I got the opportunity to ask author of 'love me, crazy' (review here) Laura Burton some questions about her book, being published and the writing process. Here's what she had to say:
How long did it take you to write love me, crazy?
The first draft took my 2.5 weeks, it was my NaNoWriMo novel back in 2013 (a competition for writers to complete 50,000 words during the month of November). The book sat on my computer until 2018 where I stumbled across it and stayed up until 4am reading it. Realising I was sitting on something pretty special I then took 3 months to re-write it and have it edited for publication.
Do you have any tips on planning a narrative?
Yes...and no. I like to write fast-paced, easy reads. To achieve that, I need to stay in the characters head and drip feed information through the action. Several paragraphs of information dumping won’t work. So if I need to write some backstory or describe a place, I have to plan how I write it. At the same time, I go with what “feels” true to my main character. So if that person’s brain goes off on tangents and wants to talk about how they make a sauce in every detail, I have to go along with it.
What was the publishing process like?
The publication process is daunting, stressful and exhilarating. It takes a team to bring a book to publication. Editors, proof readers, cover designers, advisers. It’s been a massive learning curve for me and I’m still learning. Even after pressing publish, I’ve pulled the book had uploaded new editions due to more edits. Then there’s blurb writing, using keywords, studying categories and marketing your novel. You think the hard work is done when you’ve written the book, right? Wrong, there’s a lot of work involved!
What's the best thing about having a published book?
Well, I have love meeting other authors, book reviewers, bloggers...everyone in the community is so lovely and supportive. But for me, when I get a message from a reader who stayed up all night finishing my book and loved it, I feel like my job is done. Knowing that I helped someone escape from their worries and troubles and go on an exciting and thrilling adventure...That is the best feeling in the world.
Did you always think you'd become a writer?
Ever since I can remember at least. When I finished reading Return of the King my mind was set. I needed to write, and I did. By the time I was 16 I had written four full-length novels. And I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
Do you have another book in the works?
My second book “Love Me, Sweetie” was published in February 2019. It’s about a young woman who inherits a struggling sweet shop. She meets Daniel who adores her from the beginning. Problem is, he’s the bad guy who wants to close down her store and turn it into a gluten-free cafe. It’s an emotional romance inspired by the old 1990s romances like, “You’ve Got Mail” and “Runaway Bride.” The third in the series is “Love Me, Dreamy” which is another romantic suspense and will be released this summer.
What's your favourite book?
The curious incident of the dog in the nighttime. It’s about a boy with aspergers, which is what I have. I read it and realised this boy spoke and thought like me. It helped me to realise that my brain is different.
If you get the chance you should most definitely check out my review for love me, crazy and also Laura on goodreads and instagram, she's such a lovely lady and deserves all the love check her out here. Thank you so much for reading and let me know if there's any other indie authors you would like me to interview and thank you so much to Laura for answering all my questions :)