Friday, May 27, 2016

~ Take a Waltz Down INSPIRATION STREET! ~













Please welcome former columnist turned author Darrell Laurant to the spotlight!


I first “met” Darrell when I ran across his blog, “Snowflakes in a Blizzard.” Darrell, tell us what you mean by that title.


It has to do with the fact that there are currently more than 15 million books listed on Amazon. I was standing at my living room window in Lake George, NY one day, watching it snow (it snows a lot up here), when the thought occurred to me that getting noticed as a new writer these days is like a snowflake trying to stand out in a blizzard. Hence the name for a free book marketing service that I started to help other authors who are struggling to have their work recognized and appreciated.


That analogy is so apt! When did your love for writing start?

In the womb, probably -- my mother is an excellent writer. When I was about 8, I mimeographed a little newspaper and sold it around my neighborhood for a nickel. I suspect people bought it because they thought it was cute. I'm no longer cute, but still writing.


That sounds just like the way Stephen King got his start! What is something you struggle with when you write?


How much is too much and how little is too little. As a longtime journalist, I'm very conscious of the need to engage readers without boring or tiring them, and that's a fine line to walk.


Indeed! Give us a brief glimpse at your road to publication. 


It was a bit unorthodox. With my first book, "Even Here," I went to an acquaintance who ran a printing company and asked if he would print my book with nothing upfront and let me pay him back out of the money it brought in. To my amazement, he agreed, and the book sold over 3,000 copies in just a local area. (He got repaid).



That's the first time I received that answer! I know you are retired now, but could you tell us a bit about what it was like being a columnist?


I had a wonderful job with a small daily in Lynchburg, VA -- so wonderful that I passed on a couple of offers from larger papers and stayed there more than 30 years. As a columnist, I generally produced stories that fell somewhere in between editorials and news. I could write about people just because they were interesting, and not because they'd done anything newsworthy in the previous five minutes. And because I was the only writer on staff with a photo next to my column, I wound up as a sort of mini-celebrity in the community (mixed blessing). My editors gave me a lot of leeway, and at four times a week, I came up with over 5,000 columns during my career, trying never to repeat any of them.



Wow! I'm sure that was a challenge! Do you have a job/hobby outside of writing? What is it and how does it mesh with your writing?

I also run the aforementioned Snowflakes in a Blizzard (snowflakesarise.wordpress.com), which meshes quite well.


Do you have any other hobbies that you’d like to share?


Reading, traveling, playing pool, finding new music to listen to and participating in a couple of fantasy sports leagues.


Ugh! My husband does fantasy sports, too. He really enjoys them! Where do you live?

In Lake George, NY, which is beautiful but a bit cold -- winter comes early and spring comes late. Maybe someday we can afford to flee to a warmer refuge from December through March. I make a better snowbird than penguin.


Ha! Love that! I'd rather be a snowbird, too! Share with us a little about your family. Married? Kids? Pets?

My wife Gail and I are both Upstate New York natives and have been married for more than 40 years. We have a daughter in Lynchburg, a son in Colorado and four grandchildren. We also love dogs and have three, a German shepherd and two malte-poo "ankle biters." They're more fun to watch than TV.



Which leads right into my next question. If you could be any animal, what animal would you choose, and why? 


A tiger, because I'm not as assertive as I should be. Tigers are very assertive.


What was one of the best Christmas presents you ever received?

My Kindle, on which I am currently juggling about 12 books.


Me, too. I didn't think I would like it, because I was more old school and into paper books, but when you can hold dozen of books in one hand, what's not to like? What CD is in your CD player right now?


"Bittertown," by Lori McKenna, whom I just recently discovered. Like Neil Young, Steve Earle, Springsteen and others, she has kind of a quirky voice, but it works.


Name your favorite children's story.

The Secret Garden.


Interesting... What was your nickname growing up or now?

In Lynchburg, it was "Durl," because that's what "Darrell" sounds like with a southern accent.


Reminds me of the Bob Newhart Show when there was Larry, his brother Darrell, and his other brother Darrell. 






What is your biggest pet peeve?


1. Failure to communicate. It irks me, for instance, when I send out an article query and never get a response. No matter how busy an editor claims to be, how much time does it take to hit "reply" and say either "Would like to hear more" or "Thanks, but not for us"? If it's the latter, you can then move on to someone else, instead of being on permanent hold.


2. (A tie). The fact that it's become incredibly difficult to contact with a real human being on the phone. The automated systems that confront me rarely address whatever problem or issue I may have, and so often there is no alternative. I guess that also goes back to communication.


Yes. Communication is key. Thanks for joining us today! Now let's hear a little bit more about INSPIRATION STREET...




Blurb ~

This book describes some of the intriguing people who have lived in the 1300 and 1400 blocks of Pierce Street in Lynchburg, Virginia, but it is also more than that. Through what they accomplished during the days of segregation and beyond, these individuals represent 100 years of African-American history in microcosm.


Author Bio ~


Darrell Laurant is a veteran of more than 40 years in journalism, serving as a sportswriter, reporter and columnist for newspapers in South Carolina and Virginia. Inspiration Street is his fourth book, following Even Here: A Small Virginia Community, a Violent Decade (1992); A City Unto Itself: Lynchburg VA in the 20th Century (1997), and The Kudzu Kid, his first novel, published in 2014. A history major at Belmont Abbey College near Charlotte, North Carolina, he has long been intrigued by the effects of the past on the present and future. The issue of race, especially in the South, has been of particular interest. Laurant retired from the newspaper business in 2013 in order to devote more time to his other writing. He now lives and writes in Lake George, New York. He and his wife Gail have two children—Jeremy Laurant, of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Cindee Layne, of Lynchburg Virginia—and four grandchildren.


You can purchase INSPIRATION STREET here:


http://amzn.com/193820526X







27 comments:

MJ Schiller said...

Welcome, Darrell! I'm glad you could join us today. This book sounds really interesting!

Alicia Dean said...

Dang, I had a comment all typed out, then I hit sign out instead of publish. Basically, I loved the interview and your analogy and I'm going to check out your site and I am jealous that you live in a wintry lovely area. :) Best wishes!

MJ Schiller said...

Yeah, I just don't get you people who like cold weather! I'm such a wimp. I don't like it hot or cold. I suffer from Goldilocks Complex. Thanks for joining us, Alica! Have a wonderful weekend!

Diane Burton said...

Hi, Darrell. Great interview. While I like the beauty of fresh snow, the cold hurts my joints. Seriously thinking about becoming a snowbird--esp. because my newest grandbaby lives there. Good reason to go south, doncha think? Best wishes on your new release

Diane Garner said...

Fabulous interview! Inspiration Street sounds very interesting. We lived in Reston, VA for three years and had relatives in Bridgewater. Loved the beautiful countryside.

Leah St. James said...

Hi, Darrell, apologies for the late response! Loved your interview! I wirk for a small daily in Hampton Roads, Va., and wrote a column for about three years on our local writing community so I enjoyed reading about your experience. I can imagine some of the characters you came across! :-) Best of luck with the new book!

Maureen said...

Great post! Loved the interview. I was a Newhart fan so the Darrell comment made me smile. :) I love the cover- it pulls you right into the town & your writing journey is just fascinating.

Nightingale said...

Snowflakes im a blizzard immediately captured my attention and my imagination. Enjoyed the interview

Pamela S Thibodeaux said...

Sorry I'm so late visiting....Nice to 'meet' you Darrell! Love the analogy of snowflakes...so true!
Great interview.
Good luck and God's blessings.
PamT

Susan Coryell said...

I have the pleasure of knowing Darrell personally--having interacted with him at the Sedalia Writers Conference in VA. He has also read and reviewed my books and I participate with his Snowflakes blog. Darrell works hard to help authors promote in tough market times. He's also an excellent writer himself. Nice interview!

Judy Ann Davis said...

I'm late visiting, but I really enjoyed the interview and post. I'm so glad to hear that you think "automated" phone answering services are a pet peeve. They drive me crazy. The title and analogy of "Snowflakes in a blizzard" is unique. Write on!

Darcy Flynn said...

Darrell, what an amazing career. I loved the interview! Snowflakes in a blizzard really sp oke to me. A fabulous image for an author to think about. Best of luck with your new release!

Kara O'Neal said...

Really enjoyed your interview along with the subject of your newest release, Inspiration Street. The historical genre, be it fiction or not, is my favorite. Your book has intrigued me. Good luck to you.

Wild Women Authors said...

What a fabulous interview!
Lake George . . . ah, great memories.
I have enjoyed this post so much
thanks to Darrell and MJ

SusanJPOwens said...

You must have amazing stories to share from your career, and I'd love to hear them. Hint, Hint MJ!

Snowflakes in a blizzard is definitely apropos. The cover for Inspiration Street is fabulous! Best wishes to you.

MJ Schiller said...

Yes, Illinois cold is cold enough for me! I'm not much for sweating either, so I guess I'm sort of a prima donna as far as weather is concerned. :) I'm so glad you could join us, Diane! I hope you've enjoyed your weekend!

MJ Schiller said...

Yes. I love history stories about the "small" people who may not be remembered if not written about. When we travel, a lot of the time we will go to the town library and read up on local history. It is usually quite interesting. Thanks for adding to our conversation, Diane! Have a great week!

MJ Schiller said...

Like souls! I'm glad you could stop in, Leah. Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

MJ Schiller said...

Agreed. A street like any other, but with a fascinating background! I loved both Newhart shows and the whole Darrell thing tickled me! Have a wonderful week! Hopefully you are enjoying the same great weather as we're having here in the Midwest.

MJ Schiller said...

I know. That is what made me want to talk to Darrell in the first place. I do feel as an Indie author it is as hard to stand out among all the books that are published as it is for a snowflake in a blizzard. It can make you feel small at times. Darrell is making an effort on his site to counteract that. I think that's commendable. Thanks for joining us, Linda, and happy Memorial Day Weekend!

MJ Schiller said...

We're glad to have you, Pam! This snowflakes gonna do me some dancing until people notice me! Right? If you want to extend the analogy I hope my books land on the right tongues! Thank you for popping in and have a fabulous week, my friend!

MJ Schiller said...

We can either sit around and wring our hands and keep falling down from the sky unnoticed, or we can make an attempt to let people know we're here, blow in their eyes, land on their coat sleeves (I'm pushing the snowflake thing, aren't I?) ;) I'm glad Darrell and others give authors a place to showcase their wares! Thanks for sharing your experiences with Darrell, Susan!

MJ Schiller said...

The good thing about the Internet is you're never late! Darrell commented on that reminded me of a recent commercial I saw where the caller was talking to a real live person but acting like it was an automated system by speaking uber slowly and distinctly. I thought it was cute! Thanks for popping in, Judy!

MJ Schiller said...

I know. I really want to dive into this book! We each have our unique stories and experiences to share with the world and it's a shame that so many life stories are lost without ever having been recorded. Likewise, it's sad that so many great fictional stories get lost in the blizzard. Thank you for taking the time to come by, Darcy, and add to our conversation!

MJ Schiller said...

Thank you for taking the time to join us! :) Happy reading and writing, Kathryn!

MJ Schiller said...

We can definitely learn a lot from those who have come before us. Glad you swung by, Kara! Enjoy your long weekend!

MJ Schiller said...

I loved the cover, too, and had a lot of fun designing a teaser for it. Thanks for visiting with us today, Susan!