INTERVIEW: LAURA JOHNSTON

Laura Johnston is the author of REWIND TO YOU, a young adult contemporary romance due out September 15, 2014!

Welcome, Laura! We’re stoked to have you on the blog!

I’m equally excited to be here. Thank you!

Let’s talk about your firstborn YA series, REWIND TO YOU. How did the very beginning seed of an idea come about?

The idea for REWIND TO YOU came to me while I was sitting on a beach in Georgia with my hubby, KC. Picture a sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean—Hello, gorgeous—and you might understand why I suddenly wished I could pause time. You know, save the moment so I could “rewind” to it someday and never forget it.

Well, that got me thinking. What if we could rewind to pivotal moments and relive them? At first, it seemed like an awesome idea. The longer I thought about it, however, the more potential conflicts I saw. Some moments would definitely be hard to revisit, especially if we’re powerless to change the outcome.

If I could rewind to anything, I’d rewind to KC (I’m a romantic at heart, which is good—right?—because I write romance). But I’d also rewind to my dad who passed away when I was a teenager. I took that basic premise and plugged in a completely different set of characters (well, okay, Austin does have dreamy blue eyes just like KC). From there, REWIND TO YOU took me on a journey of love, pain and hope with Sienna and Austin in the beautiful city of Savannah, Georgia.

If you care to see pictures of our trips to Savannah, GA, visit this page: http://www.laurajohnstonauthor.com/#!rewind-to-you/c1yre on my website.

Gorgeous pictures! I’ve been, and I have to agree with you…it is breathtaking!

Can you describe REWIND TO YOU for readers?

After her father’s tragic death, seventeen-year-old Sienna begins having trauma-induced flashbacks to a pivotal moment she is powerless to change. One last trip before college to the beautiful Tybee Island is supposed to help her forget. But how can she? When Sienna meets the irresistible college wide receiver Austin Dobbs, she learns that while love can mend the heart, it can also slip through your fingers forever. And any moment in time can only truly be lived once.

Walk us through a regular writing day for you. Copious amounts of caffeine? Music? What’s your process?

With two kids (and a third on the way!), I’ve learned to take the word regular out of the equation. Haha! If passion for writing the story is there, somehow it gets written. REWIND TO YOU was written from start to finish on borrowed minutes: while my toddler napped, during the late hours of the night whenever my husband had a business trip, while my baby slept in my lap, etc… The only thing regular about my routine is that I almost always write with music.

What was it like to get the first phone call that your book had sold to Kensington? Where were you when it happened?

Can you believe I missed that call? When I got the voicemail with Alicia Condon’s voice offering publication, I was freaking out. I was pulling out of my garage (I know, tsk, tsk on me for driving and being on my cell), and I was like, “Okay, kids, forget the grocery store, it’s movie time while Mommy makes a very important phone call.” It was incredibly exciting.

I can imagine!! J

What book are you currently reading?

I just finished THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US by Kasie West with my YA book club. So good!

Thanks for the recommendation!!

What’s the oddest, or neatest, thing on your bookshelf?

I’m so glad you asked; this one is pretty quirky and awesome! THE RULES—Time-tested Secrets for Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right. Okay, so I’m the youngest in my family with four older sisters. One of my sisters found this book in her apartment complex at college, left by the previous renters. This book makes some great points but it also takes a bit of an extreme approach to the dos and don’ts of dating. Our little group of teenage sisters had some good times laughing at and talking about THE RULES, and I smile every time I see that book.

Any advice for aspiring authors?

I can’t believe I get to answer this question now! I say that to make a point: basically, you can do it. Read, read, read, and write, write, write. When you are creating something—anything—there will often be self-doubt and there will always be critics. Keep on finding ways to make writing fun regardless. No one can set a limit on your potential. Only you can do that.

No limits. Love that.

Thanks for those answers, Laura!! Care to play a little game?

I’m in!

IN 3 WORDS (or less)

*Describe yourself.

Young at heart (even though the rest of me is definitely not getting any younger—eek!)

*Describe REWIND TO YOU.

Holding on, letting go (sorry, that’s four)

*What would you tell your teenage self?

Party hard. j/k

THIS OR THAT:

Music or silence? Music!

Eyes or mouth? Mmm, hard one! Eyes.

Tattoos or clean canvas? Clean canvas (but Austin has a tat!)

Mountains or beach? Tough. BEACH.

City or Country? Country, all the way.

Coffee or Soda? Soda. Truth be told though, I’m a boring water type of girl!

Laura’s Social Media Links:

Website - http://www.laurajohnstonauthor.com/

Blog - http://laurajohnstonauthor.blogspot.com/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/lauralojohnston

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laura-Johnston/500855249971029

REWIND TO YOU links:

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Rewind-You-Laura-Johnston-ebook/dp/B00J7W1FS8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398054703&sr=8-1&keywords=rewind+to+you

B&N

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rewind-to-you-laura-johnston/1119002492?ean=9781601833501

Also, there is no sequel, as of now, for REWIND TO YOU. My next work in progress—new characters, new setting, new story—called ARREST MY HEART, is set to publish February 2015.

THANKS so much for chatting, Laura. And huge congrats on your new book!!!

Thanks, Amber, for having me on YA Fusion!

(Enter below for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card and a SIGNED copy of REWIND TO YOU!!)

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