New Adult Book Club discussion

Hey NABC! Hope you all had a fabulous week! We have a great Q&A with L.H. Cosway this week! She's the author of The Hooker and the Hermit, Painted Faces, Six of Hearts, Showmance, and many more! Please leave your questions for her below! <3

I would like to know if you're listening to music while you're writing, and if so, what do you listen to?

Jay is, hands down, one of my favourite characters ever, and I'm dying to know if we'll get to see him again, whether in Hearts on Air (which I'm super excited for) or maybe a series-epilogue-esque novella.

How much your life impacts on your writing? Do you get inspired by what has happened/happens to you?

Love the Hearts series but have you got any standalones in the pipeline? Showmance was amazing.

What is your "must-have" when you are in the writing process?

How does collaborating with another author work?

Your hearts series deals with people that come from completely different backgrounds, and with people with completely different personalities. How do you do justice to all of them? Do you imagine yourself in their places, or just research very very intensively?

Six of hearts was on of the first five books I've read since I've started reading and basically part of the reason I became a book junkie! So, my question is, was it easy to write six of hearts or did it take time?!

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

I loved listening to the Hooker and the Hermit on audiobook, anyway you guys are going to be able to work it out that the other two will ever be offered via audiobook?

Who is your favorite character from The Hooker and the Hermit?

I'm new to your books and would love to know which of your books you'd recommend that I read first?

How did you come up with the titles to your books?

I'm interested in knowing more about what it was like collaborating with another author. Do you guys plot out the story together and then divvy up the writing?

I'm curious about your writing process. Do you write the book in order (beginning to end), or do you jump around by writing scenes out of order instead?

What's your favourite place to write?

If you weren't an author, what do you think would be doing instead? Did you always know you'd write someday?

Will you write a novella for Jack and Lille? They are my favorites!

Irene wrote: "I would like to know if you're listening to music while you're writing, and if so, what do you listen to?"

I listen to all different kinds of music, it depends on the mood of the book. Some books I'll listen to classical, other books I'll listen to hip hop. In my opinion there's fantastic music in every single genre, you just have to take the time to find it. Right now I'm obsessed with the band London Grammar while I'm writing the last installment in my Hearts series, Hearts on Air :-)

Quirks wrote: "Jay is, hands down, one of my favourite characters ever, and I'm dying to know if we'll get to see him again, whether in Hearts on Air (which I'm super excited for) or maybe a serie..."

I can say with certainty that you will see him again in Hearts on Air. I'm working on having every couple in the series make an appearance since it's the last book. As for a novella, right now I have no idea but it's always a possibility!

☆Tweety ☆ wrote: "How much your life impacts on your writing? Do you get inspired by what has happened/happens to you?"

Yes definitely! I like to make the dialogue in my books sound as close to real life as possible, so sometimes if I hear someone say something that interests me I'll use it as book fodder. Other times I come across people doing things that inspires my imagination. For instance, the other day I was walking down the street and saw a girl playing the guitar and busking. She was stomping her foot and it sounded like a tambourine because she had these little metal ball tassels around her ankle. In the book I'm writing now the heroine is a street musician and I plan to give her the same ankle tassels for percussion :-)

Caroline wrote: "Love the Hearts series but have you got any standalones in the pipeline? Showmance was amazing."

Hi Caroline! Not a standalone as such, but later this year I'll be releasing a 3 part serial, which will basically be one long story featuring the same couple.

Cassie wrote: "What is your "must-have" when you are in the writing process?"

Coffee! Also, music :-)

Ruth wrote: "How does collaborating with another author work?"

Hi Ruth :-) It's actually not too complicated. Penny and I usually plot the book while we're together in person or over Skype. Our books are told from a dual POV, so usually I'll write the guy chapters and she'll write the girl chapters, or vice versa. Once I'm finished a chapter I'll email it to her, she'll read it, write the next one, send to me, and on it goes until the book is finished.

Дяї wrote: "Your hearts series deals with people that come from completely different backgrounds, and with people with completely different personalities. How do you do justice to all of them? Do you imagine y..."

It's a combination of the two. I do research but I also like to immerse myself in the character and try to imagine what they'd do and how they'd react to things. I think of it like a lot like acting, only you're writing words down on a laptop instead of saying them out loud.

Melina wrote: "Six of hearts was on of the first five books I've read since I've started reading and basically part of the reason I became a book junkie! So, my question is, was it easy to write six of hearts or ..."

Hi Melina! Thank you so much <3 That's such a lovely thing to hear. Parts of it were easy, other parts I had to do a lot of research. It's one of my most plot heavy stories, so it took a lot of time to make sure all the threads of the storyline made sense and that each one was resolved by the end.

Danny wrote: "How long on average does it take you to write a book?"

Usually between 2 and 4 months :-)

Anita wrote: "I loved listening to the Hooker and the Hermit on audiobook, anyway you guys are going to be able to work it out that the other two will ever be offered via audiobook?"

Hi Anita! Yes, at the moment we have chosen narrators to record books 2 and 3. It will be the same narrator who read for Ronan in The Hooker & the Hermit, alongside a new female narrator. The audiobook for The Player & the Pixie should be available around late March, and then The Cad & the Co-ed will be later in the year, most likely early Summer

Christa wrote: "Who is your favorite character from The Hooker and the Hermit?"

Ronan, of course ;-)

Melissa wrote: "I'm new to your books and would love to know which of your books you'd recommend that I read first?"

Hi Christa! I'd recommend you read Six of Hearts first as it's book one in the series and one of my most popular. Alternatively, you could read Painted Faces, which is a standalone and also a reader favorite.

Michelle wrote: "I'm interested in knowing more about what it was like collaborating with another author. Do you guys plot out the story together and then divvy up the writing?"

Hi Michelle! Check out my answer to Ruth below. It deals with the same subject :-)

Verna Loves Books wrote: "How did you come up with the titles to your books?"

That's a hard question. Usually a lot of sitting around and saying different combinations of words together in my head until one of them sounds right lol. The Hearts books are easy, because they all have to have "Hearts" in the title, then something that relates to the story. For example. I chose Hearts of Fire because the hero is a fire breather in a travelling circus, and I chose Hearts of Blue because the heroine is a police woman, so the blue part was a reference to the phrase "thin blue line".

Kari wrote: "I'm curious about your writing process. Do you write the book in order (beginning to end), or do you jump around by writing scenes out of order instead?"

Hi Kari! Usually I write it all in chronological order, however sometimes I'll feel really inspired to write a certain scene that happens later on, so I'll skip ahead and write it. That only happens very rarely though.

Jayne wrote: "What's your favourite place to write?"

In bed, lol. It's the coziest and most comfortable place to write :-)

Some authors found their love of writing as early as childhood. When did you first discover your love of writing?

Kristy wrote: "If you weren't an author, what do you think would be doing instead? Did you always know you'd write someday?"

I'd be a stripper ;-)

Nah, I think I'd either be a graphic designer, an editor or an archivist. I wish I had a more interesting answer, but alas I'm not that adventurous. From about the age of 20 I knew I wanted to write, I just wasn't sure it was something that would ever happen. I thought it would always be a hobby I did in my free time. I still can't believe my luck that this is actually my job some days!

Yvette wrote: "Will you write a novella for Jack and Lille? They are my favorites!"

Hi Yvette :-) I don't have any immediate plans but it's definitely something I'd like to do at some stage <3

What will you be writing next? Your books are fabulous!!

What's the easiest and hardest part about co-writing with an author?

L.H. wrote: "Ruth wrote: "How does collaborating with another author work?"

Hi Ruth :-) It's actually not too complicated. Penny and I usually plot the book while we're together in person or over Skype. Our bo..."
So how did you find Penny and how did you know you could write together? How would you recommend other writers go about finding writing partners?

P.S. Reading H&H now and enjoying the Ronan/Annie story quite a lot. :-)

Your books are amazing!! I'll ask a simple question, what's your favorite ice cream flavor? <3 :)

First of all, I have to say you are one of my favourite authors (Penny Reid is also other of my favs). The first book of yours I've read was Still Life with Strings and, along with Painted Faces, is my favourite.

Now for the questions: with which of your characters do you relate the most? Was there a book you found more difficult to write for any reason?

I'm really looking forward to reading The Cad and the Co-Ed!
Thank you

Are there certain types of scenes that are easier for you to write? Or that you prefer to write?

You've co-authored three fantabulous books now with Penny Reid. So, I'm curious,

1. As to whether she's as crazy with you during your shared time together, as she is with us readers in her group. (Spoiler alert: She's nuts! Lol)

2. Do you squabble much, and over what mainly?

3. Do you find pairing up easier now than writing solo?

4. Do you think she could write in your world now now that you know so much of each others thought patterns and the way you construct, or you in hers? You know, like...a story swap. Those are fun sometimes... **hint hint**

Thanks for taking some time to answer reader questions. It's always appreciated. Have a great week! *hugs*

Who are some of your authors? Thanks!

What was your last 5* read?

Do you have a playlist for your books? If so what is it?

How does Jay Fields' talent as a mentalist work? Is he reading body language carefully when he does this or does he have some extraordinary power that is gifted to him?

L.H. wrote: "Anita wrote: "I loved listening to the Hooker and the Hermit on audiobook, anyway you guys are going to be able to work it out that the other two will ever be offered via audiobook?"

Hi Anita! Yes..."

Fantastic, cannot wait!!!!!