1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
M. Lauryl Lewis says: Hands down, it'd be these three kick-butt women: Shana Festa, Rhiannon Frater, and Bijou Hunter! Shana because she has a wickedly awesome sense of humor and the ability to be creative when it comes to getting out of sticky (bloody) situations. Rhiannon, honestly, because she is one of my all-time favorite zompoc authors. She was a major inspiration for me to become an author. Bijou writes dark romance. She's also one of the strongest women and mothers I know. She has helped me through some tough times in my personal life, has always been "real" with me, and her writing is awesome.
2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.
M. Lauryl Lewis says: Hmm. I'm going to take the graceful way out in this and say Stephen King, because he was closer to the edge of the river. :-) On a more serious note, I see "celebrities" as "just people." Yes, both are extremely accomplished authors who have given us so much in the way of dreaming and entertainment. That being said, I honestly would have to chose based on who I could get to first since I see us all as equals.
3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
M. Lauryl Lewis says: I actually just began the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.
4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
M. Lauryl Lewis says: Neanderthal by John Darnton. I have a paperback copy that I first read when I was well, younger. I re-read it every few years. I highly recommend it.
5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
M. Lauryl Lewis says: Oh - without a doubt TIME of DEATH: Induction, by Shana Festa. She's a newer zompoc author and she is hot in the genre! I admit, once I was finished with book one I stalked her down and begged for an ARC to read & review for the sequel.
6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
M. Lauryl Lewis says: I've had a hard time finding a good book so far this year. I've started so many and given up. My head hasn't been in a very good place with personal issues going on (one of my little boys is fighting cancer). Of all the attempts I've made to get lost in a great book, the one I found myself craving more of is The Complex by J. Rudolph.
7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
M. Lauryl Lewis says: My super power is the ability to take a nap whenever given the chance! It's one of my favorite activities and I strive to be super at it. My love of naps began when I worked night shift as an RN for years. I would come home to my family, which includes a husband, three little boys, dogs, and cats. It's forced me to become super at looking awake and not always being. Most of my writing happens late at night when the kids are in bed and the husband is at work. I nap when I can to make up for the long hours of being a mother and an author.
8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
M. Lauryl Lewis says: I have an easy chair and ottoman in our living room. Most of my writing takes place there. I also keep a TV-tray (those folding tables we used as children to eat frozen dinners for TV night) that I take with me as a portable office. I spend a lot of hours with my son at the local children's hospital, so the TV tray has become a 2nd favorite. I attempted to hang a hammock in the back yard for summer writing, but my four dogs decided it was fun to try to drool me to death and my English Mastiff tries to lay on me.
9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book GRACE LOST.
M. Lauryl Lewis says: Grace Lost follows a small group of survivors as they try to survive during the zombie apocalypse. One of my favorite scenes is a really emotionally draining one. A pregnant character goes into early labor and delivers a living (but tiny) baby. Both mother and baby die. Twice.
Why on earth would that be my favorite scene? I know, it sounds horrible. The scene, though, well...I put so much of my own emotions into that scene. It was difficult to write. It's difficult to read. Many readers say it's a tear-jerker.
10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
M. Lauryl Lewis says: Ha ha - love this question! There is so much of myself in my protagonist, Zoe. The funny thing about that is that so many reviews have mentioned how much they HATE Zoe! She is 20 years old, naive, very inexperienced in life, a bit clueless, and very whiny. I strive to make all of my characters realistic. Unlike my super power of napping, none of my characters have super power abilities. They are not expert weapon-wielders. They make some bad decisions. They are very intentionally flawed. I do this in order to make the story realistic. So, yes, Zoe has a lot of me within her. I make her react how I imagine I would if the living dead were trying to eat me. She cries. She vomits. She asks a lot of questions. She allows the bigger, stronger men in the story protect her.
11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
M. Lauryl Lewis says:
What Does the Fox Say
Hallelujah
Last Kiss
Home
Dollhouse
12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
M. Lauryl Lewis says: If you want to write, do it!
Hallelujah
Last Kiss
Home
Dollhouse
12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
M. Lauryl Lewis says: If you want to write, do it!
Connect with M. Lauryl Lewis!
M. Lauryl was born in Portland, Oregon, but grew up near Seattle, Washington. She lives near the Cascade Foothills with her husband and their three young sons, their dogs, and cats. She recently retired after an eighteen year career as a registered nurse in order to write full time while being at home with her children.
She has learned recently, after almost losing one of her children, to enjoy each and every day for what it is, savoring the good along with the bad. She can be found camping, fishing, reading, writing, or enjoying simple pleasures like cooking dinner or staring at the Cascade mountain range from her front porch. Her favorite places to vacation are polar opposites, Alaska and Hawaii. She is a huge lover of Mike 'N Ikes and hot-tubbing!
Ever since young childhood, she has enjoyed the horror genre. The scarier the better!
She loves to connect with readers! Reach her at:
www.facebook.com/mlauryllewis
@mlauryllewis
http://www.zombieauthor.com
