LAURA LANGSTON’s published books include more than twenty for preschoolers, school aged kids and teens. She lives on Vancouver Island, BC.
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White was one of my favorites.
Did you ever write a fan letter to an author? If so, who to, and did they write back?
I never did. As a child, authors were exalted and unapproachable. In fact, when I told my mother I wanted to be a writer, she encouraged me to find a job that normal people could do. Since I’m not normal, I became a writer anyway.
How did you learn to write for children? And what books or websites helped you learn what you need to know?
I learned by reading and writing.
It’s hard to recommend just one. Some book suggestions: On Writing by Stephen King; A Writer’s Guide to Fiction by Elizabeth Lyon and Wired for Story by Lisa Cron.
What is your favourite activity that has nothing to do with writing or reading.
Gardening and cooking. They are inextricably linked in my life. Followed closely by travel to places with beautiful gardens and fabulous cuisines.
Who is your favourite kids’ author now?
I have many favorite authors, depending on my mood, what’s going on in my life at the time, etc. I particularly love Michael Morpurgo and I’m just about to start reading Boy Giant: Son of Gulliver.
Do you have a new book coming out soon?
My latest YA, No Right Thing was just released by Crwth Press. It’s a character-driven novel about a young woman who learns that one good deed can have unpredictable and far-reaching consequences. It’s my first title with Crwth and they were fabulous to work with.
What are you writing these days?
I tend to juggle multiple projects. I’m currently halfway through a draft of a middle grade novel about a girl who is a hypersensitive; I’m brainstorming my next YA; and I’m working on an adult novel under my Laura Tobias name.
Do you write regularly, or just when you feel like it?
I write regularly, except when I don’t. 😊 I tend to write five days a week, a throwback to my routine when my kids lived at home.
How do you like editing and revising?
I adore editing and revising. It’s probably my favorite part of the writing process. I love to see the story grow and change.
Can you share one weird or wonderful thing about you?
I once travelled to Russia with a group of Swedes. I speak neither Russian nor Swedish.
What question do you wish I had asked…
What’s your secret talent?
I may not know Russian or Swedish, but I am fluent in dog speak.
Thanks, Laura.
Check Laura’s website.
Take at look at the Cwrth Press website
(Next up: Lee Edward Fodi)