The Author Spotlight is shinning on Eryn LaPlant today. LaPlant released her first book, Beneath the Wall, two years ago. She has since followed it with The Blue Lute last year and the first book in her Falling for Heroes series, Falling for Shock this past April. LaPlant's love of past time eras and super heroes has made it into her books. Subjects she delves into more in her interview below. LaPlant is currently working on the her next book in the Falling for Heroes Series. It's time to get ready to meet the woman behind today's Jazzy World of E's Bookshelf Author Spotlight, Eryn LaPlant.
Eryn LaPlant's Biography
An Interview with Eryn LaPlant
You released your first book, Beneath the Wall two years ago, how do you feel you have grown as an author?
Well, I've learned more about varying my sentences and how to be more descriptive with less words and a bunch of technical things that aren't too fun to talk about. But on a more in depth aspect I've learned how to write in a more artistic way, without being flowery. I've also learned to stay true to myself and my writing and not let outside voice interrupt mine. That is so important since changing a voice can change the whole feel and mood of a piece.
I’ve read that you're inspired about that past, Beneath the Wall is set in 1928 and The Blue Lute is set in 1966, how much time do you spend researching these time periods?
Tons of time! And this was before the internet. I wrote Beneath the Wall straight out of college when the internet was in its infancy. So I spent a lot of time at the library checking out every book on Vietnam as a country, as a culture, and the war itself. I also like to interview as many people from that era to get a first person's point of view, which means I spent a lot of time with Vietnam vets and my parents who were teenagers during that time.
As for the 1920s, I've always loved that era and since a lot of people from that generation aren't alive in this day and age and the ones who were, were babies at that time, I relied on documentaries and written experiences instead. I spoke to some historians of famous Prohibition joints as well which thrilled me to death. I even received exclusive photographs from back some of these places and I just love them. Needless to say, I was in 1920s Heaven!
If you had the chance to go back to certain era or decade, which would you chose and why?
The 20s! I really do love that time period. The clothes, the lawlessness, the music and lavishness, love it!
Your third book, Falling For Shock was released back in April, what can you tell us about it?
Sure, Falling for Shock is about Oliver Hannel, England’s sexiest new star, who has finally moved from the television screen to the silver screen, playing comic book hero The Shock in Hollywood’s upcoming blockbuster. While filming one summer night in the midwestern town of Greenfield, Indiana, Oliver finds himself witnessing a crime in progress. Will he embrace his inner superhero and save the day? Or will he remember he isn’t invincible and call for help?
Layla Brooks is a small town girl with a big spirited heart, especially when it comes to her twin sister, Lucy. She will rest at nothing to protect her from a casino mogul’s henchman bent on collecting a debt… even if that includes taking her sister’s punishment. But a strange suited man from out of the shadows isn’t about to let that happen.
Oliver and Layla’s opposite worlds collide with a Bam! But are either of them ready for the lies, truth and lust that comes along with a relationship born of shock? Or will their love come and go as fast as a bolt of lightning?
Falling for Shock isn’t historically set like your previous books, what made you decide to go a different route than your other books?
Falling for Shock satisfies the other love of my life, superheroes and strong women. I've been a Superman fan since I was five and have carried that interest throughout my life. About a year ago, I visited the Man of Steel set in Plano, IL and found this dank alley amongst this tiny town. Suddenly my writer's mind went wild with what would happen if an actor playing a superhero was faced with a crime in progress. Would he help? Would he walk away? Before I knew it, an idea was there and I couldn't stop writing. At first I was thinking it would be just a quick short story, but I ended up having so much to explore I couldn't stop at a short story.
I will go back to writing Historicals though. History is the reason I became a writer, this is slight detour. And I should note that despite the Falling for Heroes series not being historical doesn't detract from the amount of research I put into my work. I have a habit of not stopping on a subject until I'm fully immersed. And in Falling for Shock's case, I needed the research movie sets and lingo, actors, actresses, making a superhero movie and began Oliver is British, the English culture, their way of speaking, their special words and phraseology and so much more. It was as involved as a historical, just without events and dates included.
Do you have any current works in progress you can tell us about?
I do! I am currently working on book two of the Falling for Heroes series entitled, Falling for Freedom. It's hero is continuing the story with Oliver's brother Edward Hannel, from Falling for Shock, in his own story. I'm hoping to have it released in the Spring.
Of the three books you released, do you have a favorite?
Gosh, they are all my favorites for different reasons. I like to say that Beneath the Wall is my soul, The Blue Lute is my heart and Falling for Shock is my dream.
What has been your favorite part about writing books?
Coming up with the stories and living in them, with the characters for as long as I write the books. You really do become friends with the people you create. I have a lot of fun choosing their names too. I get so excited when I have a new idea and new characters and I have to build them from scratch, including picking out a name that best suits them and whether it fits in the place and time the story is set in.
How do you feel about the reception your books have received?
It has been wonderful and beautiful and very humbling to have people like my work. I put my all into them and I always hope they are liked. I do tend to be nervous when hearing what people think, even now and it's hard when reviewers give bad reviews. I'm not perfect, so those do happen. I find some of the bad reviews funny though. For example, for Beneath the Wall, I received a review saying my sex scenes were too graphic, which was strange because in my own eyes I thought they were quite PG13, borderline R rated (if comparing to movies). Yet in Falling for Shock, where I had really let loose and got extremely sexy in my love scenes, pushing them to full R rated or more, I got a review saying 'the sex was as if my grandmother was reading them'...weird! You cannot please everyone.I just have to laugh. Overall, the books have been received with greatness and I am so appreciative. I have some lovely readers!
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Jude Deveraux was my first favorite author, John Grisham, Vicki Lewis Thompson, Paulina Simmons, Laurie Larsen, Sydney Jamesson, DA Latham...and so many many more.
In 10 words or less tell readers why they should read your books?
If you love bold, well-rounded characters, intricate stories full of twists & turns you will love my books. Close enough :). Boy that was almost as tough as fitting in a Twitter tweet.
Is there anything else you would like to tell your fans and/or readers new to you?
I'm a fun person, full of life and cheer and I love to talk. So if anyone wants to pop on over to Facebook or Twitter be sure to friend me, I love meeting new people. And look forward to lots more from me...both in the historical world as well as romantic.
Thank you so much for having me be your spotlight author!
Books by Eryn LaPlant
Beneath the Wall
Synopsis
Jesse Parker certainly felt that way after finding a probate paper in his deceased mother’s effects stating that his brothers were adopted, unbeknownst to any of them. Driven to find the truth, Jesse searches for more evidence coming up with just one item: Julianne Parker’s journal from 1966.
Julianne Parker is a combat war journalist sent to Vietnam by her newspaper The Village Voice. There she is not only faced with the bombardment of war, but the harsh reality of being the only female amongst Camp Dakota’s troop of Marines. At the same time, Sergeant Mack Roberts, a son of a WWII sailor and Japanese woman, is irritated by Julianne, but soon helps her to rethink her approach to the camp. Both are labeled as outsiders: Julianne for her gender, Mack for his race and they soon form a love for each other. They marry in private, hiding their relationship and risking both of their careers for love, only to have it ripped apart during the Battle of Khe Sanh.
Through twists and turns Jesse reads that the truth of his family’s existence was a far cry from what he and his brothers were brought up to believe. Instead their tale was a complicated web of lies hidden to give them the most normal life as possible.
The Blue Lute
Synopsis
He is at a dead-end until he meets Lilly, a soulful graduate student at New York University, studying history, two years later. She sees Brandon as a mysterious stranger obsessed with the past. Only to Brandon, it’s his present, and Lilly is soon caught up in a decades-old mystery they must solve. Through twists and turns they find out that the truth was a far cry from what Brandon thought his life was in 1928, instead it was a vicious lie created by the one he loved the most.
Falling for Shock
Synopsis
Layla Brooks is a small town girl with a big spirited heart, especially when it comes to her twin sister, Lucy. She will rest at nothing to protect her from a casino mogul’s henchman bent on collecting a debt… even if that includes taking her sister’s punishment. But a strange suited man from out of the shadows isn’t about to let that happen.
Oliver and Layla’s opposite worlds collide with a Bam! But are either of them ready for the lies, truth and lust that comes along with a relationship born of shock? Or will their love come and go as fast as a bolt of lightning?
Click Here to Purchase Eryn LaPlant's Books
Stay Up-to-Date with Eryn LaPlant
Twitter: @erynalicia
Instagram: @erynalicia
Website: http://novelisterynlaplant.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorerynlaplant?fref=ts
I cannot recommend Eryn's books enough!
ReplyDelete