Interview with author Lauren Hammond

By Sarah Schiavoni and Christopher Stokum

WNW recently spoke with Lauren Hammond, author of the forthcoming novel Love Sucks, from Punkin House Press. Love Sucks is the story of Cara Jones, a young woman living in 18th century England who is turned into a vampire. The novel follows Cara over many miles and hundreds of years, from England to the United States, as she struggles to accept her new life and searches for love.

WNW: We’re seeing more and more books, movies, and television shows centered on vampires. How does your book add to this vampire trend? How is it different?
Hammond: You know, this is a question I get asked a lot. As far as being part of the trend, it’s a book about a vampire, and vampires are a hot commodity right now. The thing I feel that sets this book apart from the others is that it’s more of a character growth novel. The readers can follow Cara through a journey, a journey of what life as a vampire is like through her eyes. I honestly believe that growth of Cara’s character as you follow her through her years of life.

WNW: What do you want your readers to get out of this novel?
Hammond: I’d want them to put themselves in Cara’s shoes. I would want them to wonder what they would do if they were in her situation. What would they do if they woke up buried in the ground in the middle of nowhere, not knowing who or what they had become?

WNW: You mentioned wanting to be a positive role model to young writers in your bio—how do you try to do this in your novel?
Hammond: I do truly aspire to be a good role model. I think I display this in the novel because I, like Cara, had no one to guide me through this process. But your life is what you make of it. Cara has choices and in a lot of ways, the good choices she makes overpower the bad ones. Also, sometimes in life, you are dealt fatalities, and even though you feel like giving up, you can’t. I think that’s a positive message for young readers. No matter how many obstacles Cara has to overcome, she doesn’t give up hope. And I think that should teach the younger readers to keep believing in themselves with whatever goals they set for themselves.

WNW: What other genres have you written in? Do you prefer the fantasy/sci-fi genre?
Hammond: Well, I’m a screenwriter as well as a novelist. I have written, whether it be a screenplay, poem or novel, in just about every genre. I honestly don’t have a preference. If I get an idea for a literary piece, I see the character, and the words begin flowing from my brain to my fingertips. I usually formulate a genre later.

WNW: Why start your novel in the 1700s and not in modern times? What is the appeal beginning in that time period?
Hammond: This is a character growth novel, and you follow the main character from her beginning as a vampire, which is in the early 1700s, to her second awakening in the year 2010. The whole point of beginning it then was to see what obstacles she had to overcome to make it to the present day.

WNW: What has the process of getting this book together been like? Was it smooth-sailing or did you struggle along the way?
Hammond: I would have to say a little bit of both. I originally wrote this as a screenplay first back in 2007. Then after a year, I went back to it and decided it would make an excellent novel. Trying to get something published is never easy; it takes hard work, passion, and dedication. And it also takes the right person to believe in you and your writing. I have definitely received my fair share of rejection letters. But I have always had belief in myself. After all, it only takes one person to like your work, and then you are on your way.

WNW: How do you plan to promote your novel?
Hammond: I actually have a publicist through my publishing company. Her name is Rebecca, and she is absolutely amazing. The best way any writer can promote themselves is through word of mouth. Rebecca is putting together a blog tour for me, sending out press releases, and putting together some interviews. I also have a fan page on Facebook, a Twitter account, and a blog.

WNW: Based on your experience with this novel, what would you do differently with your next novel?
Hammond: Well, my next book is already written. There little things you pick up along the way that you might decide to change. But overall, there is nothing major that I would change about my writing. I am who I am, and I write from the heart.

Lauren Hammond completed her first novel, wrote her first screenplay, and was awarded the Editor's Choice Award and Best Poets and Poems of 2007 for her poem “Summer Days” at the age of twenty-two. She briefly attended classes at Children's Literary Institute for writing. Lauren continues to write novels, screenplays, and short stories, and she aspires to be a positive role model for young people. She currently resides in Ohio, with her husband Samuel. For more information about Ms. Hammond and her work, visit her Twitter page or her blog.