Author Interview: Katrina LaCroix

I'm so excited (and nervous!) today as it's my first ever author interview - eek! As a relatively new blogger I'm still learning the ropes (I wonder how long I can use that excuse?), but I had great fun putting this together and trying to think up some original questions. Not sure I succeed with that but have a look for yourself!

Before we get to Q&A, let me introduce my guest: Katrina LaCroix, is author of Loose Lips Sink Ships - a comedy about a dis-functional teenage relationship. It's her first published novel and I will be reviewing it in full tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy getting to know Katrina as much as I did!

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to answer a few questions. Please either be as honest as possible to tell some outrageous lies - both are fun! :-)

Alright, I'll do my best with these questions.

First tell us a little about yourself...

I'm a twenty-three year old from New York City who loves having fun at all costs. I work a boring job, which gives me plenty of time to think of crazy stories, most of which probably border on the psychotic. 

Tell us a little about ‘Loose Lips Sink Ships’ –  what’s it all about?

This story is about a bad teen relationship, two people who are attracted to each other and yet have very different personalities. Emotions travel into their actions like a lightning rod, causing them to act out regardless of the consequences. I'd say there are a lot of people like Avery and Carter out there, the only difference being that most of us have learned some restraint. Sure, holding back has its advantages, but I think we lose a part of ourselves that way. 

Is Loose Lips your first novel? How long did it take to write?

I've written several novels, but this is the first one I've decided to publish. It took about three months to write, and then there was some time for tinkering with the jokes in addition to the revising. Writing humor is difficult because what people find funny varies so much, so if you find yourself on the same wavelength as this book you should know I'm especially thrilled.

There’s a lot of humour and sex in Loose Lips – what made you think of putting the two together? Where did you get your inspiration from?

I would say that I have an aggressive sense of humor. If something doesn't cut to the bone, it won't get me to laugh. Much of the plot and the jokes have to do with sex and the body. That's where we're all vulnerable because we're human and there isn't enough plastic surgery available to make us all perfect. None of the characters hold back from digging into each other's faults.

Not all your characters are very nice and sometimes behave in despicable ways – was that how you behaved at school? J

As much as I might regret it in my moments of weakness, I was a bit of a rumor hound back in school. You see, the trick to getting back at someone is never to go right at them, it's to set seemingly unrelated bombs here or there that somehow damage them. Whereas that would've meant gossiping for me, the characters in this story take it a step forward and do the terrible things to each other most of us dream of.

If you could write a letter to your younger self what advice would you give?

I would've told myself that none of it mattered. I bet a future self talking to me now would say the same thing. Stuff happens on a day to day basis, but over a long enough period of time it all fades away. Just do what you can, and don't sweat any of it.

Who are your favourite authors?

I have a broad taste in authors. I like Stephen King and Dan Brown, but then I also like Suzanne Collins and Stephanie Meyer. Any story with some action and emotion to it will draw me in.

What do like to get up on your spare time?

I go out a lot, partying sometimes. Then I'll wake up the next morning and really want to read, but I'll be so hungover that I'll stare blankly at the same page for an hour. I like movies and TV shows that are funny. Then there's my one secret love: raising mice and slipping them into the neighbors' houses.

Any hints about future stories...?

It depends how well this one does if I decide to do any more. If there's an audience for it and people like it, I bet I could put something else together. It would be fun to write more of this.

Thanks for stopping by - great answers!

Thanks for having me!

Loose Lips Sink Ships is available on Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com & Barn & Nobel sites. And stop by tomorrow for my full review! :)