Book: The Aria Of She
Q1. Hello Ma’am, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
My name is Lauren, writing as L. Margetts-Bullock, but you can call me Loz. I’m a 34-year old office assistant living just outside of London, UK, with my wife and our three dogs. I’m a self-taught author; I have no formal education in language or literature, only a deep passion to share my creativity with the world. In addition to being a writer and an office assistant, I’m also a singer and a makeup artist. When I’m not working, you’ll find me in the garden, meditating, reading tarot/oracle cards, making perfumes, playing with crystals and herbs, or talking to my dogs in ridiculous voices.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘The Aria Of She’ book?
Time was my biggest obstacle! I wrote the first version of ‘Aria’ in my early teens and I didn’t revisit the story again until my mid-twenties. After such a long time of not writing at all, I found it extremely difficult to return to a creative headspace and tune back into the Crecita Universe. Once I found my flow again, I then had the difficulty of fitting my writing time around a full-time job and studying for my professional qualifications. It wasn’t until I left my career as an insurance broker in 2018 that I was finally able to commit as much time as I wanted to the project.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
J R R Tolkien has been my most influential author since I was a child. My mother read The Hobbit to me many times when I was growing up and it was my first experience of the High Fantasy genre. I collected the Goosebumps and Point Horror novels through my childhood, and as a young teen, I was introduced to L J Smith’s Night World series that I’ve read more times than I can count. It was through these books that I fell in love with the Urban Fantasy genre. The idea of all these supernatural beings existing around us in secret as we go about our daily lives fascinates me! I knew early on that these were the sorts of books I would always gravitate towards as a reader and when I began writing, Urban Fantasy came more naturally than any other genre. As an adult, Deborah Harkness has become one of my all-time favourites.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
I’m too curious to keep returning to the same place! I’m fortunate enough to live next to a nature reserve, so I have miles of beautiful scenery on my doorstep that I take advantage of regularly, but if I travel out to explore somewhere, I always pick somewhere new. The UK may be quite a small island, but there are far too many exciting places to explore to keep going back to the same place.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you dive in and start writing a book?
Everyone has their own processes, but for me, I do a lot of groundwork before I start. I begin with pages of notes, concepts, snippets of conversations, research, etc., which I then condense into a synopsis. I need an outline to follow so I don’t lose track of what I’m doing as I work. Writing itself is a very instinctive process for me and I often don’t know the exact details of what I’m about to write until I’m actually writing it. Many times, I’ve thought I’ve known how a chapter will play out, only to find something completely different has happened by the time I’ve finished the draft.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘The Aria Of She’ book?
It was written in several evolving parts over the course of 19 years – but I don’t plan to take that long with the rest of the series!
Q7. On what platforms can readers find ‘The Aria Of She’ book to buy?
‘The Aria of She’ is currently available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, and directly from the publisher, AuthorHouse. It is available in paperback, hardback, and eBook formats.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Aria Of She’?
It was almost published under a different title but my editor really pushed for something more unique, and I’m so glad they did. My wife came up with the title after I worked my way through several temporary titles that didn’t work. The word ‘Aria’ is Italian for ‘song’ and in musical terms, it is a solo vocal performance, usually found in operas. The capitalised ‘She’ refers to the Blaise’s Siren spirit that she wrestles against through the book.
For the cover, I had a quite a clear idea from the outset how I wanted it to look, and the graphic designer did an excellent job with the instructions I gave. I prefer abstract artwork, and wanted to create an illusion that tied into some of my concepts, rather than a literal interpretation of the plot.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
Although Crecita is a fictional planet filled with mythical creatures, I think it’s really important that readers can still relate to what is happening to the characters. In the real world, we are living through a time of enormous social change. We are having conversations in the public forum about mental health, racism, sexism, sexual and gender identity, etc., in ways we never have before and I like my writing to incorporate that.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
I don’t want to give too much away because the plot takes many twists and turns from start to finish and that’s all part of the excitement. The story touches on LGBTQ+ relationships, abandonment, mental health, domestic violence, murder, and much more. And once you’ve read it, if you think you know how the rest of the series might play out… you’re probably wrong!
Book Is Available On Amazon
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