Today we are happy to welcome to Book Lovers Inc. beloved paranormal romance author Michele Hauf, who stops by to answer all my burning questions regarding, among others, her newest release: Forever Werewolf! So read on to get to know more about Michele and her latest novel and you could even win a copy of Forever Werewolf! 😉

Stella: Hi Michele, can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Michele: I’ve been writing since the early 90s. I spend a lot of time behind the keyboard but try to get away and exercise when I can. I love to muddle about in my tiny little succulent garden, and dread the oncoming winter because cabin fever sucks. Fortunately my stories do entertain me, so I can pretend I’m walking the streets of a summery Paris, even as the snow blasts my windows just over my shoulder.

Stella: Describe a typical day of writing? Are you a planner or pantser?

Michele: Depends on the story. I always go into a story knowing the hero and heroine as best I can (though I learn a lot during the course of the story). Then, I generally have a loose idea of the overall story, and just sit down and try to get some words on the page. Sometimes the characters will take over and lead me down interesting paths, and I always follow. Other times, I really have to plot and organize to make the story behave and do what I want it to do.

Stella: What do you think is the difference between a reader and a real Book Lover?

Michele: Real book lovers generally can’t make it to their beds without twining between the piles of books piled here and there, and they would be appalled if you asked them to move one of those piles on their coffee table or chairs to make room so you could sit down. 😀 Please! We love our books and must have MANY.

Stella: Your latest release Forever Werewolf was released in September by Harlequin Nocturne, congratulations! Can you tell our readers what they can expect of it?

Michele: This tells the story of Trystan Hawkes, werewolf, who was first introduced in Seducing the Vampire and also appeared in Forever Vampire. He’s the twin brother to Vaillant (a vampire). I’ll leave you to figure those family dynamics on your own if you haven’t read the other stories. 😉 Trystan is such a fun-loving adventurous guy. I had to give him opportunity to play in the snow and shreds some serious powder (he’s a snowboarder) to show his lovable side, but also, I had to hook him up with a heroine who may be a bit more uptight than he’s used to. Opposites attract, right? But soon these two learn they may have more in common than they could ever imagine.

Stella: Could you introduce Tryst and Lexi, the hero and heroine of Forever Werewolf?

Michele: Tryst is tall, lanky, well-muscled and has a head of curly loose ginger hair. You’d pick him out of a crowd probably by his laugh and easy-going attitude. He’s kind and always willing to lend a helping hand. He also has an eye for a gorgeous woman, and when he first lays eyes on Lexi, he can’t believe it because female werewolves are rare, and he’s standing SO CLOSE to her he can almost touch her.

Lexi is cool, calm and always in control. She has to be; she’s spent her whole life trying to control and cover up a condition that shames her, so it takes her a while to let her hair down around Tryst. No surprise that their love with winter sports is what brings them together and allows them to finally open up to one another.

Stella: Can you tell us 3 reasons why people should read Forever Werewolf?

Michele: Oh dear, a tough one. Well, it’s a fun read. I love writing werewolves because they are family oriented and very protective of their mates, so if you like alpha heroes, this story is for you. And did you know this book includes a free copy of MOON KISSED? Two stories for the price of one! How can you resist that?

Stella: Can you summarize Forever Werewolf for us Twitter-style (140 characters or less)?

Michele: Sexy werewolves finding love in the French Alps. Both hide secrets that could destroy their trust. Will love save the day?

Stella: You have already written several werewolf romances; in what way is Forever Werewolf different?

Michele: This is the first of my werewolf stories where both hero and heroine are werewolves. Previously I have paired a werewolf with a mortal, vampire and recently a witch in The Werewolf’s Wife.

Maggie Qi as Lexi

Michele: Well, I must say Trystan Hawkes, to me, looks like Shaun White (and he also got his love for snowboarding from him.) Maggie Qi is my vision of Lexi, sleek, dark, and confident. For Liam, a secondary character, I’d go with Misha Collins of Supernatural fame. Maybe Liam will get his own story some day?

Stella: Can you tell us any behind the scenes secret related to Forever Werewolf? (either to the writing process, or some tidbit about the characters, a scene that didn’t end up in the final version, etc.)

Michele: Well, this story originally started out as a winter Olympics for the paranormal breeds. I wanted Trystan to be competing against all kinds of critters and also competing for the girl. My editor didn’t like the idea of having so much sports in the story, so I had to take that out, but still was able to keep a little snowboarding in there.

Stella: Oh that sounds like a unique idea for a story! 😀 What is it about the paranormal genre that you find so appealing?

Michele: That little something ‘extra’ that each paranormal breed has, as opposed to being merely mortal. Why have tall, dark and handsome when you can also have fangs? Or claws and a tail. Or even wings? I like playing around with those ‘extras’ and think it brings some fun and adventure to the story.

Stella: You have also written several novels featuring vampire characters, so the ultimate question must be asked: vampire or werewolf? Which one do you choose and why?

Michele: It changes all the time. Sometimes, if I’ve been working on vamps a lot, I may have a hankering for a werewolf for a change, and vice versa. But lately, I’ll take vampires, just because I had a dream about a sexy fanged one the other night… 😉

Stella: What is your favourite werewolf movie/series/novel? And who is your favourite werewolf character? And favourite vampire movie/series/novel and favourite vamp character?

Michele:  I do like Underworld, but also the YA story, Blood & Chocolate. Both had great stories and I liked the way werewolves were depicted in each movie. (Though, I wasn’t too keen on the cat-like faces of the shifted werewolves in Underworld). I recently discovered the TV show, Teen Wolf, and like that as well.

As for vamps, I have to go all the way back to The Lost Boys for a fav, and didn’t Keiffer Sutherland embody the dark, charming and dangerous vampire?

Stella: What is next on your schedule? Any future plans you’d like to share with us?

Michele: Right now I’m working on a new mini-series set within my world of Beautiful Creatures about The Order of the Stake, which is an organization of slayers that dates back to the 15th century, created to slay vampires. I think I’ll have four books in that series. The first features a female slayer and male vamp who has been tortured ruthlessly by werewolves so he is a little bit insane. Had fun with that one. It’s titled Beautiful Danger, and should be out in fall of ’13.

Stella: Oh, sounds like a great story! Can you share with us some little secret trivia that not many people know about you?

Michele: About me, specifically? I think I’m everywhere online, so most readers know everything about me there is to know. I think though, that maybe readers like it when authors of paranormal stories have that dark, mysterious quality to them. I love to dress up for events and do the vamp clothes at signings, but in reality, I’m pretty white-bread, and would probably run screaming if a vampire flashed his fangs at me.

Stella: LOL, thanks so much for stopping by Michele and answering my questions, it was fun! 😀

Forever Werewolf by Michele Hauf

Alexis Conner, princess of the Alpine pack and pureblood werewolf, hides a painful secret-she has never shifted. If she can’t shift, she can’t mate, and so Lexi resigned herself to a lifetime of loneliness. But then a stranger arrives, and Lexi senses that her world will never be the same….

A massive avalanche might be to blame for Trystan Hawkes getting stuck at Castle Wulfsiege, but after one look at Lexi, Trystan is not about to leave. Lexi is strong, smart and incredibly sexy. Not that it matters. Tryst is an omega-the fabled lone wolf. Even more damning is his mixed vampire heritage.

Lexi knows that the vampire blood running through Tryst’s veins makes him off-limits, but what if he’s the one man who can rouse her inner wolf?

Buy at Amazon – B&N – Book Depository

Connect with Michele at: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~*~*Giveaway*~*~

Michele has very generously offered a copy of Forever Werewolf to TWO lucky commenters!

All you have to do is either leave a question/comment for Michele or answer her question: What’s your favorite paranormal creature?  Are you getting tired of vampires and werewolves?  Which creature would you like to read more about?

(You can read our full giveaway policy here)

Please be sure to include a valid email address in the comment form (need not be in the actual body of the comment).

This giveaway is open to everyone!

Giveaway ends on 13 October 2012 and we will announce the winner on Sunday.

Good Luck!

About Stella

Stella is a proud bookaholic and a self-taught multilinguist in training. Besides reading, her other great passions are travelling and baking. When she is not globetrotting she lives in sunny Budapest, where she loves to spend her free time preparing (and feasting on) delicious cookies or devouring equally yummy books. Her favourite genres are urban fantasy and romance and she couldn't live without her daily dose of sunshine. Besides being the Latin Lover on BLI Stella also blogs about books and a bookish life on Ex Libris.

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