Author Interview: Lauren K. Pomeroy

First of all I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer these questions for me.  I will be reading and reviewing your novels Alexander and Corruption soon.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

At the age of 11 – My very first story was about three Martians, and I cannot remember the full story, however I remember one of them lost an arm or an antenna….regardless, it was exciting. This was also when I actually wrote my first three books both totaling over 250 pages. For eleven years old? A lot of people cannot believe it when I tell them that either. However, those three novels with great imagination, I do not believe could ever be published works of art because since they were my three first books, I completed them in between school and homework over 2 and 1/2 years. So from starting them at 11, and finishing the series at 13 my vocabulary had changed so much that in some areas they do not make sense hahaha!

About how long does it take you to write a book?

Usually six months to a year, it really depends since I’m so hectic with my work schedule as I’m trying to fully prepare my books to make their full debue with a Kindle Nation Sponsorship, as well as completing my Associates degree in Communications in Business Technology and switching my full major to English regardless if I become a popular author or not. Needless to say, I’m running around like a crazy person! However, if this is what it takes to someday be a fully published Author for teens, young adults, and general adults alike, then it’s what I have to do. Writing is my passion and I’ll do anything to achieve it someday soon.

What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

It’s a process for sure. When I stated 6 months to a year for completing a full book, it’s because I have a specific process I tend too. First, I write all my novels in full outline form, ideas, character description, places, events, special scenes if I think of them on the spot, I can write them down in my comp books until the outline of the novel is completed which could total to handwritten 30 pages+. Afterwards, I write the actual book in Microsoft Word, and if I choose to change or alter the path of the outline, I can do so. Also, this is a great form of preventing writers block because when there’s no more to think of for chapter 3, I look in my outline and realize, “Time to just go to chapter 4 for the next event!”

Did you see any rejections slips before your first book was published?

I did, however that was way back in the day when I submitted the first book I wrote called, “Eatheon” to a Random House contest and obviously, did not win the prize of a publishing contract with them. (Very sad) L

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Since I was eleven, I’ve written 9 books; 2 trilogies (3 books each), and 3 stand-alone books. Alexander was originally supposed to also be a trilogy, however the books themselves ran short, and I decided to group them into a 3 Part novel rather than another 3 series. However, Alexander: Vanquish the Night and my recent book, Corruption have definitely been my 2 greatest works of literature, I believe.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An Author – I’ve always known I wanted to write, however lacked the ability to until I was eleven to compose a full idea. J

Now lets focus on Alexander since I will be posting a review of it soon. What was your inspiration to write Alexander? What was your inspiration for writing Corruption?

I think at the time when I first began the story I originally always wrote about medieval fantasy fiction, heroic knights, noble princes, damsels in distress and so-forth. However, I have never created a story where my hero or main character would have a fatal flaw or in turn become his own form of destruction. I wanted a story where everyone would fall in love with the hero, and feel his pain when he makes a formidable decision that changes the entire remainder of the other 2 parts of the novel.

The inspiration for my novel Corruption was to have a book of ultimate betrayal by a specific individual. The entire book is about a man trying to reclaim revenge upon the murder of his wife, due to an insane lust and desire for power by the villain. I really wanted a book where it seemed that all odds were against our character, and if he could triumph or not, as well as seek justice for the wrongs that have been done.

Who is your favorite character from Alexander? Corruption?

I would have to say, besides Alexander, my favorite character was always Constantine. He’s the greatest secondary male character I think I’ve created, especially for this story in particular, he’s somewhat the “right-hand-man” and it wouldn’t be the same without his heroic efforts as well.

For Corruption, my favorite character is Hadrian, which is the main character. He is the one that experiences along with his companions, the most struggle emotionally and during the entire novel you wonder if he will find happiness again, or if he will survive trying to justify his wife’s murder. He is the character that is the utmost compassionate and has a secret bond with almost every single of his different companions. I created him to be a character that didn’t hold judgment on those around him, which I believe is how the world should be nowadays.

When writing Alexander what type of audience were you aiming for? Is it the same for Corruption as well?

Throughout every book I write, I dedicate the audience to teens and young adults, as well as the general adult audience. However, the reason I began writing aside from the love of it and the freedom of imagination, was because high school reading was such a struggle. Not for my own ability, but to find something that actually caught my attention, and in high school we were forced to read to save our English grades – and how can someone be forced to read the most boring stories on the face of the planet? 99% of the time, I definitely feel asleep through the insane description in the stories I had to read where they were “in the forest for days on end” and nothing continued to happen, and pointless conversation filled the gaps…meanwhile, 450 pages later, something exciting happens. No one likes reading like that, believe me, take it from an author!

Also, my theory behind writing in the style I do, with enough detail to satisfy the scene or emotion a character is having, as well as the depth of their thoughts, I have plenty of dialogue, character relationship, as well as action almost all the time. What does this sound like to you? To me, I write in the style of the way you would watch a film. Many people, especially younger generations like watching TV or movies now more than reading books…so why not write in a way that was as captivating as watching a movie?

This was the inspiration behind both books as far as audience goes.

How much of Alexander is based on real experiences? Is Corruption based on anything?

I would have to say none whatsoever haha. However, I wanted to have a sort of spin off of how vampires came to be, as well as Dracula back in the middle ages – to me, if they were around at all, I believe they started off as mythical types of races descending most likely from the “fires of hell” which is what they are supposed to be born from. I don’t believe that Dracula suddenly came about when trains, and guns, and everything else was invented in the European era. I believe they had to be around long before that, which is where my story takes place, not historically, but in the middle ages time frame.

Corruption is based on what betrayal, deceit, and lies can turn into – metaphorically at least. Lately I have felt that gossiping, lies, and backstabbing has become a “fashion statement” so-to-speak nowadays with the turn of the country’s recession and it has become an everyman for themselves type of environment, which is unfortunate since we as a people have been so united before.  My story  somewhat foreshadows the races of people in this country as “the council” and how each of them are all against one another, and the simple fact that as a people, it should not be this way because it only leads to bad things – and those who choose to be this way forever, ultimately lose in the end, there is no winning from being divided forever.