We are sitting down with Laura Drake to discuss lots of interesting things today, including her newest work, FOR ROGER. What a treat!
You have quite a few published works in a couple of different genres. Do you have a favorite genre or book?
I always thought I wrote Women’s Fiction. Half the editors who considered my first book (The Sweet Spot) thought it was romance, the other half thought it was Women’s Fiction. It sold as a Romance, so for the next two contracts, that’s what they wanted from me. But after 6 books in 3 years, I was burnt out, and wanting off the NY hamster wheel. I wrote a sister story that was solidly WF, and I haven’t looked back! My favorite book of mine is always my latest, and never more than my most recent, For Roger.
What does your writing space look like, and do you have a particular writing routine?
I’m so fortunate to have a large office that looks out on our back yard, where deer, bunnies, armadillos and the occasional fox or bobcat wander by!
I began writing when I was working full time and raising a family. I knew I’d never get a book written if I didn’t carve out a routine. I’ve always been a morning person (given enough coffee), so I got up at 3 am to write for two hours before I had to get ready for work. I’ve done it for so long that after I retired, I kept the same schedule. It works for me, though I have to tell you, I’m a drag at parties!
When did you first realize you wanted to be a full-time author?
I never had the audacity – authors were way smarter than I! But I got a story idea that wouldn’t leave me alone. After months of being afraid of embarrassing myself, I decided that I could write it to get it out of my head, then delete it and no one would ever know. But by the end, I was hooked!
Can you tell us a little about your latest work and even give us a sneak peek into what we might could expect next from Laura Drake?
FOR ROGER is a Jodi Picoultesque look at the right to die.
Joan Merritt lives a charmed life. Happily married to her soulmate, she delights in following rules, her heart and her passion—advocating for women.
When her husband Roger is diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, he asks Joan to help him end his life peacefully. But how can she miss one moment of their remaining time together? She refuses.
Roger takes his fate into his own hands, and on a Saturday morning bicycle ride, flies down a hill into oncoming traffic. He survives but has multiple fractures and a head injury that causes a crippling stroke.His daughter, a devout preacher’s wife, comes to be by his side. Bee, only three years younger than Joan, has always resented her stepmother, and those feelings intensify as months drag on and Roger’s health and will to live deteriorate. Joan faces an impossible dilemma: How much is she prepared to risk to grant her husband the peace he desperately wants and needs? When Roger dies, Bee has her own answer, and it leads straight to the police. A story of love, truth and family that shines a light on the shadow between justice and mercy.
What’s next on the horizon for you?
I’ve just begun my next – The Girl with Many Gifts. It’s Apocalyptic Women’s Fiction (yeah, I just made up the genre), born of my wondering about what the world would look like if women were in charge. Having so much fun!
What is the best advice you have for aspiring writers?
Never stop learning. It’s never been easier, with tons of free information on the internet, along with lots of classes, workshops and seminars you can take. I have an education budget every year, because if I’m not learning, how can each book be better than the last?
Thank you, Laura, for spending time with us and sharing a part of your journey! Make sure to hop on over to lauradrakebooks.com for the most up to date information on Laura’s books and announcements.