Horror Aficionados discussion
This topic is about
Whispers in the Dark
Group Reads: Guest Author Invite
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February 2020 Group Read # 2 with Guest Author, Laurel Hightower
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Kimberly wrote: "Welcome, Laurel!"Thank you, Kimberly! I'm excited to take part!
Thanks, Char! I love HA - such an awesome resource!
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Hi Laurel, I've just finished the book - couldn't really put it down. From the way it ended, I have a sneaking suspicion you might be writing more novels featuring Rose. Is this something you've considered?
Kenneth wrote: "Laurel, can you tell us a little about the origins of your story?"Hi Ken! I started writing Whispers so long ago that it's all a little hazy, but I know I'd been looking to write a ghost story for a while. I remember that at the end of Stir of Echoes, when the family's moving out and the parents think everything is over, the little boy is still surrounded by all those voices. I was always a quiet kid, I rarely told anyone when something was bothering me, and I started thinking what would happen to a kid subjected to those voices with no escape from them. What kind of an adult that would make them, and how it would affect their relationships. Rose was already a partly formed character in my head, and I decided she'd be the lucky one to explore the idea on.
Stephanie wrote: "Hi Laurel, I've just finished the book - couldn't really put it down. From the way it ended, I have a sneaking suspicion you might be writing more novels featuring Rose. Is this something you've co..."Hi Stephanie, thank you so much, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I've actually left Whispers as a stand alone for now - I felt like Rose's story was told, though there are some elements that could make for a sequel, down the road. My second novel ended up being the first in a series, because I'd created a world I didn't want to leave, and because the following books just kept coming. If the right inspiration hits, I'm definitely open to revisiting Rose and her family - I lived with them so closely for so long, I'll always have a soft spot for them.
Just popping in to say I started this the other night and am really digging it. Laurel's got game.
Just popping in to say I started this the other night and am really digging it. Laurel's got game.
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Jonathan wrote: "Just popping in to say I started this the other night and am really digging it. Laurel's got game."Thank you so much, Jonathan! I'm so happy you're enjoying it, and that means so much, coming from an author who's work I admire so much!
Kenneth wrote: "Laurel, can you tell us what led you to being an author and why horror? Is there a particular sub-genre(s) that you gravitate towards?"Hi, Ken! I actually come from a writing family - my mom supported us as a single mother solely with her books, so writing was something we all did to some extent or another as we grew up. I think a big part of that was being surrounded by books, as well, so I was constantly reading. I've loved horror as long as I can remember - ghosts are my favorite, but most versions of the creepy get my attention. It's the only thing I ever wanted to write, because it's my favorite thing to read, and I wanted to see if I could maybe scare myself. Right now I lean toward hauntings, but I've written a draft of a more ambiguous horror novella, and I'm wondering if I have what it takes to try splatterpunk.
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Kenneth wrote: "Do you work on more than one story at a time or do you not start one until you’ve finished the one before it?I always have multiple stories in various stages of revision - after I finished my first book and it was being shopped, I immediately started the next one as a distraction. I've kept that going, and it helps with the revision process as well, because when I finish a draft I can really put it out of my head while I turn to the next!
Just poking my head in here to say I loved this book. It doesn't read or feel like a first novel at all. Laurel has the chops, the imagination, and the humanity to become a powerhouse in the field.
Jonathan wrote: "Just poking my head in here to say I loved this book. It doesn't read or feel like a first novel at all. Laurel has the chops, the imagination, and the humanity to become a powerhouse in the field."Thank you Jonathan! I so appreciate you taking the time to read it!
https://www.amazon.com/Whispers-Dark-...