Interview with Eryn LaPlant...
When did you first realize you wanted to be a
writer?
How long does it take you to write a book?
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
How do your books get published?
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
When did you write your first book and how old were you?
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
What does your family think of your writing?
Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Do you like to create books for adults?
What do you think makes a good story?
Best Selling Author of
I was 16 and a friend of mine, Dawn Taylor, and
I would write love stories involving us and the New Kids on the
Block. They were always so fun to write and trade later for reading.
Pretty soon, I began thinking of new stories that had nothing to do
with the early 90s boy band and the itch to constantly write was
born.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It depends what else is going on in my life,
honestly. If I am home and have 8 hours solid a day to write, I’ll
have a book done in three or four months. But if I’m working out in
the real world, then it takes a lot longer. My current WIP, Falling
for Phoenix, has been 6 months in the making already and maybe
2/3rds finished.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I cannot write hungry, so I have to be well fed
first. Breakfast, write, lunch, write, gym break before my son gets
home from school, then write again in the parking lot of his school
waiting for the little guy to come out. That, of course, is when I
don’t have a day job. I double as a nanny. Currently though, I have
a family I’m working with family who have a 15 month old, and
newborn, so I write when I can during naps and meals. The little ones
come first.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Chewing gum. It’s strange and on really good
roll my jaw hurts as much as my fingers do at the end of the day.
Somehow chewing like a cow, chomping, snapping, popping gum helps me
zone out and get into the story. I greatly apologize to those around
me when I write.
How do your books get published?
I have both a publisher for my historical
fiction books and self-publish my contemporary romance series,
Falling for Heroes. When it comes to the self-publishing
side, I have an excellent editor, several first round readers, and
design my own covers to bring those books to public. I love the
process.
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Any and everywhere! For Beneath the Wall,
my first book, my parents had taken my sisters and me to see the
Broadway play Miss Saigon, and I couldn’t shake the idea of
what would’ve happen to the child at the end of the play. From
there, my mind created the story of Mack Roberts and Julianne Parker.
Another interesting origin happened when I was
visiting Plano, Illinois. The movie Man of Steel was filmed on
their Main Street and I wandered into an alleyway wondering if during
the filming were there a crime going on, would the actor who played
Superman embrace his hero and try to save the day, or would he back
out and not help the victim at all, knowing he was only an actor. The
whole ride home my mind buzzed with the idea and the next day I
started writing out the plot for Falling for Shock, the first
book in the Falling for Heroes series.
All of my books, Beneath the Wall, The Blue
Lute, Falling for Shock, Falling for Freedom, and Falling for
Phoenix all have unique origins and in this time I love the
feeling of the story coming over my mind and preventing from thinking
of much else. It’s a rush of intellect and creativity flowing
through one’s veins all at once. It’s really cool to experience.
When did you write your first book and how old were you?
Publically published though, would be my
historical fiction, Beneath the Wall, when I was 34. I had
been writing it on and off since my college years and never did
anything with it until my husband gave me the ol’ line, “You’ll
never know if its good unless you submit it and see.” I did and was
rejected many times until finally two publishing companies were
heavily evaluating it and one jumped to the contract before the
other. The rest is history (pun intended).
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Oh gosh, everything. I love playing with my 8
year old son, Cameron. He’s extremely active and always has me
playing soccer, football, basketball, or video games on rainy days. I
also am a crossfitter and love to bike, run, and weight lift. This
past month I finally passed over the 200 lb lifting mark. It’s so
exciting knowing I’m lifting something that’s both heavier than
myself and the people in my family. There’s a security in being
strong, knowing that if something bad were to happen, I’d have the
ability and strength to lift them to safety.
What does your family think of your writing?
I’m sure they’d say the PC answer that it’s
awesome and they support me no matter what, but deep down I’m sure
they aren’t thrilled when the dishes are piled in the sink and mom
is MIA during a writing sprint. They know if I am on a roll not to
bother me and that’s when problems happen.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
There’s more than being an author than just
writing. There’s promotion, self-promotion, social media, and it
can be quite daunting sometimes. Some days I’d rather just write
and not be bothered with the rest.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I have 4 books on the shelf right now, and 2 in
the works. And choosing my favorite is like asking to pick a favorite
child. Each one has a special place in my heart.
Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Don’t listen to every little “better
yourself” suggestion. Just write. Then when you edit, check some of
those articles or pieces of advice such: don’t use adverbs; don’t
get stuck on like, as, that, and very. If you get
caught up on how to write while you’re writing, you won’t get
your idea out and you will lose yourself in the rules.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
All the time! I’m love talking to people,
especially readers. There’s nothing better than talking to people
about the books you’ve created. It’s kind of like sharing an
imaginary friend with a whole bunch of people.
Do you like to create books for adults?
Uhh, yeah! I love love and love love stories,
so when I can talk about loving and kissing and holding, and yes,
sex, then I’m a happy girl! My stories aren’t made for
those under the age of seventeen.
What do you think makes a good story?
Number one in my books is having well-rounded,
fully developed characters. The books are nothing without the
characters and if I can’t relate to them, then I change and switch
them until I am.
As a child, what did you want to do when you
grew up?
I was a fantasy maker when I was a child,
always pretending to be someone else, dressing up, renaming myself. I
wanted to be everything and was always changing my mind as to what I
specifically wanted to be when I grew up. Who knew that doing all of
those things was preparing me to be what I truly found is my gift…
being a writer.
Thank you for inviting me here today and asking
such insightful questions. If you’d like to read more about my
writing processes, or behind the scenes moments in my books, please
check out my blog: www.novelisterynlaplant.wordpress.com
You can also find me on social media:
Facebook: Eryn LaPlant http://on.fb.me/10fGbYs
Twitter: @erynalicia
Instagram: @erynalicia
You can find my books on both Amazon and Barnes
and Noble.com, in paperback and ebook form.
Beneath the Wall
Amazon: http://amzn.to/X3vYct
B&N: http://bit.ly/TOI9aa
The Blue Lute
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1daMSOg
Falling for Shock
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1hcucNu
Falling for Freedom
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ArldpU
Bio:
Eryn LaPlant is quite the
Renaissance woman, describing herself as “a woman of many trades…a
wife, a mother, an antiques collector, a painter, a baker, a
gardener, a photographer, a historian and my favorite by far a
novelist (well except the first two in my list).” Her romantic book
series Falling for Heroes Series
has really struck a chord with readers, sweeping fans of contemporary
romance off their feet with Falling
for Shock and Falling
for Freedom. She is currently
working on her latest novel in that series, Falling
for Phoenix. Her foray into
historical fiction has also left fans wanting more with The
Blue Lute and Beneath
the Wall. Eryn is married and
lives with her husband, son, and fluffy Pomeranian in Illinois.
Best Selling Author of
Beneath the Wall
The Blue Lute
Falling for Shock
Falling for Freedom
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