Today we have an interview with author Lauren Jimerson!
What were you like at school?
I was the quiet kid in school with a popular big brother. No one knew that I existed.
Which writers inspire you?
JK Rowling. Harper Lee. Octavia Butler. George RR Martin. Christopher Paul Curtis.
Some nice choices there. Martin’s Fevre Dream is my current bath book!
Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
I created Siobhan June out of this need to read about a character like me. She’s the protagonist of The Sarea Legends. She’s not your traditional female protagonist in a fantasy novel. She’s an adult with real life problems like family and finances. Creating someone who is classy, elegant and prudish and then making them unravel is so much fun.
What are you working on at the minute?
Currently, I’m working on The Sarea Legends Book Two and a shorter novel called The Lavish Northrup Hall. It’s about the hunting party of Lord Benton’s heir are being haunted by a mysterious entity in 1920s England.
Oo, sounds like an intriguing one. 1920s England is always an interesting setting.
What genre are your books?
I love speculative fiction, particularly urban fantasy and paranormal. I always write from the perspective of a black woman encountering the supernatural. Another favorite genre of mine is southern gothic literature.
What draws you to this genre?
I was in the 6th grade when I first read Harry Potter and the experience really made fall in love with fantasy. You can create any type of world that you want. That was the initial appeal. But there is a lack diversity in the genre. So I started inserting it in my books.
How much research do you do?
A lot. One can never do enough.
Have you written any other novels in collaboration with other writers?
No. But I’m most definitely interested.
Why do you write?
I write because I have all of these stories and ideas in my head. As I mentioned earlier, there isn’t a lot of main characters that look like me in mainstream fantasy. I write for the shy and quiet little black girl in school who needs a role model. I write for diverse storytelling.
This is a great answer Lauren. I hope it inspires others to do the same!
What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?
Short answer: I was getting old. There was a lot that I wanted to do in life but hadn’t. At a certain point I became disappointed in myself. That’s when I sat down and started writing They Came from the River.
Follow Lauren on Instagram and Twitter.
Thanks to Lauren for taking part in this interview.
Jay Snelling Art 