Author Interview/Character Interview on Diana Sears blog

*This originally posted here.

Marie Lavender, Pen Name Erica Sutherhome, Author of Leather and Lace

November 21, 2013

We are interviewing both the author of Leather and Lace today as well as the main character.   
Let’s pull the author aside for a moment…

Interviewer:   Marie Lavender, I have seen the cover of Leather and Lace.  That is quite racy.   
I assume it is erotica?

Marie:  No, it’s not.  It is a romantic suspense.  There are some steamy scenes, of course, but I wouldn’t 
consider it erotica.  (Blushes.)

Interviewer:  How did you come up with the title for your book?  Does it have any special meaning?

Marie:  Actually, I just found it apropos to Angie’s character and her occupation.   
I saw Angie as this sexy woman and given that she is a stripper, why not refer to it?  The leather refers to the
 hero, of course, but that makes more sense as you read the book.

Interviewer:  Who was your favorite character and why?

Marie:  I like both main characters, but I lean more toward Angie.  She is put into this career she isn’t sure 
she cares much for, but still finds some ways to enjoy it (the music, the dancing, even the power she has over 
men).  But, there is a softer, vulnerable side to Angie that we don’t see right away until Patrick, the hero, really
 gets under her skin.

Interviewer:  Does your book have any underlying theme, message, or moral?

Marie:  I guess there is one thing that stands out to me in this book.  The world can be a cruel place.  And
 sometimes, we have to find our own ways of coping with that.  

Interviewer:  Where can we find your book?

Marie:  Leather and Lace is available for pre-release on Lulu right now, and should be available on Amazon 

Interviewer:  We noticed this book is under a different pen name.  Is that customary for you?  Your 
long list of books suggests that is the case.

Marie:  I have released many romantic suspense titles under Erica Sutherhome.  My publishing journey has
 been complicated, but I plan to stick with the name Marie Lavender from now on.  I will be re-releasing all 
of my titles under that name in the future.

Interviewer:  Great!  I hope you don’t mind if we pull your character Angie aside as well.  We’d like
 to know about more about her.

Marie:  Please.  I insist.  


Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for over twenty years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands.
At the tender age of nine, she began writing stories. Her imagination fueled a lot of her early child's play. Even growing up, she entered writing contests and received a certificate for achieving the second round in one. She majored in Creative Writing in college because that was all she ever wanted - to be a writer. While there, she published two works in a university publication, and was a copy editor on the staff of an online student journal. After graduating from college, she sought out her dream to publish a book.
Since then, Marie has published sixteen books. Marie Lavender's real love is writing romances, but she has also written mysteries, literary fiction and dabbled a little in paranormal stories. Most of her works have a romantic element involved in them. Upon Your Return is her first historical romance novel. Feel free to visit her website at http://marielavender.webs.com/ for further information about her books and her life. Marie is also on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

A list of her books and pen names are as follows:

Marie Lavender: Upon Your Return

Erica Sutherhome: Hard to Get; Memories; A Hint of Scandal; Without You; Strange Heat; Terror in the Night; Haunted; Pursuit; Perfect Game; A Touch of Dawn; Ransom
Kathryn Layne: A Misplaced Life

Heather Crouse: Express Café and Other Ramblings; Ramblings, Musings and Other Things; Soulful Ramblings and Other Worldly Things


Character Interview:

Name:  Evangeline Lewis
Age:  27
Occupation:  Exotic Dancer
Hobbies:  Anything to do with art (sketching, painting, etc.)

Interviewer:  Sorry to corner you in the café like this, Evangeline.  I just had to get an idea of how 
you tick.

Character:  Please call me Angie.  Everyone does.

Interviewer:  Thank you.  I just learned your occupation.  Did you choose to dance or did it kind of 
choose you?

Angie:  It chose me.  I just stumbled into it one day by accident.  A friend said he was looking for dancers 
and I needed a job.  I didn’t realize it would be kind of fun.

Interviewer:  It can’t be easy though, having all of those men paw at you.

Angie:  No, it isn’t.  But, that’s the job.  And we have security.

Interviewer:  (Nods.)  So, what did you think when you met Patrick Dreyling?  He is a detective, 
right?

Angie:  Yes, he is.  And, to tell you the truth, I wasn’t thinking.  I noticed him, but there wasn’t much time to
 gawk.  I was fleeing the scene of a crime.

Interviewer:  (Sits forward.)  Really.  Why?  What did you do?

Angie:  Nothing!  I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, that’s all.

Interviewer:  Okay.  I’ll let you get away with that.  You’re a mysterious woman, Angie.  No wonder 
Patrick likes you.

Angie:  (Looks away.)  I’m sure he doesn’t.

Interviewer:  According to what happened, it seems you two got kind of close.

Angie:  (Shifts uncomfortably.)

Interviewer:  Let’s move on.  We’ll go with a simple question.  Where would you go to hang out if 
you wanted to feel comfortable?

Angie:  On my days off, I go to the Sloane Merrill Gallery on Charles Street.  I love going in there and 
looking at the paintings.  I wonder what each artist was thinking.

Interviewer:  So, you have always lived in Boston?

Angie:  Yes.  I have been here all my life.

Interviewer:  Can you tell us about your family?

Angie:  I have a sister.  She is…away.  I haven’t seen her for awhile.

Interviewer:  I guess I’ll leave that alone right now.  I want to know more about Patrick though.

Angie:  What about him?

Interviewer:  What did you notice first?  What do you like best about him?  

Angie:  He has kind of a bad boy look to him sometimes, sort of a roguish man even though he is utterly 
professional most of the time.  I didn’t notice him really until the second time I met him.  It was his eyes that I 
noticed.  They were this bright blue color, really striking against his dark hair, but I somehow knew I could 
trust him.

Interviewer:  You didn’t want to, though, did you?

Angie:  No, I didn’t think I could trust anyone.

Interviewer:  So, we want to know.  Do you think things will work out between you and Patrick?

Angie:  Our story isn’t over.  I mean, Patrick is persistent.  And I can’t exactly ignore the man.

Interviewer:  (Laughs.)  Thank you, Angie, for giving us a moment of your time.  So, where are you 
going now?

Angie:  (Rises.)  I have to go to work.

Interviewer:  And you will see Patrick later?

Angie:  Yes.  Thank you for sitting with me.  It was nice talking to you.

Interviewer:  My pleasure!  You have a good day.  (Watches Angie leave the building, then turns 
back to the camera.)  

Did you see her blush again?  There must be a lot more going on than she lets on.  I can’t wait to 
read about all of the juicy details!


http://www.lulu.com/shop/erica-sutherhome/leather-and-lace/paperback/product-21304187.html


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