Meet Laura Barnard

Hi all, today I’m really excited to have Laura Barnard – author of ‘The Debt and the Doormat’ – with us.  We are going to grill her a little and then squeeze some info about her latest book ‘The Baby & The Bride’ out of her.  So here is the interview: 

1. When did you know that you wanted to be a writer? Was there a single moment of clarity or did the knowledge just creep up on you?

I’ve always wanted to write a book, way back to when I was a teenager.  I think it came from my love of books and the fact that I’ve loved making up stories since I was little.  One year it was my new year’s resolution to start writing.  I didn’t plan a book.  I just forced myself to put something on paper and that quickly evolved. 

 

2. Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you write every day? At the weekends? Or like me – whenever you get the chance?

I write every evening once my daughter is in bed.  She’s only nineteen months so makes it impossible to do anything around her.  It’s actually a good thing, as it means I can clearly separate the two.  I write until at least midnight every night.  If I ever try to have an early night I can’t sleep, with ideas running through my head.  It’s better to type until I pass out!

 

3. What inspires you?

Everything really.  I’m a highly emotional person who sympathises with everyone’s side of view.  So I can listen to a song and cry, feeling the pain of the person who wrote it and I can try to understand the bitch in the story.  No-one is born evil, they are moulded by their circumstances.  I like to take ideas from these feelings.

 

4. Where did you get the idea for The Baby & the Bride – did you already have it planned when you wrote Debt and the Doormat?

I never originally planned to write a sequel, but then I had no idea how popular it would be!  Within weeks I was getting messages from fans and bloggers begging me to write a sequel.  It was a tough decision as I’d closed those characters’ lives in my head, but soon the ideas started flowing.

 

5. If you could choose any book in the world to have written which one would it be and why?

I’ve spent about thirty minutes on this question!  Such a hard one.  I would say Raw by Belle Aurora.  I thought it was such an amazing book and I was left with a serious book hangover afterwards.

 

6. If you could be any character from a book who would it be and why?

I’d love to be Katniss from Hunger Games.  She’s so kick arse, brave and smart.

 

7. What advice would you give to other writers out there who are thinking of self publishing their work?

I would tell them to go for it, but to research it fully.  I’d tell them not to take themselves too seriously, as some people won’t enjoy your work and that’s ok.

 

8. Who is, or are, your favourite author(s)?

I adore Sophie Kinsella and Lindsay Kelk.  They write quintessential chick lit that I know I can’t go wrong with.  Saying that I love so many others – Mia Sheridan, Tracy Bloom, Lisa Swallow, Belle Aurora – I could probably go on forever.

 

9. Do you write for a specific genre or do you like to dabble in several?

I write chick lit/romantic comedy and I feel that is the right genre for me at the moment.  As time goes by I might look into dabbling into other areas, but for now I’m happy with what I’m doing.

 

10. Okay some quick fire questions. Don’t think to hard just answer.

 

Super Villain or Super Hero? Super Hero

 

Ice-cream or chocolate? Chocolate

 

Beach or the Alps? Beach

 

Edward Cullen or Lestat? Edward Cullen – who is Lestat?

 

Keep the One Ring or throw it in Mount Doom? Keep the One Ring

 

Audio or Paperback? Paperback

 

Horror or Romance? Romance

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to let us interview you Laura…and why does no one really know who Lestat is? Anne Rice people! The Vampire Lestat!  Well Laura’s latest offering is available to buy on amazon now!

 

 

AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

Here is a blurb and a short excerpt:

Poppy and Jazz’s lives sound perfect on paper. Jazz has a new baby and Poppy’s getting married. But their realities are very different. 

Poppy must strive to keep her cool new job with crazy hours, while trying to keep Ryan happy. Before she knows it her wedding has got out of control, thanks to her mother, the runners at work are bullying her, her parents are in financial difficulty and she’s doubting everything and everyone she ever knew. 

Meanwhile Jazz is struggling with motherhood, something a credit card won’t fix. Why won’t this baby give her a break? Will Jazz be able to cope before she loses it? 

And will Poppy make it down the aisle? Will Ryan even be waiting?

Excerpt:

‘She looks scrawny,’ she eyes her suspiciously. ‘She must be a drinker.’

‘Mum, you’re a drinker,’ I giggle, rolling my eyes.

‘Only on special occasion’s darling!’ she protests, not meeting my eyes.

‘Did you drink last night?’

‘Yes,’ she shrugs.

‘And what were you celebrating?’ I smirk.

‘It was a Friday, darling. The end of the week. If that’s not something to celebrate, then I don’t know what is,’ she guffaws.

Author bio:

My name is Laura Barnard and I am an author from Hertfordshire, UK.  My first chick-lit novel, The Debt & the Doormat was an Amazon number 1 best-seller and won Best Laugh Out Loud Book of 2013.  It is available via Amazon, Smashwords, iBooks. Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository and many more.

 

In my spare time I enjoy drinking my body weight in tea, indulging in cupcakes the size of my face, drooling over hunks like Jamie Dornan, Ryan Gosling and Leo Dicaprio…oh and my husband of course!  I like wearing yoga clothes and reading fitness magazines while I sit on the sofa and eat chocolate.  I’m a real fan of the power nap and of course, READING!