Interview with Author Lauren Hammond and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome to the blog author Lauren Hammond. Lauren is celebrating the recent release of her book 12 Rounds and has stopped by to answer a few questions. Before I get to the interview, let's get to know about Lauren some.

It all began with a dinosaur, a T-Rex to be exact. He was the main character in my very first short story. Me and T, well, we went places. He is the reason I won my first essay contest at age ten. And he is probably one of the number one reasons, I pursued a career in writing.

Throughout highschool, I was what you would call a rebel. Someone who had convinced herself that she had life figured out at age sixteen. Still, writing was my only safe-haven during that time. I wrote notebooks full of poetry, even writing fellow classmates papers for them.

Unbeknowest to me, creative writing, seemed to be my one, true calling, my passion in life.

At age twenty, I began writing my first novel. After that, everything seemed to fall into place.

I won Best Poets and Poems of 2007, and The Editor's Choice award for my poem, Summer Days.

Also, during that time I wrote or co-wrote fifteen different screenplays, some which earned me finalist spot in various screenplay competitions.

In 2010, I've come full force, with my novel Love Sucks, that was released by Punkin House Press, in August of 2010. On top of Love Sucks, I have six novels that are slated to be released through the next five years. Also, doing some various marketing work for authors and publishers.

I pride myself in telling fellow writers to always follow their dreams. Who knows where I would be if I would have given up.

Places to find Lauren:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

First off, can you tell us a bit about you?
A little bit about me, hmm. Well, I drink way too much coffee. I play the guitar(although, I’m not very good yet, lol. I’m still learning.) I love writing dark, conflicted romances, and I’m a literary agent to some of the most awesome authors. I’m obsessed with Old Hollywood and often wonder where all the glitz and glamour went. But on top of everything, I’m loyal, and always, always treat people how I would want to be treated.

Did you always want to be a writer?
I think that writing has always been a part of me, but honestly it took me a long, long time to discover that, that is what I wanted to do with my life. I’d always written. I won contests. Attended the English festival.Even took writing courses. But sometimes, when we’re just starting out in life, we really don’t know what we want. I was like that. I knew I always loved to read and write, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do with that.

What kind of writer are you?
A very emotional writer. Most of my books all have to do with emotions. Love, fear, etc. I like to paint clear pictures of the characters I’m developing(especially for a series). I’m not one to focus on the world building which is why the realistic dark contemporary romances are usually my strongest novels. I like to really pull feeling out my readers. To me, that’s a huge part of being a decent writer. To be able to feel the character. So that’s primarily what I focus on. Also, I’m a cliff-hanger ending writer. Some readers like that. Some don’t. But for me personally, closing off a novel is a pet peeve of mine(unless the novel is a stand alone). By leaving it open at the end, I know exactly where to pick up and go from there. Plus I like torturing the readers. Sorry guys! I still love you, lol!

Panster or Plotter?
Definitely a panster. Nothing is plotted out. Everything happens as I write. And nine times out of ten my book has changed at least 3 times before it comes out.

Where do your ideas come from?
Everywhere. I can hear the hook in a song on the radio an idea would stem from that. Sometimes I think I need to turn my brain off. The ideas come on a daily basis. Sometimes it’s overwhelming.

A la Twitter style, can you describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
Oh God. I’ll try.

A middle weight boxing champion involved in a ring of corruption, drugs, and illegal activity questions everything about his life when the girl whose life he saved walks back into it.

What are some of your favorite kinds of stories to read?
Anything dark. Anything that makes me feel.

Do you have a favorite book and if so what is it?
There are so many, that there is no possible way I could narrow it down to one.

What are the scenes that are the hardest for you to write?
Any steamy scene. I have this paranoid feeling that my mom or grandmother is going to read it and scold me, lol.

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?

• Jane Austen – In my opinion, she invented the strong female heroines.
• RL Stine – Because ‘Goosebumps’ got me through my childhood and truly fueled my passion for the written word.
• William Shakespeare – To me, he wrote the first great tragedy.(I love to write tragic love stories). And there has never been a strory of more woe. Than that of Juliet and her Romeo.

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
Always. Lol. My brain is always turning.

But as of right now… I’m working on two books actually.

1. The sequel to A Whisper To A Scream, Yelling Out Loud.
2. Beautiful Nightmares – The third and final book in the asylum trilogy.

Thank you so much for having me! This was so fun!

Sean (Right-Hook) Reilly knows a few things about himself. One, he's the middle-weight boxing champion of the world with an undefeated record. Two, women find his cocky persona, chiseled biceps, and inked body sexy. Also, the fact that it's known that he doesn't do relationships only adds to his sex appeal. And three, he's Irish, proud of it, and a member of the Braithreachas Don Saol, a branch of the Irish mafia and king pins of the drug cartel taking over the streets of Cleveland.

Connor Doyle(aka Connie) the boss and leader of the Braithreachas Don Saol, has been like a father to Sean, taking him under his wing and teaching him how to survive on the streets after the death of his parents. Sean has never been ungrateful, but has always wanted one thing...

More. More to live for. More to fight for. More to believe in. A chance at a future without drugs or guns. A chance at a future without wondering which day will be his last.

There's only one problem with that. You live by the braithreachas. You die by the braithreachas. And Sean knows whether Connie considers him to be family or not, the only way he'll be leaving the braithreachas is in a body bag.

Hadlee Flax has had a year to overcome her issues. After almost being raped and brutalized, she's putting her best foot forward, seeing a therapist, and has even(with some persuasion from her best friend, Lara) enrolled in self defense classes. And she's doing well moving on with her life until she meets the dark, and conflicted Irish boxing champion of the world, Sean Reilly.

Hadlee is immediately drawn to the gorgeous, cold, and mysterious man who speaks with a slight Irish brogue. She soon learns that there is much more to him than his darkened gaze, cool demeanor, and body covered in tattoos. He's not the type of man she thought he was. And Hadlee finds herself doing something she never thought she would do in the last year...

Falling for a guy.

Falling for Sean Reilly. A man who is on the path to becoming a boxing legend.

One thing Hadlee doesn't know is the other part of Seans' life. His life of drug running, and killing. Or the fact that when he's not boxing he's walking the streets with a gat tucked into the back of his loose jeans, and glancing over his shoulder at every turn.

But it doesn't take Hadlee long to learn that some attractions and relationships can be fatal.

And sometimes...

They just might be worth fighting for.

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

1 lucky commenter (International Shipping Available) will win a copy of  12 Rounds 

To Enter:

• Please leave a meaningful comment or question for Lauren.
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