay.
With that said, the Nuworld Series is hard to label into one genre. It was labeled as science fiction romance by one publisher, although the entire series takes place on earth. It has been called futuristic romance. There are some slight paranormal elements in the books but nothing strong.
The Nuworld Series has always been more vivid in my head than any other series I’ve ever written. There are those who say an author has one great masterpiece. So far, I would have to say the Nuworld books are it. I’ve been offered contracts on them several times but each time with the editor wanting some changes made. I just can’t change how the series is right now. So for now, I sell them on my own. But, I think the series would make such a great movie because of the romance, the intense action, and the rather taboo topics touched on throughout the series.

Any actors in mind?

No…lol. I don’t know enough about actors. I don’t watch enough tv or movies.


If you could be any of your heroines, who would it be, and why?

That is a tough one. Honestly, I’ve fallen in love with all of my characters and while writing their story have felt their happiness, their pain, their daring and their fears. I keep struggling, trying to find an answer for you. There are many heroines I respect so much because of their strength and willingness to take that extra step a lot of us would be afraid to take. I would love spending more time with them but not sure I would want to be them. They have a lot more guts than I have. :) I guess if I could be one of my heroines and have all the strength and convictions they have, I would probably choose to be Kylie in Strong, Sleek and Sinful. First of all, she gets Perry, and he’s so perfectly yummy! But as well, she willingly goes after monsters who pretend to be teenage boys in order to get teenage girls to meet them. She’s brave, aggressive, honest and pretty. And she’s a super FBI undercover agent, too.

Who’s your perfect hero?

Oh man, all of my heroes are perfect…LOL. You’ll never know how many nights I lie in bed and get lost in a scene I’m working on with one of my heroes. I change and alter it, replay it and have these gorgeous hunks right by my side the entire time. Did I mention how incredibly blessed I am?? :)


What quality is a must for a hero but one you don’t want to see in a real life partner?

I tend to write characters who are very “real”. What I mean by that is that they aren’t perfect. As gorgeous and powerful and intelligent and caring as each of them is, they also have their weaknesses. I’ve never been able to write a larger than life character. So I guess what I’m saying is I would love to have a real life partner who is just like any of my heroes.


Can you tell us something about your fund raiser Keep the HEA in our lives?

I instigated the launching of HEA because of a situation that happened and came very close to my heart. I haven’t disclosed all the details yet. If and when I do it will be on my HEA site. But my point is I learned how frustrating and challenging it is to come seriously close to losing your home. I also learned that the humiliation and guilt are so overwhelming it is harder to ask for help than any other predicament a person can find themselves in.
HEA is an effort to raise money to turn over to individuals who need help in keeping their home. I want to find those willing to donate items we can sell or auction to raise money. Of course cash donations are also accepted. As much as we need to raise money we’re also interested in any candidates who are in need of help. The money we raised would be given to them. You can learn more about HEA at my website.

What book(s) of yours can we look forward to?

I am in two anthologies coming out soon, Men Of Danger at the end of April and The Bodyguard Anthology, which comes out in June. The last book in my owl series with Ellora’s Cave, Feather Torn, comes out April 9. This fall my brand new bounty series begins. The first book, Play Dirty releases in October. Also, my brand new black jaguar series is coming soon from Ellora’s Cave. Black Seduction releases early this summer. There should be a total of five books in that series, I think.


Wow! You’re quite a busy bee! How can you keep up with this speed? Do you ever sleep?

I sleep every night. LOL. I try to get about 7 hours of sleep but sometimes it’s only 3 hours. If I can, I’ll take a couple of hours during the day after I’ve finished a chapter.


But seriously, why do you want to write? What’s so fun about it?

I’ve never thought about “wanting” to write, I just always “did” write. For me, a writer is who I am, not what I do. And what is fun about it? Well I get to stay home all day and play and get paid to do it. I have so much fun creating worlds then stepping into them and existing among my characters. There really is no better life—at least not for me.


That sounds wonderful! Thank you very much for visiting my place today, Lorie! I look forward to all of your new books! They are certainly going to keep me busy for a while!


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Giveaway:

Lorie O’Clare has generously offered a paperback copy of her romance Strong, Sleek and Sinful for giveaway.

This giveaway is open to everyone, I will announce the winner on April 13.

To enter the giveaway, follow my blog, leave a comment on this post and tell me what you think of a FBI agent being the hero(ine) of a romance.

Good luck to you all!

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Back blurb Strong, Sleek and Sinful:

Special Agent Kylie Donovan knows the evil that men do. After her sister’s murders went unsolved, she decided to work undercover for the FBI. Now, posing as a college student, she hopes to track down an Internet predator who is murdering teenage girls. Using herself as bait, Kylie is sure she can lure the killer out of the shadows…until her fascination with a drop-dead gorgeous cop threatens to blow her whole case.
With a rock-hard body and seductive smile, Lt. Perry Flynn is a hard man to ignore. He makes it very clear that Kylie’s fierce attraction is mutual. But Kylie can’t afford to let Perry cloud her judgment, especially when she begins to suspect that his dark obsession with the case runs deeper than it should. Then, when disturbing new evidence points to a cop, Kylie wonders if her sinful thoughts about Perry have thrust her into the strong, sleek arms of a killer…

Click here to read an excerpt from Strong Sleek and Sinful.