When Laura isn't writing, reading or thinking about writing or reading, she's a music lover (and terrible singer), pet cuddler, beach-goer, runner (*cough* jogger), passionate foodie, caffeine addict, tennis player, lipstick wearer, Harry Potter fangirl (yes, still), housework dodger and relentless chatterbox.
1. Why did you want to become a writer?
I get to make stuff up and write it down for a living—what’s not to love? In all seriousness, nothing gets my blood pumping like writing. I happily do it for twelve hours a day because I love it so much, and it doesn’t feel like work. It’s creative, rewarding, insanely challenging... it’s perfect.
2. What's the toughest part of the writing process for you?
Most people will say the near-constant rejection, but for me it’s the waiting. Publishing is a slow business. And as anyone who knows me will tell you, I’m the least patient person on the planet. So I find it hard waiting for feedback and waiting for the process to progress. The plus side is that my impatience means I write super fast!
3. What's the most enjoyable part of writing?
When you’re in the flow and your fingers can hardly keep up with your brain, it’s so electrifying. I also love when you read through a manuscript you’ve written and realise there are really awesome recurring themes/imagery. Most of the time this has to be accidental for me, or it ends up too heavy-handed.
4. Out of all the amazing books out there, which book do you wish you had written and why?
The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. It’s just awesome—the worldbuilding, the characters, the plots, everything. I adore it!
5. If you could only save one of your characters from fictional calamity, which would you pick and why?
I’d love to be able to go back in time and save Kayla’s brother, Gabe. He’s sweet and thoughtful and ambitious, and it sucks that he died. I’m mean.
6. If you could spend the day with your favourite literary character (not from your books), who would you spend it with and what would you do?
Four from Divergent. And I couldn’t tell you what we’d do without tagging this post NSFW... *creepy wink face*
7. What can we expect next from you?
I’m working on both a new suspense novel and a four-book YA fantasy series. So it’s full steam ahead at my little writing desk right now.
8. Is there any particular writing advice you wish you'd been given at the start of your writing career?
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. You don’t have to create new genres or create a story that’s so mind-blowing you don’t even know where to start writing it. Solid pacing, characterisation, structure, world-building and conflict are so much more important. There are no new stories, just new ways to tell them, and your uniqueness as a writer comes from your voice.
9. Tell us what a typical writing day involves for you.
Okay, I sleep a lot. So I’ll wake up around half eight after sleeping for about ten hours (yes, really), eat breakfast, drink coffee then get to work. On a writing day I shoot for 5,000 words (I’m a trained journalist so I’m naturally speedy), but in that time I try to get outside for some fresh air and a jog, or see a friend, or just go for a wander. I also run a query critique service, so I’ll spend a few hours a day on client work too. I’m usually writing on and off all day until about 10pm, but that’s just because I love it so much, not out of obligation or anything. What can I say—I love my job!
10. Finally, what are you reading at the moment?
ALL THE RAGE by Courtney Summers. It’s both amazing and awful, and it makes you very angry about the world. It’s a very important book, and all women (men, too!) should read it this year.
*
“Ignorance is bliss...until there’s blood involved”Drenched in blood and sitting in the sweltering interview room of a Thai police station, Kayla Finch knows that Sam, the love of her life, is dead. It doesn't matter that there's no body. All that blood can only mean one thing.
It isn't the first time Kayla's had blood on her hands. After finding her brother dead by his own hand, she tried to outrun her grief by escaping to Thailand. Heart-broken, the last thing she expected was to find love on the smoggy streets of Bangkok. But everyone Kayla loves seems to wind up dead.
Returning home to England, Kayla is left with a barely-functioning family, a string of gruesome nightmares and the niggling feeling that nothing is as it seems. And as she confronts her brother's suicide, she starts to suspect that something is very wrong.
Three months. Two tragedies. One connection: there's more to both cases than anyone is willing to admit. And Kayla’s determined to uncover the truth… no matter what the cost.
No comments