When fellow WFWA member Densie Webb mentioned Laura McNeill’s newest book, Center of Gravity, I had to get it. Check out the Amazon descriptioin, and you’ll understand why it was a must read for me. Also, check out Laura’s website www.lauramcneill.com
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Her whole life, Ava Carson has been sure of one
thing: she doesn’t measure up to her mother’s expectations. So when Mitchell
Carson sweeps into her life with his adorable son, the ready-made family seems
like a dream come true. In the blink of an eye, she’s married, has a new baby,
and life is wonderful.
Or is it?
When her picture-perfect marriage begins unraveling
at the seams, Ava convinces herself she can fix it. It’s temporary. It’s the
stress. It’s Mitchell’s tragic history of loss.
If only Ava could believe her own excuses.
Mitchell is no longer the charming, thoughtful man
she married. He grows more controlling by the day, revealing a violent jealous
streak. His behavior is recklessly erratic, and the unanswered questions about
his past now hint at something far more sinister than Ava can stomach. Before
she can fit the pieces together, Mitchell files for divorce and demands full
custody of their boys.
Fueled by fierce love for her children and aided by
Graham Thomas, a new attorney in town, Ava takes matters into her own hands,
digging deep into the past. But will finding the truth be enough to beat
Mitchell at his own game?
Center of Gravity weaves a chilling tale, revealing the unfailing and dangerous
truth that things—and people—are not always what they seem.
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Laura: Thank you so much! When
I first began writing the novel, I decided it would be compelling to have the
story told from several different perspectives – I love the way Jodi Picoult does
this in many of her books – and decided to give it a whirl with Center of Gravity. I think that, Jack,
the 8-year-old protagonist, adds an element of truth and authenticity to the
storyline. He is a pure and innocent observer, and tells things exactly as he
sees them. As for Ava, the female protagonist, and Graham, her attorney, they
both have different ways of telling the story, and each perspective – I hope –
adds richness and depth to the novel.
ZM: Your books are
classed as Women’s Fiction or Women’s Fiction with elements of Romance. What’s
your opinion of Women’s Fiction as a genre?
Laura: I think that
booksellers and bookstores have to put a genre label on books, but for me, if a
story is well written, it doesn’t matter if what genre it’s been placed in.
Women’s fiction is such a broad term—and there are so many sub-genres under
that classification. Center of Gravity
definitely falls under women’s fiction, and there are elements of romance and
suspense.
It’s
my hope that the Center of Gravity
cover, the story summary, and recommendations from Amazon and Goodreads
reviewers will intrigue readers enough to give the book a try—no matter what
genre!
ZM: What comes first for
you—character, theme, setting, or plot? How do your stories come together?
Laura: When planning out a
novel, I generally have a story spark—an idea or question that intrigues me. It
may be an idea from reading news headlines; it could be from personal
experience, or something that a friend shares with me. If that idea stays with
me, and I start thinking about possible characters, storylines, twists, etc.,
then I know that it’s something that I should pursue.
With
Center of Gravity, the question that
came to mind was “What if everything that you think is real and true in your
life is a lie?” I spent a great deal of time plotting out the storyline,
revising, and trying to get the character voices just right. I talked to
friends about their break-ups; I interviewed marriage counselors and
therapists, and did lots of research on personality disorders—so fascinating
(and a little scary!).
Before
Center of Gravity was published, I
wrote four previous women’s fiction novels—all set in the South—under the pen
name Lauren Clark, so setting Center of
Gravity in Mobile, Alabama seemed a natural fit.
ZM: Many craft books stress that writers must
read and read a lot. Who is your favorite author, or what is your favorite
genre? What draws you to a book you read for enjoyment?
Laura:
Reading a lot is a must for authors! I think reading—and reading in all
different genres—recharges your creativity, triggers new ideas, and allows you
to explore new settings, characters, and storylines.
I am such an eclectic reader, but among my favorite
authors are Jennifer Weiner, Jodi Picoult, Anita Hughes, Sue Monk Kidd, and
Joshilyn Jackson. As for a favorite genre, women’s fiction is my go-to, but I
also love YA (Divergent, Hunger Games) suspense/thriller (Stieg Larsson,
James Patterson) and romantic comedy (Sophie Kinsella).
Generally, recommendations from friends, book club
picks, talking to employees at our local indie bookstore, and a compelling or
interesting cover/summary draw me to books for enjoyment. I love checking out
what’s new on Goodreads, Amazon, and Audible. I travel quite a bit, so I stock
up on all sorts of audiobooks for my time on the road.
ZM:
I can’t wait for your next book! Tell us a bit about Sister
Dear.
Laura: My second
HarperCollins/Thomas Nelson book will be released in April of 2016. Sister
Dear is the story of a woman, Allie Marshall, who goes to prison for a
crime she doesn’t commit, leaving behind a 5-year old daughter.
When Allie
is paroled 10 years later, she hopes to reclaim her quiet life and move on, but
her daughter, now a teenager, soon challenges her innocence. In her quest to
find justice, Allie discovers that the one person she trusts most committed the
ultimate betrayal a decade earlier. Think White
Oleander meets Orange is the New
Black.
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Laura adores hot coffee, good
manners, the color pink, and novels that keep her reading past midnight. She
believes in the beauty of words, paying it forward, and that nerds rule the
world. Laura is a fan of balmy summer nights, fireflies, and pristine mountain
lakes. She lives in Alabama with her two sons.
You can find Laura Tweeting @Lauramcneillbks and blogging at
lauramcneill.com. Laura’s suspense novel, Center of Gravity is available wherever books are sold.
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