An Interview with Lori Leigh

Vintage Romance Publishing’s 2008 Bestselling Author

You’re Vintage Romance Publishing’s overall bestselling author. What do you think has contributed to this level of success?

A fantastic editor who allowed me to write what I wanted to write and then made a great book even better.

This is such an honor – and considering the esteemed line-up of authors, this was also a surprise. Thank you to all the wonderful staff at VRP!

You have two novels published by Vintage Romance Publishing, Laird of the Game and On the Winds of Love. Tell us a little bit about the books and how you got the ideas for the stories.

On the Winds of Love is the accumulation of many historical books, with the most significant being The Days of the French Revolution, by Christopher Hibbert. My great-grandmother was French, and I wanted to know more about the history behind the le Maire name. Originally, I had written a mainstream book that focused on the politics and its effect on the families that would eventually end up on the scaffold. During edits, the story evolved into a romance.

My love of history took me back to one of the most volatile times in the French Revolution. The political discourse gave me the staunch reverence of my Baron in his quest for democracy. Baron Jolbert’s a man who has his ideals challenged when he takes Lady Lisette de Meret for his wife. She’s a royal, and he no longer believes in the status quo. His quest for peace and his reckless pride nearly costs him the life of Lisette and his unborn child.  He’s a man who has held a fortune in his hands and then found out the real treasures in life are love and loyalty. He’s a man of title, wealthy and powerful, but caught in a trap of his own making. The political climate defined the Baron’s character. I had to decide early that while his family had a history as Jacobites, he would ultimately have to choose to be a rebel.

Lisette’s character was the direct result of reading memoires from the period, and staying true to the history of the period was really important to me. A titled Lady with a distant connection to the throne, she had no right to marry as she wanted and betrothed at a young age. Her innocence to the political plight in France is what keeps her alive. I had to put aside modern beliefs that women had choices. For Lisette, the choices were all made for her, and she was nothing but a pawn in one of the most debasing times in humanity. With the inevitable fall of Louis and Marie from the throne, the political maelstrom that surrounded Lisette all wanted the power to control the future of France her child would bring.

While doing research, I was in the midst of murder, treason, and mayhem as a country crumbled to its knees, starving peasants—and found an entry in a personal diary about the very first hot air balloon launch, called a Montgolfier for its inventor, on the same date. With this event, the entire series fell into place. In On the Winds of Love, Lisette wanted the Baron to take a ride in the Montgolfier with her, but the Baron spirits Lisette away to safety. Much to the Baron’s relief, they do not step foot on that contraption. This event was true to history. The Montgolfier did launch that day, but it had animals on board and had not yet been tested by humans. To put the Baron and Lisette on board the Montgolfier that day would have rewritten history.

The male model for the Baron was Christopher Reeve.

Laird of the Game is a unique twist to a time travel plot. The inspiration for this book came from Scottish actor, Gerard Butler. It was one of those cold winter days, and three movies later a unique plot was formed. The day started with Braveheart then City of Angels with Meg Ryan and then Reign of Fire with Gerard Butler. There’s nothing like a dragon movie to warm up a cold winter night. There was a statement made by Creedy in Reign of Fire that I felt needed addressing. Creedy stated, “There’s one thing worse than a dragon—Americans!” My response was appropriate as I swore he’d regret making that statement. I thought it would be fun to drop Meg Ryan and Gerard Butler together into the Braveheart setting – but it would have to be fun and funny.

The book and characters fell into place, and my revenge was complete with Creedy falling madly in love with an American (Meg Ryan was the female model for this character). There are references throughout the book on Gerard Butler’s movies with the titles in the context of the work. The inspiration was a miracle that was written in a month and has become a beloved series for me. With love, for Gerard.

There are so many references to the actors that were the models, including Prince George (George Clooney), Prince Richard (Sean Bean), Uncle Adrian (Adrian Paul),  Grandfather, (Sean Connery) and many more.

Not to be outdone by seven handsome, rich, and physically fit international playboys, the Ladies of the Laird emerged to challenge the hero in every way. The Ladies also bring a different element of history into the work. Ancient Celtic warriors were trained by women and there are references to actual and mythological history in the books.

Do you only write historical? If so, have you considered branching out into other genres, or do you think you’ve found your niche in historical?

I enjoy a challenge and have mysteries, science fiction, and children’s books on my docket. The concept for the mystery came from a little light reading while researching the FBI case files that were closed during the 40’s. When I get an idea, I like to keep a file on the book until I’m ready to write. My first love is historical romance, and I find myself drawn back into the genre.

How long have you been writing?

I tried writing poetry during my teen years but didn’t really get serious about writing novel length books until my twenty-eighth birthday. I joined RWA and served as the RWA President for the North Central Chapter. It took four years and four type-written drafts to complete my first book. There were also some fantastic authors in our local group—Susan Johnson, Lavyrle Spencer, and Ashland Price, and many more who brought a wealth of talent to the group. This was also a time a change for the genres and the diversity of current day fantasy, science fiction, erotica, and paranormal wasn’t available for authors and readers. The bodice rippers of the past didn’t work well through the 80’s, and as the market changed, so did the authors.

What do you think keeps you writing or makes a writer?

Writing has always been, and will always be, a joy in my life. In the past, I’ve had to put my pen down and take care of my responsibilities, but the muse always called me back. I didn’t expect to get rich or famous; I wanted the chance to write an interesting story. I found out quickly that talent is only a small portion of what will make an author successful, and writing a novel is hard work. A writer has the ability to transcend pain for the joy of the art. We write because we must.

Tell us a little more about yourself and your writing life.

I’m a recluse by nature and enjoy my solitude. I find the quiet moments of my life open a door to creativity. I have pictures of models of my characters that cover my walls and immerse myself in the story. My day starts at four a.m. and often goes until midnight when I’m caught up in the story .

When I’m writing, I close my eyes, visualize the scene, and worry about editing at a later time. Visualizing the scenes help create sensual detail for the story. I try to capture the sights, sounds, and feelings in those moments. My hope is the readers will be able to know that I loved this story, and it comes from my heart.

One of the funniest scenes I’ve ever written was from Laird of the Game. While my character was telling the story, To Kiss a Hag, I laughed along with the MacKenna brothers. Or when Melissa sees Yorath for the very first time and the book goes into several intense paragraphs—and it’s about the horse not the hunky, handsome hero. I hope the reader is able to pick up on the subtle humor and enjoy the story as much as I did writing it.

Take the obvious, give it a few twists, and enjoy the fantasy.

When I’m editing, I read the story out loud so that my ear will hear what my eyes don’t see.

What do you have coming up next?

Laird of the Night, Historical Romance

On the Winds of Dreams, Historical Romance

If you could describe your style of writing in one word, what would it be?

In one word…(author fainted.)

My methodology is simple, put action-packed rollicking adventures into unique stories with a total lack of convention. Find humor and love in everything you do and you won’t just entertain a reader, you will enchant them.

Where can readers find out more about you?

You can find Lori Leigh exclusively at VRP!

What is the one thing you think all writers need if they intend to succeed in publishing?

They need to hear the voice of their editor. An editor takes a good book and makes it fantastic. Your success as an author will stem from your ability to take direction from the editor, deliver a quality product on time, and within budget.

Marketing for an author is a must do. There are some excellent classes available to authors on how to brand your name and your product. Think of yourself as a golden opportunity to give a radio or television show a bit of sparkle! This is usually the hardest part of being successful, since promotion is a different mindset for an author. Peer groups are a wonderful resource for promotion. Authors are creating their own promo videos and writing slogans such as:

Hearts will break, battles will be won and lost but only one warrior will claim the title Laird of the Game.

What are your future writing plans? 

My dream is to be able to write full-time. I published my first book with Avon Books, NY in 1986, but I also had the challenge as a single parent to three young daughters. I won’t ever forget the exhaustion while I worked two jobs to support my small family and the sacrifices my girls made for me while I went to college at the University of St. Thomas. I know what it’s like to be homeless and to go hungry to feed your family. I know what it’s like to face a day without hope. When I think of the future, I remember those days in the past when I promised myself that some day I would live the dream. For now, I work full-time for the government and continue to write.

And finally, if you could meet every one of your readers face to face, what would you say to them?

Thank you! Readers bring a joy of their own to our world, and without them the publishing world would be pretty bleak.