Many times I have read a book and even stated in a review that the author put me in the story with the characters. It is a fine art to do so. Recently, I had the opportunity to read Nuworld by Lorie O’Clare and everything I have ever known about good writing went right out the window. Nuworld is earth after we destroy ourselves. It is part primitive and part high tech. It’s a fascinating world and is lead by two strong, dynamic characters. There is a part of this story, where these two character’s volatile relationship comes to a head and Tara, finds something out about her mate that changes the course of her life. So, in the past when I have said “this author put me right in the book with the characters” I had no idea. Lorie made me become the character. I had that same sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I am sure Tara had, or I would have had, if I discovered what Tara did. Even now, thinking of this scene evokes emotions and brings tears to my eyes. That is vivid writing. That can’t be taught, its talent pure and simple. The Nuworld Series is a story of epic proportions. It’s a story of love and betrayal, control and faith in something bigger than ourselves. But…that’s not all. Pack Law has just been released and is the beginning of the very promising Lunewolf Series. Again Lorie has created a complex, well crafted world about werewolves which shows the characters as the wolves they are, but with human and wolf values and struggles. After reading Pack Law, I can’t wait to see what the rest of the Lunewolf Series has in store for us.

Lorie graciously agreed to sit down with JERR and answer a few questions we had for her. I hope you enjoy…

 

Could you tell us some background information? Where were you born and raised, schooling and family?

I was born in San Diego, CA, but only lived there for a year or so before moving to the Midwest. My parents were teachers, my dad a professor, and my mom a grade school teacher. We moved around a fair bit, my dad’s job requiring it if he were to move to the next level of his profession. So we lived in Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and finally Kansas.

If asked, I usually say I grew up in Kansas. We moved her when I was twelve, and I still live in the Land of Ah’s today.

I’m a graduate of the Univ. of KS, with degrees in English and Political Science. After graduating I married, and started a family. Today my three sons and I live a wonderfully, busy life, full of love, laughter, and plenty of good times.

When did you begin writing? What was your first book published and did it take a while to get published?

I started writing as soon as I could spell words, somewhere around the age of eight. I still have the spiral notebooks, filled from beginning to end, with a child’s penciled block letters, telling stories of other worlds, and dolls that come to life.

My first book came out January 2003, NUWORLD. And it took about two years of serious submissions before I landed that contract.

When did you delve into erotic romance and what made you take that leap from R rated romance to the more explicit stories?

Just a few months ago, I made the decision to write erotica. It wasn’t an easy decision, any more than deciding to sign with an e-publisher instead of continuing to pursue New York. But taking that leap, allowing my stories to grow in their fullness, and realizing that with erotica, I didn’t have to curb or censure the raw emotions so often experienced in daily life, motivated that decision.

Do your kids or parents know what type of books you write?

Yes. Everyone in my family knows. We are very open with each other. Although my boys are way too young to read erotica, they understand that I have two publishers, and as they see it, two paychecks. One publisher has sex in it, and the other doesn’t. At least, that is how they explain it when asked. My mother is seeking out an e-book reader now, with the help of Ellora’s Cave’s Customer Service, so that she can read my books from EC. I have no problem with her reading them. The worse that could happen is she won’t like them. But then, my imagination had to come from some where….*g*.

Give us an idea of a typical day in the life of Lorie O’Clare.

I’m really a pretty boring person. Writers lead such a secluded life. They really do. I’m up at the crack of dawn daily, shower and get breakfast going, and then get the boys ready for school. Once they are at school, I settle in at the computer, go through email, and then usually read over the last several pages that I wrote the day before. Then it’s off to my imaginary world, where anything can, and usually does happen.
I quit writing, or doing revisions, by three daily, get the boys from school, and then tend to their needs until about 6:30 or 7PM. Once they are settled in, I am once again on the computer, going at it for another few hours until bedtime.

On the weekends, we do chores in the morning, and then the boys know to let me be, so I can work, until suppertime.

It’s a good life, simple, yet organized. My boys are wonderful, and for the most part, let me work. I’ve reached my dream, and couldn’t be happier.

How is your writing style? Are you an outliner, or do you just sit down and let it just flow out of you?

I couldn’t do an outline if my life depended on it. Basically, the story will churn around in my head for a while. I don’t try to control it. Daydreams come to me, forming and changing, until my head is so cluttered, I have to sit down and type the dreams out of me.

My characters control the path. I may picture my heroine to be sweet, friendly to everyone, and without flaw. But then she will come out of me willful, with an attitude, and ghosts from her past that haunt her. I’ve learned that if I try to force their growth, or manipulate how they should appear, that is when they seem stiff, unreal, and just plain boring. Allowing my characters to be themselves, say what they will, and behave how they want, makes for a much better story.

Does music play a role in your writing? What types of music do you listen to?

Eh…when I’m writing, it doesn’t matter what is going on in the background. I don’t hear it. But as to the types of music I like. Everything from Eminem to Garth Brooks to Limp Biskit to The Chieftains…I think I like everything but opera.

Nuworld and its sequel Tara the Great both are masterpiece’s of epic proportions and the world you have created is so full and the characters so rich. The tempestuous and at times violent, but wickedly steamy relationship between Tara and Darius is fascinating, can you tell us where the idea of this world came from and also these two characters? Is there a Darius in your life?

Oh my. I am flattered, and more than humbled. Thank you! First of all, there is no Darius in my life, nor has there ever been. Woe is me.
Initially, about five years ago I had a dream. Nightly, and I can’t tell you for how long, this dream kept repeating itself. It was more than eerie. Finally, I decided to sit down and try writing out the dream. This was my first attempt at adult fiction. Prior to that, all I’d written was children’s fiction. (A harder market to break into than romance, if you can believe that.)

I thought I was simply typing out this dream, struggling to get it out of my head. I had no thoughts of genres, or publishing, or marketing…let alone not a stitch of knowledge about any of it. Those meanderings, at about 20 words per minute, turned into the original rough draft of Nuworld. That 100K book fell out of me in less than a week. I tell you, did I have laundry to do after that book was written.

But, the story wouldn’t leave me alone. Continuously, these characters haunted me, consuming me with a desire to be known. So I sat down again, confused at this point. And created Tara The Great. Again, a 100K book that was completed in about a week.

God help me! I had created a world. More characters called out to me. Tell my story! I need to be heard. And so I continued. After six books, I refused to tell one more story until I could justify sitting at the computer and writing all day. That is when I decided to try and publish the NUWORLD series. And, that is when I realized I’d created a series that didn’t fall under any one particular genre. Was it romance? Well it had sex in it that easily gave it an R rating. Was it fantasy? Well I made up the world, and it’s not like any other world I’ve known or read about. Was it science fiction? Well by definition, I guess this world could exist some day. I had no clue how to label this series.

So I joined yahoogroups, asked questions, posted excerpts, and met some wonderful people who have become lasting friends. And I learned how to market the NUWORLD series, which is how it ended up where it is today.

Nuworld as a planet after earth has destroyed itself is pretty distinct in its own right and technology played a big part in that, what resources did you use to create this world or is it strictly your imagination?

It’s all from my imagination. But my writing has to be believable. I want the reader to know that the possibility exists that they could be part of this world. So yes, I would spend days searching the Internet, learning what I needed to know, such as what makes bullet proof material bullet proof, or how lasers work, or what type of plants grow well in what parts of the world. Research is an endless task that is part of every good writer’s world. None of us could produce the wonderful stories that you enjoy reading without days and days lost trying to make sure what our characters are doing, you could do too.

No one could read the Nuworld series without getting some strong feelings of faith and an overriding belief in a higher power introduced into a society that had no previous belief systems of this sort. Tara’s faith clearly becomes evident. Is this a part of the story that you started out to tell, or is this something that evolved during the writing of the story and will it continue to play a role in future stories?

While I was writing the NUWORLD series, I was also active in a Bible Study group, studying the Old Testament. I had agreed to do an outline of the Old Testament, and being a cradle Catholic, this was pretty much the first time I’d explored the books of the Old Testament. I was so floored at the stories told, the lifestyles described, and the ways that people we view as saints lived their lives. That had an incredible impact on the NUWORLD series. I don’t want to give away what will happen in the remaining four books of the NUWORLD series, but let’s just say to some they will be shocking. The handful of people who have already read the entire series though, assure me that you will all love the remaining books. I hope they are correct.

The Nuworld series, both books currently available through Amber Quill Press, still has about 4 books left to go in the series; can you give any hints as to what is in store for Tara and Darius? Has he accepted the fact that he can’t own her? What role will Tigo play in the future; I know he’ll be back?

Oh yes! That little babe shall return. Tara and Darius will be active in the remaining four books, but the focus will be on their children, Andru and Ana, twins so intertwined by their thoughts, that their actions will have a lasting impact on the reader, and all of NUWORLD.

Your first venture with EC has just been released. Pack Law is the beginning of a new series for you and it has all the signs of being a finely crafted world in which werewolves live among us and could very well be our neighbors. Could you tell us a little bit about where this idea for this series came from?

IN HER BLOOD was actually the first book I wrote, several years ago. The world was formed, but other projects took precedence. Once EC discovered IN HER BLOOD, I took another look at it, and knew the world wasn’t through being formed. There are now four books in that series. There are three sisters, Trudy, Sophie, and Elsa. Then there is their cousin, Simone. PACK LAW is Sophie’s story. IN HER BLOOD is Elsa’s story. TAMING SIMONE is obviously Simone’s story and I’m about half way through writing Trudy’s story now.

When I world build, the world has to be a place where you and I could live, and might possibly already be living there, and just don’t realize it yet. My werewolves might very well be your neighbors. They aren’t dangerous. They won’t eat you in your sleep…LOL. But they are werewolves, full of traditions and morals.

Again, this idea came to me through my dreams. I absolutely adore incredibly strong, willful, sexy alpha males. Sometimes the world needs to be altered a bit to make their absolute power believable. And I simply can’t write if it’s not believable. So werewolves seemed the perfect answer. The sex gets a bit rough, but the women often encourage it. Fights can break out, but they are werewolves so that happens. God help us all when two alphas get in a room together. Ever see two non-neutered male dogs put in a fenced in back yard together?

It’s hard to research a society that doesn’t exist (unless you know something we don’t *wink*) where do you find your information on werewolves or is this more of your imagination?

I did A LOT of research on wolves. Mix that in with human psychology and you have werewolves. We actually have a lot in common….*g*.

In Her Blood and Taming Simone are next in the Lunewolf Series. Authors are known to bond with their characters and sometimes a character is even an extension of the author. Do you have a favorite character from this series? Who is most like Lorie? What about Nuworld are you Tara?

Oh hell no. I’m not Tara. And I really can’t think of any female heroine that is like me. Maybe my heroines are how I would like to be. But that is where the similarity ends. I’m a recluse. I spend sixteen plus hours pounding away at the keyboard, and there is no man in my life. Who wants to read about that? LOL. My heroines approach me, play with my imagination, and use me to grow, form life, until I consent to tell their stories.

Do I have a favorite character from the Lunewulf series? The heroes and heroines in each of these books are all so unique, each with such an incredible story to tell, that it is hard for me to say. Possibly Simone, since she has so many obstacles to overcome, is someone close to my heart. That lady has to prove a lot to herself, and live down a past that she has created, in order to move forward with her life. But the other heroines, Sophie, Elsa and Trudy, also are incredible ladies. All of them are so close to my heart. I’m honored to tell their stories.

You have been wickedly teasing your fans in your weekly newsletter with excerpts of A Normal Life, A Man’s World and Hunted; will we be seeing these books in print anytime soon?

Me wicked? The rumors are false. I’m the sweetest most gentle natured lady you could meet. Just ask me, I’ll tell you. A Normal Life, and A Man’s World are on their way to NY. More news on that later. Hunted will probably appear later next year through EC.

What projects do you have currently in the works and what future projects do you have planned?

Since the world of werewolves is created, its time to move on. My next project is an off world series. And you will be seeing excerpts of that world creeping into Jaded Sensations very soon.

Inquiring minds want to know….Do you do extensive research for those explicit sex scenes? *probing for details*

Every chance I can get, darlin’. Every chance I can get.

What sound or noise do you love?

The cries made when that ultimate orgasm is released. Or, a man growling in my ear when he can’t hold back any longer.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Kids fighting.

What is your favorite cuss word?

I don’t have one.

If heaven exists, what will God’s first words to you be when you arrive at the gate?

Heaven does exist. God will probably tell me he wants me to be in charge of their monthly newsletter.

© Amber Taylor - November 9, 2003 Issue of the Just Erotic Romance Review Newsletter

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