Poisoned Rationality Special  Edition

Welcome to another Poisoned Rationality Special Edition! Today we have Laura Kaye, author of Her Forbidden Hero recently released from Entangled Publishing's Indulgence line.  She's with us today answering some questions and in general being adorable.

Synopsis: You always want what you can't have...

She's always been off-limits...

Former Army Special Forces Sgt. Marco Vieri has never thought of Alyssa Scott as more than his best friend's little sister, but her return home changes that...and challenges him to keep his war-borne demons at bay. Marco's not the same person he was back when he protected Alyssa from her abusive father, and he's not about to let her see the mess he's become.

...but now she's all grown up.

When Alyssa takes a job at the bar where Marco works, her carefree smiles wreak havoc on his resolve to bury his feelings. How can he protect her when he can't stop thinking about her in his bed? But Alyssa's not looking for protection--not anymore. Now that she's back in his life, she's determined to heal her forbidden hero, one touch at a time...
PR: Thank you Laura for being a guest on Poisoned Rationality today!  I admit HER FORBIDDEN HERO was a change-up for me, I'm not normally terribly fond of contemporaries, but I just HAD to know how Alyssa and Marco got together (spoiler folks--its a romance do the math).  That all said, let's get down to the questioning!

LK: Great! Thanks so much for hosting me here today! And thanks for taking a chance on Her Forbidden Hero *grins*

One of the things that I really liked about Alyssa was that she called Marco out on his jerk attitude.  More than once he'd attempt to make a decision for her and she'd come over with the 'I don't think so' look and assert her independence.  Alyssa was strong, despite her past issues--how much of that did you plan out and how much flowed organically as you built the backstory about her older brother and Marco taking care of her?

I always knew Alyssa was strong. She survived a lot, and focused on getting herself put back together while she was in college. As a kid, she’d been forced to let others help her and tell her what to do in her best interest, so those are the last things she wants as an adult. The specifics of where she and Marco clashed, though, I didn’t know until I was writing. I’m not much more of a plotter—stories tend to come to me as I write. But I enjoyed writing those clashes tremendously!

Did you have to consult anyone on the military aspects of HFH?  Was it hard to get into the mind of man suffering from PTSD?

I did a lot of research on the military aspects of Her Forbidden Hero. I spent hours watching YouTube videos shot by U.S. forces in Afghanistan—interviews of soldiers, recordings of patrols and actions against insurgents, etc. I also read a lot of interviews with wounded veterans, and based Marco’s particular injuries on a Navy SEAL I read about. I didn’t find it hard to get into Marco’s head at all. He was the first thing about this story to come to me, though, so he had been in my head for a good nine months when I started to write. I already felt I knew him pretty well by then.

What kind of things are sure to distract you when in writing mode?  Did you have to tell your husband and kids 'Not now Mommy is writing?'

The internet is the biggest distraction/form of procrastination! LOL But, yes, family is definitely number two. My kids know what it means when “Mommy’s writing,” though, so they’re as cooperative as eight and six year olds can be!

Growing up who did you look to for inspiration?  Where do you find inspiration now? 

My father wasn’t in the picture, so my mother was always my greatest influence in all ways when I was growing up. Now, I find inspiration for both life and writing in many places—my family, my friends, my own goals, even music is a huge source of inspiration.

What's on the plate next?  Another paranormal or a contemporary?  Will we get to see Alyssa's brother find love?

Yes! Brady will get his own book, and that’s what’s up on my writing schedule next. Afterward, I’ll be focusing on the release of my second Hearts of the Anemoi book, West of Want (my first book in bookstores!) and writing the third of my Vampire Warrior Kings books.

Always save the easiest for last right?  Describe HER FORBIDDEN HERO in 140 characters or less :)

An injured Special Forces vet falls for his best friend's off-limits little sister, but her love for him might just be what heals him