A Writer’s House is pleased to welcome Sara Dobie Bauer, a writer, model, and mental
health advocate with a creative writing degree from Ohio University. Her short story, “Don’t Ball the Boss,” was nominated for the Pushcart Prize, inspired by her shameless crush on Benedict Cumberbatch. She lives with her hottie husband and two precious pups in Northeast Ohio, although she’d really like to live in a Tim Burton film. She is a member of RWA and author of the paranormal rom-com Bite Somebody, among other ridiculously entertaining things.
Welcome Sara! Tell us about your current release, Bite Somebody Else.
Bite Somebody Else is Book 2 in the Bite Somebody series.
Imogene helped her newbie vampire friend Celia hook up with an adorable human, but now Celia has dropped an atomic bomb of surprise: she has a possibly blood-sucking baby on the way. Imogene is not pleased, especially when a mysterious, ancient, and annoyingly gorgeous vampire historian shows up to monitor Celia’s unprecedented pregnancy.
Lord Nicholas Christopher Cuthbert III is everything Imogene hates: posh, mannerly, and totally uninterested in her. Plus, she thinks he’s hiding something. So what if he smells like a fresh garden and looks like a rich boarding school kid just begging to be debauched? Imogene has self-control. Or something.
As Celia’s pregnancy progresses at a freakishly fast pace, Imogene and Nicholas play an ever-escalating game of will they or won’t they, until his sexy maker shows up on Admiral Key, forcing Nicholas to reveal his true intentions toward Celia’s soon-to-arrive infant.
I love how you take the basis for your story and twist it. Was there a particular inspiration for your story?
Longboat Key, Florida. Every year, I make a pilgrimage to the weird, wacky area that is the Gulf Coast. A couple years back, I remember drinking a rum punch and thinking, “This would be a very silly place for vampires to live.” Obviously, I had to write a book about it. I’ve always loved vampires, ever since I discovered Anne Rice when I was a kid. My series is a bit different, though, because these vampires don’t take themselves seriously. They’re not mysterious, and they don’t glitter in the sun. They cuss a lot, swim in the ocean, and get into some ridiculous shenanigans … while falling in love, of course.
But of course! I have to say, you have one of the most interesting author photos I’ve ever seen! Have you always been…ah….different? What would your 12 year-old self think about where you are now?
Since I was a black-haired, Rocky Horror Picture Show-loving, goth kid, my 12-year-old self would probably be disappointed in how I haven’t changed at all. That said, she would be excited to be An Author Person, since I always dreamt of being a writer. She’d also be super excited about the hotness level of my husband.
Woo hoo!! Hot husbands are definitely a plus with being a grown up. I guess there are many perks of being a grown up. Your favorite quote seems to embrace that as well. Tell me about it.
Robert Downey, Jr. once said, “Listen, smile, agree, and then do whatever the f*** you were gonna do anyway.” It’s so true for writing and for life. Sometimes, all the advice in the world doesn’t mean anything if it sends you down the wrong path. Take advice, but be conscious of who’s giving said advice. Sometimes, you just gotta go by your gut.
Trusting yourself. That’s good advice for any writer. Are there authors that help you remember that? What books sit on your keeper shelf?
Pretty much anything by Christopher Buehlman, Rainbow Rowell, CS Pacat, or Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I’m a sucker for vampire books. (Did I just make a joke?) Seriously, I love vampire books, and I’ve been on a huge M/M romance kick lately. Currently, author KJ Charles is my spirit animal.
Thank you for sharing a bit of yourself with us today, Sara. Your book is getting some great reviews. Look what others are saying.
“Raunchy and irreverent, BITE SOMEBODY ELSE is a vampire romp oozing with sexual tension and laugh-out-loud surprises.” – Beth Cato, author of the Clockwork Dagger series
“Funny, sexy, and whip-smart, BITE SOMEBODY ELSE is a hilarious ride through the trials of vampire romance and what it means to be your own hero … and still fall for the swoony British guy.” – The Novel Novice
“In BITE SOMEBODY ELSE, Bauer concocts a devilish brew that’s one part What We Do In the Shadows and one part She’s Having a Baby. If you loved the charm and wit of Bite Somebody, its sequel is sure to intoxicate!” – E. Catherine Tobler, author of the Folley & Mallory series
“Chock full of unparalleled wit, the most unexpected and stupidly adorable love connection ever, and Imogene’s signature miniskirts, BITE SOMEBODY ELSE will have you laughing from cover to cover!” – Tiffany Michelle Brown, author of Give It Back
Now let’s get on to the real reason our readers are joining us. Read on for an exciting excerpt from Sara’s newest release. Available now. Links below the excerpt.
Excerpt
Then, behind her, the scuff of a shoe on tile caught her attention. Imogene turned in time to see a shadow disappear down another hall. Jesus, was the place a maze? She raced around the corner and ran smack into Nicholas’s chest.
She took a big breath of shocked air and her eyes vibrated in her head, because with that breath, she took a deep breath of him. For a guy who had no scent a couple days before, he now vibrated with mouth-watering echoes of fresh-picked basil, black pepper, and maybe a touch of peppermint. She latched onto the lapels of his suit and shoved her nose against his neck, which made him tense and try to step away. She held on and took steps with him.
“What is that?”
He shoved at her hands. “Miss… Imogene. I must ask you to desist.”
She opened her mouth and slopped an oval of saliva onto his neck. “Why do you smell like this?” she muttered against his skin.
He wrestled her hands off his suit and held her at arm’s length. “It’s the way I smell after I’ve fed.”
She kept trying to claw for more, but his hands around her wrists were like stone. “But you didn’t smell like anything at Celia’s house.” She stopped talking when she noticed her fangs were out. She was much too old to suffer premature efangulation.
“I hadn’t eaten in a few weeks.”
“A few weeks?”
“Age adds endurance.” He pushed her away with more force than was really necessary, but Imogene was well practiced in heels and didn’t falter. She did, however, casually cover her mouth. “Kindly never get that close to me again,” Nicholas said. He adjusted his suit.
His attitude made her fangs pop back into her head. She pointed her finger. “Don’t blame me. I didn’t know what I was walking into.” She spun around and strutted back into the main foyer. She flipped off the naked painting of Dr. Savage as she passed, the taste of Nicholas’s skin still haunting her mouth.
Thank you so much for being with us today at A Writer’s House, Sara. We’re really excited to have you share your latest release here and wish you all the best.
Be sure and visit Sara through her website or one of these links.
Or see her book on World Weaver Press or Amazon