Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an Irish girl born and bred. A full-time accountant, books are my escape to a magical world. So far I’ve written two full-length novels, with two accompanying short stories, and book three of the trilogy is well underway.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is 2 Minutes to Midnight and it’s the second book in the Midnight Trilogy. The idea for the trilogy came about when my uncle mentioned the phrase 3 minutes to midnight in relation to the idea of the doomsday clock. The phrase stuck in my head begging me to write a book.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
As mammy to a toddler I’ve had to learn to write whenever and however I can so I don’t get too precious about habits or rituals. I do have a particular quirk with my second drafts however where I will rewrite literally every word from scratch. This makes the rewrite take a lot longer than copying and pasting paragraphs I’m happy with, but it makes a huge difference for catching small problems in the flow of the writing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve read my whole life, and often I can’t even remember the name of the authors or books I’ve read because I just don’t have that much brain capacity :). I was hugely influenced by Stephen King and James Herbert growing up, but the author that really got me hooked on the paranormal was Kresley Cole and her Immortals After Dark series. While I eventually moved away from the paranormal romance side of things (I tend more towards high suspense), I loved the plot thread that wove through the series.
What are you working on now?
I’m working hard on book three of the Midnight Trilogy. It’s been the hardest to write so far because I really want to make sure the trilogy goes out with a bang, but I can’t wait to get it into reader’s hands.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is still very much a work in progress for me, but the best I’ve found so far is a very engaged reader group on Facebook for urban fantasy. Engaging there as a reader, and as a person asking genuine questions has given me the best results in relation to marketing (often inadvertently).
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. It is HARD to finish a book, and it is HARD not to doubt yourself, but you will only ever improve by getting the head down and writing. It really is easier to work with words on a page, so even if they’re bad words, get the down.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You have to push through that muddy middle or you’ll never finish. It gave me the kick I needed to get my first book done as I realised that was exactly where I was at the time.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Ilona Andrews’s Kate Daniels series (I know, I’m late to the table on that one), and I’m listening to Lyndsey Buroker’s Death Before Dragon series for my audiobook.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Once I have the final book in the Midnight Trilogy done, I want to get stuck into a new series that explores the release of magic in Ireland. It will play around with a lot of mythology and I’m dying to get started on it.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Can I just cheat and bring my Kindle??? No? Okay, I think I would bring a blank notebook for one so that I can write. I would probably bring a non-fiction book that I can use to work on my craft, probably Sacha Black’s Anatomy of Prose. Then I think I would bring one of Kresley Cole’s books and reread them to try understand what it was about them that caught my imagination so much.
Author Websites and Profiles
Laura Hatchell Website
Laura Hatchell Amazon Profile
Laura Hatchell’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
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