Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
So far I’ve written two Books, Sting of the Scorpion and Scorpion’s Reach
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Years ago I was sat eating lunch under a tree in a place called Rotorua, there’s a lake there, and a small seaplane was coming into land.
I found myself asking “what if?” and a story began to formulate, but I didn’t do much with it, just kept it on the ‘backburner’ as I wasn’t a published ‘author’
About three years ago I thought “Screw this If I don’t follow through now with my dreams, I never will” so I wrote the first in the series (Sting of the Scorpion) and the response I got was positive enough for me to write the second, now I’m hooked!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I try to write a little every day, probably the best time for me to write is early in the morning, but I have everything linked to Google docs and I’ve been known to ‘whip the phone’ out and bash a few words into the manuscript at the strangest of times, basically whenever I’ve got a moment I can get a phrase down, and I’ll worry about how the story sounds later, when I do the re-write.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Steinbeck said, “Never do a re-write in the middle of a first draft” I’ve not read his work, but I live by that saying.
JRR Tolkien
CS Lewis
John le Carre
Bernard Cornwell
Frederick Forsythe
Wilbur Smith
Bodie Theone
Stephen King
JK Rowling
What are you working on now?
Book three of the series “Scorpion’s Vengeance”
and also another based on a true story called ‘Smuggler’ about people smuggling and why people would even consider fleeing using these people
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still learning this, I’ve had the books out about a year, but done very little marketing, they’ve been selling themselves (and doing a pretty good job) so I want to up the game in that area.
I’ve had the most success when people have the book in their hands, most aren’t able to put them down.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep going, read as much s you can, write as much as you can, enjoy the process. Take a job writing copy, that’ll teach you to pack the most into the fewest words.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming!”
What are you reading now?
A book called “inside Pine Gap” about the NSA’s listening post in Australia.
“Secret Life of a Juror” by Paul Sanders
What’s next for you as a writer?
After I’ve finished book three, I want to concentrate on “Smuggler”. After that, I’ve got a plan for a WW1 story based on some family history, it’ll be a ‘Historical fiction/Romance’ or at least that’s the plan.
I want to see if I can write that Genre
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?
A Bible would be top of the list, I read it every day.
Lord of the Rings By Tolkien
As many Bernard Cornwell books as I could lay my hands on.
The Pigeon Tunnel by le Carre
and something to write with.
Author Websites and Profiles
Lawrence Hebb Amazon Profile
Lawrence Hebb’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile