Interview with Author Laura L. Walker!

It is my pleasure to interview Laura today! :)

Laura L. Walker grew up in a large family in the beautiful Gila Valley of southern Arizona. From the time she was young, she spent hours drawing characters on paper and fantasizing about their adventures. Life became more serious, however, when she met her own hero at Northern Arizona University and they later became the parents of six children. In between spurts of grocery shopping, sewing costumes or quilts, transporting kids to practices, and making dinner, Laura still enjoys putting her imagination to good use. She is the author of two contemporary romances, Pierced by Love and The Matchup. Caitlyn's Christmas Wish is her first novella.



What is your Favorite Bible verse? 

I have two: 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 "(KJV) 1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

and 

Job 19:25-26 25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

What is your Favorite song right now? 

Nearer, My God, To Thee 

What is your Favorite book right now or What you're reading right now? 

(Since I'm not currently reading anything right now...I'll name a few of my favorite authors?) Anything by Erica Vetsch, Mary Coneally or +Karen Witemeyer 

What or who encouraged you to write? 

I was always writing or making up stories from the time I can remember.  However, after I got married and had my first two babies, life became really difficult and I set that hobby aside.  I never thought I would write anything else, at least until my kids had grown up, until 2013 when the writing bug suddenly hit me again!  My husband strongly encouraged me to pursue it and I'm so grateful he did.  He has always supported me.  

What was your Inspiration for Caitlyn’s Christmas Wish? 

Writers are intrinsic observers.  I don't normally write about pop culture, but a piece of a conversation a friend and I had about another person's experience with diet pills made me think of all the celebrities (especially females) or who are pressured to look good in front of the camera to the point that they destroy their own health.  That's where Caitlyn's addiction came into play.  After that, it was a natural jump to cast her ex-husband as the quintessential lead singer in a popular band who was struggling with his own reckless habits.  I wanted my hero, Ridge, to be someone who could provide a loving and stabilizing influence for Caitlyn and her son.  And Christmas--well, it's easy to write about Christmas.  I love the fact that people of all faiths come together at Christmas, so I tried to portray that in the last few scenes of this novella.  

What's next for you? 

I've actually spent the past seven months writing quite intensively and am ready to take a short break.  I've written and submitted a full-length novel to my publisher, and I have another full-length novel in the works about a newlywed couple whose marriage is already threatening to fold. I am also fleshing out the plots for a couple more novellas centering around the other major holidays. I'm thinking it could turn into a series.  

Is there anything else that you would like readers to know? 

I am a firm believer in true love.  Not that we actually fall in love, but that a couple grows love by working together, serving each other, and laughing together.  There are times when I am feeling down when my husband picks me back up and vice versa.  The best marriage advice I ever received was that marriage is not 50-50%.  Sometimes it's 80-20% or 20-80%.  It's a real give-and-take, but it always balances out.  This is why I like to write about it. :-)

Thank you Laura for answering all of my questions and thank you readers for reading my blog! :)  

COME BACK TOMORROW FOR MY REVIEW OF LAURA'S CHRISTMAS NOVELLA Caitlyn's Christmas Wish!!!