Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Author Interview - Cobie LaJeanne


Cobie LaJeanne has been creating characters since she could read. At the age of six, she had already collected an assortment of Baby Name books, started crafting characters, and brought them to life with imaginative play. Writing came soon after.

Cobie writes palpable psychological fiction with in-depth characters and storylines that will haunt you for years to come. She is passionate about bringing awareness to the severity of child abuse, abduction, and has a heart for the victims over the killers. She is currently in the final revisions of her first novel, Do Not Spare the Angels, which is the first of an eight book series. This novel will be queried to agents and publishers starting mid-2022.

Cobie will make her Kindle Vella Debut with a novel called Strings, a paranormal thriller with characters you will fall in love with, which is slated to be released February 14, 2022.

 Genre: Psychological Crime Thrillers and Paranormal Thrillers/Horror

 Q&A:

 Q1: What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

 My newest novel is entitled Strings and will be released on Kindle Vella in episodes. It was inspired by a nightmare I had years ago where I was trapped in a little house with ghosts and dolls and other interesting characters that took me a while to embrace.


Q2: What advice would you give to help others create plotlines?

My biggest advice is to never stop asking “What if…” and to free-write those “what if’s”. There are so many ways you can twist a story to make it unique. Exploring the options before you start writing is a great way to ensure your book has that different feel to it. And when you pick a twist, push just a little further. Nothing is out of reach. Take some chances.

 Q3: What authors, or books have influenced you?

Lousia May Alcott is the first author who ever influenced me. I fell in love with Little Women, but I fell even harder for Little Men. I owe every ounce of passion for writing to this woman.

 For thrillers, I have been positively influenced by Loreth Anne White and Karin Slaughter. What I admire about them is that they don’t cower back from the tough topics in our society. They face them head-on. It’s refreshing, engaging, and thought-provoking.

 Q4: What is your schedule like when you’re writing a book?

I work all hours that I can. I have been fortunate to have my in-laws close to watch my young children while I work. Some days I work up to sixteen hours and other days I work whenever I can pull my cell phone out. It really depends, but I make it a priority no matter what is happening during the week.

 Q5: Does writing energize or exhaust you? Or both?

It does both. I would say the times it exhausts me are when I am working on a scene where I must pull from my own trauma. But I wouldn’t change it because digging into those scenes has been so healing for me. Everything about writing beyond that energizes me. I love the worlds and the characters I have created, and I enjoy spending time with them.

 Q6: What is the best writing advice you have ever heard?

The best writing advice I have heard is that every story has been told, but it hasn’t been told by you. Your experience belongs to you and your voice and imagination are what make your work special. 

 Q7: How do you come up with character names for your stories?

Naming my characters is one of my favorite parts of writing. Sometimes the names are easy to find, but I like to try and break stereotypes. I am constantly going through lists and finding names that feel like a certain trope but might not be a James or a Michael. I struggle the most with surnames. I use BehindtheName.com a lot to find new and exciting names. There are also some great name accounts on Instagram (@charmingbabynames is my favorite).

 Q8: What do you think is the best way to improve writing skills?

Practice. Practice discipline. Practice freewriting outside of your book. Practice creating character profiles and worlds. Practice your learning skills. Learn to be open-minded to all possibilities of your story.

 Q9: What are you working on now?

Right now I am working on my debut Psychological Crime Thriller tentatively titled Do Not Spare the Angels. I have been working on this novel for over two years now and am in the final revision stages before I begin the querying process. I am also working on Strings. Since it is a serialized story, it keeps me on my toes and helps me focus on what needs to be done to have a strong story.

 Q10: What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Fractured by Karin Slaughter which is the second book in her Will Trent series. 

Strings will be available on Kindle Vella from February 14th, 2022

After the unexpected death of his wife, Kenny Webb left his successful career as a crime journalist to stay home with his daughter. He no longer chases the high that danger brings.

When a strange doll is delivered to his house with a harrowing message, Kenny tries to resist the urge to dig deeper, but the more the possessed toy taunts him, the urgency to get it out of his life and away from his daughter grows stronger.

Radley Eastabrook owns her own sanctuary for the haunted, working as a caretaker for restless souls attached to their earthly belongings. But when Kenny appears at her doorstep, she knows she can’t turn him down. The haunted doll seizes her intrigue and Radley won’t rest until she knows what it needs.

They find themselves deep in the Hush Forest where the worlds of the living and the dead blur together, forcing Kenny and Radley to learn to trust each other in the midst of terror. They must find who or what is holding these spirits captive before their own fate is sealed and they are trapped in torment forever.

Find out more about Cobie LaJeanne by following the social media links below:

Facebook

Instagram

Goodreads

Website

TikTok

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