Interview with Carla Laureano and GIVEAWAY!!!

Answer the question in red in the comments and leave contact information to be entered to win a copy of TWO (2) of Carla Laureano's books! 

1.       Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I have always loved inspirational fiction, but at the time I started writing seriously for publication, most of the titles seemed to be either historical or small-town/western contemporaries. Since having children, I’ve embraced the suburban life, but at heart I’m a big-city girl who loves travel. When I started this series, I saw an opportunity to write characters who have similar interests and experiences as me.

2.     What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I have a ton of crafty hobbies involving yarn and fabric. I love to cook and bake, visit museums, and watch live performances (dance, plays, concerts).  I also like to garden, but gardening doesn’t seem to like me—I have a black thumb! The extent of my efforts this summer will have to be a patio herb garden.

3. What advice would you give to a beginning author?

 Write. A lot. I know it’s tempting to spend a lot of time on social media and blogs to build your platform, but I’ve seen too many writers get so caught up in the marketing aspect that they forget to perfect their craft. The only way to get published is to write as much as you can for as long as it takes. It took me fifteen years to get my first contract…so try not to be discouraged if it doesn’t happen quickly. Just. Keep. Writing.

4. Tell us about London Tides – a brief blurb:

Irish photojournalist Grace Brennan travels the world’s war zones documenting the helpless and forgotten. After the death of her friend and mentor in the field, Grace is shaken.

She returns to London hoping to rekindle the spark with the only man she ever loved—Scottish businessman Ian MacDonald. But he gave up his championship rowing career and dreams of Olympic gold years ago for Grace ... only for her to choose career over him. Will life’s tides bring them back together ... or tear them apart for good this time?

5. What one question would you like us to ask your readers? 

If you could travel to one place in the world you’ve never been, where would it be and why?

6. Tell us about the giveaway you’re offering.

One winner will win a copy of the first two books in the MacDonald Family Trilogy: the RITA award-winning Five Days in Skye and my newest release, London Tides.

7. How did London Tides get started?

Ian MacDonald was a minor player in Five Days in Skye, and he’s somewhat of a prickly character, but I knew he had a story to tell. In the first book, I hinted that he was suspicious of love because he still harbored bitterness over Grace, “the one that got away.” At the time, I hadn’t pinned down the whos, hows, and whys of that relationship. When it came time to write London Tides, I asked myself, what would be compelling enough to make a woman leave her fiancé…and justifiable enough that he would even consider taking her back? Grace Brennan, my photojournalist with a near-compulsive need to shed light on the injustices of war, was born.

8. Tell us about your research process.

For minor elements, like particular locations with which I’m unfamiliar, I research the information as needed. For major elements that will affect how I write the character--the hero or heroine’s occupation, for example--I learn as much as I can before I start writing. For Ian, who was once an Olympic rower, I spent months learning about British rowing culture, through sports memoirs, official publications, YouTube videos, online forums, and personal interviews. These first person accounts really let me get into the mindset required to succeed in the sport, which in turn influenced how I wrote the character.

9. What impact did your research have on you personally?

The research into Grace’s character had a great personal impact on me. In the course of trying to understand what it was like to be a journalist working in war zones, I read photographer autobiographies, spent hours looking at photo essays, researched the (modern) history of conflict in the Middle East and Africa, and learned about how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) work in the developing world. It opened my eyes to the needs outside my insulated American life, and once that happened, I could no longer turn a blind eye. What that means for me long term, I’m still not sure, but I felt immediately challenged to get connected with two organizations that are making strides in promoting education, justice, and economic development, all with a Christian worldview—Beauty for Ashes Uganda and International Justice Mission. 

10. Where can readers find you online?

I love to hear from readers via email at Carla@CarlaLaureano.com. Or you can track me down online at any of these places: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest

About Carla

Carla Laureano is the author of the RITA® award-winning romance Five Days in Skye as well as the Celtic fantasy series The Song of Seare (as C. E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons.