Author Spotlight: Laura Mowery
August 26, 2023 • News
CJC: How did you get started as an author and what made you want to pursue that field?
LM: My mom always jokes that I came out of the womb with a book. I was that kid who you couldn’t ground because I loved being holed up in my room reading all day. I excelled in all of my writing classes through elementary, high school, and college, and while I always dreamed of being an author someday, through many outside influences, I went the STEM route so I could “make more money”. It was during my senior year of college, when I was about to graduate with a Biology degree, that I realized how misguided I was considering I loathed working in a lab. After 14 years working in the tourism industry, I was miserable. On October 23, 2019, I sat down and wrote the first line of what would later become my first published novel. We all know what happened just a few months later, and while unemployed, I listened to the universe and took the opportunity to do what I’ve always loved and become a full-time author. I’ve never been happier!
CJC: What do you find to be the most rewarding and challenging part of being an author and what hurdles have you overcome while striving towards your goals?
LM: The biggest reward is when readers tell me how much a story resonated with them, plus the opportunity to provide readers the same escape I’ve always craved. Many of us live in a lonely world, and being able to connect with readers through my stories makes what I do worth it. The most challenging part of being an author is realizing how difficult it is to get any kind of foothold in front of an audience. As an introvert, putting myself out there is never easy, but it’s a necessary part of an author’s career, so I do my best to push through the discomfort.
CJC: Which novel has been your favorite to write and why?
LM: This is SUCH a hard question, but I’d have to go with my most recent release, Code Name: Phoenix. I’d only written about a quarter of the first draft when my cat, Mira, passed away. She’d been my constant companion for over 11 years, and losing her hit hard. I disassociated from life for about 7 weeks, and the first day I sat down to write after she passed was one of the most miserable of my author career, since she was always in my lap or sleeping nearby when I wrote. I disappeared into the story, and bled my raw emotions into the characters. When I came out the other side, I wasn’t healed, but stronger. Code Name: Phoenix is my favorite because for the first time, I fully realized how vital writing is to my soul.
CJC: For first time readers of your work, which book would you recommend?
LM: I’m one of those outlier authors who doesn’t write standalones, so if you’d like to dive into my super soldier world, please start with book 1, Code Name: Timberwolf.
CJC: If one of your books were made into a movie, which would you select and who would you like to star in it?
LM: While each book centers on a different couple (except for the first two books), there is a vast overarching plot that carries through the series, so that is a tough question to answer. The entire series would do well as a TV show, but if I had to narrow it down to a movie, I’d pick my latest book, Code Name: Phoenix. There are some pretty intense fight scenes involving fire and lightning powers so it would be super fun to watch, not to mention the steamy scenes, of course. I’ve only ever pictured the cover models as the characters, so casting would be hard. I’d go with Ryan Guzman (from 9-1-1) for Jordy and Nina Dobrev (from Vampire Diaries) for Skye.
CJC: For those looking to become an author, what advice would you give them?
LM: You’ll have advice coming out of your ears from everyone under the sun the moment you announce you’re an author. Just be careful whose advice you take. What works for one author might not work for you, and that’s even within the same genre. Trial and error are your friends. It will get loud and overwhelming, but the best advice I’ve ever received is to just sit down and write the damn book.
CJC: If you could co-write a book with any author, who would it be and why?
LM: Emilia Finn. Hands down. She is one of my favorite indie authors of all time and I would die if I ever got the chance to work with her.
CJC: Favorite motto?
LM: Just because you’re struggling doesn’t mean you’re failing.
CJC: What do you do to overcome writer’s block?
LM: There’s something about water that speaks to my creative side. Whenever I’m stuck, a long hot shower or a soak in the tub gets the creativity and the words flowing again. I’ve come up with some amazing plot twists while I stare at the tile, lost in my own little world. My husband even bought me a waterproof notepad so I can write it all down!
CJC: In one word, how would you describe your writing style?
LM: Pandemonium. Isn’t that a fun word? I’m a pantser, so it’s all pretty much controlled chaos until it isn’t.
CJC: Which do you find harder to do… writing the blurb for your story or selecting the cover?
LM: I loathe writing blurbs with a fiery passion, but they are a necessary evil. Selecting the cover is the fun part for me.
CJC: Do you have authors who inspire you? And if so, who and why?
LM: There are far too many to name here, but a few authors who inspired me to become an author are Emilia Finn, Fiona Cole, and Meghan Quinn. I love their writing styles and ability to create such memorable characters. I’ve also been lucky enough to make friends with authors who are on a similar journey who inspire me every day. They are Dillon Bancroft, Greta Rose West, Kate McWilliams, MJ Marino, Linnea March, and Shannon Nikole.
CJC: What is your writing process like?
LM: I have a beginning, middle and end in mind to keep things from going off the rails, and then I let my characters tell me everything that happens in between through discovery writing. From the time I start typing to release day, and assuming nothing in my non-author life distracts me, it takes about 6 months.
CJC: What new projects are you currently working on and what are your goals for the remainder of the year?
LM: I have two books left in the Infinitum Series which I plan on releasing over the next 12ish months, and then it’s time for the spinoff series. So far there are 6 books planned for that and it will be less super soldiery and more contemporary, but will exist in the same world. I also have a fun side project coming out in August next year but I can’t give away too many details yet!
CJC: Any final thoughts you would like to share with the CJC Photography readers?
LM: This career is more fulfilling than I ever imagined, and it’s only possible because of readers like you. Thank you for helping me live out my dreams.
CJC: “Code Name: Phoenix” is now available!
Stay up to date with Laura’s latest releases here.
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