We’re welcoming Laurie London to ATUF today to talk about the first book in her debut Paranormal Romance series called BONDED BY BLOOD (releasing on January 18, 2011, read my review HERE).  I’ve been drooling over the cover for months and in case you missed my review, it’s just as hot inside as it is outside.  I emailed Laurie the second I finished reading her first Sweetblood book and not only did she agree to an interview, but she is also giving away a signed copy of BONDED BY BLOOD and a Revlon lip stain/lip balm called Just Bitten.  See details below.

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Interview

ATUF: As a debut author, what was it that attracted you to the paranormal genre and vampires in particular for your first book?

LL: First of all, thanks for having me on today, Abigail!
I love paranormal romance because I like the threat of danger mixed hot romance. Not just external danger with a villain, but internally as well as the characters struggle to overcome their dangerous desires. If a paranormal hero isn’t careful, isn’t completely in control of himself, he could very easily be the bad guy. As a reader, this is probably why I’m drawn to stories where only one of the characters is paranormal, not both. And if they both are, then there’s got to be a reason why it’s dangerous for them to be together. For me, more than any other paranormal character, vampires have always had this mystique about them. They’re powerful, sensual, mesmerizing. I’m afraid I may have been glamoured at a young, impressionable age.

ATUF: BONDED BY BLOOD is the first book in the Sweetblood series which operates on the premise that certain rare humans, like your heroine Mackenzie, have highly desirable, highly addictive blood.  How did you come up with this concept?

LL: I liked the idea of pitting two vampire factions against each other, with one operating like a drug cartel and the other being the peace-keepers. With humans far out-numbering vampires and thus their blood is easily available, there had to be a reason why it was being sold on the vampire black market. Like many illegal substances, the one that gives the best high, that’s the hardest to obtain, goes for the most money. It’s simple supply and demand. Thus, the Sweetblood concept was born. Plus, I like that it tempts the good guys to revert back to the evil ways of their killing ancestors...for just one taste.

ATUF: The vampires in BONDED BY BLOOD have some unique abilities, like being able to emotionally and psychically bond with those they share blood with.  What else sets your vampires apart?


LL: Not all vampires can bond this way...just a select few are Enlazados por la Sangre. And when they do, the blood bond may awaken ancient powers and abilities that they never knew they had. In the Sweetblood world, vampires are unable to withstand much sunlight—it severely weakens them, yet they need the energy obtained from ultra-violet light and vitamin D in order to survive. The only way to get it is through human blood and by absorbing it via physical touch.

ATUF: What are some of your favorite titles/authors in the paranormal genres?

LL: Oh wow, there are so many. I love books by Sherrilyn Kenyon, JR Ward, Alexis Morgan, Gena Showalter, Lara Adrian, Jeaniene Frost, Cherry Adair, Kresley Cole, and Nalini Singh...to name a few.

ATUF: BONDED BY BLOOD will be followed by  EMBRACED BY BLOOD and features Dom’s brother. What do you have planned next for the Sweetblood series? Are you working on any other projects?


LL: My publisher has asked me to do a digital short story set in the Sweetblood world. I’m also working on Jackson’s story.

ATUF: What can you tell us about the smoking hot cover for BONDED BY BLOOD?  It’s such a perfect match for the book even down to Dom’s thumb rings.

LL: Thanks! I really love the cover too. My publisher has an online art fact sheet that they have authors fill out prior to designing the covers with character descriptions, setting details, and story themes. I specifically described Dom’s thumb rings, so I was thrilled to see this detail on the final cover. Prior to working on it, they sent me a few sample covers and wanted my reaction. I pointed out elements that I liked and disliked, mentioning the colors, the font, the lighting on the models, and the overall tone. Next, armed with my iPhone, I headed to my local bookstore and snapped pictures of paranormal romance covers that stood out on the shelves. I sent the photos along with why I liked them. Before the photo shoot—yes, they use actual models—they sent me stock photography so that I could see what they were thinking about doing. I love the final result.

ATUF: In the author’s note at the start of BONDED BY BLOOD (and even with a quote later on) you out yourself as a huge fan of the vampire flick Fright Night, in particular the seduction scene.  How did that inspire you with this book?  

LL: Oh my gosh, my sister and I were hopelessly in love with Chris Sarandon in that movie. If only he wasn’t so bad! I like bad boys, but killing innocent people is a deal-breaker for me.  In both the seduction scene and the club scene, a powerful current of electricity was at work beneath the surface of the standard five senses. He had a magnetic confidence, but was somewhat melancholy, and she was totally drawn to him even though she knew what he was capable of. I wanted to explore these same emotional themes in my book.

ATUF: I’m more than a little in love with the hero Dominic Serrano.  I think that dichotomy, the constant struggle between control and desire that Dom battles with, is what makes a vampire love interest so compelling for me.  How important was it for you to show that struggle?


LL: LOL Thanks! I think you hit the nail on the head with the exact reason I love vampire romance. That constant struggle, that knife’s edge fine line between control and desire is compelling to me as well. My goal was to continually put Dom and Mackenzie into situations where this was a battle for both of them.


ATUF: If BONDED BY BLOOD were ever made into a movie, who would your dream or, to keep things interesting, nightmare cast be?

LL: Let’s see...my dream cast would be Rodrigo Santoro for Dom and Stana Katic for Mackenzie.

Nightmare cast would be Will Ferrell as Dom and Tina Fey as Mackenzie. Makes me laugh just thinking about it.

ATUF: Finish this statement with as much/little detail as you like: You'll like BONDED BY BLOOD if you like...


LL: ...your romance hot, your heroes hotter, and you’re not afraid of a little blood.

ATUF: Thanks so much for stopping by Laurie.  Come back anytime!
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Laurie London is the author of the Sweetblood series, dark, sexy vampire romance from HQN. The first book, BONDED BY BLOOD, is available February 2011. Book two, EMBRACED BY BLOOD, comes out July 2011. A graduate of Western Washington University and a former tester/programmer for a Fortune 500 company, Laurie London writes from her home near Seattle where she lives with her husband and two children.

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Visit Laurie online:

Website|Blog|Twitter|Facebook

Giveaway

One copy of BONDED BY BLOOD by Laurie London & a Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain/balm

 

Deep within the forests of the Pacific Northwest, two vampire coalitions battle for supremacy—Guardian enforcers who safeguard humanity and Darkblood rogues who kill like their ancient ancestors.
Now, Guardian team leader Dominic Serrano will be forced to choose between the vengeance he craves and the woman he can’t live without…
Movie location scout Mackenzie Foster-Shaw has always known that she’s cursed to die young. No one can protect her from the evil that has stalked her family for generations—vampires who crave her rare blood type. Until one afternoon in a wooded cemetery, she encounters an impossibly sexy stranger, a man she must trust with her life.
For Dominic, a man haunted by loss, Mackenzie satisfies a primal hunger that torments him—and the bond they share goes beyond heat, beyond love. She alone can supply the strength he needs to claim his revenge. But in doing so, he could destroy her…

Click HERE to an excerpt from BONDED BY BLOOD

GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES

1. Open to US/CA only
2. Leave a comment or question for Laurie & a way to contact you if you win
3. Entries must be received by Midnight MST on February 3, 2011

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