(I haven’t posted in a while ((besides IWSG)) and it’s not because I’m dead or depressed or stuck in a Walking Dead marathon – I’m writing. I don’t know what I’m writing or why, but it’s coming out of me like good looks and charm, so I’ve got to catch it while I can. More on this later.)
With that out of the way, I’m very pleased to welcome author Lori MacLaughlin, who has recently released the her second book, Trouble By Any Other Name, sequel to Lady, Thy Name Is Trouble.
road in steppe receding into the distance
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a lifelong Vermonter (northeastern USA for readers outside the States) with two wonderful teens. My parents instilled in me a love of reading, so it wasn’t much of a stretch to go from reading stories to creating my own. I grew up on a dairy farm and used to spend a lot of time running around in the woods, imagining I saw fairies and dreaming up swashbuckling adventures. The most fun things I’ve done so far, not related to writing, are flying a sail plane, driving the length and breadth of Great Britain seeking out castles and ruins, and going to Disney World.
How did you get into writing?
My mother is responsible for that. I was not long out of high school when she first suggested I write down some of the stories in my head. I thought, okay, why not try it? I had no idea how much fun it would be to make my stories come alive with words. When I’m on a roll, it’s nirvana.
How did you come up with the idea for your story?
I’ve always been a tomboy, and when I was younger, I enjoyed doing what would be considered more boyish things like driving tractors and doing farm work. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I was caught in a dress. A girly princess I was not.
So the main character I created for my stories was a lot like me. More ranger or pirate than princess, handy with a sword and able to take care of herself. I wanted to be the one doing the rescuing, not the one who needed to be rescued. I created stories where she could do just that. I made up adventures for her that I would like to have that fit into the maps I’d drawn of my imaginary world.
Who are your favorite authors?
Hmmm… for fantasy authors I’d have to say J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Brooks, Ursula K. LeGuin, Patricia A. McKillip, and Cornelia Funke… to name a few.
If you could only recommend one book, which would it be?
J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is heroic fantasy at its best.
*Bonus * What one person (living or dead) would you share a meal with? And why?
I would choose J.R.R. Tolkien. I would love to talk with him about his maps and how he created Middle Earth.
Thank you, Lori for being here with us! And congratulations on the release!
***
Lori L. MacLaughlin traces her love of fantasy adventure to Tolkien and Terry Brooks, finding The Lord of the Rings and The Sword of Shannara particularly inspirational. She’s been writing stories in her head since she was old enough to run wild through the forests on the farm on which she grew up.
She has been many things over the years – tree climber, dairy farmer, clothing salesperson, kids’ shoe fitter, retail manager, medical transcriptionist, journalist, private pilot, traveler, wife and mother, Red Sox and New York Giants fan, muscle car enthusiast and NASCAR fan, and a lover of all things Scottish and Irish.
When she’s not writing (or working), she can be found curled up somewhere dreaming up more story ideas, taking long walks in the countryside, or spending time with her kids. She lives with her family in northern Vermont.
You can find her here:
Buy Links
I wonder what Tolkien would smell like. Probably old man and tobacco smoke.
Good luck with the book launch!
Now that’s an interesting question. You’re probably right.
Thank you!
Thank you very much, C.G., for hosting me! And yay for all that writing going on! May the words keep flowing.
It was a pleasure having you! And congrats again on the release 🙂
Visiting castles in Britain sounds like a load of fun. I’d go for that. I also grew up in a house next to woods and a lake so I’d consider myself a tomboy. Boo to dresses.
It was tons of fun. And dresses definitely do not mix well with tree-climbing and other fun stuff. 🙂
Great interview!
Thank you!
Grats, Lori! It was fun to learn more about you. 🙂
Thanks, Loni!
That’s great that your mother got you into writing. It’s a little the opposite with me. But if I think it about it, if it wasn’t for the books she had laying around, which got me into reading than led me to writing, I guess she did. Great interview Lori.
Thank you, Lidy!