Ask the Author: Laura Taylor Namey
Answered Questions (16)
Laura Taylor Namey
Hi Landon! I'm so glad you enjoyed the story! Your questions are amazing, but the answers to them are much more layered and complicated than I can git into this space. BUT - I just did a podcast on The Bright Side where I mention both of these things, so have a listen. You can find details on my Insta wall. And I wish you all the best in your writing!
Laura Taylor Namey
Thank you Kiara! With each book I try to say something about life and people and, often, coming of age in a new way that also hits on universal ideas or truths that many teens relate to. So, while I always want to be fresh and original, I also want my work to be relatable. Thank you for asking!
Laura Taylor Namey
YA wasn't as much of a thing when I was a teen as it is now. I always loved Jane Austen and C.S Lewis, and then I'd read up and loved John Grisham or Janet Evanovich.
Laura Taylor Namey
Hi, thanks Louie! I'm Cuban-American and was inspired by the big dinners I've enjoyed with my family, as well as some of the amazing times I've spent with my Mexican best friend and her family. Also, I'm a huge foodie in general so most of my books showcase foods that are big in the areas the stories are set inside.
Laura Taylor Namey
Hi Alla, thank you for asking! This story was inspired by my own deep love of reading, and the many times I have used books to escape into. I thought, what if there was a girl who did this to a much more extreme level? That's how Darcy was born. Cheers!
Laura Taylor Namey
Right now, I'm itching to check out Caraval. I hope they give me a dress that changes color with my mood and situation! But, I would "hope" to not fall victim to any of the enchantments...
Laura Taylor Namey
The pantry stood clean and neatly organized. But there was no coffee.
Laura Taylor Namey
Dance of Thieves and Vow of Thieves by Mary Pearson, and A Treason of Thorns by Laura Weymouth
Laura Taylor Namey
I am usually inspired by an emotion, or bundle of complex emotions I want to talk about. I build a character and story around that.
Laura Taylor Namey
Read one hundred books in your genre, with a few in other genres. Then write write write. Then repeat.
Laura Taylor Namey
The best thing for me is having a place to put my stories and shaping all the words to tell them.
Laura Taylor Namey
I definitely do my best writing first thing in the morning. With lots of coffee!
Laura Taylor Namey
I defitnely do my best drafting in the morning. Something about the good night’s Sleep and coffee combination helps me make words.
Laura Taylor Namey
How many of us use books to escape? I know I did so often as a teen. I wanted to explore the idea of a genius-level word girl who not only escapes through books, she lives her entire life and protects herself from the tough realities of her home through literature and the tried and true actions of book heroines.
Laura Taylor Namey
I don't really believe in writer's block. I think we often get in our own way of words and flow and there is always, always a way out. Usually, if I am stuck it's my own fault. I have too many ideas that need growing up. I'm plot-distracted or forgetting the true heart and purpose of my story.
What helps me clear my headspace: driving, exercise, and taking showers that last way too long. I'm told I'm not alone in this, either. Also, I'm usually very clean!
What helps me clear my headspace: driving, exercise, and taking showers that last way too long. I'm told I'm not alone in this, either. Also, I'm usually very clean!
Laura Taylor Namey
I am revising my dream #ownvoices contemporary tale about a Cuban girl (who happens to be a brilliant teen baker) whose unwanted summer in a foreign place challenges her identity and future. This is my love letter to my Cuban family and to all girls who learn the hard and beautiful things through loss and heartbreak.
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