When did you start writing?
I wrote poems and stories throughout my childhood, but I didn’t begin writing novels until I was 24.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by a lot of things… okay, everything. My students (teenagers) constantly keep my mind busy, and it helps that I teach social studies. History, politics, Biblical scripture, dreams, and random conversations have all had a part in my writing process as well.
Is writing your primary occupation?
Not yet. As of right now, writing is a hobby. I am most focused on my roles as wife and mother, but I earn money by teaching.
What inspired THE ELECT?
My first novel actually started as a dream. It sounds cliche, but it really did! I woke up, wrote down everything I could remember, and then bridged forward and backward until I had a novel. I hadn’t ever seriously written anything before, so this was a daunting process and took a couple of years.
Are you working on anything right now?
Currently, I’ve turned a lot of my focus to children’s picture books, and it’s a blast. I love rhyming and world building on a small scale, especially when I get to incorporate topics that are important to me, like STEM and, of course, really cute little animals! I’ve also finished a middle grade novel that I hope to release soon.
Do you have any other hobbies that you enjoy?
When not teaching, momming, or wife-ing, I love working in my little garden, reading, hunting for caffeine, baking, and spending as much time outside as I can. Lastly, I LOVE travelling and going on roadtrips with my indulgent husband. Since we married in 2009, we’ve traveled all over the eastern US and to a few states out west. We’re perpetually planning our next roadtrip.
Laura W Carter 