Earlier this week I had a poll over on Rea Book Review page on Facebook. With so many great books all being released this month I wanted to see what book everyone was eagerly awaiting to get their hands on. Lessons In Laughing Out Loud by Rowan Coleman came out on top. To celebrate coming top in the poll and with her book release date fast approaching Rowan agreed to an interview with Rea Book Review.
What made you choose a career in Writing?
I didn't exactly 'choose' a career in writing, I yearned, hoped and longed for one. Before I finally became a full time writer I worked around books in one way or another for almost ten years, writing in my spare time and then one day I entered and won Company Magazine's Young Writer of the Year short story competition, and that gave me the chance I'd be working towards to get published.
Where did you get your inspiration for Lessons In Laughing Out Loud From?
Lessons in Laughing Out Loud was really inspired, in a round about sort of way, by my last novel Happy Home for Broken Hearts. That book, more than any other I'd written made me think about my own past, and my own dark secrets. Lessons is my attempt to examine through the heroine, Willow, the way I have dealt with past trauma and actually writing it made me realise I haven't dealt with it at all. As result of writing this book I'm going to try and change that.
Are your characters based on people you know?
As I have just confessed Willow is more like me than any character I've written for some years - but in this books all the supporting characters have come right out of me head and are entirely fictional.
What was your favorite book of yours to write and why?
Every book is different. If I think about the easiest book to write it was still my third novel River Deep. A book that marked a change for me in my style of writing was The Accidental Mother, but I do think that Lessons is my favourite book, because it is so intensely personal.
What was the last book you read?
Not So Perfect by Nick Perring, this is completely brilliant, by the way. And also a fantastic short story by horror writer Mark West. The books I want to read over the summer is Game of Thrones, I adored the TV adaptation and can't wait for season two, so its turned me on to the books.
If you were to be stuck on a desert Island reality tv show what would be the two things you would have to take with you?
If I was stuck on a desert island reality show I'd have to take tweezers and mascara. Never knowingly seen with out full lashes in place and tidy eyebrows!
Thank you to Rowan for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you all the success with your new release.
Lessons in Laughing Out Loud is due to be released on the 21st July and can be pre-ordered on Amazon on the following link
Fab interview! And thanks so much for the mention, Rowan!
ReplyDeleteNik
Great interview.
ReplyDeleteAll best wishes for Laughing out Loud.
carol
Great interview. Rowan is so nice! I love her books!
ReplyDelete