A Day in the Life with Laura Moriarty

Today I bring you  Laura Moriarty, author of The Chaperone

Whats a Typical day like for you?  

When Im not teaching (Im a creative writing professor at the University of Kansas), I write every weekday while my daughter is at school, and my goal is always a thousand words a day. Sometimes that takes three hours, and sometimes it takes seven. 

 

What was the first story you remember writing?

When I was in grade school, I wrote a long story about a girl who was horribly jealous of her sisters accomplishments. My mother of course worried that I was jealous of one of my sisters, and she kept asking me about it. I remember being perplexed by her worry, because I wasnt particularly jealous of anyone Id just made up a story. 

 

How do you deal with negative reviews?  

I like this quote by Aristotle: Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. Negative reviews are part of the package when you put out creative work, so you have to just expect them. Also, I make decisions carefully when I write, so if someone doesnt like what Ive done, it means we just have different perspectives. 

 

If you could be one of the characters in your books, who would it be?

I wouldnt give up being me, because I love my husband and my daughter and my friends so much, but if youre talking about just a few days . . . Id be young Louise Brooks, because she was such a good dancer. 

 

What are you reading now?  

Louise Amended by Louise Krug. Its a memoir by a young woman who got a lot of attention for her looks until a brain bleed resulted in the paralysis of half her face. She has to completely change the way she thinks about herself and how other people perceive her. Shes impressively honest, and the writing is strong.

Thank you for taking part Laura, looking forward to meeting you at BEA in June

About Laura

Laura Moriarty earned a degree in social work before returning for her M.A. in Creative Writing at the University of Kansas. She was the recipient of the George Bennett Fellowship for Creative Writing at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, and is now a professor of Creative Writing at the University of Kansas. She lives in Lawrence, Kansas, and is at work on her next novel.

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My review of The Chaperone: http://www.misbehavinlibrarian.com/2012/05/chaperone-by-laura-moriarty-review-and.html

Don't forget every comment on the A Day in the Life meme's will be entered to win a gift basket with books written by all of the authors taking part - Ends December 2012