Interview with Author Laken Cane
Sassy: What got you into writing / what made you sit down and actually start something?
LC: I've been writing since I was a little kid--filling up notebook after notebook with some pretty terrible stories. I've always written. It's my favorite thing to do and I'm sure I was born to write. Seriously. :) I got into publishing when I got my first laptop and learned about ebooks. Submitting books was easy. I knew I had a chance. I joined forums and learned how to do things correctly. I thought I knew how to write back then but those first finished attempts were embarrassingly bad. ;) Eventually I started submitting to epublishers and getting contracts, and I never looked back.
Sassy: Are you a planner/plotter when it comes to writing a story?
LC: No. I wanted to be, because I do like everything nice and neat and in order. I like to know what's coming and how things are going to turn out. But I can't write that way. It just doesn't work for me. I get a nugget of an idea, and I sit down and start writing. That's how my books happen.
Sassy: What has been your highlight since becoming a published author?
LC: Several things--getting that first contract, getting my books in print, and the fans. The fans...omg. I love them. Shiv Crew fans are the most supportive fans ever. They're amazing and I appreciate every single one of them.
Sassy: What do you do in your spare time?
LC: I exercise, play video games, read, watch TV. Do things with friends occasionally. Shop. I love to shop. :)
Sassy: . Do you get writers block? If so, how do you overcome it?
LC: I haven't been bothered a lot with writer's block. If I get stuck anywhere in the book, I know immediately that I need to backtrack and change something. That usually does the trick :)
Sassy: . Can you share a little of your most recent book or series with us?
LC: The Rune Alexander series is a dark urban fantasy about a group of people--Shiv Crew--who protect their county against the bad guys. And there are plenty of bad guys! The captain of Shiv Crew is a damaged young woman named Rune Alexander who wrestles with some powerful inner demons, and at her back are some pretty amazing fighters with secrets of their own and an unquestionable loyalty to Rune.
Sassy: What advice would you give for new authors?
LC: Write what you love. Write what is in your heart, what you itch to write. Otherwise it's a something of a struggle! Don't go with what's popular. Also, it was necessary for me to gain experience with publishers before I struck out on my own. They helped me in so many ways. If I were a new writer just starting out, I'd submit to publishers and learn the ropes before going indie. Just my opinion.
Sassy: What is one thing about yourself you want your readers to know?
LC: I might seem extremely outgoing in online social media, but in real life, I'm SUCH an introvert. And a little strange ;)
Sassy: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
LC: I have to say the author I read the most, who has been with me since I was a kid, is Stephen King. He can pull me into a story like no other writer. If I'm in a reading slump, I reread Stephen King.
Sassy: What books have most influenced your life most?
LC: All the books I ever read growing up influenced me. They got me through my childhood. Reading so much helped me become a writer.
Sassy: Would you or do you use a PR agency? Why?
LC: I don't, but I will someday--because writing is a full-time job and it's what I'm good at. Marketing and promotion are part of the job when you have a career in writing, but it's not a part I'm very good at. I'd love to concentrate on writing and leave the marketing to someone else.
Sassy: If you are looking for a great PR agency contact Drue at DRC Promotions
Sassy:. What is your favorite positive saying?
LC: One of them is, "I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions." ~ Stephen Covey.
Sassy: Do you write full-time or part-time?
LC: Full time. I write a LOT. And if I'm not writing, I'm writing notes, thinking about the story, reading articles on writing. Sometimes I feel like I'm always working. Good thing I love it. ;)
Sassy: . Who designed your book cover/s?
LC: Mostly, I choose the images, and someone very close to me and a Photoshop whiz designs them. It's a team effort :)
Sassy: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?
LC: I do. The cover is the first thing a reader sees. If the cover is uninteresting or ugly, he or she might not bother to even read the blurb. The cover is what first grabs a reader's attention.
Sassy: . What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
LC: You need a very thick skin for this business. Unfortunately, mine is still rather thin. But I'm getting better, haha. Positive reviews, of course I love. I love knowing I touched someone with my books, that my books made a reader happy. The negative reviews...they sting, but I can always manage to find something helpful in them. Okay, in MOST of them. ;)
Sassy: If you are looking for great review blogs here are the ones I am associated with. Drue and I have a
team over 20 awesome reviewers on our team.
Sassy: What is your biggest pet peeve?
LC: When I'm eating in a restaurant and someone blows his nose at his table! Really? You can't get up and go to the restroom for that? Gag.
Sassy: . Tell us about your family.
LC: I come from a big family. I had six siblings and we grew up in the country, rather isolated. My mom and dad are no longer together but they do live in the same town. We've lost two of my brothers, and my other siblings are scattered around but not too far away. :) I have a son who is a genius (Okay, so I'm a little biased) and a precious daughter who passed away in 2009.
Sassy: Does your family support your writing?
LC: Those who know about it do, very much. My son is my biggest champion. :)
Sassy: What is your favorite recipe? Please include it.
LC: Coffee. Coffee is my favorite recipe. Actually, I'm not much of a cook. I do make a mean baked spaghetti, though. I put everything in the sauce from olives to Parmesan and other cheeses. When the pan is ready to come out of the oven, it weighs ten pounds and is bubbling over with sauce. Yum!
Website: www.lakencane.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/laken.cane.3
Twitter: @lakencane
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/lakencane
Book Links: You can buy my print and Kindle books on Amazon, and the print books are also on Createspace.
SHIV CREW, book 1: http://amzn.to/XhfZgr
BLOOD AND BITE, book 2: http://amzn.to/Vlst4P
STRANGE TROUBLE, book 3: http://amzn.to/1oM7ogb
OBSIDIAN WINGS, book 4: http://amzn.to/1uOv8AL
NEW REGIME, book 5, coming soon. Watch my website and Facebook for updates!
Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview.
LC: Thank you so much for having me! :)
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