1/17/2011

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.

19 comments:

  1. Michele, what a terrific theme for your story as well as priceless answers. Cat, thanks for introducing us to Michele. I love vampire stories, particularly if they are thought-provoking and place a new spin.

    I also am becoming a huge fan of first person protagonists and third person secondary characters. It's highly effective. Will you talk about that?

    I can't wait to add this book to my voluminous TBR pile. Michele, I perfectly understand about not getting to read as much as we want to.

    Also, I've never heard of the LaVerle Spencer Mentor award. Will you tell us about that?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Donnell, I did the 1st person protag, and 3rd secondary (sort of) for some of my Bombshells. Actually, since the heroine was the star, she was in first, and the hero was always in third. I like that combination! It's fun to play with, and since the heroine was always the focus in the Bombshells 1st thrust me right into her world, and I was seeing through her eyes. Then, since hero wasn't always so necessary, 3rd was effective because you do occasionally want to do scenes that feature just him. Do you use that in your writing? REading?

    Well, awards always make me sort of shyly step back and go 'gee thanks', but not want to talk about them because I think I have that Scandinavian thing. But our chapter members award it to one person each year they feel has been helpful and willing to offer advice, etc. I like talking about writing, and if anyone ever has a question I'm always willing to chat. I always feel like I'm certainly no expert, but I can tell you what I know, and whatever you take away from that is cool. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Michele, then that's all a fellow writer can ask, that you try to help. It's so subjective after all--and what works for one author might not work for another. Thanks for the explanation.

    As for first person third/Linda Castillo writes in this way, and, yes, I found it very effective. Love the pacing. My books are written in third (at present) but I love to study craft, and if it works, it works.

    Thanks for joining GLIAS today.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Okay, Michele's being modest. She's really awesome and helpful. We love her in our chapter.

    I'm one who loves first person if it's done right. I guess because I grew up reading romance in only the heroine's POV, I got used to not knowing the guy's POV. It makes them much more mysterious. That moment when they admit they love the heroine has more impact because you haven't heard his internal struggle the whole time, just seen him being all manly and acting a little odd.

    I'm an old Dark Shadows fan. I think that's the earliest memory of a vamp I have. I think some of today's vampires have been detoothed, if you catch my drift. They're a little too safe. I think we have Angel to thank for that.

    As for something an author did to one of her characters that I found unforgiveable. I used to read this awesome mystery writer. Then she killed off the heroine's long time lover. Never picked up another of her books.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Michele! Thanks so much for being with us today at GLIAS. I really enjoyed your interview :)

    And oh my...Legend. Love it, too! If I had time to watch a movie right now, I would totally dig it out!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Michele, Since I love the anti-hero protagonist, the vampire complication is one that almost always works for me as a starting point.

    The only thing I find unforgivable in romance novels is a plot that is too contrived. One that makes me want to throw the book up against a wall. There is a very famous historical romance novel that has two insipid misunderstandings at the end of the novel that just don't work for me. First of all, I have come to love the characters and know that they are too smart to be that dumb. The terrible, contrived last hundred pages of the novel almost ruined the book for me.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Michele!
    So fun to read all your wonderful answers the questions here. And it's my pleasure to agree with Cat that you're being modest about your Mentor award. I think the biggest thing you do for our chapter is SHOW UP. We totally understand how busy you are--more so than many authors. Yet you take those three to five hours once a month to come and cheerlead and hang with us. Along with the advice you're willing to give, that's as inspirational as anything your could do!

    I'm not a big vampire reader. I've read as many of yours as anyone's! So, whenever I do pick one up I'm always surprised and everything is new :-) Keep up the great work -- you'll "turn" me yet!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yes, Cat, I think the vamps have been detoothed. Especially on the covers! How I would love to have a vamp on my cover with fangs. Is that too much to ask? ;-)

    heather, a fellow Legend fan! Truly, one of Cruise's best movies.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Welcome, Michele. Yay, finally a little first-person love! I was getting a complex reading all of our posts that say that first person is missing something. I write in first and I love it.

    Don't get Maureen and I started on Dangerous Liasons, lol. We have had words about which version is the better one. Which version do you like best?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Michele, I love the glass coffin part of the Snow White story, too. So creepy. I incorporated it into my upcoming Sleeping Beauty story, actually.

    I first feel in love with vampires in Anne Rice's books. I think as readers we love the danger. I also think vamps are a metaphor for so many things...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Which version of Dangerous Liaisons? THe one with John Malkovich and Glenn Close, of course! Which is the other version? The one with Sarah Michelle Geller? That one was great too, but doesn't live up to the historical remake of the classic.

    Maureen, aren't glass coffins just so gothicly romantic? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hey Michele, congrats on the Mentor award -- totally deserved. I luurve Vampires, Dark Shadows for me too Cat! I like Vampires who are Vampires, right? No sunlight, no garlic, need blood...

    The first author I read 1st person protagonist/3rd person other characters was Joan Hess -- I love it. Plus, 1st person just comes out of my brain to my fingertips easier.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Maureen, are you talking about Valmont? That was my favorite between the two. It stars Annette Benning and Colin Firth. I think I've made my opinion very clear on CF. I also like Cruel Intentions and the twist in the end of that one.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Great interview! And I LOVE the sound of SEDUCING THE VAMPIRE. My TBR pile is getting dangerously high! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Good Afternoon Michele and welcome to GLIAS !

    I can answer about being perturbed at what an author did...but it doesn't involve plot. One author I love wrote fabulous, tortured heroes. I raced to get the next book in the series, didn't open the book, got all snuggled in front of a fire to read it, opened it up and it's in FIRST PERSON... Gone was the wonderful hero POV that I absolutely adored. Couldn't read the book, haven't bought the author since but I do check to see if the author's writing in 3rd person agin. Very unfortunate. I really miss that series.

    ~~Angi

    ReplyDelete
  16. I honestly don't know why I love to read about vampires. I just know I do :-)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Michele, Fantastic interview! I'm not a big vampire reader and I've never tried writing in first person, but this book sounds wonderful. I love 18th Century Paris, too - so atmospheric.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Cat, I love the Malkovich/Close version, but Maureen likes the Bening/Firth version. Looks like the vote continues to split on this important topic.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh, Valmont! Yes, have that one too. Don't love it as much as the one with John M. Seriously, the guy was sexy with that long black hair.

    Angi, first person is not so common in romances, is it? I know I did my first persons in Bombshell, which were not romances but instead action adventure. I do like to see both POVs in romance, in fact I would feel ripped off with only one POV.

    Chelsea, no need for a reason to read vampires. Just keep doing it. ;-)

    ReplyDelete