Blog Ring of Power Presents: Lauralyn Elliott

  

Lauralynn Elliott is an independently published author of paranormal and fantasy romance books, as well as some horror. She started the indie journey several years ago and has never regretted it, loving the freedom to publish what she wants when she wants. You will find everything from vampires and ghosts to elves and wizards in her novels and novellas. She enjoys putting a little bit of a different twist on some of the old ideas about our favorite fictional characters.

Lauralynn lives in the southeastern United States with her husband of many years. She has two grown sons whom she adores. Reading, playing computer games, and spending time with friends are some of her favorite activities.

 Author Contact Information 

Blog - Facebook page - Goodreads author page - Twitter (@lauralynnelliot) Amazon Author Page -  Smashwords Author Page

 Don’t miss the rest of Lauralynn’s interview with the Blog Ring of Power at:

• Sandra
• T.W. Fendley

Section #4: About Your Current Work

BRoP: Tell us about your new book and when it is out? Where can people purchase it? 

LE: I just released a new book called Fire Wizard. The love scenes (not sex scenes) were fun to write in this one. So far, it is on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. It should be on Kobo and iBooks soon.

BRoP: Is there anything new, unusual, or interesting about your book? How is it different from other books on the same subject? 

LE: I’m not sure there is another book on EXACTLY the same subject. Instead of vampires, ghosts, and werewolves, this one is about a race of people who can create and control fire.

BRoP: What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why? 

LE: The love scenes were fun. And the scenes where they were dealing with the bad guy was also fun.

BRoP: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in this book? 

LE: I wouldn't change a thing. I think authors drive themselves crazy worrying about this sometimes, so it’s best to let it be and be happy with their books.

BRoP: Tell us about your book’s cover – where did the design come from and what was the design process like? 

LE: This is the first cover where I actually did a custom shoot with the model. My cover artist, Anya Kelleye, did the photography. She and I disagreed on which photo should be used for the cover, but we ended up using the one I liked. She had some trouble with this one. She wanted to get the fire on the cover just right. I think she was satisfied with the final product.

Section #5: Words of Wisdom

BRoP: Tell us about your route to success – how/when did you decide to self-publish? Did you query an agent first? How did you handle the editing, proofreading, cover design, etc. 

LE: I’ve never queried an agent. I actually used a vanity press for the first book. Then ebooks came along. Then CreateSpace for print books. I’m kind of a control freak, so self-publishing is perfect for me. I couldn’t stand the thought of waiting until a publisher said my book would come out when I could publish myself and do it when it was ready. One of my beta readers is actually an editor, so she catches my errors or plot holes. My cover artist is my best friend, so she’s done all of my covers. She started doing it just for me, and now she does covers for lots of authors. 

BRoP: What are the most important elements of good writing? 

LE: I know this isn’t what most authors would say, but this is what I believe. The most important thing in writing is the ability to entertain. You can talk about the “three acts” or “pinch points” and “plot points” all you want, but if your book isn’t entertaining, none of the rest of it matters. Keep the reader engaged and excited. Try to touch their emotions. 

BRoP: Do you have any advice for other writers? 

LE: Please make sure your book is edited properly. I read so many books that make me cringe with all the mistakes. And don’t give up! The only way to sell books is to keep writing them.

BRoP: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? 

LE: Buy my book! No, I’m just kidding. LOL. What I really want to say is that I appreciate each one of you so much. Without readers, where would authors be? I don’t understand authors who keep themselves away from the readers. I like to interact with all of you! 

BRoP: What are your current / future project(s)? 

LE: I’m currently working on a “cozy mystery”, so I’m watching a lot of old episodes of “Murder, She Wrote”. I’ve got a Science Fiction romance in my head, too.

When an arsonist sets a series of fires hotter than anything the local firefighters have ever seen, Finn McLain becomes the prime suspect. But all he’s trying to do is find out which of his fellow fire wizards is really guilty.

Niki Hansen is a firefighter who rushes into fires to save those trapped inside but always remains unscathed. She wants nothing more than to find out who’s setting these fires that burn everything down to ash, including the bodies of the victims.

When Finn sees Niki, he realizes she may be the first female fire wizard in a century. When she accuses him of setting the fires, he convinces her he’s innocent. But will he be able to convince her to embrace her unique abilities? While they try to find out who’s behind the fires, they end up starting a few fires of their own.

 Buy/Book Links

Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Smashwords

Is your book in print, ebook or both? Ebook right now, but print is coming soon.