About Laura Lee:
Laura Lee is the author of more than 20 books including biography, humorous reference, fiction, and children's literature. The Metro Detroit native brings a unique background to her work. She holds a degree in theater and worked as a professional mime, improvisational comic, and radio announcer before becoming a full time writer. She now divides her time between writing and producing (and traveling on) ballet master class tours with her partner the artistic director of the Russian Ballet Foundation.
The San Francisco Chronicle has said of her work, “Lee’s dry, humorous tone makes her a charming companion… She has a penchant for wordplay that is irresistible.”
What inspires you to write?
It depends a lot on the project. It tends to be some little thing that sparks my curiosity. With The Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation, I wondered why mosquitoes seemed to find me more tasty than others. I researched it and it turns out mosquitoes actually are more attracted to some people than others. So this led to the idea of a book on the science behind annoying things.
With Oscar's Ghost, I read Wilde's De Profundis, which was a long essay written in the form of a letter to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas while Wilde was in prison for the crime of "gross indecency with another male person." His depiction of his relationship with Douglas was so operatic and over the top that I wondered what the other guy had to say about it and this led to years of research.
My first novel, Angel, was inspired by a trip I took to Seattle where I met an entertaining tour bus driver who kept talking about burning out on his old job. It was only at the end of the tour that someone asked what his job had been and he said, "a minister." So for a number of years the question of what would separate a minister from his ministry and attract him to the mountains was my writing prompt.
Saturn's Favorite Music evolved out of the realization that I was in radio in a very specific era as analog systems were changing over to automation. I had a collection of anecdotes, and a natural story arc. I would take pokes at it from time to time.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Between projects I read a lot of non-fiction and I enjoy going through historical archives of newspapers and magazines to put myself in the mindset of another era. I also like to read non-linear surrealistic works from time to time. My first literary loves were Milan Kundera and Douglas Adams.
Tell us about your writing process.
For a time I was getting a lot of books assigned to me. An agent or publisher would come to me with a book concept that sounded like a "Laura Lee book."
With the fiction, I tend to have various half formed concepts floating around and I will take stabs at them from time to time. At some point something clicks and I get the momentum to finish the whole thing. Getting stuck is a normal part of the process. Whether I am writing something on a short deadline or over the course of years, I have to start by laying out my ideas and then going away for a while and letting my subconscious work on it. Then when I'm driving or in the shower or something the missing piece will present itself. It's inconvenient. but that's how it works.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
No, I don't talk to the characters. They don't have a separate existence. I do daydream their actions and dialogue.
What advice would you give other writers?
I suppose I would go with that quote that is wrongly attributed to Oscar Wilde, be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
My father was a professional writer, and I always wrote little stories growing up. I just thought everyone could write and there was nothing special about it. It didn't seem as glamorous as theater. My grandmother was a professional radio actress, encouraged me in that direction. I studied acting in college, but I was frustrated that I didn't get cast in much. I started doing college radio and that combined my love of music, and my desire to perform in a way that didn't tax my introversion too much.
When I started writing radio copy I was always surprised at how much positive feedback I got, because again, I thought everyone could write. While I was still working in radio I started submitting articles to local publications and writing novels in the background.
Eventually I burned out on radio and I transitioned into writing. I was fortunate that my father was able to mentor me in how to find markets and submit. My path isn't really something that anyone could follow. My first non-fiction book proposal sold right away and one book led to another in the beginning. It has become harder in the current publishing climate than it was then.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I wrote a book called "Bad Predictions" in 1999 that compiled bad predictions from so-called experts. I'm loathe to hazard a guess. I could see a reaction to AI with very human artisan titles, but I have no idea what that looks like.
What genres do you write?: Fiction, Humorous Reference, Biography, History
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print, Both eBook and Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
Laura Lee Home Page Link
Link To Laura Lee Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
