Interview Lori Libby

by

Kay Layton Sisk

1. Is this your first book for Wings, perchance your first book?

Yes, this is my first book. I’m terrified!

2. Where do you live and did it effect where you set Now and Forever?

I live in Maine.  My other stories are set in Maine, but Now and Forever is set in Southern California.  I’ve visited there a few times and fell in love with Santa Barbara and Santa Monica.  San Fran too.

3. Are you a "seat of your pants" writer or do you plot and outline?

I hope to finish a story I started two years ago after I get my paranormal series done.  I made a great outline but then felt as if the story were already told and quit.  I’m definitely a seat of your pants writer.

4. When did you start writing?

I have been writing since junior high school.  Instead of taking notes I would write stories and let my best friend read them.

5. I find naming my characters a real challenge. Do you? How do you accomplish this?

I let the characters name themselves for the most part.  For my latest series, I actually went to a baby-naming site and picked the names for their meaning.  Example- Hunter’s Arrow.  The main character is Myles Hunter and Belen (Arrow) Cass.  For Now and Forever, the characters named themselves.

6. How did the idea of Now and Forever come to you?

I was teaching middle school English in summer school.  I wrote a couple of story starters on the board for the kids to write about.  One caught my attention and turned into Now and Forever.

7. What do your friends and family think of "Lori Libby Published Author?"

Most of my family and friends think it’s very cool.  I have yet to tell my mother.  I’m going to give her a book for Christmas. LOL I teach in the same town where my parents live but she still doesn’t know.  Dad is very good at keeping secrets and steering others off and away from that topic!

8. What writer's groups do you belong to?

I am a bit light on writing groups right now.  I have been so busy writing that I have let my participation wane.  I used to belong to Writer’s University, which was wonderful.  They offered classes specific to writing and there is plenty of feedback from the other writers there.  I met Cheryl, another Wings author, and Maria, a potential Wings author, there.  The two of them helped me clean up Now And Forever and taught me oodles.  Eventually I would like to join EPIC and the RWA but haven’t yet.  Right now the only group I belong too other than Wings Authors, is my weekly writers group.  We formed after NaNoWriMo last year.  Again this is a critique group and I have learned a lot.

9. Most writers are readers. Do you read in your genre or out of it? If out, what is your "comfort" genre?

I read romantic suspense as much as possible.  I just love it.  Comfort reading?  All books are comfort reading.  Books are an escape from reality, a way to live vicariously exciting lives.

10. Do you have a writing schedule, so many words or pages/writing session, or a special time set aside for writing?

I get up every morning and write from 3am to 5 or 5:30am.  Sometimes on the weekend I sleep in a bit then write.  Lucky for me I have a loving supportive husband who understands when I lock myself in the office!