Ellora's Cave Author Laurann Dohner Interview

Please welcome Laurann Dohner to NN. Thank you so much for taking the time to let the NN readers get to know you better. You are one of my favorite authors and I just can’t get enough of your books. Wow! And now I get to pick your brain. I love it! So on with the interview. I won’t keep you too long because I really need the next book, I know you are working so diligently on. LOL!

Laurann: Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Tabitha. I’m very excited to be here!

Tabitha: It is my pleasure to have you! Your fans will be so excited to know you will be around off and on today to answer questions and respond to comments. I'm sure they have a few questions for you too.

Tabitha: You tell such amazing stories. When did you know you wanted to be a writer? What sparked your interest in writing?

Laurann:  In high school I wrote poetry and short stories. I’ve always been an avid reader, had my first adult library card when I was 9 years old because I’d read through the children’s section, and at 23 years old (1993) my husband bought me a Brother word processor. It took me a year to write a 300 page book and once I finished it, I was HOOKED! I went on to write over fifty books until 2009 when I wrote all new stuff and tried to get published. My last child had started school and I finally had the time to dedicate to making it a career. I got some rejections until I wrote Ral’s Woman and Ellorascave accepted it! It launched my career.

Tabitha: I know some people don’t take romance writers seriously. It’s sad but true. Do you ever have to deal with the dreaded look when you tell people you write romance? I have mentioned to others that I am writing a book and they get excited then when I say it is a romance they get that little smirk.

Laurann: LOL! I point out how well romance sells and that I write what I love. I hate the looks, the assumption because I write erotic romance that it must reflect on my morals, but I usually win them over when they read a book. They expect fluff and they get an actual plot.

Tabitha: You do tell one heck of a story. I can't put them down.

Tabitha: Who has been your biggest supporter in you writing endeavor?

Laurann: Mr. Laurann has always been my hero. He never minds going to bed alone while I’m up writing late and he’s kept me in word processors and now computers to support my addiction to writing. He proudly tells anyone what I do and always believed I’d become published.

Tabitha: Our poor husbands do put up with a lot. As writers we have to get it down when it is fresh in our minds and sometimes that may mean writing at 3:00 AM.

Tabitha: Lets talk about your Cyborg series. I have to say they are my favorites. I have mentioned them to all my friends. How did you come up with this series?

Laurann: I love looking at dark fantasy art online and one day I came across this warrior staring into a woman’s eyes. It really affected me and that’s how I began writing the Cyborg Seduction series. They say a picture is worth a thousand words but in my case...it was worth an entire series of 60,000 plus words per book. LOL!

Tabitha: That is awesome! Its amazing what sparks our imaginations.

Tabitha: Who is your favorite Cyborg?  Why? Mine would have to be Ice. He just took my breath away and he is sexy as all get out. Yummy!

Laurann: My favorite currently is Krell. He’s from Redeeming Zorus and I’m writing his book. I always fall a little in love with the characters I wrote so yeah. I’m fixed on him. He’s six-foot-seven, was severely abused and scarred by humans while he was in captivity, and he’s about to fall in love for the first time in his life.

Tabitha: I have read this one and I have to say I was shocked that by you convinced me to love Zorus. 

Tabitha: You have two series that take place in space. (Cyborgs and Zorn Warriors)

You must have a real passion for space. Do you prefer to write in the stars?

Laurann: That’s a funny story. I’d never written ANY space books until I received rejections for werewolf books I submitted. I sat down with Mr. Laurann, was depressed, and he encouraged me to write something totally new.

Tabitha: Then there is your Zorn Warrior series. Another out of this world adventure. I tell people your books are experiences and not just good reads. What was your inspiration for you ZW series?

Laurann: That was my version of writing something totally new related to the last question. I had one of those ‘what if I were abducted by aliens’ thoughts and I sat down at my computer. I was actually excited to begin writing it and for six days I wrote Ral’s Woman. It’s one of the fastest books I ever wrote. It just came to me! LOL!

Tabitha: If they all looked like Zorn Warriors then where do I sign up. LOL!

Tabitha: Who is your favorite Warrior? Why? Ral’s Woman was the first book of yours I read and I was hooked. I have read all your books but the Raine series.

Laurann: Ral is my favorite. He made my dreams come true by landing me a contract with Ellorascave and his story was the easiest one I ever wrote. He was just alive to me inside my imagination. He’s super sexy and lovable.

Tabitha: You forgot yummy! This is the cover that grabbed me one day searching on Amazon.

Tabitha: You also have a werewolf series that I love by the way. Do you have a favorite wolf? Why? I loved Grady. I wished we could talk about your series more but we could go on forever. The readers will just have to check them out for themselves.

Laurann: I’m partial to Anton. He knows who he wants, he’s totally protective, but he’s willing to open up for love. I’m currently working on cousin Brand’s story. I’m loving him too!

Tabitha: Oh can't wait to read it!

Tabitha: How many books can we look forward to in your series? I hope lots more.

Laurann: I have no set number of books for any of my series. I tend to keep my series open ended because I personally HATE to see a series I love to read end.

Tabitha: Thats going to make a lot of you readers happy.

Tabitha: Oh lets talk about your smoking hot covers. I mean they just burn up the pages. They are drool worthy. I love a really eye catching cover. Do you think they hold up to your vision?

Laurann: I have been SO LUCKY with covers. I’ve loved them ALL! I really fill out those book cover requests and both Ellorascave cover artists have totally seen my vision. They are amazing women with a keen sexy eye!

Tabitha: Which book did you have the hardest time writing? Why?

Laurann: Redeeming Zorus by far was the toughest book. He was the bad guy in the Cyborg Seduction series. I got emails almost daily from readers suggesting how I should kill him in the next book. LOL! They really hated him. I honestly questioned my sanity when I wrote the book - as did some of my friends.  It was the most challenging because I took someone ‘most hated’ and told his story. The reviews and feedback were wonderful!

Tabitha: You pulled it off beautifully. 

Tabitha: What is your favorite series? Why?

Laurann: I honestly love them all. They are so different that they are hard to compare. I think the New Species series that is about to launch is the one closest to my heart because I wrote it over a decade ago, I wrote them out of pure love, and I was obsessed with them. Getting the books contracted actually made me cry. (happy tears). I remembered writing them back when becoming published seemed so far out of my reach that it didn’t even seem possible.

Tabitha: I love sexy alpha males and your are some of the best I have read. Do you prefer to write the alpha? Why?

Laurann: I love men who growl, men who are aggressive, know what they want, and are willing to go after it! The fact that they have softer sides makes them lovable to me. I’m totally attracted to alpha types! I’m so guilty of preferring to write them!

Tabitha: The worlds you build just jump off the page and are so vivid. How do you build these amazing worlds? Do you have a method and how do you keep them all straight?

Laurann: They live inside my mind as if I’m there when I’m writing. I have a super vivid imagination, I can actually ‘see’ the characters, and they truly exist to me. I write by the seat of my pants! I never know what’s going to happen in the next chapter. I just let my characters go and try to type fast enough to keep up! LOL!

Tabitha: I have seen some of your book trailers and they are smoking. Where can readers find these trailers?

Laurann:  Thank you! I was really intimidated when I began making them myself but now I really enjoy putting them together. You can find them on youtube or at my website - http://www.lauranndohner.com/trailers.php

Tabitha: I read you will be attending RomanctiCon 2011. How exciting! Can you tell readers about this event and how they can attend?  How will you be participating? Give the readers a link.

Laurann:  Ellorascave puts on the BEST convention in Akron, Ohio. Mr. Laurann and I attended last year. We had such an amazing fun time that we wouldn’t miss it for the world. I pretty much got to meet and hang out with everyone, the workshops were so much fun, I learned so much, and they really know how to party! Plus there are cavemen (Ellorascave cover models) walking around, dancing, and taking pictures. They are SUPER nice guys and um...they are REALLY attractive!   Here’s a link to the website - http://www.ecromanticon.com/

Tabitha: Cavemen...Wow! I want to go.

Tabitha: Now the really exciting news. I left the best question for last. I hear you have a new series coming out. Do tell! Inquiring minds want to know.

Laurann:  The New Species series is one I wrote a LONG time ago. I believe I began writing them in the late 90’s on a word processor but then transferred over to computers so my earliest computer files on them that I’ve found are the beginning of 2002. They were created to be experiments for a pharmaceutical company. Big, sexy, muscular ‘lat rats’ who were starved for love and affection. The series begins when they are freed and are struggling to become independent while living in peace with humans. They are total alpha types who hate injustice and just need some love!

Tabitha: It has been such a joy to have you on NN Laurann. I wish you all the best. Hope your sales are through the roof. I know you can count on me buying all your books. You just need you to write a little faster. I’m just kidding I know as a writer myself that it takes time but sometimes the reader in me gets impatient. LOL! Please be sure and leave all your links, blog, website, etc.

Laurann: Thank you so much for having me on NN!!! I’m so flattered to be interviewed by you and it’s been fantastic. I always laugh when people ask me to write a little faster. I became published in Sept of 09’ and Fury will mark my 15th book released! I’m a writeaholic!!! I love what I do!!! (I’ll write faster!)

Happy Reading and Writing,

Tabitha Blake