Interview With Author LAURI CRUVER CHERIAN
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, I am a former ESL and bilingual teacher turned author and poet. I was born in Washington state and have resided in Texas for the last three decades. I have written two books of poetry and recently published a children’s chapter book.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Four Anxious Armadillos, a children’s chapter book about four species of armadillos on an adventure through the pampas, the rainforest and Iguazu Falls of Argentina. I was inspired to write this book after sitting in my hot tub one evening, watching a nine-banded armadillo dig and root about in my yard. Prompted to educate myself on armadillo behavior, my internet search on the local nine-banded armadillos found in Texas led me to discover other armadillos, such as the pink fairy armadillo of Argentina, the screaming hairy armadillo of Boliva, and the three-banded armadillo of Brazil. I thought, “Wow, this is too good to be true; these characters deserve a story!”
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I obey the muse. Whenever the ideas manifest themselves, whether it is three o’clock in the morning or riding in the car, when the creativity hits, I write. I often write with my chihuahua at my side. She has her own little blanket on a chair in the sunshine and she waits patiently for me to finish so we can go for a walk.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I enjoy Ken Follett novels, Bill Bryson, Kristin Hannah, and Abraham Verghese, to name a few. As a child, I loved Jane Austin, Louisa May Alcott, and Laura Ingalls Wilder. I was influenced by my friend, Jennifer, who would pass her library books to me on the school bus in elementary school. I credit her with developing my early love for literature.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a historical fiction novel about my grandmother and great grandparents who ran a boarding house for immigrant men in Tacoma, Washington in 1910. I found my grandmother’s poetry and a newspaper article she wrote to the Tacoma Tribune. She made mention of her happy life at the boarding house, listening to the stories of the men and the events that brought them to a boom town in 1910.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a lot to learn about book promotion. I post on Facebook, the local paper, I make iMovies on my cell phone and post those. I know I can and should do more, but writing is a whole lot more fun!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to write! Just get your ideas down. You can take all the time you like to edit and fine tune it. Don’t be so critical that you never actually write your creative ideas down. Write while you have the ideas, don’t lose momentum. Form or join a writing group.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Show, don’t tell.
What are you reading now?
I have been pouring over books about Tacoma in 1910. I’m currently reading the “Images of America” books such as Old Tacoma and Mosquito Fleet of South Puget Sound.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Promote Four Anxious Armadillos. Get it into libraries and into the hands of kids. Tour and speak about armadillos and anxiety. Write a series of books to go along with Four Anxious Armadillos. Publish my next book about Tacoma in 1910.
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?
The Bible, Pride and Prejudice, A Treasury of Poems, and something by Bill Bryson or Kristin Hannah.
Author Websites and Profiles
LAURI CRUVER CHERIAN Amazon Profile
LAURI CRUVER CHERIAN’s Social Media Links
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