L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant.
Tell us about Shades of Gray in a few sentences.Shades of Gray follows Jude Magdalyn Henries as she deals with monumental changes in her life. By monumental changes I mean inheriting the responsibility of thousands of people, being able to shoot lightening from her hand, and having someone try to kill her.
Where and when is your novel set and why did you make these specific choices?
Shades of Gray is set in New Orleans, roughly 2007, so it’s a little retro. I chose New Orleans because of it’s history and general love affair with the supernatural and because I love the city.
How do you set about writing a piece?
Since Shades of Gray is the first in a series, I had a lot of world building to do. And not just world building, but character building. I spent a great deal of time on understanding the characters and their motivations, so that when I sat down to write, they worked within the plot and the plot worked with them.
How do you know where to begin any given story?
Begin the story with a hook. Don’t pull a bait and switch, but if the first page can’t hold a reader’s interest they probably won’t continue reading. So start with action or tension or something shocking or ballsy. Just grab the reader from the start.
Do you think writing is a natural gift or an acquired skill?
I think it’s both. I think some people are amazing story tellers but they have lousy grammar and spelling. The reverse is true as well. It’s having the skill to technically tell a story and the creative gift to imagine that story that makes for a well-written book.
What are you writing now?
The sequel to Shades of Gray, Shades of Desire, will be available on Kindle on November 2 with paperback following shortly after. The manuscript I’m currently working on, New Moon Rising, is the start of a new series that will be out early next year.
How can people buy your book?
My book can be purchased on Amazon in paperback or Kindle format. It will also be available at BarnesandNoble.com later this month.
Do you have a website or a blog that readers can visit?
Given unlimited resources, what would be your ideal writing environment?
In a French Quarter house with central heat and air (very uncommon, just to let you know). And maybe a courtyard. A courtyard would be nice.
Where do you actually write?
Wherever I can.
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