Author Interview: Laura Kemp

Thank you to Laura Kemp, author of Evening in the Yellow Wood, for answering some interview questions! My book review will be up tomorrow so check back for my thoughts!

When did you know writing was for you?

This is a question I get asked all the time. I don’t ever remember not wanting to write. What I mean is, I literally have no memory of my ‘pre-writing ‘life. The dedication in my book acknowledges my mother for writing my stories down when I was too little to do it myself, and this was true. I would sprawl out on the floor, Mom beside me, and tell her stories because I couldn’t read or write yet. And she would write them down, bless her heart!

Why was Evening in the Yellow Wood a book you wanted to write?

I spent a summer in northern Michigan when I was 24 and was so profoundly affected that I knew I wanted to set a story up there. My original manuscript was very different from what eventually morphed into EITYW, but once I decided to revise, it flowed easily and became, I think, a much better story. This past summer I visited Rogers City, which was the inspiration for Lantern Creek, for a book event. I told the people at the signing that the story was a ‘love letter to the town’, and that’s what I felt my motivation was for writing it. I wanted to give something back to the community and in a way, immortalize it.

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?

I think for me, dealing with self-doubt is the hardest part of writing. I’m my own worst critic, and I can sometimes get paralyzed by the fear that I will ‘write something bad.’ So I don’t write at all, which isn’t a good solution. Usually I can get myself through it if I bite the bullet and start writing anyway. And even if I don’t like what I write, just the process itself can get me back in the groove and moving again.

What are your favorite genres to read?

I love all genres, as long as the story is engrossing, although I tend to shy away from WWII related books just because I find them tedious (although I have a degree in social studies so I feel like I SHOULD like it!) My favorite stories usually involve some sort of history, some blending of romance with an interesting conflict that makes me think about life in a different way. If a story has those elements, I’m in!

What do you want readers to take away from your story?

I want readers to come away with the same feeling of love and wonder that I have for my home state of Michigan. My main character goes through a journey of self-discovery that is very frightening, and I want my readers to understand that the process, although difficult, is worth it. Get to know yourself. Face your demons. Believe in yourself and your inner strength. It will all turn out in the end.

How important do you think social media is for authors these days?

I think it’s very important. I have writer friends who embrace social media and those who don’t want anything to do with it. I think that even if it’s not your ‘thing’, it’s important to make an effort to be visible on social media. But on the same note, don’t let it consume your life. You need to experience the real world in order to write about it.

What would be your advice to aspiring writers?

If you love writing, if it’s the thing you can’t imagine NOT doing, like when I was a kid sprawled on the floor, don’t let anyone discourage you. Never give up! Keep climbing, keep breaking down walls, keep writing the story that speaks to your heart, and eventually someone listen. And thank you for it!