Lori Foster

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Lori’s first book, IMPETUOUS, was published in 1996. Helping to raise the sexuality standard in category romance, her second book, OUTRAGEOUS, was the first story that launched the Harlequin sub-line, BLAZE. This creative author has continually thrilled us with her sensual stories about love and commitment, and her newest offering, CAUGHT IN THE ACT, takes sensuality one step further.

Welcome to TRRC Lori, and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer some questions.

Thea Candee: Part of the storyline in CAUGHT IN THE ACT, was the intense attraction between Delilah Piper and Mick Dawson. What made you decide to have their sexual relationship burn so hot and bright from the very beginning of the story?

Lori Foster: Mick had previously appeared in BEGUILED, an earlier Temptation of mine. He was a neglected young man, distrustful, and as he grew older in my imagination those characteristics became more defined. He wouldn't have let too many women get close, so he had to be really motivated right from the start. Del was a woman who could motivate him. And for Del, she needed something really outstanding to get her attention. Mick, an outstanding man, could accomplish that.

TC: Do you feel that in today's romance market, more emphasis has to be placed on sexy bedroom scenes and less on the actual courtship or romance?

LF: I hope not. I hope that's up to each individual author as to what she enjoys writing. For me, any great romance requires a lot of sexual tension, and eventually, very satisfying sex. But the placement of the love scenes, the frequency, depends on the book. I've written books with love scenes on the first page, and some that didn't have consummation till the very end. It's up to the characters and their issues. Plus, with the popularity of Inspirationals, I can't believe the market is showing a preference. If there is a preference, it's for quality work.

TC: Delilah and Mick are both bold and confident characters; did you have any trouble having those traits continue throughout the whole story?

LF: Nope. Once I create a character in my head, he/she stays in character. I thought of Mick as bold, but also a little needy, though he'd deny that. And Del was bold, mostly out of awkwardness with society. Like many writers, she'd turned into a recluse and spent much of her time plotting, which the world saw as daydreaming.

TC: Delilah is a mystery writer and we see glimpses of her work schedule and practices (writing anytime that the mood hits her and forgetting to eat, etc.) Do these habits in any way, resemble your habits? If so, how does your family handle the demands on your time?

LF: Those habits resemble mine quite a bit. :::laugh::: The only difference is that I have kids, and I already have a husband, and they take precedence over everything else. But my writing slides in right behind them. There are times I feel obsessed to get to the computer and write. Only those people I love a lot can keep me away from it. But when I am away from writing and spending time with them, I love that too.

TC: You have written many categories and novellas, is it easier to write a category as opposed to a single title?

LF: For me, all writing is easy, and no writing is easy. Because I only write books I absolutely love and that I'm dying to write, I never really think of the writing as a hardship, whether it's category, single title, online serials or single title. But the dedication and drive and responsibility to turn things in on time, no matter if you've been sick or the schedule has gotten hectic, has to be there, and that's not always easy.

I wouldn't think of a longer book as harder, just longer and more involved. And in a shorter book, you have to tighten, tighten, tighten, so they each are a challenge in their own way.

TC: In CAUGHT IN THE ACT, you teased us with engaging, secondary characters; Zack and Josh, who will have their own stories in the coming months. (Zack, TREAT HER RIGHT (HT 852) 11/01 and Josh, MR. NOVEMBER (HT 856) 12/01. What else can we look forward to seeing from you?

LF: All kinds of stuff!

October, I'll have a novella with Kensington Brava in the anthology ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT.

October, also TREAT HER RIGHT, Harlequin Temptation.

November, MR. NOVEMBER, Harlequin Temptation.

November 27th, my Winston brothers, previously published in the anthologies HOT CHOCOLATE, CHARMED, and SINFUL, will be published together in the Berkley anthology THE WINSTONS.

January 8th, the last Winston brother, Zane Winston, will be published as the Berkley single title, WILD.

March, I have a Kensington Brava; trade size, titled TOO MUCH TEMPTATION.

The Buckhorn Brothers, from Temptation, are being reissued around that time in two trade size volumes, but the dates keep changing so I'm not positive when that'll be. Last I heard it was May and August.

And in October 2002, (unless *his* date changes again!) Casey Hudson, the long awaited story from the Buckhorn Brothers series, will be a Harlequin Single title called, CASEY.

Shew. And if you can keep track of all that, you're doing better than me! <grin>

(Click here for a review of Caught in the Act)