Author Lydia Dare Visits

I’m please to welcome back author Lydia Dare, the dynamic writing duo of Tammy Falkner and Jodie Pearson, as the special guest blogger here today at Thoughts in Progress.

Lydia’s latest release, THE TAMING OF THE WOLF, just recently hit the store shelves. Thanks to Lydia and Danielle at Sourcebooks, I have a copy of this intriguing paranormal romance book to give away to 2 lucky visitors who comment on this post between now and 8 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, Dec. 1. Be sure to include your e-mail address if it’s not included in your profile.

Lydia (aka Tammy and Jodie) stop by today to answer some questions for me about THE TAMING OF THE WOLF and other things.

Mason -- When you began your Westfield Brothers trilogy, did you see this new series coming from that or did it just develop as you went along?

Hey! Thanks for having us today. Since there are two of us who make up Lydia Dare, we’ll try to make sure it’s clear which of us is speaking.

Lydia/Jodie – We are not plotters, so we don’t have any idea what will happen in the next chapter, let alone the next book. When we wrote A CERTAIN WOLFISH CHARM things just unfolded as far as secondary characters, and they kept unfolding throughout TALL, DARK AND WOLFISH and THE WOLF NEXT DOOR. So this book, as well as the trilogy due out next spring and fall, is the culmination of all of that has come before it. As we’re writing we tend to think, will THIS character be a good one later on down the road to have a story of his/her own?

Lydia/Tammy – Each book sparked a new book! I remember when we started playing around with the first book. I don’t think either of us expected it to go anywhere. It was more like a game of round robin. But since neither of us was mired in a project we both said “Why not?”  The Westfield wolves were born, and the rest is history.

Mason -- How do you create the names of your characters?

Lydia/Jodie – Oh, oh, oh! I’ll answer that one! I love naming characters. It is one of my most favorite things. I think you can tell so much about certain characters based on their names. Not that the name creates the character, but that it is all encompassing. The characters “parents” named them, not us – and that choice tells you something about those “parents” as the people who raised the hero or heroine. Does that make sense? I could honestly discuss names all day, but I’m sure I’d end up boring everyone else to death. Tammy will have to tell you what she does with names, it SO cracks me up.

Lydia/Tammy – No, Jodie, it doesn’t make sense. I learned very early on that no matter what name I chose for a character I introduced, Jodie would find fault with it. For some reason, she cares about their parents’ parents. Go figure. So, when I write a scene, I come up with the most absurd name I can think of for the character and I stick it in there. She’s going to change it regardless, so why not have fun with it? Lady Snotbox was a particular favorite of mine. Oh, and I once used Mrs. Givingbirth for a woman who was in labor, an inconsequential character. And Jodie left that one alone! Can you believe that?

Lydia/Jodie – I went back and changed Mrs. Givingbirth eventually. I was more focused on the story at that point. Very pivotal things were happening in that scene. *sigh* I suppose I’m the only one who get’s my name obsession. And through all of this, I don’t think I even answered the original question. I find names through many different sources. But my most favorite baby name book in the world – I call it my bible – is Laura Wattenberg’s THE BABY NAME WIZARD. There are charts and graphs for each name, ranking popularity from 1880 on and “sibling” names. You’ll have to look at the book to see what I mean by that. I love that book.

Mason -- Since there are actually two of you writing the story, do you ever 'role play' a scene if it's not coming together for you?

Lydia/Jodie – We’ve never done that. I’m very character driven and try to get inside my character’s minds and figure out what they would do. I find that if I listen to them, I’m usually ok.

Lydia/Tammy – My characters don’t talk to me, and I’d think I was nuts if they did. I’m much more plot driven than Jodie is.  I can’t begin to imagine role-playing a scene with Jodie. Oh my gosh, that would be hilarious. 

Lydia/Jodie – We’d probably end up strangling each other.

Mason -- With Thanksgiving tomorrow in the U.S., just a couple of fun questions. If the main characters in this story had to bring a dish to Thanksgiving dinner, what would they bring and why?

Lydia/Jodie – Oh, my goodness. I’ve never even thought of such a thing. Let’s see. Umm. Caitrin would bring something like a cherry pie because it is both sweet and tart at the same time. And Dash  - well, he IS a werewolf – so if the moon was full the previous night, he’d probably bring the turkey, you’d just have to check it for teeth marks.

Lydia/Tammy – YUCK, Jodie. Ewwww. Caitrin would check someone’s future to find out what kind of reaction they’d have to a particular food. And if she liked that person, she’d make it something they’d enjoy. If she didn’t, it’d be something that would cause a horrid reaction. Dash would bring whisky, because there’s no better repast for a Regency gentleman.

Mason -- With Thanksgiving in mind, what would each of the main characters be thankful for?

Lydia/Jodie – Before the story starts, I would say that Caitrin would be thankful for her coven and her doting father. Dashiel would be thankful to have just learned that he’s not the only Lycan in existence. After the story ends, of course, they would both be thankful for each other. You didn’t ask  - but I’ll say I’m thankful for Tammy putting up with me and for Deb Werksman for taking a chance on us when no one else knew us from Adam.

Lydia/Tammy  - Ick. Mush. I’m thankful I’m able to put up with Jodie, too. KIDDING! Cait is thankful for her gift, except for when it overwhelms her. Dash is thankful for the next skirt he can chase. Their meeting makes me think of the song I Kissed a Girl. Except in this case, it would be “I bit a girl and I liked it.”  (And so did she.) Chance meetings are always something to be thankful for.

Mason -- What can readers expect next from Lydia Dare?

Lydia/Jodie – We have a whole new trilogy out Spring/Fall 2011. There are some recurring characters, some of the other witches in Caitrin’s coven, in fact. And three very sexy vampires.

Lydia/Tammy – Then we don’t know what’s coming next, but we think maybe some more Lycans. We’ll see!

Oh Lydia (Jodie/Tammy), it’s always fun having you here. Sounds like Caitrin’s coven is in for some intriguing adventures. Can’t wait. Thanks for guest blogging here today and I hope both of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Here’s a brief synopsis of THE TAMING OF THE WOLF : A fresh and imaginative world of noble werewolves, each of whom encounters nearly insurmountable problems in his quest to live a normal life among England’s Regency society.

Dashiel Thorpe has grown up with the sobriquet “The monster of Eynsford.” Each full moon, when he turns into a wild beast, he has been chained to the wall to protect those around him. He has never before encountered a creature like himself, until he goes to visit his university friend and encounters a family of Lycans living just next door.

When the full moon turns the pack of them into wolves, Dashiel’s feral ways bring him to near-disaster, and when he bites Caitrin McLeod he unknowingly sets off a chain of events that could lead to his ultimate destruction.

Banished to Scotland to find a mentor and get trained in how to be a proper werewolf, Dashiel must also find Caitrin and persuade her that she’s his only chance for salvation…

A little background on Lydia, the writing team of Tammy Falkner and Jodie Pearson. Both Tammy and Jodie are active members of the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers and live near Raleigh, North Carolina. They are working together on their next paranormal historical trilogy as Lydia Dare, which will be released by Sourcebooks Casablanca in 2011! For more information, visit http://www.lydiadare.com/.