Interview with L. Nicole Murray, author of AUTUMN'S CHILD
L. Nicole Murray is a creative writer by passion, training,
and profession. She is a Columbia College
graduate with a degree in Fiction Writing and Marketing. Nicole’s dual Gemini
personality helps her pursue creative writing as a personal
profession. Nicole explores the creative landscape of the mind to craft
fiction out of real emotion. She currently writes short stories, novels, poems,
and screen plays. Autumn’s Child is her first novel.
Social Links:
Website: www.lnmwriting.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LNMCreative
Instagram: www.instagram.com/LNMCreative
About the Book:
"I am hurting. Fractured in places stitches can't
heal." Autumn’s Child tells the desperate story of Layla, as a young and
naive twelve year-old girl. Over ten critical years, her life quickly changes
like the colors of the trees in autumn. The accidental death of her parents
forces her to abandon her religious, middle-class lifestyle. She moves to the
inner city of Chicago
with her grandmother and aunt, her only living relatives. Layla tries to
approach her new life with optimism, but the perfections of her past life haunt
her tormented journey. After coming to grips with the reality over the years
that her only aunt despises her, Layla soon discovers that she may secretly
hold the keys to helping her aunt’s diminishing health in her hands. Layla’s
faith and sanity are continuously tested as she matures throughout each season
of her life. She stumbles through her new found reality while learning how to
play the distinct set of cards she’s been dealt. Layla’s neighbor and best
friend, Shay, helps guide her from adolescence into adulthood. Autumn’s Child
chronicles a life on the opposite side of the coin; where friendships grow out
of tragedy, and the pressure of a marginalized life weighs heavily on pure
souls. Layla must make many compromising decisions, all while perpetually
asking the reader, What would you do?
Purchase Links:
Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life! Now that your book has been published, we’d
love to find out more about the process.
Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning? Where did you come up with the idea to write
your book?
A: Autumn’s
Child started from a short story about the main character Layla. After
writing the short I felt as if there was more to tell or more that wanted to
know about her. How she felt, where her life was headed and I felt compelled to
continue writing until I developed a personal connection and sense of discovery
with Layla. Her life began to unfold for me as I wrote it, just as it unfolds
for the reader as they read it. Actually, before I knew it I was a150 pages in
and completely absorbed in Layla’s life. I actually felt a sense of
accountability for her future.
Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do
you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier
for other writers?
A: If you think about writing an entire novel you
may be faced with a sense of anxiety or self-doubt. But if you begin by telling
a story and enjoying the story that you discover on the journey of storytelling
than you will find that it’s not actually difficult.
Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them
or did you self-publish?
A: I self-published which has been an interesting
journey but one that I appreciate.
Q: Is there anything that surprised you about
getting your first book published?
A: The publishing industry in general has been a
surprised. As a creative you create but when you self-publish you wear so many
different hats that at times you can miss being just a creative.
Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and
when will they be published?
A: I am working on another novel about a young lady
that is on a quest to craft the perfect genealogy by any means necessary. I am
also writing and focused on film and TV projects with my creative partner. I am
currently writing the screen play for Autumn’s
Child.
Q: What’s your favorite place to hang out online?
A: Anywhere with good content. I don’t have a
favorite blog or website. The beauty of the digital space is that you are drawn
to what inspires you. Some days I’m drawn to works of fiction, other
inspirational works and some days I’m simply looking to learn more in my
creative field.
Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to
get across with your book?
A:That life will take you on various different
directions and paths as you live. You can choose to deal with the cards you
were dealt and take the lessons and grow from it or you can use your cards as
an excuse for what you insecurely feel you can’t do. Either way your destiny is
all your own. Circumstance is merely a condition that you can choose to dwell
in or overcome, the choice is yours.
Q: Thank you again for this interview! Do you have any final words?
A: Autumn’s Child on Amazon or WWW.LNMcreative.com. When Autumn sets in and the leaves on the
trees have fallen to their end, there and only than is where you will find my
sins. Autumn’s child will spring again…
Autumn’s Child Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM1HsapHNDc
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