In celebration of the upcoming release of my debut novel, Fast Forward (see announcement here), I’m doing a series of interviews with authors about their past, present & future. Today, please welcome… Laura O’Connell!

PAST:

1. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an astronaut ever since I saw Neil Armstrong walk on the moon in 1969. The Milky Way and the moon have always intrigued me. Maybe I’ll go up in Richard Branson’s out of space tours.

2. What did you do before you became a writer?

Sadly, I didn’t get to fly into space.  Instead I settled for a career in the world of numbers in management accounting. It paid the bills, but I love the world of words more.

3. What is one of your most treasured memories from the past?

The day my son was born. He was the most precious gift I’ve received.

PRESENT:

4. What’s your latest release about and/or what are you currently working on?

Web of Lies, released on 1^st December is a story about two teenagers who made a mistake and are re-united eight years later to find they are two different people. Stephanie, due to her aunt’s ill health and the inability to look after her child because of depression, gave up her child and ended up in an abusive marriage. Lachlan had intended to come back for her, but he ended up in a coma that led to events that stopped him returning to Australia.

Lachlan and Stephanie are forced to confront the consequences of their actions and the entire family is compelled to reveal the truth, find forgiveness, and renew loving one another. Can Lachlan and Stephanie make the right decision about Ryan’s future, or are they on the road to destruction destroying the Hunt family forever?

I have a military story under consideration with a publisher at the moment and I am in the planning stages of another military story. I think I might have a soft spot for men in uniform.

5. What’s a typical day like for you? (If there is such a thing!)

My writing is my full-time work now. I’m up by five every morning and writing in my journal until I get in the zone. Then it’s shower and breakfast and I’m back at the keyboard by eight o’clock to work on my current work in progress until about twelve thirty and then I take a break for lunch. I return back to the keyboard and prepare blogs, read, attend to social networking until four o’clock when I take my music and me for a long walk to clear the cobwebs. This is done in the bush around where I live or at the beach.

6. Name three things you are grateful for in your life right now:

I’m grateful for my excellent health, the opportunity to write full-time and for all the people who are walking with me on this amazing journey of life. They inspire me, keep me honest and best of all love me for the person I am including all those little idiosyncrasies. Thank you all.

FUTURE:

7. If you could fast forward in time to any age or year for just one day, what would you choose & why?

I would choose the day before I die so that I can see all the things I wanted to do, but was too stupid or lazy not to do. I don’t want to waste my life. This would be a good way of telling me if I’m on the right track to achieve everything I’m supposed to achieve in the time I have in this short time I have on earth.

8. If you could have any new technology or invention in the future that would make your life a whole lot easier (or more fun), what would it be?

An automatic flying car so that I don’t have to stop at traffic lights, and get to where I’m going quickly. This would free me up to write when inspiration strikes, too.

9. What are your hopes & dreams for the future?

When I grow up, I hope to be an international bestselling author so that my writing reaches people who may be finding their life journey challenging. When they read my books, I hope there’s a few words that might release them from the bonds that strangle them deep within.

I dream about having one of those flying cars to travel in and share with the special man in my life.

Thanks for visiting the blog, Laura!

You can visit Laura online at her website & blog, facebook, and twitter.

Click here to check out Laura’s book WEB OF LIES on Amazon.