Today I have Laura McNeill, the author of CENTER OF GRAVITY, here at Traveling With T! Laura is going to talk to us about CENTER OF GRAVITY and give us a little insight into her second book!
Interview With Laura McNeill- CENTER OF GRAVITY
Laura, can you tell us a little about CENTER OF GRAVITY?
Center of Gravity is set in the Deep South, where I live with my family. The story is told through the eyes of Jack, a precocious 8-year old who’s just settled in to life with a new mom and baby brother. His world falls apart, however, when his father’s behavior starts spiraling out of control. Fueled by growing jealousy and eventually, delusion, Jack and his brother are snatched from their mother, Ava, who must fight to get them back.
When naming the characters, did you have names picked out? Or did friends/family help you in that process?
I love the process of naming characters! Jack came to me first. It’s a solid, rough and tumble boy’s name. In Center of Gravity, Jack plays soccer, loves superheroes, and is constantly getting into scrapes, so the name fits him well.
For Ava, my female protagonist, I wanted a name that implied innocence, sweetness, or even a bit of naïvety. Ava overlooks Mitchell’s flaws during their whirlwind romance, and chalks up his reserved nature and flashes of anger to the devastating loss of his wife several years earlier.
Let’s talk about your writing space- do you have one? Or is it wherever and whenever inspiration strikes?
I do have a writing space in my home. I am fortunate to have a small office with a lovely window overlooking my front yard and window boxes filled with white begonias. The office has tall, built-in bookshelves that are full of hardcovers, everything from Paula Hawkins and Fannie Flagg to Stieg Larsson and Veronica Roth. Most importantly, I have my favorite ten-year old wooden desk and matching chair from Pier One that have somehow survived at least four moves.
What’s next in your bookish life- book tour? Back to writing? Both?
Both! Center of Gravity releases July 14th, and I’ll be kicking off my tour in Manchester, NH (on vacation), followed by (back home), stops in New Orleans, Fairhope, Ala., Atlanta, Ga., Natchez, Mississippi, and Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., among other places! I would love to make it to Nashville and Charleston, but we’ll see!
My second HarperCollins/Thomas Nelson book will be released in April of 2016. Sister Dear is the story of a woman who goes to prison for a crime she doesn’t commit, leaving behind a 5-year old daughter. When she is paroled 10 years later, she hopes to reclaim her quiet life and move on, but her daughter, now a teenager, soon challenges her innocence. In her quest to find justice, she discovers that the one person she trusts most committed the ultimate betrayal a decade earlier.
********************
Photo Credit: Harper/Thomas Nelson July 14th
Summary from Goodreads:
The truth could cost her everything.
Her whole life, Ava Carson has been sure of one thing: she doesn’t measure up to her mother’s expectations. So when Mitchell Carson sweeps into her life with his adorable son, the ready-made family seems like a dream come true. In the blink of an eye, she’s married, has a new baby, and life is grand.
Or is it?
When her picture-perfect marriage begins unraveling at the seams, Ava convinces herself she can fix it. It’s temporary. It’s the stress. It’s Mitchell’s tragic history of loss.
If only Ava could believe her own excuses.
Mitchell is no longer the charming, thoughtful man she married. He grows more controlling by the day, revealing a violent jealous streak. His behavior is recklessly erratic, and the unanswered questions about his past now hint at something far more sinister than Ava can stomach. Before she can fit the pieces together, Mitchell files for divorce and demands full custody of their boys.
Fueled by fierce love for her children and aided by Graham Thomas, a new attorney in town —Ava takes matters into her own hands, digging deep into the past. But will finding the truth be enough to beat Mitchell at his own game? Center of Gravity weaves a chilling tale, revealing the unfailing and dangerous truth that things—and people—are not always what they seem.
Connect with Laura:
Twitter, Facebook, Website.
Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,
T @ Traveling With T
Traveling With T 