Questions and Answers
What are you currently working on?
My current project is a proposal for another historical paranormal. It uses the dagger and amulet from my first historical paranormal, A War of Hearts. (Written as Laurie Carroll)
Who (Fact or Fiction) would you most like to meet, and what would you ask them?
I'd like to meet Jesus, actually. I'd ask him what he thought of all the wars, hatred and persecution that have gone on "in His name". I'd also ask him how to go about putting an end to such things.
Is writing your full time occupation, if not what is?
My full time occupation is high school English teacher. I'd like to write full time, but can't afford to.
What was your first professional sale? How did it feel when you received the acceptance?
A War of Hearts was my first professional sale, back in 2001. I didn't get "The Call." I found out via email, as I was the primary line editor for ImaJinn Books at the time, and the editor, Linda Kichline, had written me about a manuscript I'd just gone over for her. The fourth paragraph down the letter, she said, "Oh, by the way, I love your proposal. If you're willing to make a few changes, we can publish this puppy." My out-loud reaction was, "Ohmigod!" It's an amazing feeling.
Who is your favourite author?
I can't narrow it down to a single favorite, so in alphabetical order: Ray Bradbury, Maureen Dowd (political editorialist), Eileen Dreyer, Molly Ivins (political columnist), Tami Hoag, Jayne Ann Krentz, Morgan Llywelyn, Nora Roberts (and J.D. Robb), J.K.Rowling, Carl Sandburg (poet), William Shakespeare, Sarah Teasdale (poet)
If you could give one piece of advice to a would-be author, what would it be?
Do it because you love writing and have to write, not because you think you're going to get rich and famous. Then, stick to it. A good friend of mine, who just made her first sale-to Silhouette Romance--is sixty-nine and started writing seriously back in 1984.
When did you first decide that you wanted to be an author?
I've been a storyteller since I could write, which was around four years old. So, I guess I've been a writer for almost all my life. I made the decision to actually try to write and get something published about twenty-five years ago.
Are you a music fan? If so, what?
My musical tastes are very eclectic. The only types I don't like are extreme heavy metal rock, some rap, punk, and hard core Country & Western. I gravitate more to pop, folk music, and classical, but I like a wide range of styles and artists. I also like Broadway show tunes, gospel, jazz and blues.
Do you have a favourite place to write?
In my home office. I've got all my tools there, like dictionaries, reference books, a thesaurus, my computer, etc. It's also close to the refrigerator if I need something to eat...
Do you enjoy book signings/conventions?
What is your favorite way to interact with your fans? I have a riot at book signings, although I haven't had too many of them for the simple fact that I've only got one book out, and one coming out at the end of this month (July). That's my favorite way to interact with fans. Talking is one of my strong suits.
Is there anything more that can be done with Wizards, Elves, dragons, and witches, etc.?
Absolutely. There are only so many different types of plots, anyway. It's what the author does with those plots via the characters she or he creates that makes great storytelling.
Bewitched was an obvious influence in Some Practical Magic, Do you plan to write more about the Kitchen Witch and / or are there any other series that you might so honor?
If I have my way, the Kitchen Witch will show up in a sequel, but not as the main character. The next story I've got in my head is Endora's story. I don't really plan to make another television show such a major part of the plot, but who knows what might happen.
Do you plan to see the remake of Bewitched with Nicole Kidman?
I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't realize there was going to be a remake! But I think I'd go see it. I like Nicole Kidman. She's a fabulous actress, and she did a great job in the remake of The Stepford Wives. So why not Bewitched?
What influences the names of people and places in your work?
Four of the settings in Some Practical Magic-Toledo, Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans-are places I've actually been, and most of them because of writers' conferences. I actually used a personal experience I'd had in New Orleans in SPM. I used Memphis because I have a good friend who's also a writer who lives there, and it was fun to email her and ask her where a book signing would be held, and what hotel would be good to put the characters in.
Do you use myths or religion for inspiration?
Myths are primarily tales of ancient religions, and of course all modern religions have their own stories, so I don't think anyone can escape at least the subconscious inspiration of both of them. Ultimately, many fictional conflicts revolve around the concept of good vs evil, which is a religious theme. I don't discount the idea that I might use a specific story from either myths or religion in future books.
What book are you reading at the moment?
I just finished Kill the Messenger, by Tami Hoag. She does dark stories so well. And she's a former romance writer, so there's always a bit of the romance element in her books, which I think makes them even more enjoyable. I'm also reading Stupid White Men by Michael Moore, which is about our current President and his administration. But I have to take that one in small doses because it makes me so angry.
I can't stand what George W. Bush has done to this country and the U.S.'s standing in the world. So, reading something that just confirms my own beliefs has to be taken a little at a time.
Do you enjoy collaborating?
I've never collaborated on a novel, but I do enjoy the collaboration between me and my editor. Linda's great to work with.
How does your approach to the editing role differ from that of writing?
When I edit, I use a red ink pen. When I write, I use a computer keyboard...Oh, you were serious! Actually, when I'm writing I try not to self-edit too much as the story's taking shape. Otherwise, it interrupts the creative flow, and I end up with a couple of paragraphs of grammatically perfect writing instead of two or three chapters of a good story that can be perfected, in content and mechanics, later. I do edit before I submit a manuscript, but I try to do it in bigger chunks--say, a chapter at a time-rather than every sentence and every paragraph, especially in the initial stages of the process.
If I'm actually line-editing something, and I've been a line editor at ImaJinn since the publisher's inception, I actually do use a red pen, and I've got every reference book I own-grammar books, dictionaries, thesauruses, quote books, history books, etc.-within reach in case I have to verify something. Of course, I'm editing someone else's story, so I'm not emotionally involved with the work. That makes it easier to take out (or put in) a comma, or change a word that might be used incorrectly.
Do You Always know a Story's Ending When You Begin Writing? Do the characters ever take over the story?
Because I write in a sub-genre of romance, I always know the ending in a generalized way. Since the romance is the major part of the book, the story always has to end with the hero and heroine getting together in some type of committed, monogamous relationship. Otherwise, you betray your readership. It's akin to a mystery writer leaving the mystery unsolved. The reader would feel completely let down because he or she is expecting to have all the questions the plot sets up resolved by the last page.
As for the characters taking over, that suits my writing style very well, as I rarely know the specific ending of a story before I set out to write it. Thus, I let the characters dictate the plot as I develop them. I don't do lots of pre-planning, like many writers do. Outlining and mapping and those techniques don't work very well for me. Unless I'm writing a proposal, which traditionally requires a synopsis and the first three chapters of the book, I write my synopsis after I've written the story. The proposal synopsis rarely resembles the book when I get it finished.
I like to come up with some "What if?" questions, think up possible answers to those questions, and go from there. Such as, "What if a young woman loses her entire family and fortune and wants to get revenge?" How could that happen? Once I determine the hero and heroine's G-M-C's (Goal, Motivation and Conflict, in case you've never read Deborah Dixon's book on writing), then I let them loose to pursue the answers to those questions.
Some Practical Magic got started during a conversation with a fellow writer. I had said if I ever got the notion to write a "domestic help" book—a joke in itself, since I'm probably the most disinterested housekeeper on the planet—I'd call it When Dust Bunnies Attack. We laughed ourselves silly over that, and then I got to thinking "What if someone wrote a self-help book like that..." That, of course, became the title of the book my heroine has written in Some Practical Magic. I had to make Cassie a witch because who wouldn't want to just snap their fingers and have all the windows in the house washed?
Have you won any awards for your writing?
A War of Hearts was a finalist for Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart contest, which is for unpublished manuscripts. Obviously, that was before I sold it. I also placed second in a scene contest with a scene from a currently unsold manuscript.
What do you have coming out, and do you have a backlilst under this or a pen name?
Some Practical Magic will be out at the end of July, from ImaJinn Books. My first book, A War of Hearts (written as Laurie Carroll) is still available from ImaJinn, and I'm, as I said earlier, working on a proposal for another historical paranormal romance. So, stay tuned!
Many Thanks, Laurie!
Relevant LinksLaurie C. Kuna Main Bibliography