Author Interview with Laina Turner

December 2, 2014

Author Interview with Laina Turner

I’m interviewing Laina Turner, author of cozy mystery “Romance & Revenge”. Welcome to my blog, Laina, and thanks for answering my questions.

1) When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I started writing stories in the 2nd grade and knew then that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up.

2) Where did you get the inspiration for Romance & Revenge?

I’ve been trying to put more reality in Presley’s stories and she has had a good relationship with Cooper and thought, like other couples do, maybe they should work through a rough patch. Jared has played a side character and people seem to like him so I thought it would be nice to revolve a story a bit more around him.

3) What is your editing process like?

I have 2 editors and a beta review team. I send the manuscript to one and then revise based on comments then send out to another. I follow the whole ‘it takes a village to raise a child” mentality. While I don’t follow all the content suggestions I do follow most of them. After spending time writing the book I am often too close to the project to see it clearly. Having more eyes on it gives me a fresh perspective.

4) What was the most challenging part of writing this book?

The issues between Presley and Cooper. I wanted to add some drama there but didn’t want it to seem completely far fetched. I wanted it realistic.

5) Did you set any writing goals for 2014? Did you accomplish them?

I did and now am working on my 2015 goals. I accomplished all but one, which I am very happy about. I put off finishing the next Presley book to polish a couple older works, which I felt needed fine turning.

6) Are you working on something now? If so, can you tell us a little about it?

I have the outline and start to the next Presley Thurman book which centers around Presley finding out who stole an expensive diamond brooch from one of her clients at Silk. I also am close to finishing a book not a part of any of my series called That’s Not My Suitcase. It should be out in the spring.

About The Book

Title: Romance & Revenge

Author: Laina Turner

Genre: Cozy Mystery / Chick Lit

The bookkeeper at Jared’s company has been murdered and if that wasn’t bad enough someone is trying to sabotage the company by leaking company documents to other firms who are then upstaging their presentations. Jared asks for her help to find out who is trying to take Sleeping Bear Designs down and while Presley is always willing to help a friend, she is also hoping it will take her mind off obsessing over Cooper.

Presley and Cooper are on a break or are they broken up? It was never really clarified and she just found out he’s in town and he hasn’t called. Is he avoiding her? What does that mean?

Are they done for good?

Author Bio

As a child Laina thought she would either be a truck driver (thanks to Jerry Reed in Smokey and the Bandit) or work at Taco Bell (her favorite restaurant as a child). As she grew older she realized her talents lay in academics and business and for the last several years has been a business consultant and college professor where she uses the analytical side of her brain and not the side that makes up stories.

Through all her career choices she has continued to have a passion for writing. This stemmed from childhood whereas an only child she developed a vivid imagination spending most of her time making things up and thinking the Incredible Hulk lived in her closet.

Proud of her vast experiences in life from barrel racing to being on the dance team for a semi pro basketball team to being a mom of 2 amazing kids, she tells her family and friends that no one is safe from their escapades slipping in to her books.

Taking the plunge to write books that she actually lets people read in 2010, she has worked her way up to having 5 fans (maybe 6 now). Her blog, The Art Of Living Fabulously, was launched to share the daily fun in the life of a Real Housewife of the Midwest along with the musing of other fabulous ladies.

Majanka Verstraete