EA: What inspired you to become a writer?
KL: I've always loved reading, so that's where it stemmed from. I remember writing song lyrics and stories as young as 7 years old. That said, I was always scared of pursuing it. I doubted myself a lot. A lot of things changed going into 2017 and I finally took a chance on myself.
EA: What challenges have you faced so far in this journey?
KL: My blog has been my greatest challenge. I created it because I felt that I needed one if I was going to pursue writing. However, I didn't exactly have a plan for what I would write about. I'm taking it day by day. I've posted some reviews, chapter excerpts, and a "how to" post so far to try and get a feel for what to stick with.
EA: What's the name of your project and would you give a preview of what it's about?
KL: Right now I'm working on my first young adult novel, tentatively titled The Stories of Silvia Silverman. The story follows protagonist Silvia, who's a ball of anxiety starting her junior year of high school in a new town. Her story begins with receiving an invitation in her locker for an initiation. Not sure what the initiation is for, she decides to go. Afterwards, everything changes. You can read chapter one here.
EA: What motivated you to write this book?
KL: I was working a 9-5 in NYC, commuting 3 hours a day from NJ and it was absolutely draining. I was overworked, stressed out, underpaid and lost in the turmoil of a company losing money. In January, I was laid off, but I took it as a good sign. I started writing poetry the next day, and have been lucky enough to have two poems accepted for publishing in a literary journal. Becoming a published poet gave me the confidence to start my novel and finally go for my dreams.
EA: Are they any authors or writers who inspire you?
KL: Stephen Chbosky created my favorite book of all time, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Chbosky made the protagonist, Charlie, have flaws so heartbreaking, real and defining. I hope to create characters as imperfect and beautiful.
EA: Overall, what are your goals-- present and future-- you look to achieve as an author/writer?
KL: I hope to finish my book before the end of the year and self-publish. I also have ideas flowing for a poetry chapbook. Right now, I just want to put all my energy into submitting to journals and writing my novel.
Epilogue
I want to thank Kalah McLaughlin for taking the time to speak with me. You can check out her reviews, "how to" tutorials, and chapter excerpts from her upcoming novel on her blog website, writeatmidnight.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment