American Title IV Finalist - Holli Bertram

1) Tell us a brief bit about yourself.

I'm Holli Bertram. I grew up in Detroit reading my dad's Andre Nortons and my mom's Harlequins so writing paranormal romance seems like a pretty natural progression. I'm married, have three sons, and my day job is in sleep research.

2) What's your story about in a nutshell (ooo look, it's me in a nutshell!)?

Curses! is all about family, finding love, using our gifts, triumphing over evil...and hot sex.

3) Is it true you write in a trance?

Mostly I write in an office.

4) Don't you secretly wish the other contestants would just drop out?

Nah, the finalist email loop would get pretty lonely.

5) What is your favorite paranormal being and why?

Wizards, because they can eat normal food and walk around during the day. They don't turn into animals and leave hair all over the house. You find them everywhere - in Oz, at Hogwarts, getting pulled out of the closet and even in Kansas City playing soccer. They're good, they're evil, they're just like us, only they can do really cool things.

6) Ever had a paranormal experience yourself?

Nope. But my uncle was an exorcist and my sister swears she saw Jimmy Hendrix playing guitar while hovering over her bed - does that count?


7) What's your writing ritual?

Coffee. Email. More coffee. Check out favorite blogs. Bathroom. Start writing. Look out window. Coffee...

8) How much are you going to pee yourself if you win?

I'm going to try really hard to avoid doing that if I win. Though given the writing ritual above, it may be difficult.

9) If you could mud-wrestle any author, who would it be and why?

George Clooney. He's an author, honest. He once co-wrote a book called Bedside Manners. And of course the only reason I'd want to mud-wrestle with him is so that we could go out to the bar together afterwards and have a serious political discussion.

10) What kind of underpants would your main character wear?

My hero's a bit of an uptight guy, so briefs, but stylish black briefs.

11) You have to pick two cartoon characters to duke it out in a colossal battle, Godzilla-style. Who would you pick and how would it throw down?

Optimus Prime and any Pokemon. Okay, the Pokemon wouldn't exactly be Godzilla-style, but after sitting through a Pokemon movie that was the longest hour and fifteen minutes of my life, I would love to see Optimus crush one with a single massive step.

12) Alliance or Horde? Peas or carrots? Franks or beans?

Alliance.
Frozen peas, fresh carrots
Frankly? Beans.