Interview with Erin McCarthy, our fourth author for LLC 2013!

Hi, we are Aurian from Boeklogboek and Maia from Boekenlijstjes, and today we have best selling author Erin McCarthy visiting us here in Utrecht, Holland.



Of course you want to know, what is LLC 2013? It is short for Autoren Love Letter Convention 2013, which takes place in Berlin, Germany, on May 25 and 26, 2013. Erin McCarthy is one of the American romance authors attending. We had a blast this summer, so we immediately bought the tickets once they became available for next year’s convention.

Our guest is Erin McCarthy, author of many books in many genres, but all with a humorous undertone. And all sexy!

Aurian: Welcome to Utrecht, the Netherlands, Erin. Have some hot chocolate with whipped cream, and some Dutch cookies.

Erin: Thank you! How did you know cookies are my weakness?

Maia: Can you tell our readers who might not yet know you or your books, a little about yourself? Something that is not in your official bio (which is at the bottom of this post).

Erin: Let’s see… well, I sold my first book ten years ago. Before that I worked in retail and stayed at home with my children. Now they’re almost all grown up, with one away at university and one in high school, so my days are no longer spent carpooling and going to the zoo or sporting events on the weekends. Now I spend my free time listening to live music, drinking wine with friends, and participating in a book club. I love classic rock (the Beatles are IT for me) and the strange and unusual, like voodoo dolls and ghost hunting.

LL Convention questions

Aurian: Could you tell us why you are attending a convention in Berlin, Germany, Europe? Have you been there before? Or other places in Europe? Were you surprised at being invited to a convention this far away?

Erin: My Vegas Vampires series has done quite well in Germany and so I thought it was a great opportunity to connect with some of those readers. I’ve also had books published in Dutch and French, so perhaps some of those readers will be there as well (like you!) I have not been to Berlin before, but I have been to southern Germany, Switzerland, and France. I love cities and I love old architecture, so I really enjoyed what I got to see of Europe.

Maia: The convention is in Berlin, a beautiful city. Are you planning to do some sightseeing? In Berlin or even in the rest of Europe?

Erin: I am planning to sneak in what sightseeing I can. I want to see the Berlin wall memorial, as I was a political science major in college and was in my first year when the wall came down. I also want to see the Jewish museum, the Bauhaus Archives, and the art museum, since I’ve heard modern art is thriving in Berlin. Then I am heading south to Munich to visit friends and experience a more traditional Germany with castles and Bavarian food. I’m looking forward to exploring!

Aurian: There's a lovely group of authors coming this year. Do you personally know any of the other authors present?

Erin: I know Cherry Adair and Karen Rose personally. Karen is super sweet and Cherry is hilariously funny.

Maia: The convention promo and books are in German. Will it be possible for you to bring some English swag?

Erin: I was planning to bring books in German and Dutch, but if there is an interest in books in English, I can certainly bring those as well. Email me your requests. 

Book questions

Maia: The first time I’ve read some of your work was in the collections An enchanted season and A magical Christmas cat. I absolutely loved the stories of these three magical sisters. Is there a chance that the story about the third sister will be published in paper as well? I know you have self-published that one, but we both still prefer paper books over ebooks.

Erin: I have now self-published a YA, The Coming Dark, in print through Amazon’s Createspace, so now that I’ve cracked the code, so to speak, I will probably consider going back and doing Abby’s story in print, but I have hesitated because the price has to be so much higher than an ebook. But it’s on my radar and if there is enough reader interest I will consider it more seriously.

Aurian: I’ve recently dived into your Vegas Vampires series and really enjoyed them. How many times did you go to Las Vegas for “research”? Do you think vampires really could be living there?

Erin: I have only been to Vegas a few times, though I am going back in March. But Vegas is so alive and fake and over-the-top that it’s easy to capture the vibe as an author. I think if vampires could be living anywhere, it would certainly work in Vegas. With all the costumes and the glitz and the late hours, it would be a perfect environment. Where else can you get a haircut at 3am?

Maia: I liked the idea of a vampire president election every forty years. What special perks does this office have for a vampire? How much power does he have over other vampires?

Erin: I actually wrote the books about five years ago, so I have to confess I don’t remember all the details of the office, but I definitely patterned it after the US presidency, where he has a cabinet to assist in decision making and a senate to vote on changes. As for perks, I would say free blood and a kick-ass suite to live in. ;-)

Aurian: I also read one of your Fast Track books so far (and will definitely read the rest!). Do you know some race car drivers in person and are they really that hot? ;-)

Erin: I do not know any NASCAR drivers in person, though there are certainly some hot ones! Look up Kasey Kahne… what a cutie! But I have met local and regional drivers and they are definitely an entertaining bunch of guys.

Maia: The Fast Track books are about race car drivers. Why did you choose those men? Do you like to drive fast yourself? Or are you a very careful driver who prefers to stay home with her family and cats?

Erin: I chose race car drivers because they are risk takers, quick decision makers, and always in pursuit of the win, which I think makes them very sexy. They also are able to focus on one thing exclusively for hours on end, and in this world of multi-tasking, who wouldn’t want a guy with superior focus? Imagine how that translates to romance. Whew! I’m not necessarily a fast driver, but I do get impatient and switch lanes frequently. I have driven long distances by myself, and I enjoy that feeling of me, my car, and the open road. Last summer I drove from Ohio to Louisiana, which is about the equivalent of driving from Paris to Berlin twice, and I really enjoyed it.

Personal questions:

Maia: We both have enormous TBR mountain ranges, how big is yours? And what do you plan on reading next?

Erin: My TBR pile is a bookcase. Right now I am reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand for my book club, which is about an American track star who became a POW in Japan during WWII. It’s very well written and very emotional. I didn’t have any comprehension of how much torture those men endured. After this one, I’m going to need to read a romance to get my Happily Ever After fix.

Aurian: What would you be if you could not be an author?

Erin: I went to college to be a lawyer for maritime and international law. But if I had to change careers now I would want to be a Realtor, as I love houses, or an interior designer.

Aurian: Who are some of your favourite authors? Do you still have the books you loved reading as a young girl?

Erin: These days, I read for research purposes, for book club, and whatever I get at conferences so I don’t necessarily have a favourite author or one I always turn to. My reading has become much more eclectic, which I’m enjoying. As a young girl, I loved the Hardy Boys and anything with a ghost in it. By the age of ten, I discovered Stephen King and other thriller and horror authors, and I was hooked. Then by fifteen I found Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters and it was love at first read.



And now for some fun quick questions:

Are you left-handed or right-handed?
Right-handed. My father and my sister are lefties and I was so jealous as a kid. Not sure why, but I was. 

What is your favourite movie, and which is the last one you saw in the theater?
I don’t think I have a favourite movie though I’m always drawn to period films. The last movie I saw in the theatre was Skyfall, the latest James Bond movie.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Night owl, no question about it. I can dance the night away at conferences.

What famous author, dead or alive, would you love to meet and why?
Edgar Allan Poe because I want to see if he was really a drug addict as they claim, mentally ill, or just a word genius with a lousy life. I’m curious.


Where to find Erin on the web:
website
twitter: @authorerin
Facebook



USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has gone on to pen more than 38 novels and novellas in the paranormal, contemporary romance, and young adult genres. A RITA award finalist and an American Library Association winner of the Reluctant Young Reader award, Erin is a member of Romance Writers of America, Horror Writers Association, and Ohioana.

Erin’s latest book is Seeing is believing, bound to be released on 5th of march this year.



And now for the giveaway: I am giving away one book of the Vegas Vampires to one commenter, who is also a follower. Tell me, have you read anything by Erin McCarthy yet, or do you plan to? Are you coming to LLC2013?
I don’t know if Erin will be stopping by, so if you have a question for Erin, feel free to ask. I can always ask her in Berlin for you .