I've pulled together 40ish questions - some bookish, some silly - and have asked authors to limit themselves to answering only 10 of them. That way, it keeps the interviews fresh and connectable for all of us!
Today we are joined by Laury A. Egan. She is the author of fifteen novels, ranging from literary, psychological suspense, comedy, to romance. Ninety of her stories and poems have appeared in literary journals; most published in her collections, Fog and Other Stories and Contrary. She lives on the northern coast of New Jersey and is also a fine arts photographer and instructor as well as a former book designer. In 2024, she received a New Jersey State Council on the Arts Individual Artist Award in prose. Website: www.lauryaegan.com
Why do you write?
I’ve been
writing since age seven, at first as self-entertainment (I was an only child
who lived far from town and classmates), but writing soon became my identity.
On my tombstone will be the motto of my university, Carnegie-Mellon, by Andrew
Carnegie: “My heart is in my work.” I am a writer, which is the first label
that I would apply to myself.
What made you start writing?
I
began my first poem in a bathtub at age seven—yelling for my mother to bring
paper and pencil. She did and out poured a four stanza poem. Both of us were
astonished. The inspiration was the natural beauty of my surroundings—a
beautiful forest across the street, an orchard and meadow to the side of our
house, and a magnificent view of the Atlantic Ocean, Manhattan, and Sandy Hook.
My early poems were lyrical, a trend that continued through to my four
published volumes of poetry and also is evident in some of my literary stories
contained in my newest collection,
Contrary: Stories and a Play. There
is a semi-autobiographical story in the collection, “Contrary,” which harkens
back to my childhood.
What’s your kryptonite as a writer?
Anxiety about making errors in the plot, typos, or punctuation
mistakes. I tend to read my manuscripts between 25 and 40 times (novels) and
perhaps a few less times for stories. As a former book designer for many years,
I also dread seeing the first formatted proof of a book because it usually
contains lots of no-nos such as widows, incorrect hyphenation, and poor
typography.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Flying. I would especially like this super power now because
I could travel to places without taking public transportation or walking.
If you could spend the day with another author, who would you choose and why?
Hands down, no contest: Kate
Atkinson. She is my favorite
contemporary writer, with a sly wit, who creates so many funny lines and very
smart observations that I am constantly impressed, page by page. I’ve reviewed
her work twice and it’s always tough to limit listing my favorite lines. I also
suspect Kate would be a great raconteur if we met. I would love to ask her so
many questions about her writing process! And, yes, maybe have a glass or two
of wine with her.
What are some of your favorite books and/or authors?
Kate Atkinson, as mentioned, but Virginia Woolf, who
inspired my literary stories and novels, and Patricia Highsmith, who fueled my
fascination with psychological suspense—both genres appear in Contrary, along with some forays into
comedy and romance.
What are you currently reading?
I’m
in a Scandi-Noir period. So many excellent writers and mystery plotters! Jo
Nesbo is a favorite, but I’m also enjoying crime fiction by Anne Holt, Ragnar
Jonnason, Lars Kepler, and Lilja Sigurdardottir.
What genres won’t you read?
Romance, sci-fi, horror—anything too weird or soapy. No Chick-Lit, either.
Do you read the reviews of your books or do you stay far far away from them, and why?
Yes, I read my reviews
because I am very curious as to the opinion of bloggers and reviewers.
Sometimes they notice an aspect of a novel or a story that hadn’t occurred to
me. I learn from them as well as beta readers.
What would you do if you could live forever?
Keep writing. Unfortunately, living forever is not in the cards
for me (I have stage four cancer). But if I was healthy, I would love to travel
to Normandy, one of the few places I never visited, or to return to Mykonos, a
favorite island and the setting for my novel, The Ungodly Hour. I have traveled widely and would continue to do
so.
“I have long considered Laury A. Egan a
master of the short story. This collection sets that view in concrete.
Bravo!”—T.D. Johnston, author of Friday Afternoon and Other Stories
Contrary is an eclectic mix of twenty-one
stories and a two-act play. The collection focuses on social foibles,
discrimination, class, gender, romance, disability, dementia, and includes
comedic tales as well as some dark dives into human psychology. The settings
span America, Britain, and Greece, and the characters range from young/old,
rich/poor, and straight/gay, with a contrary beagle making a star turn as does
a ghost or two. The conclusion, “Duet,” is an intimate drama between a
therapist and a woman who is dealing with the aftermath of a plane crash and
ensuing disability. Stylistically diverse, the work spans literary and genre
fiction.
Social media links:
https://www.facebook.com/laury.egan/
https://www.instagram.com/laurya.egan/
https://bsky.app/profile/lauryaegan.bsky.social
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laury-a-egan-09096b3/
http://www.lauryaeganblog.wordpress.com/
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