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Molly Harper has been making up stories for as long as she can remember, and the stranger the better.
It worked—she’s turned her quirky sense of humor and magical characters into one successful book series after another. After working as a reporter and church secretary in her native state of Kentucky, she decided to try her hand at paranormal romance, landed an agent and has been writing prolifically ever since.

Molly is the author of How To Run With a Naked Werewolf, A Witch’s Handbook of Kisses and Curses, and The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires as well as many other paranormal romances. She also writes the Bluegrass series of contemporary ebook romances, most recently, Rhythm and Bluegrass. A former humor columnist and newspaper reporter, she lives in Kentucky with her husband and children. Visit her on the web at MollyHarper.com or at SingleUndeadFemale.blogspot.com.

We were thrilled when Molly agreed to chat with us about her work, where she gets the ideas for her stories, and the television show cancellation that she is still mourning to this day.

Interview by Renee Roberson-----

WOW: Molly, welcome! First of all, I want to point out how much fun I had browsing through your website, and I love that you include different music playlists inspired by your different books. I like to do that too when I’m writing fiction. And the Half-Moon Vampire Name Generator was a blast—I have now been christened Morgana, Princess of Darkness. We’d love to hear about what you were doing when you first found out an agent wanted to represent you. And did you pitch that first book as a stand-alone or as a series?

Molly: I was working as a secretary for a Baptist church at the time and when my agent, Stephany, called I ran out to the church parking lot. I didn’t think the pastor would want to overhear me discussing my vampire romance novels outside of his office. I pitched Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs as the first in a three-book series. I knew when I wrote the first title that I had much more to say about Jane. I just didn’t know it would go on for four books and even more spinoffs.

WOW: I love it. One of the things that first struck me was your impressive catalogue of books. Wow! Can you give us an idea of what your writing schedule is like? Do you have any fun "working from home" stories you can share with us?

Molly: I just started working from home in February 2012. I wake up around six, check my reader emails and try to take care of my social networking stuff. I get my kids up and ready for school, then run to the gym or jiu jitsu lessons. Then I write from 10 to noon, have lunch, and then back to writing until my kids get home around 4. If I have a deadline, I usually write during the evenings after dinner. I set a writing minimum of 2,000 words each day. I am just now getting my own office. I have written all of my books from a couch. I am really looking forward to having a desk!

I guess my one funny “writing from home” story involves my hair. I hit my rebellious phase late in life and have dyed the “underside” of my hair bright purple. I went to volunteer at my kids’ elementary school about a week after I dyed it and one of the little girls from my library group gave me the “deer in headlights” eyes.

“Miss Molly,” she gasped. “Did you know the back of your hair is purple?”

“Yes, sweetie,” I told her. “I dyed it last week.”

“Who told you that you could do that?” she asked.

“Well, I’m 35 and can pay for the hairdresser to dye it, so…”

“But won’t you get in trouble with your mom or your boss or somebody?” she asked.

“I work from home, so I don’t have a boss. And my mom isn’t really surprised by anything I do anymore.”

“Oh.” She nodded. “OK, then.”

And off she toddled, assured that my hair wouldn’t get me fired.

WOW: You eventually transitioned from vampires to werewolves. Can you tell us a little about how you got the idea for your popular Naked Werewolf series?

Molly: There was a huge ice storm in January 2009 that knocked out power to thousands of homes, including my own. I packed up food, essentials, my infant and my preschooler and moved over to my in-laws’ house, where they had a gas fireplace. We slept on a mattress in front of the fireplace for two weeks while my husband worked twelve-hour emergency shifts at the police department. I was cold, exhausted and I could feel the walls closing in on me. After the kids went to sleep, I would sit down and write about my weird, claustrophobic feelings. I knew I wanted to write a book about werewolves and I thought, why couldn’t the werewolves be from a cold environment like Alaska? And why couldn’t the main character be a Southern girl who wasn’t used to living in those conditions? By the time the lights came back on, I had more than twenty pages of notes that became How To Flirt With a Naked Werewolf.

WOW: I love it when writers can turn even the most difficult of circumstances into works of fiction. I know I was stuck in an ice storm about ten years ago and did nothing but wallow in my misery! You started out your career working for a newspaper in Kentucky. Did any of the stories you covered there ever find their way into any of your books?

Molly: Not so much specific stories, but the overall weirdness of the stories I covered. I covered school bus crash derbies. I covered the escape of a fully-grown brown bear that a man kept as a pet in his basement and was on “Bear Watch” for almost two weeks. I covered the arrest of a Florida man who faked his death by shark attack, hit the road and ended up working for a pizzeria right down the street from my office. That quirky charm oozed its way into my story-telling and heavily influenced the way I write about Half-Moon Hollow, the setting of my vampire stories. I often say that Half-Moon Hollow is my hometown with all of the normal people removed.

WOW: I love the story on your bio about the first book you ever wrote at age eight. Could you please share it with our readers?

Molly: I was always fascinated with my mom’s manual typewriter from college. When I was eight, I set up a little writer’s office on my parents’ couch (foreshadowing) and pecked out a short story about my class taking a trip around the world and losing a kid in each city. One boy fell off the top of the Eiffel Tower. Another girl fell into the canals in Venice. Mom was concerned, but entertained.

WOW: I read on your website that you are a big fan of vampire movies and TV shows. What are some of your favorites?

Molly: I wrote Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs because I was in mourning for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” I also love “Angel,” “Lost Boys,” “Moonlight,” the original “Fright Night,” “From Dusk 'Til Dawn,” and the Keanu Reeves version of “Dracula.”

Don’t judge me.

WOW: Somehow I knew Buffy was going to come up in that answer . . . And as someone who is completely addicted to current CW show “The Vampire Diaries,” I also cannot judge! You’ve turned writing about the paranormal into a successful career. What advice can you give writers about writing paranormal romance?

Molly: Keep it grounded in reality. Yes, it’s great to write about fantastical creatures and magic, but your characters have to share common ground with the reader. I enjoy writing about paranormal creatures with everyday problems because there’s something weirdly funny about a vampire worrying about taxes and shopping for dental floss. I think that has allowed my readers to put themselves in my characters’ shoes and enjoy that skewed reality.

WOW: In the FAQ section of your website, you mention you speak to book clubs and schools "Advice For Writers." Can you elaborate on the section called "Don't Act Like a Lunatic?"

Molly: Almost every agent I know has a story about an aspiring writer doing something extreme, like sliding a manuscript under a bathroom stall to them or sending an absolutely insane response when their manuscript is rejected. Writing is a business. Yes, it’s a dream come true to have a book published, but it’s still a business. If an agent or publisher rejects your work, it’s not personal. It’s business. So behave in a professional manner and avoid becoming a cautionary tale that industry types tell over lunch.

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and editor who also works as a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. She’s currently looking for blogs to promote Frances Caballo’s book Avoid Social Media Time Suck: A Blueprint for Writers Who Want to Create Online Buzz for Their Books and Still Have Time to Write. You can contact her at [email protected].

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There was some trouble getting the book to me and I apologize for the delayed blog tour post.  If you're in the mood for fantasy adventure - with demons and a beautiful and righteous heroine - read on!



Blood Trinity: Book 1 in the Belador Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love


The blurb:
Atlanta has become the battlefield between human and demon.  All her life, Evalle Kincaid has walked the line between the two.  Her origins unknown, she's on a quest to learn more about her past. . . and her future.

When a demon claims a young woman in a terrifying attack and there's no one else to blame, Evalle comes under suspicion. Now she's on a deadly quest for her own survival.  Through the sordid underground of an alternate Atlanta where nothing is as it seems to the front lines of the city, where her former allies have joined forces to hunt her, Evalle must prove her innocence or pay the ultimate price.

But saving herself is the least of her problems if she doesn't stop the coming apocalypse.  The clock is ticking and Atlanta is about to catch fire. . . .

Review:
Blood Trinity  is the first in the new Belador series and introduces us to a world where there are demons and supernatural beings from different worlds walking among us.  The ability to move to our time and to the past also exists and is wielded by the more powerful beings.

The supernatural beings are largely hidden -- they have developed ways to communicate and to keep their identity from the regular humans just as the Beladors strive to protect all humans. 

This world is not without discrimination and strife and intrigue.  We learn that those of mixed heritage are not just looked down upon but mistrusted.  Evalle Kincaid is the first person of mixed heritage that we meet and our first impression of her is that she's terrified that the others will learn of her difference. Despite the personal risks that she faces, she is willing to divulge this "flaw" to save the lives of the other Beladors.  Kincaid proves herself to be honorable, brave and loyal -- while those who claim her loyalty have been weak.

Without disclosing what happens, the book involves a powerful object with a will of its own, historical enemies that have suddenly acquired power, and personal rivalry that puts cooperation at risk.    There ar

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"It was only December first but Vanessa Channing felt like it had been Christmas forever..." So begins Sandra Harper's latest fun and light holiday read full of family drama.

Vanessa Clayton,her gaffer husband JT, and the young twins, Ethan and Alex, usually spend the holidays in New England with her sister-in-law, but the tough economic times give her the excuse to celebrate at home in Los Angeles. Vanessa is far from a domestic goddess - her own family tradition is "store bought," her young boys are a handful, and her writing job is keeping her crazy busy. Vanessa's sister Thea has a very different life. An artist and single, Thea's life centers around her art. Her latest project involves compiling holiday memories and this starts her reminiscing about Cal, her boyfriend from fifteen years ago. Though Thea's reasonably happy with her gorgeous young lover, once Thea starts thinking about what may have been with Cal, Thea can't resist hunting him down.

Patience Clayton's life appears to be the opposite of that of her sister-in-law Vanessa Clayton. Patience lives for the holidays and devotes herself to maintaining their family's traditions from the cranberry tarts to the carefully orchestrated themed Open House on Christmas Eve. When her sister-in-law declines the annual invitation to a New England Christmas, Patience decides to bring her husband Richard and their teenage daughter Libby to Los Angeles in the hope that this will bring the family closer together. But with Libby acting curt and cold and Vanessa's ill disguised irritation, this is shaping up to be Patience's worst holiday ever.

I found Over the Holidays to be a light and engaging read. I would occasionally find Vanessa to be self centered and irritating and would sympathize with Patience - Vanessa's zingers would make me cringe. On the other hand, I suspect that many readers would be more inclined to regard Patience's insistence on doing things "right" annoying and identify with the younger, more creative Vanessa. Regardless of whether you prefer Vanessa to Patience, I believe that most readers would find both of them sympathetic. If you're looking for a fun book to read for the holidays and have a taste for chicklit or mommylit, you may well enjoy Over the Holidays.

Publisher: Pocket (October 6, 2009), 336 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

About the Author,courtesy of the publisher:
Sandra Harper is the author of the play, Magpie's Tea Room, which enjoyed a successful run in Los Angeles at The Ventura Court Theatre. She has written a cooking column, "The California Cook" for the newspaper, Skirt. A script reader for Pathe Studios and Springcreek Productions, she also wrote and produced fashion and rock videos for Elvis Costello, Chaka Khan and Vidal Sassoon, amonf others. Ms. Harper recieved her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Southern California and has completed a children's book, The Witches Club.

Thanks so much for the book tour opportunity, Sarah and Pocket Books!

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I'm excited to be part of the Book Blog Tour of Breaking The Bank by Yona Zeldis McDonough. When I first heard about this book, a whimsical story of a young divorcee living in Brooklyn with her ten-year-old daughter who comes across an ATM machine that gives her free money that enables her to change many lives, I couldn't sign up fast enough! Doesn't it sound good?

Not only is Breaking The Bank largely set in Park Slope, Brooklyn, Yona McDonough is a Brooklyn resident herself! She's taken the time to chat with us about her favorite places in New York City. I asked her where she would take book-loving visitors from out-of-town. Without further ado, please welcome Yona Zeldis McDonough and her recommendations for places in New York City!

Favorite places in New York City for booklovers
by Yona Zeldis McDounough

Favorite places in NYC? I have so many! But if I were planning a trip for book lovers, I’d start off with the Strand. Dominating the corner of 12th and Broadway for decades, Strand is the mother of all used book stores. Miles and miles of books, books, books. Great poetry section; cool fashion section. Fiction section is mind boggling. And for the budget conscious (which today is practically everyone on the planet) there are tons of books for a buck. You never know what you’ll find and that’s the beauty of it. I liked this store so much I even gave it a small shout out in my new novel, Breaking The Bank. The protagonist, Mia Saul, visits the Strand; read about her experience on pages 92-94.

For a more uptown experience and vibe, I’d go to Argosy books on East 59th Street. In addition to the ample selection of first editions, there are scads of prints, illustrations from old books and other ephemera, just waiting to be bought, framed and cherished in your very own digs.

Two other not-to-be-missed book emporia are the swanky Rizzoli on 57th Street and the equally glam new Assouline shop inside the Plaza Hotel. But bookstores aren’t the only game in town.

Let’s not forget the grand dame of the Main Library, flanked by that pair of majestic lions and perched like a temple atop a wide flight of stairs on 42nd and Fifth; the incomparable collection (including nearly-impossible-to-find DVDs) at the Jerome Robbins Dance Division of the NYPL; the newly renovated main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.

All that reading making you hungry? I’d recommend the restaurant atop Bergdorf Goodman’s, for its delightful, inside-of-a-jewel-box ambience and stunning views of Central Park or the Marie Belle Cacao Bar/Tea Salon, with outposts both uptown on Madison Avenue and downtown in Soho. I’m wildly partial to the chocolate rose tea (best iced) and the hand decorated chocolates that will delight the eye before totally conquering the palate.
Happy reading—and eating!


Thanks so much, Yona!! That's a wonderful introduction NYC. I love the New York Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library. Not just for the book collections and the staff but for the character and atmosphere in each of the branches. I used to haunt the 58th St, Yorkville, 67th St, Donnell and Midtown branches of the NYPL on a bi-weekly basis.

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“We’re really super happy today ’cause we gots a big announcement. Acey-san and Z-bot helped us a lot when those mean Halloween monsters attacked, and so we decided that Gamepowa should be part of our site all official and stuff!”

“And so I said that Acey and Z-bot should have their own character pages like us so Talitha made one for them! It’s Acey and Z-bot of the Starship Hana!“

“Welcome to the Goofy Bird show, Space girl! Good to have you guys orbiting the planet checking out all the coolest game tech, even if I can’t understand what Z-bot is talking about half the time.”

“Heh.”

“We’re honored to be a part of the best site on the web, game fans! Z-bot and I will do our best to make the Gamepowa category rock! A big salute from the crew of the Hana!”

“Check out the Gamepowa Store too. That’s where Acey and Z-bot put all of the great games they review. They’ve got over 300 games in the store now.”

“That’s affirmative.”

“Sugoi sugoi sugoi!”

“Our store has all the best games too!”

“Yay for Gamepowa! Go read all their neat articles, minna-san! All of Acey-san and Z-bot’s articles are in the Gamepowa Category that Talitha-chan set up. Have fun!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, what about the most important thing?”

“Oh yeah! Girls play video games too!”

“Booya! OUT!”

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