Getting to Know the Authors: Featuring Lauren Morrill!

 Bio:

     Lauren Elizabeth Morrill grew up in Maryville, TN, where she was a short-term Girl Scout, a (not so) proud member of the Maryville High School marching band, a trouble-making editor of the MHS school newspaper, and the treasurer of the National Honor Society (until she was unceremoniously stripped of her title and kicked out … true story).  In her senior AP English class she gave her speech of valediction about how she would someday be a writer for Rolling Stone (which could still happen …).

    Upon her graduation from high school, she high-tailed it out of the south to attend Indiana University, where she became a proud Hoosier and dodger of substantive math and science courses. She was a journalism major, a music major, and a history major, though she ultimately only graduated with the History degree (and a string of ex-boyfriends). She still has no idea what she’ll do with it.

     In her lifetime she has worked as a cashier at Target and at a grocery store, as a khaki-folder and greeter at the GAP, a balloon-animal making, face-painting clown, a receptionist at a real estate agency, a (failed) babysitter, a curatorial assistant at the world’s largest children’s museum, and a hostess and busser at an Irish pub. She has also held a myriad of jobs in higher education, from admissions to residence life and back again. She is now proud to call herself an Author. With a capital A.

     Lauren lives in Macon, GA with her husband Adam (a journalism professor), their son Freddie, and their dog Lucy.

What she has written: 

My Unscripted Life, The Trouble with Destiny, Being Sloane Jacobs and Meant to Be

     
  Now on to the Interview!!!
1) How old were you when you started writing, in your opinion?

     I've always been writing stories, but I didn't start trying to write my first book for publication until I was in graduate school.

2) What do you want a reader to gain from reading your works?

     I want readers to have fun! Reading is my absolute favorite past time. Sometimes those books are spiritually or educaitonally fulfilling, but sometimes they're just a really great way to spend a few hours. I hope my readers have as much fun reading my books as they would watching their favorite rom com.

3) What are your three top suggestions on becoming an author, or being a pleasure writer?

1. Read a lot, and widely

2. Write a lot, and not always for someone else to read it

3. Toughen up, because criticism is part of the job

4) What is your favourite novel, why?

     That is an incredibly hard question! I'd say probably Just As Long As We're Together by Judy Blume, because it's the book that made me want to be a writer. It's a fun read, but it's also SO authentic and true.

5) Who is your favourite author, why?

     Sarah Dessen. I've read and reread all her books, and they never get old for me. Every time I discover something new to love, and they always inspire me to be a better writer.

6) What are your favorite pass times besides writing?

     I'm an avid reader. I've always got a book going. Right now I'm starting to dip my toes into historical romance with some books my Sarah MacLean

7) What are the top five things on your bucket list?

1. Take a cross-country road trip

2. Take trains across Europe

3. Write a film script

4. Make friends with Amy Poehler

5. Read my own audio book

8) To the youth of today, if you could tell them one thing, what would it be?

      Don't let anyone make you feel ashamed about the things you love. So many people will tell you that the things you love aren't important enough or that you're wasting your time. Love what you love, and be loud about it.