Michele Hauf

Michele Hauf has published over 25 novels in the historical, fantasy, action/adventure, and paranormal romance genres. France, musketeers, vampires and faeries populate her stories. And if she followed the adage 'write what you know', all her stories would have snow in them. Fortunately, she steps beyond her comfort zone and writes about countries she has never visited and of creatures she has never seen.

SEDUCING THE VAMPIRE

He was mesmerizing, a vampire like none other...but the fire between Viviane LaMourette and Rhys Hawkes would begin a centuries-long clash between two powerful vampire brothers.

In Marie Antoinette's Paris, the beautiful vampire Viviane seeks a male patron who will allow her to live on her own terms. Courted by two feuding brothers, Viviane succumbs to the handsome rebel, Rhys. She's unaware that Rhys has other, darker, motives. He seeks vengeance against his brother, Constantine—by stealing Viviane and tainting her with his blood.

But just as Rhys is realizing the depth of his love for Viviane, his brother takes his revenge.

Two centuries later, Rhys hears the urban legend of the Vampire Snow White, imprisoned deep in the tunnels under Paris. He must find her and set her free, but will he be able to save her from the evil still intent on destroying them?

I'm delighted to welcome the talented Michele Hauf to Get Lost In A Story. In addition to being a gifted and prolific writer, she is a fellow member of Midwest Fictions Writers, who voted her the 2010 winner of the 2010 LaVerle Spencer Mentor of the Year Award.

Cat: What’s your favorite fairy tale?

Michele: Right now it's Snow White. Which ties in nicely with my current release since the hero learns about an urban legend called the Vampire Snow White. Legend tells a vampiress was buried alive in a glass coffin under the streets of Paris in the 18th century, and she may yet still be there, waiting for release… I love all the details of this fairy tale, especially the glass coffin, the gothic overtones, the beautiful woman waiting for her true love to rescue her.

Cat: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

Michele: Oh heck, haven't watched it for a while, but I do adore Pinky of Pink and the Brain.

Cat: What turns you off like nothing else?

Michele: Drunk people.

Cat: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?

Michele: Hmm, actually, I'd suggest finding some harpsichord music and cranking it to eleven. J

Cat: Where do you read and how often?

Michele: I don't often get to read for pleasure lately. Usually I'm either reading a book for review, for a contest, or to blurb. But I do read every night, in bed, for about half an hour or more. If I'm enthralled by story I can burn the midnight oil. J

Cat: What was the first story you remember writing?

Michele: That was my first published book, DARK RAPTURE.

Cat: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Michele: A tie between Dangerous Liaisons and Legend.

Cat: Who’s your favorite villain?

Michele: Well, I'm going to pick one of my own—Truvin Stone, who was very villainous and dastardly in Kiss Me Deadly, but who I got to redeem in his own story, His Forgotten Forever. He's a vampire, and I gave him amnesia. Hee. Had fun playing with him!

Cat: Be honest, when reading 1st person...do you miss the hero’s POV?

Michele: Hmm, I write 1st person, and I tend to alternate between heroine's viewpoint and hero's viewpoint, so not missing much there. In other books with just the heroine's viewpoint? I guess it would depend on the story.

Cat: Is writing or story-telling easier for you?

Michele: Story-telling.

Cat: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?

Michele: I really appreciate their support, and hope to write stories they enjoy for a very long time.

Cat: What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?

Michele: One where you learn so much about the characters that you feel like you'd know them if you met them on the street, and you want to go over to their house for a visit.

Cat: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

Michele: No music while writing; too distracting. But I do put music on when editing.

Cat: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?

Michele: Brain surgeon. Seriously.

Cat: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

Michele: Check the calendar to see what's due next!

Cat: If you were given a chance to travel to the past where would you go and specifically why?

Michele: Paris, 1750. The dresses! And the sexy fops in frockcoats and lace.

Cat: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

Michele: How can you not read the reviews? I'm getting better at not reading them, but you know, reading a great review makes me feel good. And there's nothing wrong with that. Of course, no one is going to get all good reviews, so once in a while there's a bad review. That can be a downer, but I've learned not to carry it with me longer than a few minutes.

Cat: What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

Michele: No more 9-to-5! I hate office jobs, and am not designed for sitting behind a desk.

Cat: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?

Michele: Have recently fallen in love with black tea (with cinnamon, vanilla, clove spice), and must have cream and Truvia in it. It's very chai-like, but without all the sugar.

Cat: What does it mean to love someone?

Michele: It means to understand that the other person does not complete you, and cannot be the only source of your happiness. It means that you take life as it comes, good, bad or ugly. It means that you will always have someone to hold hands with when you need it most.

GOTTA ASK -- GOTTA ANSWER

Cat: If you were a t-shirt, what color would you be and why?

Michele: Hmm. Purple. Because purple rocks.

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

Michele: Why vampires? Why do you read vampires? Have you ever read a story where the author did something to her characters that you felt was awful/unforgivable? State example (but don't mention author name).

Michele has offered to give away a set of SEDUCING THE VAMPIRE and ANGEL SLAYER to one winner.**

Michele, thank you for joining us today.

If you want to contact Michele or find out more about her books, please visit her at Michelehauf.com or Blog.michelehauf.com. Friend her at Facebook.com/michelehauf, or follower her on twitter: Twitter.com/michelehauf. She can also be found at Vampchix.blogspot.com and Clubscarlet.michelehauf.com

Join us tomorrow when Simone hosts Carol K. Carr.

**Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.