WRITER OF ROMANCE AND HISTORICAL FICTION
Join us for a chat with the USA Today best-selling author of THE WARTIME MATCHMAKER and numerous other novels, all great reads!
What led or inspired you to start writing fiction? And how did you end up choosing your specific genre(s)?
I’ve always been a writer and have been writing stories since the 3rd grade when I learned you could do it as a career. I didn’t choose romance until I was in law school and a fellow writer pointed out that my attempts at epic fantasy were actually more romantic, so I changed genres and haven’t looked back since.
What’s your most recent published book? What’s it about?
My most recent book is a historical fiction book with romantic elements called The Wartime Matchmakers and it is set in WWII England. It’s based on a true story about two women who started London’s first dating agency during the war.
Tell us a bit about your process. Do you write every day? Do you have a specific coffee shop where you write?
I always write best in public where there’s activity. I feel it energizes me. So, I either work at coffee shops, restaurants or the library. I even write at a grocery store that has a small cookhouse in it. I change places frequently to keep engaged with new surroundings. I try to write 5 or 6 days a week and depending on deadlines average about 2,500 words a day.
What tips do you have for other authors working on their books? Things you’ve learned that you like to share with newer authors?
Figure out what you love to write and write it well. Then learn to market to that sub-genre or sub-area.
What’s it like working with Andrea and Michele of Two Birds?
I love working with Michele and Andrea. They are both positive with their editing and always work toward making your book the best. They aren’t negative or unhelpful the way some editors can be. They lift you up with positive editing, which is the best way for me to work.
How did you end up choosing to work with us? What is the most helpful tip you can offer to authors who, like you, want to find the right editor for their books?
Find an editor who specializes in or has some familiarity with your genre. Ask the editor for a sample edit of 3 to 5 pages. If the edits stress you out or the comments are negative, that may not be a good editor. Good editors can provide constructive criticism without making you upset.
Where can authors and readers connect with you, and find your books?
You can find me at www.laurensmithbooks.com — which has all of my social media links and book retailer links.
