Adding a special interview this week – in addition to my Tuesday Talent spot.
Today I’m tickled pink to have the talented Miss Stephanie Lawton. Her debut Young Adult novel, WANT, is now available for pre-order (here) and promises to be one awesome read. Stephanie is pretty awesome herself, as you’ll soon find out…
Me: What was the first book you read that grabbed you? What genre? Who is the author?
S.L: I was a voracious reader as a kid, so it’s hard to say which was the actual first, but I remember loving both the original Nancy Drew books as well as the Case Files that appeared in the late 80s? Early 90s?
I grew up in a small town and had to travel 45 minutes to get to a book store. I’d have them read by the time we got home. Oops.
Me: Is there an author that you get fan-girl crazy over? Have you ever met him/her? Do you want to?
S.L: This is embarrassing—yes, I met YA urban fantasy author Cassandra Clare last summer when she did a signing in New Orleans. I had conversed with her over email and Twitter because of the YA book blog I help with, so we sort of “knew” each other, but it didn’t prepare me for the real thing.
I totally froze up and looked at her like a deer in the headlights. BUT we managed to get a decent picture together so I just pretend we’re BFFs. I love you Cassie. *intense stare*
Me: What’s your:
- Favorite color? Periwinkle blue—it’s so calming and fresh
- Favorite season? Fall in the Midwest (we don’t have a real fall in the Deep South)
- Favorite Hero – movie or book? Mr. Darcy, hands down! (Especially Matthew Macfadyen.)
- Snack weakness (food or drink)? Cereal—my family can tell when I’m having trouble with a scene because I hit the cereal hard.
- What’s your Astrological sign? Taurus—I’m totally stubborn
- Do you write sweet and cuddly or toe-curling steamy lovin’ stories? My books are upper YA, so I can’t get too carried away, but they definitely lean toward the toe-curling steamy side. Probably a little more than they should …
- Do you read sweet and cuddly or toe-curling steamy lovin’ stories? I read mostly YA and it varies from book to book. As for adult books, I definitely gravitate toward toe-curling!
Me: What’s on your desk when you write?
S.L: I write at the kitchen table (sexy, right?) and I always have a glass of water. The other half of the table has my kids’ coloring books and crayons, and in the middle is usually a vase of flowers my husband picked for me (we’re big gardeners). Right now there’s a long-stem red rose he grew. (Awwww!)
Me: Do you write to music or quiet? If you do write with music, can you share one song that’s significantly impacted this story?
S.L: I envy people who can write with music playing. I can’t concentrate with lyrics because I inevitably wind up singing along. While writing Want, I listened to A LOT of Rachmaninoff and classical piano—no lyrics so it was good and really helped set the tone.
His Etude-Tableau #5 in D Minor Op. 33/5 comes up twice in pretty significant scenes. On the total opposite end of the spectrum is “You’re Going Down” by Sick Puppies.
Me:What’s your favorite line from your most recent release? Why?
S.L: I know I should pick something profound, but the smart-alec ones are my favorites. This probably sums it up best: “We don’t always get what we want, and sometimes, when we do, it isn’t worth the price.”
Me: What’s next? You don’t have to get specific – but feel free to leave a tantalizing snippet or cryptic hook.
I’m currently querying Shrapnel, a Southern ghost story with some soft horror, historical fiction and a tiny bit of LGBT.
Here’s the title line: “We carry secrets under our skin like shrapnel. Our surface wounds heal, but the damage festers underneath while we worry what tiny pieces will work their way to the surface for the world to see.”
But this is one of my favorite exchanges: You know in cartoons how steam comes out of the bad guy’s ears? Yeah, that’s Ms. Anne right now as she struggles to free herself. I push her over to a low antique chair. Again, I say a prayer for forgiveness. I lift up the back of Ms. Anne’s hoopskirt—thank God she’s wearing those white pants things underneath or I’d have to claw out my eyes—and drape the metal circle over the back of the chair while I force her to sit. If she wants to get up, she’ll have to take the chair with her. Add in a lack of balance because of her trapped arms, and I’m pretty sure the old lady ain’t going anywhere. “You’re giving up the chance of a lifetime,” she spits. “You know, there were lots of KGC operatives in Ohio. Maybe you’re fighting on the wrong side, boy. Ever think of that? Although I shouldn’t expect you Yankee kin to understand. Your generation doesn’t understand these things. You’ll see—one day the South will rise again. And when we do, we’ll be coming for you.” “Lady, I was taught to respect my elders, but your ass is stuck to a chair by a hoopskirt. I’m pretty sure you’ll never rise again unless I let you.”
Me: Who is your favorite character from Greek Mythology OR which Olympian would you want to be? And why?
Wow, what an interesting question. I always liked Persephone because when spoken, it sounds like my name. But I probably identify with Icarus the most because I tend to throw myself into things whole-hog and get burned.
Want to find and follow Stephanie – Here you go:
Website
Twitter: @Steph_Lawton
Facebook
