Tell us about yourself.:
Hi, my name is Laura, I have just published my first book ‘The Arc’ with Blossom Spring Publishing on the 18th of September 2024.
I am originally from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire and now live in Derbyshire with my husband, Carl. We enjoy walking our two Golden Retrievers, Bailey and Daisy, working in the garden and being in nature.
I have a positive outlook on life in general and a passion for singing. I sing with my fellow choir members in my local Buxton Community Choir in rehearsals and concerts where I’m a soprano.
I am also deeply interested in the paranormal, such as Bigfoot, UFOs, ghosts, and the power of positive energy and thought patterns — or anything else strange and hard to answer!
I have diplomas in The Law of Attraction and Parapsychology, and Reiki healing level 2, and I work in the comfort of my own home, as a freelance book cover designer.
I have two grown-up children and three gorgeous Grandchildren.

My first book is a fantasy novel called, ‘The Arc’. Although one might think the title is a misspelling, it really isn’t. But it is a play on words.

I am intrigued by the unexplained, which has led me to delve deeper into the wonders of our universe and the paranormal. But my book was influenced by the plight of our awe-inspiring planet Earth. Which to me, is a living being in itself; a planet of utmost beauty, yet this world is being ruined by negativity. I felt compelled to tell a tale that explores a harmony between humanity, positivity and the environment, in a different way.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I grew up in a little village in Buckinghamshire, called Woburn Sands.

I have good childhood memories. My little sister and I danced in the rain in our back garden and watched thunderstorms from the bedroom window.

When we were children, we would ride our bikes to the lakes and be out for hours. There, we would sit waiting to see the fish surface, comparing who had seen the biggest. We picked the blackberries from the hedgerow, listened to the birds and generally loved nature and came home filthy!

One of our favourite places to go was Bluebell Woods, here we would run, and play hide and seek in the sweet-smelling little blue flowers, collecting sticks, leaves and stones.

In one of the tree trunks, was a little hole; it was always filled with water. Our Mother called this the wishing tree. So every time we were up the woods, our finger would go in, turn three times and we made our wishes.

Our childhood was filled with stories of fairies and all things magical. She taught us to be kind, compassionate and have a caring nature. Hence I grew up interested in all things magical and paranormal.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Mmm, I don’t think so, yet, there is time for habits to develop… I stare at the screen a lot but I guess a lot of writers do, don’t they?

What authors have influenced you?
I grew up in a little village in Buckinghamshire, called Woburn Sands.

I have good childhood memories. My little sister and I danced in the rain in our back garden and watched thunderstorms from the bedroom window.

When we were children, we would ride our bikes to the lakes and be out for hours. There, we would sit waiting to see the fish surface, comparing who had seen the biggest. We picked the blackberries from the hedgerow, listened to the birds and generally loved nature and came home filthy!

One of our favourite places to go was Bluebell Woods, here we would run, and play hide and seek in the sweet-smelling little blue flowers, collecting sticks, leaves and stones.

In one of the tree trunks, was a little hole; it was always filled with water. Our Mother called this the wishing tree. So every time we were up the woods, our finger would go in, turn three times and we made our wishes.

Our childhood was filled with stories of fairies and all things magical. She taught us to be kind, compassionate and have a caring nature. Hence I grew up interested in all things magical and paranormal.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I do, and since I am also a new author, here’s what I think.
Firstly ‘always believe in yourself!’

Make notes: Before you start writing about the great idea for a story you’ve been mulling over for some time, make notes, decide on your character’s characters, see the place you are creating in your mind, and be prepared to alter those notes as you go; I was surprised to find, my storyline changed in several places as new ideas came to me.

Just write it: Write it down, I have found it doesn’t matter what it’s like because you’re going to read through it another hundred times anyway, and change it again and again…possibly…or was that just me?

Writer’s Block: Wow! I wondered what was happening to me the first time I experienced this. I had the story, I had the notes, even notes upon notes…and I knew where I was going with this storyline, except…I had gone blank!

I thought, ‘This must be a bad idea for a story’ since I couldn’t think of what to write next. So I left the manuscript for a few weeks, feeling upset. All I wanted to do was get back to my characters and the magical place I was creating.
After managing to write a few more lines here and there, I soon realised what this phenomenon was. Writer’s Block. And it’s a perfectly normal occurrence.
My advice here is to go with the flow. If you’ve ‘gone blank’ it’s because you’re waiting for that little link to hit you, that tiny little line or idea that helps you move forward, bringing about another chapter or more! It will come! Don’t beat yourself up if you think you’ve lost the plot. Give yourself time to mull it over, try to put your story out of your mind for a while. Hard, I know!

Lastly, write about what you know about and what is important to you — what are you passionate about?

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
The best advice I have ever had is
‘Always believe in yourself!’ ‘Don’t be too harsh on yourself’. Along with ‘Keep going, you can do it!’ or’ Just give it a try!’

What are you reading now?
Nothing at the moment…

What’s your biggest weakness?
I don’t yet, I bet I have a few!

What is your favorite book of all time?
I have read many books, but I would say the only book that stands out to me and that I never forget the name of is ‘River God’ by author Wilbur Smith.
Check it out it’s a wonderful read!

When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
In my spare time, I enjoy walking our two Golden Retrievers, Bailey and Daisy with my husband, working in the garden and just being in nature.
When there’s a thunderstorm, I can be found sitting at the patio door watching the clouds roll in and the flashes of light, and feeling the energy.
I simply adore Autumn time the colours take my breath away! And yes, I do kick the leaves…

I love singing and performing in my local community choir in rehearsals and concerts.

I also have a deep interest in the paranormal, such as Bigfoot, UFOs, ghosts, and the power of positive energy and I’m always watching these types of programs on TV.

My life is relatively simple, but I like it that way.

Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
Oh, yes that would be Enid Blyton’s books, ‘The Magic Faraway Tree and The Adventures of the Wishing Chair and The Enchanted Wood.

I also had a beautifully illustrated nursery rhyme book and would read this over and over again.

What has inspired you and your writing style?
I have always liked fantasy. Stories where characters have magical powers. Ideas that bring a different thought to your mind like, ‘What if I could do that?’

I do believe in Magic!

I’m intrigued by the unexplained, and this has led me to delve deeper into the wonders of the universe. Influenced by the plight of our awe-inspiring planet Earth, as I have mentioned our world is full of nature and beautiful things, yet we as a race are ruining the spirit of the Earth.
I felt compelled to tell a tale that explores a different harmony between humanity and the environment, in a different way.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the second book of The Arc Series… That’s all I’m saying, for now…

What is your favorite method for promoting your work?
It’s a bit early to tell as yet, I am a new author but, I do use Instagram and Facebook at the moment. I also have my website Lauracosbyauthor.co.uk

What’s next for you as a writer?
As always, to keep going, to write more, to improve my writing techniques and to be proud of myself; to believe in myself and not look back.

How well do you work under pressure?
Like most, I will get flustered sometimes, but soon ‘have a word with myself’ and make notes on my priorities and work through them methodically.

I am good at filing things away until I need them…I mean in my mind, not the computer.

How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
I think the main thing for me is to realise what personality my characters have (make notes on that). But other than that, the storyline will bring the tone to me and I go with the flow.

I will always include humour in a storyline. But then that’s easy if one of your characters is a Golden Retriever!

If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be?
I would say, no matter what you want to do in your world, or what you are doing right now, know that you will always do your best if you stay positive.

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