Winnemucca by Laura A. H. Elliott

Hi everyone!

One of my favorite things about being an author is meeting the readers and other authors! So, I've decided to bring my readers and some of the authors I meet together.

Every once in a while I will be introducing you guys to a new YA author by featuring them on my blog.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Laura A. H. Elliott, writer of YA and Middle Grade Fiction. Here is a little about Laura and her YA novel, Winnemucca.

Winnemucca

One mistake changes her life forever. One answer will set her free.

Once upon a time Ginny’s road blood ripened, the day she got wise to love. Engaged to the high school quarterback, his quarter-carat ring and enchanting smile should have been enough for her. But, she stands him up and takes a walk where every step questions her happily ever after gone-bad and the fate of the mother she never knew. The mother her father refuses to talk about. Ginny fights to untangle her big, fat, lie-of-a-life on an enchanted road trip to Winnemucca, where she believes all her answers lie, no matter who or what tries to stop her.

Click here for the Book Trailer!

Q&A with Laura A. H. Elliott

I'm very excited to be sharing your novel with my readers. Can you tell us a little about Winnemucca?

Thanks for having me here on your blog, Daniele. Winnemucca is a young-adult novel about a teenage girl’s enchanted road trip to her true self no matter who or what tries to stop her.

When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?

When I’d been writing for a few months and attended my first Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Annual Conference in Los Angeles. I attended all these fascinating workshops and made so many friends. I just felt so much love and support from the people there and they made me believe I could become a professional writer.

What inspired you to write your first book?

Actually the first story I ever wrote was a short story based on one of my grandma’s adventures. And, coincidentally, it’s also a story about a road trip.

If you could bring one of your characters to life, who would it be and why?

That’s a tough one. I would love to bring Carlos to life. He would be so much fun to be around. Always the performer, I’d love his music and energy. But I’d also enjoy sitting ar

ound a campfire and listening to his endless stories because they always seem to reflect what’s in his listeners’ hearts. He has a way of reading people that’s uncanny.

What books have most influenced your life most?

Doctory Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café by Fannie Flagg

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

I would say that Val Hobbs has been like a mentor to me. She was one of my teachers and was also so generous about sharing her experiences as a writer with me. She’s full of encouragement.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Right now it’s challenging to find the time to write now that I have Winnemucca has been released. I enjoy the whole adventure, but find I need to be more diligent about protecting my writing time. As far as the process of writing, the challenge for me continues to be to find new ways to look at my stories with fresh eyes so that I am able to make sure I’m communicating the story clearly in a way that is fresh and unexpected. I find traveling helps me see things in new ways.

What is your favorite quote from one of your books?

“Fear’s as blind as love.” -Winnemucca

What stories can your readers look forward to from you in the future?

My next novel is being released in late September, called ThirTEEN ON HALLOWEEN. Roxie only invites the popular kids in the eighth grade to her thirteenth birthday party on Halloween and they celebrate in a way she never expected––in her attic, with the lights out, and a pact to swear to never tell a living soul what happens there.

I hope you guys enjoyed the Q&A!

*rushes to GoodReads to add more books to TBR list*

Places where you can find Laura A. H. Elliott:

http://www.authorlaura.com/
http://www.facebook.com/Laura.A.H.Elliott
http://twitter.com/#!/Laurawriting
http://laurasmagicday.livejournal.com/
http://1questionaday.wordpress.com/