My guest this week is author Molly Harper!Her debut novel, NICE GIRLS DON'T HAVE FANGS is due out on the 31st of March and I got to read an ARC copy last month and wrote this review!
So find out more about the author and her new series just in time for the release of the first book. And if you enter the contest you could even win your own copy of the new cool new series to watch!
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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! I l was lucky enough to read a review copy of your debut book Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs! Which comes out this month. Maybe you could start things off by telling my blog readers a bit about the book?
Molly - Jane came to me as the hapless victim of the question, "What would be the most embarrassing way possible to be turned into a vampire?" When all the other vampires are telling their romantic origin tales of plague and war, poor Jane has to confess that she was fired from her job as a children's librarian, replaced by someone who starts workplace fires, given a gift certificate to Shenanigans as a severance and then used it to get drunk. At the bar, she meets a tall, handsome (somewhat pale) stranger. She sobers enough to drive home, but her car breaks down. While she's walking home, she falls in a ditch and a drunk hunter mistakes her muddied form for a deer and shoots her. The handsome stranger, who happens to be a vampire, turns her to keep her from dying. Wacky antics, romance and murder accusations ensue.
Amber - In Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs you managed to write about vampires and make it just that little bit different to all the other vamp books already out there. Did you do that on purpose or was it just the concept that came to you?
Molly - I wanted to keep it a little lighter than some of the books out there. I have always loved TV shows, books and movies that mix humor and horror. What I loved about Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel was the one-liners and fantastic dialogue. They were very funny, sharply written shows that just happened to be about vampires.Also, I'm a total gore wimp. I can't handle a lot of blood and guts. So I wrote something for someone like me, who likes a little bit of a scare, without being grossed out.
Amber - What kind of research did you have to do for the book? Did you get together with any vampires or werewolves?
Molly - I didn't really do much research when it came to shaping my "vampire lore." Some of my rules for vampires were necessary for plot devices, i.e. vampires needed to be allergic to silver because Jane has to handle silverware at a family dinner with relatives who don't know she's a vampire. However, when it came to Jane's reading about her vampire roots, I looked up some old vampire legends from around the world.
Unfortunately, I don't know any vampires or werewolves to get together with.
Amber - Are you anything like your main character Jane? Or is she based on someone else?
Molly - Jane is written in my "voice." We have very similar senses of humor, we're both avid readers and sources of endless, useless trivia. But we are different in that Jane tends to "wait and see" a lot more than I do. She's pretty timid. If I have a problem, I tend to charge ahead and try to fix it... although that can make the problem worse sometimes. Her issues with men and relationships are the polar opposite of my personal life. Also, our relationships with family are very different. I get along very well with my parents and siblings, who are very loving and supportive. And my grandmother has only been married once and loves me dearly.
So overall, there is some of my personality in Jane, but her issues are all her own.
Amber - When can we expect the next book in the series? How many books are planned in the series?
Molly - NICE GIRLS DON'T DATE DEAD MEN will be released on August 25, 2009. NICE GIRLS DON'T LIVE FOREVER will be released in December 2009. For now, those are all of the titles contracted for the series.
Amber - Any plans to release a full version of Guide for the Newly Undead?
Molly - You know, you're the second person to ask that in the last two days. I hadn't considered it, but if there's enough interest, who knows? It's a fun, fascinating idea.
Amber - Do you have any other projects you are working on? Or are you just keeping to this series for now?
Molly - I had time to write a non-paranormal romantic comedy between vampire books last year. I'm hoping that sells soon. And I'm working on a werewolf romance I hope to finish up before the summer. It's a lot of fun and the main character is a human, very different from Jane- a little more in touch with her anger and definitely more sexually confident.Amber - Why did you pick the paranormal genre? Or did the paranormal genre pick you?
Molly - I think I was destined to write in the paranormal genre. My parents are both avid readers and gave me a respect for books pretty early on. I've always been fascinated by ghost stories, vampires, werewolves, mysteries of the unexplained, etc. When in elementary school, I checked out the library's paranormal non-fiction books so many times, the librarian sent a note home to my mom. Naturally, I wrote something that I would want to read, so I wrote about paranormal creatures.
Amber - Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs is your first book. What was the process like for you? Did you have any say in the title? Book cover? etc? What did you love about bringing your first book into the world? and what did you hate?
Molly - It took me about a year to write and edit an acceptable draft. Starting in August 2007, I spent about three months using agentquery.com to ruthlessly stalk potential agents. I ended up with offers of representation from three. But I went with Stephany Evans because she offered advice on how to make the book better before she signed me. She didn't have to take the time to do that and it meant a lot. She sent the manuscript out to publishers and I think about two weeks later, we got an initial offer. We had a small auction between several publishing houses and chose Pocket Star Books.
I love my Pocket Star editor, Jen. She's very gentle, but doesn't put up with a lot of nonsense. She's made the editing process as painless as possible and lets me have a lot of input on content. We did change the original title because it was a little too close to other paranormal series. I came up with a list of alternative suggestions. She workshopped them with other people at the publishing office and they liked NICE GIRLS DON'T HAVE FANGS the best. I didn't have a lot of input on the cover, but I like the design overall. I am very excited about the cover of NICE GIRLS DON'T DATE DEAD MEN.
I've loved almost everything about getting published. I get so excited every time I get a package from my agent or publisher. Just knowing there is someone out there, reading my work, trying to get it on bookshelves, is humbling and wonderful.
I can't say I've hated any part of the process, although re-writes aren't a lot of fun. You sort of "move on" in your head after you finish a book, particularly when writing a series. I lost count of the number of drafts I wrote of Book 2, NICE GIRLS DON'T DATE DEAD MEN. But I know it will be a better book because of the changes.
Amber - What have been the good and bad times of being an author? Any advice to anyone to anybody out there thinking of writing a book?
Molly - Writers write. Reading about writing, taking classes, participating in writers' groups can help you hone your craft. Being a writer means sitting down at your computer/notebook every day and committing words to paper. It's about the discipline of building your story, even when you're tired or stressed or just don't feel like it.
For me, the writing is the fun part. It's what I look forward to, even though it's a lot of work. I've come across people who seem to think the writing is just a small part of being a writer. They're designing web sites and t-shirts to promote a book, while they've only written three chapters. I don't blame them. It's great to daydream about what you'll do when you're published, but until you have a tangible product to put out there, you're not going to get very far.
The great thing about becoming an author has been the comments from people who have enjoyed my work. I never expected such positive feedback! To know that I've entertained people and made them laugh, makes me feel so good.
The only bad part of the process has been the waiting! I had no idea that it takes so long for a book to go to press. I'm so impatient to see the book on the shelves. But I know it will be worth it in the end.
Amber - What did you do before you became an author? Do you still have a 'normal' job?
Molly - I was a newspaper reporter in my hometown for six years. I covered education, but I ended up writing about courts, cops, quilt shows and everything else you can imagine. I loved my job, but our family life became too hectic. I took a job as a secretary at a Baptist church to provide a more stable day-to-day schedule for our young daughter. I had free evenings and the mental energy needed to write for the first time ever! We were living in what we called, "The Apartment of Lost Souls" while we built a new house. My husband worked nights and every single evening after I put our daughter to bed, something broke down. The washing machine started smoking. The dishwasher vomited soap on the kitchen floor. There was a mysterious re-occurring wet spot on the carpet we never did figure out. It was either write, or go crazy. I think I made the right choice.
I still work full-time writing for a medical advocacy group. I write at night after our kids go to bed.
Amber - What books do you read when you have the chance? Any must have authors or series?
Molly - I didn't start reading TWILIGHT until I was almost finished with NICE GIRLS DON'T LIVE FOREVER. I didn't want to be influenced by such a popular series. I loved it! I think I read the first three books in two weeks. I could read Harry Potter over and over again... and I have.
I'm also a huge Stephen King fan, Nora Roberts, Jane Austen, Olivia Goldsmith, and on and on. I sort of like a smattering of everything.
Amber - What music, TV series or films do you like and do any of them influence your work?
Molly - I flatter myself in hoping that Joss Whedon's been an influence on me. I loved that his secondary characters were so integral and interesting. And of course, the dialogue. I'm a huge movie buff, though I like a lot of schlocky scifi antics and weird British comedy. Hot Fuzz and Death at a Funeral are two of my current favorites.
Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature. Which one would you be and why?
Molly - Obviously, being a vampire would be pretty cool. Or maybe an Immortal, like those featured in Highlander series - all of the benefits of eternal youth without the blood-drinking.
But if we were talking comic book characters, I would probably want to be a superpowerful psychic in the line of Jean Grey or Emma Frost. I'm a huge X-Men fan. I blame my college buddy and fellow author, JC Hutchins, for giving me all those extra copies of Wizard magazine.
Amber - You are stuck on a desert island. What 5 things do you hope to have with you?
Molly - My IPod (assuming I have some way of charging it,) a boxed collection of the Harry Potter series, a lifetime supply of Godiva truffles, and a First-Aid kit, because I'm pretty accident prone.
And Sawyer, from Lost.
I would get lonely. That's all I'm saying.
Amber - Thank you so much for being a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog! I hope you will come back again!
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Contest Time!Molly said -
For a prize, I will offer a signed copy of NICE GIRLS DON'T HAVE FANGS, a signed cover flat and some promotional bookmarks
Sounds good? Well keep reading to find out how to enter!
This week all you need to do to enter the contest is post here letting us know what kind of strange, odd or just boring jobs you have had! ;)
No job = No entry!
Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!
You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.
The more people buy through Amazon.com this week will also add to the prize. If there are enough sales (use the links around the site) to buy another copy of NICE GIRLS DON'T HAVE FANGS then there will be another winner drawn! Maybe even two if people order alot ;)
The contest will stay open until Sunday March 29th 2009 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.
If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.
Enjoy!
Labels: Author Interviews, Contests, Molly Harper
At 22 March 2009 at 13:20, 
Pissenlit
I worked in the back of a department store outlet. It wasn't ENTIRELY boring. I brought the strangeness/oddness with me. There was this one time I was in the back, pricing a shipment of shoes on my own on the 2nd floor(which was supposedly haunted, which i found out after the fact). I also had to remove the boxes and packing materials. I was doing this in between two tall shelving units and each time I had an empty shoebox, I added them to the stacks on either side of the mouth of the aisle...and then i turned it into an arch...and then I added a second layer...
At 22 March 2009 at 18:02, Enchanted by Books
I used to work part time at a place that screened commercials for a group of people and surveyed them on their opinions. It was very boring because we had to do the same thing over and over. Set up the chairs, set up their survey papers, escort them to their seats, play commercials, etc. We had about 10 groups of people a day and it got so repetitive. I hated it.
I really want to read this book. It sounds so good!
At 22 March 2009 at 18:44, Unknown
Hi... I would LOVE to win a copy of this book, it sounds fantastic!
It was a job in a phone room, in which I had to try and get donations for a non-profit company. It was strange at the same time... because anyone that would not hang up on me before I stated where I was calling from, would just spout obscenities to me. The boring part was, making calls for an hour straight with no one answering their calls. It was crazy, weird, and boring all at the same time.
At 22 March 2009 at 22:19, Kytaira
My most boring job was weeding ginseng gardens. I have to admit it was the family business but have you ever tried to weed 4 acres every week! It was mind numbing. This was back in the days before Ipods or even walkmans. Going to get a glass of water or going to the nearest bush (aka bathroom) was the hight of excitement for the day.
This sounds like a great book!! I haven't had any exciting jobs. The most rewarding and yet frustrating job was as a tutor in college. It was great to see when the lightbulb turned on and they understood what I was saying, but so frustrating when we went over something again and again for 20 minutes using every example I could think of and they still did not understand.
At 23 March 2009 at 13:51, Sage Ravenwood
I can think of 2 jobs, not exactly strange but different in the aspects. I was a head cook in a retirement home and the residents loved me but were convinced I wouldn't eat the food either because I was so thin. It was actually the diets most of them had to follow that left the food bland and tasteless.
The 2nd was cutting material out in a knitting factory that made jackets and coats for dogs. Thanks for the opportunity! Indigo
ravensquietscreams@gmail.com
At 23 March 2009 at 15:30, Chris J.
HI Amber & Molly!
I have heard great things about this book and I would love to read it! :)
As to the question, the best and most exciting job was working in a book store. It was the mom and pop type and I adored helping people find great books and ones they really liked!
Most boring would have to be when I was cleaning offices at night, gee's and some people are not clean ones! lol
I sent all my friends the contest and cc you Amber. I also posted on my space blog but may have to redo as it acted funny! I am your friend on their and I am adding Molly if she is. :)
Best wishes Molly and I look forward to reading your book!
I worked in the bakery department of one of those superstores that sell everything. I was left completely by myself and expected to take care of customers, haul out the frozen donut and roll products and put them on trays for heating in the morning, and do all the cleaning. Keep in mind that this started from day one, so I was expected to help people and deal with everything without knowing anything. What a lot of fun that was, and minimal human contact on top of it.
At 23 March 2009 at 22:10, donnas
Thanks for the great interview. I would love the chance to read Nice Girls Dont Have Fangs.
My most boring job was my first, I worked for my dad and logged in and out machinery parts for jobs they were working on so they would know what job a certain item was sent out on. Surrounded by mechanical engineers in the back of a warehouse/workshop that was always cold or hot and had welding going on outside at all times. Very boring for someone in high school.
At 24 March 2009 at 01:09, Marlene
What a fun question. Thinking about it I first thought, Nah I did not have any crazy jobs but then I realized maybe I had!. About 20 years ago i just took every job I could get, which meant working in factories most of the time.
One of them my job was to make clismas. (You know those things that they use to empty your bowels?) I used to control the clisma machine. And what else. I also worked in a factory where we made soap. I never minded though, it was interesting to say the least... I also worked in a coffee shop in Amsterdam.
At 24 March 2009 at 09:57, Mishel (P.S. I Love Books)
I think one of the worst jobs I've had was my first as an usher at a movie theater. It wasn't so much cleaning up after people in the theaters that bothered me it was the fact that I had to clean the restrooms. And I gotta say that women can get pretty nasty lol. I know I don't trash public restrooms but apparently some ladies like to. Not fun at all.
I also posted a link to this contest on my sidebar that can be found on the left hand side of my blog:
http://creativitygone.blogspot.com
Thanks so much,
mishtakes AT gmail DOT com
At 24 March 2009 at 18:52, Vickie
I had a weird combo pair of jobs my third year of college. I worked days at an animal hospital and nights cleaning the kitchen of a very popular steak house in town. I was always very popular with the dogs the next day.
http://iyamvixenbooks.blogspot.com/2009/03/amberkatze-and-molly-harper-interview.html
At 24 March 2009 at 20:49, The Brunette Librarian
:) I've only had one job although gosh knows I'm trying to find a new one...but I've worked in a library.
It's fun but kinda boring sometimes. The weirdest thing to happen to me while there would probably have to be when a guy came up to me when I hadn't seen him before, said "you have to get back to dirt" nodded his head and walked out. What in the world was that supposed to mean??? :)
Thanks for the contest!
At 25 March 2009 at 22:15, Dawn M.
My most boring job was doing contract work for a resale store changing batteries in watches. Open the back, take out the old battery, put in the new, make sure it runs, set it, put on the back...start all over with the next one. Very mindless work. Music and audio books helped a lot!
Thanks! :0)
librarygrinch at gmail dot com
At 27 March 2009 at 18:33, Unknown
I once worked in an old historic building as a security guard. It was said to be haunted and they went through about 2 new employees per month! I had some very weird things happen but never saw a ghost. I worked there about 2 months, I quit because I moved out of state, not because I was scared of the ghosties!!
At 27 March 2009 at 19:42, Lori T
In high school, one summer I dressed up as a clown...there was a group of us...and we wouldwork at picnics. I do not really remember what we did to entain the kids, but it paid ok and helped to pass the summer.
I do find it odd that I did this because I really am not fond of clowns at all. I find them to be quite creepy.
At 27 March 2009 at 22:40, Caffey
Molly, what a neat series!!
One of my jobs I had as a teen was to work at a camp with children. I had to experience riding a horse so that I was familiar for when the children rode them. It was my first time ever and they had us on the horses so long that I could not walk the next day! I looked like I was walking with a split! That was the only summer I worked at the camp. I so could not sleep with rocks under me!
At 28 March 2009 at 08:39, Joanne (NeedSun)
Thanks for the interview. It was very funny and informative.
When I was in university, I worked for a printing company in the "Binding" department. I worked alone at night in the basement of a downtown office building. The most interesting thing that ever happened was when an envelope arrived in the offices with an 8x10 glossy picture of me in it. Turns out a photographer saw me down there and snapped a picture. Gave me the creeps knowing I had no idea it was happening.
by Kelley Armstrong
Hmmm...I don't have a weird job but the most boring job that I have held was being a person that called and gave callers surveys. Not fun!