Interview: Jennifer Laurens

Hello reading world!
Today, I have an interview with one of the most amazing and sweetest authors out there - Jennifer Laurens.

So, let's begin.

1. I've read a few times that you include some aspects of your personal life into your books, do you find that writing the experiences you've been through are easier to write? 


J: Harder to write to some degree. For instance, while writing Heavenly it was very challenging writing about my family's experience with our child who has autism. Everything that happens in that story, happened to us -- including my son's drug issues which were at a peak. ( They're back at a peak, sad to say ) but at least I was able to control SOME of the outcome in the book, whereas, I've little control in real life. Those types of hardships are difficult to revisit and write about. But I also believe they make the story feel real because they ARE real.


2. Which of your books was the easiest, which was the hardest and which was the most fun to write? 



J: Heavenly - the whole series - was challenging because the books are so personal.  Absolution was very hard because I'd never written a trilogy and had to tie up all the threads. But it came together very well and I was pleased with the ending. A Season of Eden flowed out.


3. So, just recently, Heavenly Trilogy was published in hardcover. First of all, big congrats!! Second, those covers are soooooo pretty!
Which do you personally prefer, hardcovers or paperbacks? 



J: Hardcovers - but only if I adore the artwork! If a cover is fabulous and it's in paperback I can love a paperback, too.

4. When you write a character, what are three things that are necessary to bring the character to life, to make him/her real? 
J: I usually ALWAYS insert characteristics from people I know, so that ensures the character feels real. I've been lucky enough to know a lot of people, travel and live a varied life - all of this adds to my writing.

5. So, Overprotected, one of your YA novels, talks about independence and overprotectivness and standing up for yourself. When you were writing it, what message were you trying to send to readers, if there was any? 


J: Much of my own issues with being an only child and feeling overprotected are covered in the book. My mother made me feel  like her very happiness revolved around whether or not I was home or not. There for her or not. To excess. My independence was a long struggle. I just thought it was a topic that hadn't really been addressed much in YA fiction and it was an interesting twist on it: father, daughter, love interest triangle.  I think parents need to let their children go when the time is right. For every child, that's different, but I've worked hard with my 6 children to be sensitive to letting them be independent.

6. Do you believe in happy ends? 


J: Definitely.

7. You mentioned a couple of times that you're working on a new project? YA, was it? Any chance you could give us a glimpse of what can we expect in it? 


J: Yes, I'm writing a YA story with paranormal elements. Right now, it's a dark love story. Is that a good hint?? :)


8. You often have giveaways, regularly answer to tweets and talk to your fans. How important do you find interacting with your fans is? 


J: HIGHLY important. A priority to me. I try to be available. I enjoy getting to know readers and I hope they feel that from me.

9. Okay, and lastly, do you have any messages or advices for your fans? 


J: I hope they share my books with their reader friends. As an indie author, I rely on word of mouth -- that means a lot to me, when someone contacts me saying, 'My friend told me about you!' Those comments are the best!


Okay, I want to thank Jennifer again for doing the interview :)


So, you can follow Jennifer's blog here: http://jenniferlaurens.blogspot.com/
Make sure to visit her site here: http://www.jenniferlaurens.com/
Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jenniferlaurens
Like her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jennlaurens

Also, please note that Jennifer has a giveaway going on her blog right now. Until the 7th, so hurry and enter! :)

Also, I here have the trailers for couple of Jennifer's novels:

Okay, I think that's it! :) Make sure that, if you haven't already, read any of Jennifer's books, because they. are. awesome.

Read on! :)