Interview with Marianne LaCroix

Added March 2, 2004

Robin: Hi, Mari. I'm glad to have the time to interview you, as I know you have a lot going on with so many books coming out lately. To get started, what is it you can tell us about yourself?

Mari: Hi Robin. First off I'd like to say thank you for interviewing me for In The Library Reviews. It is an honor.

I'm a 33 year old mom of twin toddler girls (They'll be two in March!) and wife to the man of my dreams for the past 10 years. I'm a nurse, but currently not working as one. I spend my days writing and taking care of the little ones. Believe me, that's enough!

I also help run the review site Sizzling Romances and have been recently added to the Amber Quill Senior Staff as a Marketing Consultant. I also run the new group of authors, the Moon Goddesses, which was developed to promote all of our works in one compact manner. So, my plate is pretty full.

In the off times *g* I like to read, watch movies and play with my kids. I always set aside time every day to just play with them. I think that is very important to make sure they know they are number one. It shows. They are kissing me like they do their favorite dolly. :-)

Robin: The mom of nearly two year old twin girls. Wow! However do you get your writing done, along with the many other things going on - including newsletters and Yahoo groups?

Mari: It's all scheduling. I just follow the plan for the day and things seem to get done. One or two things do sometimes slide through the cracks though, but that just happens.

I am an email junkie on a large scale. My only adult conversations are online. So, I belong to a few groups and chat with authors and readers. It's exciting to hear from people with the same interests that I share and I always have something to add to my TBR pile.

Robin: How long have you been writing?

Mari: I've been writing on and off for years, but I only strapped down to make something of it in about February 2003. I had a vampire story that needed some work, and about 1000 ideas for more stories. I joined a critique group and became active in that. I put aside the vampire romance to work on some other things like the short Another Chance and Lady Sheba.

I was asked to run a chat and I gave away a copy of Lady Sheba. It was picked up the next day because the winner was an editor with eXtasy. Meanwhile, Angelique Armae emailed me asking about the vampire story I had on my site. I worked on it and handed it into her in October. At the RT convention in Kansas City in 2003 I found out I was going to be contracted at Amber Quill.

Robin: How long was it from the time you heard the word "sold" 'til your first book came out?

Mari: Actually not too terribly long. I handed in Lady Sheba to eXtasy in July and it was out in August. I think Stef just loved the story to pieces and was very excited about it. It was unlike anything else they had at the time.

Now at Amber Quill, I handed Moonlight Rendezvous with a Vampire in October to Trace and it came out December. So, turn around is pretty fast. I think they were incredible anxious to get it out as they had a feeling it would be a seller. It was. It was their #1 bestseller for the month.

Robin: Why don't you tell our readers what books you have available right now?

Mari: Descandants of Darkness: Lucius is the second installment to the Descendant of Darkness series. Lucius was Satan's spawn and was one of the worst of his kind. Only the love of a strong woman could tame him, but when would she come into his life? A scent on the breeze and a howl into the night answers his longing-she's out there in the Louisiana bayou, and she's a werewolf. (Available March 1st)

Christmas Magic is a fantasy comedy about David and Mary, a couple that lost the spark in their marriage. Through years of miscommunication and neglect, each wonders how to bring back the love. With some help from Santa and his sexy wife, Desiree, they rediscover the love they never really lost-and the fiery sexual desires that never faded.

Descendants of Darkness: Alonso is the first installment to the Descendants of Darkness series. Alonso is an Italian stallion of a vampire living in modern day New Orleans. On the anniversary of his making, he discovers his life mate, Jolie, only she is being stalked by the demoni Lucius. An instant attraction is felt by Jolie, and she will do anything to bond her life with this man-even become a vampire herself.

Moonlight Rendezvous with a Vampire is my first vampire novella set in Regency London with a to-die-for vampire, Roman, and a gentile young lady, Angelina. He met her when she was a child, but leaves her unmarked to grow to womanhood. When the time came years later, he claims her body, heart and soul as his own. Nothing will stop him from transforming the one woman destined to be his life mate into a vampire, not even the dangerous Hunter vowing to destroy them both.

Robin: All excellent books, Mari! So, what are you working on now?

Mari: I have a few projects in the works right now.

The Sea Nymph, a mermaid romance set in 1843, and Now That I Found You, a contemporary set in modern day Casablanca, are my current works in progress. I am about to start a vampire novella for a proposed anthology for Five Star too.

Just today I was talking with a friend of mine, Ivan Scott (author of An Invincible Summer) and we agreed to write a book together. It's called The Vinings Ghosts (tentatively) and already in progress. Ghosts in Vinings, a suburb of Atlanta, haunt the area by helping the living. These ghosts hope their good deeds will help them find their own redemption and cross over to the other side. Obviously, this isn't erotic, so I'm writing as my alter ego, Shaylee O'Hara.

Robin: What is your upcoming book schedule like?

Mari: Lucius, the second installment to the Descendants of Darkness series comes out March 1st. Then in April, Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?, and in May The Snowmaiden come out. In June AQP is having an Amber HEAT Wave and I'll have a few shorts out, Another Chance, The Haunting, and Leonardo, the third book to the Descendants of Darkness series. And in July, Raife, the fourth installment to Descendants of Darkness will come out. Over those months the Descendants will come out together in paperback. Bad Wolf will come out too in paperback and will include the short The Snowmaiden.

Later in 2004 Amber Quill will release Now That I Found You, Lady Sheba, Sands of Seduction (the sequel to Lady Sheba), The Gladiator, and Spirit of the Moon. As Shaylee, The Price of Victory will be released as well.

Robin: Is that "feel good" feeling just as jubilant with each sale you make?

Mari: Of course. Each story is my baby. I care, develop, and watch it grow into a project I care about. You can't help but feel that awe that it is going to be published and enjoyed (hopefully).

Robin: You are also a reviewer. Do you find that difficult to balance with your writing?

Mari: Not really. I read in bed at night before going to sleep, so that doesn't change. I can write reviews fairly quickly once I read a book. It's the planning and organizing the reviews to be published to the audience that is time consuming, but then I love it. However, now that I have joined the AQP Senior Staff as a Marketing Consultant, I may cut back on the reviewing a bit. It actually may be a good thing since I have become too analyzing.

Robin: And that leads to my next question. Do you find yourself more of a critical reviewer, since you are also an author?

Mari: Actually yes, and I find myself analyzing books more, much to some authors discontent. I have reduced the amount I review partly because of it. I have certain things I like, and things I don't like, and when I don't like something, I find it hard to go beyond the first few chapters. Not to worry folks, when that happens, I typically hand it off to someone else. I am too critical at times, but most of the time, authors appreciate the honesty. I don't base reviews on who wrote it or publishing house, so nothing like that affects how I feel about something I read. However, I won't review for Amber Quill because I write for them. I don't want people to think my opinion is biased. Though if I like something I read there (and I haven't read anything I didn't like since I started buying from them when they opened their doors in Oct 2002), I tell my friends.

Robin: What is a typical day like for you?

Mari: I don't usually get out of bed until I hear the girls laughing at play in their cribs, which is about 8:30 or so. After I get them up and breakfast is given, I situate them in their play area then I turn on the computer. I answer emails and such right off then move onto business concerns and then writing. I write for a few hours a day, but never straight through. I check email and talk on AIM, but it is usually about some writing project. Lately I talk to Ivan Scott quite a bit since we are co-writing a book together. In the mean time, I take breaks to play with the girls, give them their meals and such. Pat the husband on the head, you know the typical at-home working mom deal. My day isn't much different that any other work at-home mom.

Robin: Do you find when writing that you are a plotter or pantser?

Mari: PANTSER! I don't write down entire outlines for my stories when I come up with the ideas. I just go with the flow and let the characters lead into the scenes. I do go into a book with a general idea of what I'd like to happen, but how the characters get there is part of the fun of writing.

For example in Christmas Magic, I didn't plan the ending, it just happened. I got to where I thought it would end but thought, no, there has to be something more. And the words flowed and I came up with one heck of an ending, probably my best ever. If anyone hasn't read it, I have to say it is the most touching thing I've written. Even Pat Rasey (author of Eyes of Betrayal) said it was one of the best AQP ever put out. It got compared to Del DeRouge's Call to Loving Arms, which I loved, so that is a high compliment for me and Christmas Magic.

Robin: Mari, how many ideas would you say (for stories) are floating through your head at any given time?

Mari: Oh my, that is hard to say. I've spent my entire life dreaming up stories and now I'm catching up by writing them down. I try to only concentrate on one at a time, but I end up working on three manuscripts at once. Believe me, the well is far from dry on ideas from me.

Robin: You also write under another name - Shaylee O'Hara. What genre do you write under that pseudonym, and where can we find those books?

Mari: As Shaylee I write the less steamy stuff. I like paranormal genre, so that is where Shaylee likes to stay, however I do have a straight historical in progress too. Amber Quill has already agreed to take my stuff as Shaylee.

I love fairies, so most likely, most of the books as Shaylee will deal with fae. The Price of Victory will be my first fae book as Shay, and it will still have steam in it, just not the harsh erotic language.

The Vinings Ghosts is a book Ivan Scott started and now I'm helping out with it as well.

Robin: What is your favorite genre to write?

Mari: Paranormal. I love them. Any subgenre in paranormal is great, though I love vampires, shapeshifters and faeries. I started reading paranormals with time travels then moved to vampires and ghosts, and I never turned back. I still like an occasional Regency historical, but my heart is with the dark lords that creep the night.

Robin: Your Descendants of Darkness Series. What generated that idea? How many books do you have planned for that series? Who's out next?

Mari: This idea came to me when Moonlight Rendezvous with a Vampire was picked up by AQP. I wrote in an email to Trace, the Acquisitions Manager, about a possible series of vampires. They really didn't have many vampire erotic romances, and I wanted to fill out that section. *g* I love vampires and I wanted to write more of them, so why not?

I came up with the idea of vampires in New Orleans called the Descendants of Darkness. The concept wasn't completely original, as Anne Rice did it and so does JC Wilder (both of whom I love). But I had an idea that these vampires gathered together in a club called the Devil's Talon and it was a community of vampires. Then I thought of Alonso as my first dark hero. To be honest, I love an Italian man and him being a vampire...oh my. I think I fell in love with Alonso the moment I thought of him. Lucius, my demoni vampire, was my image of the ultimate bad boy, and I was in complete lust with him. I love bad boys, and as I wrote him in Alonso, I knew he would have to have his own story. Leonardo and Raife also were in Alonso, but their characters don't develop until later.

Right now, there are four installments to the Descendants of Darkness series. They will all be out in individual download then complied to paperback later this year. Then in 2005, more Descendants will come with Vincente and Damon. Readers will meet Damon in Lucius and Vincente in Raife. Since readers have demanded longer stories for the Descendants, both Vincente and Damon will be longer. So, that makes six installments to the series, however I enjoy writing these vampires and will probably come out with more.

I think people would moan in disappointment if I did stop the series. They're already loving it and only Alonso is out!

Robin: You have a new job with your new publisher, Amber Quill Press. Can you tell us a bit about that?

Mari: I am a Marketing Consultant for Amber Quill and there are a few of us on the Marketing staff. I'm helping with the Amber HEAT Wave that will be hitting readers in June. I'm also working on a big TRS contest and feature for March. I haven't been on the staff long and already I've been earning my pay. I love it. Everyone is professional and easy to work with, and it is interesting to see the workings behind the scenes.

Robin: I know that you designed and maintain your own website, but do you do other websites as well?

Mari: Website design is a hobby, I think. I'm constantly learning something new to improve the look and feel of a site. I do maintain my LaCroix site, the Shaylee site, and the upcoming Descendants site. I also maintain the Moon Goddess site www.moongoddesses.com, Lena Marie's author site www.lenasworld.com and Sizzling Romances www.sizzlingromances.tripod.com. Right now I am working on the site design for Lisa Renee Jones's author promo firm, the Writers Red Room.

Robin: With all that is on your plate, writing, reviewing, family, do you have time for reading for pleasure? Who are your favorites?

Mari: I actually do read quite a bit for my own enjoyment. I recently finished The Davinci Code by Dan Brown. That book was just so good, it was hard to put down. Everyone should read it. And right now I'm reading Murder Well Bred by Carolyn Banks (AQP) and it is hilarious. I mean, there is nothing like reading about a woman battling Montezuma's Revenge while trying to solve a mystery during a Mexican vacation with her famous gourmet critic husband. I have gotten quite a lot of laughs with this one.

I enjoy reading Catherine Snodgrass, Angelique Armae, Paris Dixon, Jeya Jenson, Maria Osborne Perry, Sahara Kelly, Ashleigh Raine, Stephanie Burke, Jaide Fox, and many more. I have hundreds of books in my collection so the list could take all day.

I do prefer ebooks to paper simply because there is no dusting involved. *g* Also, I can read at night on my PDA and it won't disturb the sleeping husband.

My daughters love books too. The youngest, Elizabeth, will grunt for more books to page through and have read to her. I must have read "That's Not My Bear" to her about 200 times, and she can't get enough. And she'll stand in her play area pointing to the books, my 2 book cases full of paperbacks. She just loves books. My husband then says jokingly, "I wonder where she gets that from."

Robin: Would you like to share some links with us, your website, and other endeavors that you are a part of?

Mari: People can visit me at www.mariannelacroix.com to check out the latest writings as Marianne LaCroix. I have a non-erotic pen name, Shaylee O'Hara and people can see more about those works by visiting www.shayleeohara.com. I also am working on a Descendants of Darkness website featuring more on my sexy vampires at www.descendantsofdarkness.com.

I also organized the Moon Goddesses and maintain that website at www.moongoddesses.com. The concept behind that was a group of authors to get together and advertise as one. Of course we are all friends which helps. We have a blast on the MoonGoddessCHAT Yahoo group.

I also coordinate the newsletter for Sizzling Romances. :-) The staff is small and we all get along great. It's nice and laidback, which is perfect for me.

Robin: Wow. A DoD website. I can't wait! Also, I love working with you on Sizzling Romances!

Mari ... a few fun questions. Chocolate or vanilla?

Mari: Chocolate. *g* Can I get sprinkles too?

Robin: What is your favorite place in the world, for a visit?

Mari: Someday I'd like to visit Italy and take a tour of Florence and Venice and Rome. I am a huge art fan and it is a dream to actually see the David in Florence and the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. The closest I've gotten to a Michelangelo was a few sketches from the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. It was a personal thrill to get that close to genius. Of course they also had the only DaVinci in the US there as well. So, if there is anywhere I want to go, it is Italy.

Robin: What about if you could live anywhere you want?

Mari: I doubt I'd want to move from the small town where I live now. Maybe a bigger house with a maid would be nice.

Robin: Can you tell us at least one of your fantasies? *g*

Mari: Hmmm....How about replacing Princess Leia in that kissing scene in Empire Strikes Back? I wouldn't mind a bit of one on one time with Han Solo. Or how about replacing Catherine Zeta Jones in that dancing scene from The Mask of Zorro. Who wouldn't want to be in the arms of Antonio as Zorro?

Robin: Thanks so much, Mari, for answering so many questions. I'm in awe over your incredibly busy schedule and how many books you have being published. Keep up the good work, and I look forward to continuing to read and review your books.

Mari: Thank you, Robin. As always, it was a pleasure. Hope you continue to read and enjoy my books.

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