The PP is sharing a tiara with L B Joramo, author of The Immortal American.
Intrigued? We are. Let's get to know her.
How did you get from your day job to
writing romance? Well,
technically I don’t write romance. But I have two pseudonyms that say
otherwise. Sshh! Don’t tell. As for me, L. B. Joramo, I write historical
fiction with strong elements of romance and paranormal activity.
I’ve
been making books since I was six. I glued together some construction paper
with my crayoned stories and that was my first book. I couldn’t stop there! So
I’ve been writing ever since. When I went to college though I didn’t go for the
obvious English or Literary degree. Instead, I got a degree in sociology. I
love studying people, and sociology was the best way I could discover all their
niches. I kept writing my stories through all of that. It was after I applied
to graduate school that I was allowed to read my philosophy professor’s letter
of recommendation. He wrote that, yes, I’d make a fine graduate student, but he
hoped I would become a writer one day. Then it hit me how many of my professors
and teachers over the years had tried to support my writing. I don’t know why
it took me so long to see that. Up until then I knew I wanted to write, but to
call myself a writer . . . I really didn’t know if I was that brave or
not. After I had my son, I knew I had to
be. If not for myself, then for him. I had to show him that people really could
pursue their dreams. I slaved over the craft of writing for years. I took
classes, read books, got critique buddies, went to workshops—you name it, if I
could afford it or had the time, I would do it. I don’t think I really slept
for a few years there. I would work, be a mom, all the while trying to write
really well. I had always entered contests, but after a couple years, I started
to win them. I had always tried to query agents, and it was about that time
that they started getting more interested in me. When a publisher wrote me an
email saying he thought I had massive potential and that he’d like to publish
me it was too surreal. It also happened to be the day or two days after my
mother had died, so it was an odd time too. How I wanted to call her to finally
tell her the news. I still do.
I
haven’t quit gotten away from my day job yet, but my published life has just
gotten underway. Wish me luck to fulfill the dream of making enough money with
my writing to quit my day job!
What are your three favorite books of all time? To Kill a
Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atonement by Ian
McEwan, Women Who Run With the Wolves:
Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estes,
Ph.D.
Music--with
or without? What kind? Depends on my mood. Sometimes I love the silence; sometimes I need the
silence filled. If I’m writing I listen to classical or instrumental music.
First or
third POV? I
do both.
How's
tricks? Do you juggle multiple projects? I do! While I write one book, I’m usually plotting
another. Editing somewhere in there.
What's harder: beginning, middle, or the end? I think the beginning. I’m a
plantser, so I usually do have the beginning and the end, but now I try to plot
too, so I start to love my middle so much that I’m excited to get there. It’s
that tricky beginning, where I want to hook my readers, that always intimidates
me the most. I usually have two or sometimes many more versions of the
beginning.
Revisions: Love 'em or hate 'em? Now I LOVE them! When I first
started writing, I really hated them, but now revisions and the edits make my
books beautiful. I can’t be more excited to do revisions now.
How did you come up with that title? Best advice
anybody every gave you? I owe so much to D. Patrick Miller, the first publisher who thought I had
potential. He knew I was holding back in my writing, in my plot. He was so
right! He recommended going as big as I wanted, not fearing how much someone
out there would hate it. Man, he knew me better than I wanted him to. I never
told him I was a people pleaser. He just knew that my writing could get very
pinched because I was trying so hard to make others like it. I wrote only for me from there on out. Well, I
do have critique buddies who help keep me from having supernovas on the first
page of a book, but otherwise I now only write what makes me happy, and that
saved my writing.
Fill in this blank: My ideal
fictional hero would think me gorgeous no matter… how grumpy I get
when I haven’t slept enough.
What's your favorite dessert? Pineapple upside down cake
with loads of whipped cream and a cherry on top.
Do you write at home or someplace else? Home.
Find Lani's book at:
Find Lani at:
Thank you Laini for being with us today!!
5 comments:
Good morning, Lani, and welcome to the PP. I love the title of your book and have it on my Kindle to read. It's obvious to me you are excited about writing.
Hi Lani, and Hello Plotting Princesses! Lani, your path to publication sounds very similar to mine, although I came to the writer's page a little later in life. As a kid, I was too busy chasing imaginary villians outside to actually write those story-wars down and share with others. Everyone pushed me to 'write for real' but becoming an author sounded so etheral and out of reach. I'm glad we both found our way to the page!
Thank you so much, Vicki for having me here! Mr. Miller helped with the title of my book, because what I first had sounded like an after school special. I owe that man so much!
Oh, wow, Jaye! You put it into perfect words! I too felt it was so ethereal to really pursue, this writing dream of mine! I am so glad we both found our way to the page!
Hi Lani
Sorry I didn't get to visit yesterday, the day job was a beast!
Congratulations on finding your way to publication. It's a wild and crazy ride, so hang on with both hands and ENJOY!
Wahoo, Lani! So very proud of you and all you have accomplished! Absolutely adored your book and highly recommend it to everyone! Thanks for sharing your journey!
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