Interview with Lori prncssgeek@gmail.com
Published 2013-09-13.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
When I'm not writing, I'm either hanging out with my family watching movies, playing xbox with the kids or building something.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Friends suggest them. I look for new authors writing in topics/genres I enjoy.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Not really, it was something in the 9th grade that my English teacher, Mr. Taylor pushed me to write for some contest.
What is your writing process?
Lots of coffee, lots of background music, and usually no one in the house. When all that is met, I write an outline, layout the chapters, write a rough draft, fill in the blanks, pass it off to my editor, cry when she hands it back, fix it, hand it back to my editor and cross my fingers.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
The first story I ever remember reading was Charlotte's Web. I was living on a ranch at the time and I remember how much like the little girl I was, no friends but the pig. Major difference, she had a happy life, I feared for mine.
How do you approach cover design?
For Shattered, I knew exactly what I wanted. I had a picture of myself sitting on the front porch of a house where I suffered some of the worst beatings. The broken glass effect on the picture shows how shattered my life was at the time. For the rest of the books, I'm lucky enough to have a friend (Pamela Willis Watters) who is an amazing artist, she painted the covers for the next two, one way before I even knew her. She has the ability to paint what I'm feeling without me even saying a word. I can't sing her praises enough.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
1) Gone with the Wind, because I can identify with Scarlett. She did what she had to do to take of her family.
2) Whispers by Dean Koontz because I read it while I was pregnant with my daughter
3) Not a book but a series, The Lost Swords series by Fred Saberhagen because it took me to a world where I could escape.
4) Ender's Game, because it was a special book shared with me by a special person in my life.
5) Flowers in the Attic, VC Andrews, because even though it was a work of fiction, it hit close to home.
What do you read for pleasure?
Mostly horror, science fiction, murder mysteries, no romance novels.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
The kindle app for my tablet.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
Word of mouth has worked so far, I'm looking into other things though.
Describe your desk
A mess! Two monitors, my tablet, pens, papers, remotes, anything you can think of almost clutters my desk. Sometimes even a cat! It's truly embarrassing!
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
My first book, is about my life growing up, so it very much influenced my writing. I grew up in a highly abusive home. We didn't stay in one place very long so, I didn't "grow up" any place really, I was drug from place to place.
When did you first start writing?
I've been writing since high school.
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