Can you share with us the most beloved books on your shelves?
In chronological order:
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton – Passionate yearnings for a forbidden woman, told from a male perspective, in 19th century New York.
The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe – I would also like to write a book told from the points of view of four female archetypes. From the late 1950s. Mad Men for Girls. Glitzy.
Parachutes & Kisses by Erica Jong – Jong’s third novel about Isadora Wing. (The first was Fear of Flying.) I admire the compelling writing and sexually bold protagonist.
Paris Hangover by Kirsten Lobe – Author Kirsten and her alter-ego, Klein, are oh-so-glamorous. She is an American in Paris, my fave city on the planet. Wish I could live this book …
When it comes to research and the setting of your books, do you weave your story from history about something particular that interests you, or think of a story and then insert it into history?
I start with an historic event and a particular setting.
The idea for Dangerous Love came from asking, “What if?” It is the story about Laura, a Jewish American woman, and Byron, a German man whose father was in the Hitler Youth. I also am Jewish and met a man of Nazi heritage. The novel is based on me asking, “What if I had been overwhelming attracted to him? What if he had been my soul mate?”
My work-in-progress is a romance involving spies, counterspies, and demoiselles. It is set in Bucharest, Romania. I got the idea from one sentence in a travel book.
What inspired you to take the plunge to add erotic elements into Dangerous Love?
The erotic elements were there from Day 1. It never occurred to me to look away. Crimson Romance gives its books sensuality ratings, ranging from “Behind Closed Doors” to “Hot.” Dangerous Love is rated “Hot.”
How do you like your heroes and heroines to be?
I do not have any pre-set molds. I prefer to focus on the dynamics of the relationship.
In Dangerous Love, Laura reflects on what Byron means to her:
Byron made her feel beautiful, desired, cherished, and protected, as no man had ever done before. Their attraction to each other was beyond the realm of normal physics…She liked that he was complicated and took risks…Meeting him may have been a gift from the universe. Would she ever find this again?
And this is how Byron, the son of a Nazi, sees Laura:
He knew the man he wanted to be: A caped and crusading Schindler (the good German who in WWII had saved thousands of Jews). He envisioned himself scooping up his fragile girlfriend and freeing her from the Nazis…He had eyes for only Laura, for her long, straggly blonde hair and thin, curving body. For that initial image that had so enthralled him in the Globe Cafe.
What makes a romance novel a great love story and how would you define “romance”?
A great love story is one in which romantic love triumphs against all odds. I define romance as “happily-ever-after.” That is my must-have ending!
Lilou DuPont graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in Philosophy and studied Erotic Writing at The New School in New York City. She lives in Washington, DC where she enjoys a successful advertising career and a large circle of friends. Dangerous Love is her first novel. She is at work on her second book, a spy romance set in Bucharest, Romania. Vampires? No. Gypsies? Yes.
Find Lilou at:
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Dangerous Love
by Lilou DuPont
August 6th 2012 by Crimson Romance
In Prague, Laura feels that she has met her soulmate. Yet how can her soul merge with the son of a Nazi?
After being passed over for a promotion at a Chicago advertising agency, Laura cashes in her stock options, quits her job, and moves to Prague. There, she begins an erotic romance with Byron, only to discover that he is German and his father was in the Hitler Youth. As an observant Jew, Laura has deep misgivings about becoming involved with the son of a Nazi, but the attraction between them is so strong that she cannot resist.
When a woman from Byron’s past – the darkly exotic Zsa Zsa – comes between them, can the true love of Laura and Byron survive?
INT – Ends August 17th
One randomly drawn commenter from each tour stop will win a Dangerous Love eBook gifted via Amazon.com or All Romance eBooks and another will win a $5 eGC to Amazon, B&N, or All Romance eBooks! Follow the tour here!
17 comments
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Carin W
August 9, 2012 at 9:26 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
This is an interesting take on the forbidden love plot line in romance. I think it would be a fascinating read. Thanks Carin
mawmom(at)gmail(dot)com
Lilou
August 9, 2012 at 12:06 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thank you, Carin. Best of luck in the giveaway!
erinf1
August 9, 2012 at 11:08 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
congrats on the new release! Thanks for a fun interview!
Lilou
August 9, 2012 at 12:07 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thank you, Erin! Thank you for stopping by and visiting Reading Romances!
Maria D.
August 9, 2012 at 11:23 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Good interview! I’m always intrigued at finding out what inspires a book and I can’t imagine a setting more forbidden than a Jewish woman meeting and falling in love with a Nazi’s son. It is the stuff of heartbreak. Dangerous Love sounds like a book I would very much enjoy reading. Thanks for the giveaway!
Lilou
August 9, 2012 at 12:08 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Hi Maria, Thank you for your comment! I like how you describe my book. Thank you! Good luck in the giveaway!
bn100
August 10, 2012 at 12:41 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Very nice interview. Nice selection of books.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Lilou
August 10, 2012 at 1:12 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thank you for stopping by, bn!
Dawn Bates
August 10, 2012 at 10:00 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Sounds like a fascinating read. Can’t wait to check it out.
DMarie1971@charter.net
Lilou
August 11, 2012 at 12:21 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thank you, Dawn! Have a great weekend!
Emily W.
August 11, 2012 at 1:22 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Sounds like an interesting story, thanks for sharing!
tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com
Lilou
August 12, 2012 at 6:11 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thank you, Emily! Good luck with the drawing!
Trix
August 12, 2012 at 7:16 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
The New School has an erotic writing major? That’s awesome! DANGEROUS LOVE sounds intriguing, indeed…
vitajex(at)aol(dot)com
Lilou
August 13, 2012 at 1:18 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thank you for your comment, Trix! Good luck in the drawing and have a great week!
Vicki H
August 14, 2012 at 6:12 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
What an impressive bio! I also had no idea a school offered an erotic writing major.
I love the way you came up with the book. It’s interesting to see hoe authors form ideas. Good luck with it. Sounds like a winner.
Lilou
August 14, 2012 at 6:57 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thank you, Vicki! It was not a major offered by The New School, but a class that I took three times. I also studied privately with the instructor, Tsaurah Litzky. The class was amazing. I will be publishing a small collection of my writings from the class this fall.
Jeanne Miro
August 16, 2012 at 11:16 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Hi Lilou!
I loved your interview and learning more about you.
You defined romance as being “a great love story is one in which romantic love triumphs against all odds” and I totally agree.
As I’ve got older (and been married longer) I’ve also realized it’s recognizing each others weaknesses, understanding each others goals, working together, forgiving each others failings, supporting each other and working together to make your future the best it can be.
Most important of all? Don’t sweat the small stuff!