"Reading with Rippa" sensation and New York Times bestselling author Vicki Lewis Thompson is optimistic about life, nerds, and big, furry fantasy creatures in this week's AuthorView. Read on ...

MB: What or who inspired your novel?

VLT: I've always been fascinated by the idea that you can have fame and fortune, but still crave respect. Actors seem especially vulnerable to this -- they're on the cover of People, but they haven't won an award for their acting ability, and they want that more than being a household name. I'm not sure if Jennifer Aniston fits in that category, but I used her as a role model for my heroine, Zoe Tarleton. Her drive for respect sends her into the arms of her nerdy entertainment lawyer, Flynn Granger.

MB: What do you like most about your novel?

VLT: Turns out I loved Bigfoot most of all! Bigfoot started out as a side note in the book, but I got very attached to him by the end.

MB: Who is the most heroic person you know?

VLT: I know too many heroic people to single one out as the most heroic of all. My husband, my daughter and my son are all heroic, in that they have great personal courage. That is the kind of heroism that touches me more than a grand public gesture.

MB: Who's your romance hero: dark, brooding bad boy or white knight in shining armor?

VLT: I'm definitely in the white knight camp! I've never been a big fan of brooding. I want to shout at them, get over yourself!

MB: Answer the question you wish an interviewer would ask.

VLT: I am so incredibly beautiful because I am pure of heart. JUST KIDDING!! How about this: I write romances because I operate from "the glass is half full" side of life. Optimism turns me on, and romance is all about optimism. Even the sex is about optimism. Pessimists make lousy lovers. I love writing about characters discovering the best in themselves, in others, and in the world around them.