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Carla Laureano | Writing What I Donโt Know
When I wrote my debut romance novel, FIVE DAYS IN SKYE, the characters came easily
to me
because I was largely drawing on what I already knew. The heroine was a
businesswoman with a background in sales and marketing like me. The hero
shows his
love for his family through food, which I do as well. Their experiences and
values
had enough commonalities with my own that it was easy to visualize them and
get them
on the page.
The second book in the series, LONDON TIDES, was a far different matterโI couldnโt have
chosen two
fictional people who were more unlike me. Ian MacDonald is a Scot who has
lived in
London since he was twelve, attended the same prep school as Princes William
and
Harry, and was once an Olympic rower. The heroine, his estranged ex-fiancรฉe
Grace,
is a prize-winning photojournalist who has made her living documenting the
horrors
of conflicts around the world. Similarities to my life experiences: exactly
zero.
True, I can relate to Ianโs desire to always do the right thing and to live
up to
his familyโs expectations. I can relate to Graceโs desire to use art to make
people
see the world in a new way. But thatโs not enough to build a story. So how
do I
write the characters authentically when I know so little of their world?
This is the beauty of our interconnected times: the millions of web-pages,
the
thousands of books available on any topic at a single click, videos made by
experts
on topics they know intimately. No longer do you need to track down an
obscure
source halfway around the world to get a knowledgeable first person account:
you can
hear about a personโs experiences in their own words at the click of the
mouse.
To really understand Ian, I needed to understand the rowing community that
dominated
his teens and twenties. I started by reading Blood Over Water by David and
James
Livingston, an excellent memoir by two brothers who found themselves on
opposite
sides of the Oxford/Cambridge rowing rivalry. They paint a picture of
absolute
dedication, brutal training, and a kamikaze, leave-it-all-on-the-water
attitude in
which it is preferable die than to let your crew down. I immediately knew
this
dedication would transfer to his love for the woman who broke his heart and
now
comes back to him looking for a second chance. It took me months to feel
comfortable
with the technical detailsโ watching YouTube videos (thanks, GB
Rowing Team
channel), reading through hundreds of threads on British rowing forums,
and even
downloading tides tables and boating lane maps for the Thames. The final
result is a
character who is a believable athlete, giving readers the chance to
experience what
itโs like to row an 8-man shell on the Tideway.
Grace was a bit trickier, simply because she was a more complex (read:
damaged)
character. Not only did I need to learn enough about photography to make her
scenes
believable, but I needed to understand the mindset of a war photographer and
how the
nomadic and dangerous lifestyle would wear on a personโฆnot to mention get a
crash
course on the history of conflicts in the Middle East and Africa. I turned
to
autobiographies and documentaries of noted photojournalists, combed through
online
work of photographers like Lynsey Addario and the late Camille Le Page, and
read
extensively on the psychology of PTSD sufferers. Most of the stories Grace
tells
about her experiences in the field are adapted from actual anecdotes from
photographers over the last several years. They feel authentic because they
are
authentic.
My biggest surprise, though, was finding that being able to see the world as
they
did through the lens of their unique experiences gave me a framework in
which to
explore the universal elements that we all share: our hopes,
disappointments,
insecurities, and triumphs. And in the end, thatโs why we read (and write)
fiction
in the first place.
Giveaway
Readers, why do you read fiction? Leave a comment below and be entered to win LONDON
TIDES !
Carla Laureano has held many job titles--professional marketer, small
business
consultant, and martial arts instructor--but writer is by far her favorite.
She
currently lives in Denver with her patient husband and two rambunctious
sons, who
know only that Mom's work involves lots of coffee and talking to imaginary
people.
Facebook |
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Goodreads | Website
Irish photojournalist Grace Brennan travels the worldโs war zones
documenting the
helpless and forgotten. After the death of her friend and colleague, Grace
is
shaken.
She returns to London hoping to rekindle the spark with the only man she
ever lovedโ
Scottish businessman Ian MacDonald. But he gave up his championship rowing
career
and dreams of Olympic gold years ago for Grace ... only for her to choose
career
over him.
Will lifeโs tides bring them back together ... or tear them apart for good
this
time?
Comments
36 comments posted.
Re: Carla Laureano | Writing What I Donโt Know
To escape into other worlds.
(Marissa Yip-Young 6:01am June 12, 2015)
I like historical to learn of the past and also to leave the
present time. Lots of research you did. Good for you.
(Leona Olson 11:25am June 12, 2015)
I read fiction since it transports me to other eras, realms,
locales and provides me with great enjoyment and pleasure. I
loved the novel Five Days in Skye. Memorable and
unforgettable. London Tides sounds captivating and very
special.
(Sharon Berger 11:58am June 12, 2015)
I love reading as a mini vacation from my life.
(G. Bisbjerg 12:48pm June 12, 2015)
I love to read so I can live vicariously through the stories and characters in the books. Total escapism.
(Nancy Reynolds 1:54pm June 12, 2015)
I enjoy reading fiction to take a break from life. London Tides sounds fabulous. I can't wait to read it.
(Caryl Kane 2:50pm June 12, 2015)
I read fiction because non-fiction doesn't let me escape
to worlds I can only dream of.
(Irene Menge 5:33pm June 12, 2015)
It sounds like a great read. It will be part of my summer reading.
(Faye Gates 5:52pm June 12, 2015)
I read fiction to enter fantasy world! Also, its a great way to relax - much better
than watching TV!
(Lily Shah 6:48pm June 12, 2015)
To escape and to go places, I'm no longer able to travel.
(Nancy Luebke 6:51pm June 12, 2015)
I read fiction to live vicariously through the worlds and characters that talented authors create.
(Kassandra Appel 7:38pm June 12, 2015)
why do you read fiction? To escape to another world that
has a happy ending and that makes me laugh.
(Tina Ullrich 8:48pm June 12, 2015)
I read fiction because it takes me outside my life &
problems, because I can travel via the stories when I
cannot in reality.
(Kay Martinez 9:32pm June 12, 2015)
I read to escape and to travel places you cannot go normaly.
(Debra Guyette 5:23am June 13, 2015)
I fell in love with fiction at a young age greedily devouring
any book I could my hands on!!! Books have always been a way
to escape for me & dream of different times or places that I
couldn't normally go!!! They give me a glimpse of another life
letting me have a chance to live vicariously outside of
everyday drama in daily life!!! Thanks for the opportunity to
win & good luck to all who enter!!!:)
(Andra| Dalton 12:30pm June 13, 2015)
It's fun and relaxing
(Lindsey Andronak 1:44pm June 13, 2015)
I read fiction because I love the idea of choosing what is happening and therefore being able to have a happy ending.
(Flora Presley 10:20pm June 13, 2015)
I love reading fiction to escape and go places I would never
be able to go just love to read thank you.
(Patricia Venable 10:55pm June 13, 2015)
I read fiction because it takes me to another place and involves my mind in
something intriguing. Our brains need for us to read to keep us happy and
sane. It's also the best way to relax!
(Connie Fischer 10:36am June 14, 2015)
I like my imagination to go places that I have not
(Diane McMahon 11:48am June 14, 2015)
because its fun and its my escape from reality.
(Sylve Takajian 4:11pm June 14, 2015)
I love reading fiction because I get to visit places I could
only dream about visiting and read about people who have
very interesting situations, be it fun, dangerous or heart
breaking. Also I love reading historical fiction too. As a
reader we can be brought back to a time and place we have
only read about in a history book, but an author makes it
come alive.
(Maryann Skaritka 4:21pm June 14, 2015)
I love to get lost in the pages of a great story! I can't wait to read London Tides!!
(Britney Adams 5:51pm June 14, 2015)
seems great *.*
i want to read it so bad
(Soundous Nouri 6:19pm June 14, 2015)
I read fiction because I love it of course! It's like a chance to get to know
people and places that I wouldn't if I couldn't read about them. Plus being a
booklover means I'm never bored because I always have a book waiting to
be read
(Nikki Fournier 5:22am June 15, 2015)
because it's fun :)
(Dianne McVetty 9:16am June 15, 2015)
I read fiction because it allows me to escape from the real life for a couple
of hours. :)
(Becky R 10:50am June 15, 2015)
I put myself into the stories I read ,therefore I go and do and see many things that I normally would not get to do . I guess you could call me a 'Dreamer' . Thanks for the giveaway.
(Joan Thrasher 10:54am June 15, 2015)
I read fiction to "experience" life from different
perspectives. I love learning about all the research you
did for this book - eager to read it!
(Valerie Stoj 11:21am June 15, 2015)
I read fiction because I find it relaxing
(Shirley Younger 12:24pm June 15, 2015)
I read fiction as it transports me to another place and time
(Jean Benedict 12:57pm June 15, 2015)
I love to be taken away to a different time and place and not
have to think about my real life. That's why i love fiction.
(Denise Austin 3:12pm June 15, 2015)
To escape
(Jean Patton 3:23pm June 15, 2015)
I love reading period. Every genre but Horror. But being able
to get emotionnally invoved in stories and visit places I'll
never really get a chance to see. And that no matter how
intense or emotional in the end it's just a story. I get to
travel, visit time periods that are long gone. I enjoyed your
post and look forward to ryeading this to see what happens
with Ian and Grace. Thank you.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
(Carol Luciano 5:07pm June 15, 2015)
I love to read fiction because it provides me a way to relax. I love entering into a book and getting lost in the story.
(Sheri Pruitt 5:08pm June 15, 2015)
I read fiction to take me to another place.
(Sue Farrell 6:16pm June 15, 2015)
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