Turned to Stone near Featherstone: Louise Gornall Interviewed...

Today, around the Cauldron, I'm honoured to have Lancashire's fresh faced paranormalist Louise Gornall, all blue hair and blue horizons, come to chat with me about her debut novel "In Stone". Which, I an reliably informed, is making more waves than a supercharged barge on a joyride down the Manchester Canal. 

Here's what she had to tell Wizard Watchers.

Hi Louise,
Hi Wiz! 

So, tell us a bit about yourself, Louise. Where are you from? Do you work? Do you write full time? Anything else of interest to the readers. 

Well, I'm from the North West of England. I work remotely as a submissions intern for Swoon romance, but other than that I write full time. There's a rumor circulating that I am in fact the Pink Power Ranger. I'm afraid at this time I can neither confirm or deny said rumor. I take two sugars in my tea. Oh and I can't whistle, so there's that... 

What genre do you write in? And why? 

I predominantly write urban fantasy and horror, but I do like to dabble in contemporary YA. I write UF because I love exploring the weird and wonderful...and well, I have a thing for hot immortal dudes on dangerous missions. Horror and I have been intimately involved since the beginning of time and I couldn't not give writing scary stories a shot. I guess I like writing contemporary because it can cut quite deep and -- especially in YA -- it's a great opportunity to explore taboo topics. 

Tell Wizard Watchers about your debut novel

My debut, In Stone, has just dropped. It's a story about a girl and a gargoyle who go on this crazy-intense trip across Europe in search of the Underworld. A knife has surfaced that has the power to wipe out the immortals. Demons want it, Gargoyles want it and it's looking like the human race is going to get caught in the crossfire, unless Beau and Jack can make it to the Underworld alive and destroy it in Immortal fire. 

Famous gargoyle at Southwell Minster circa 13th century.

I gather reviews for In Stone are top quality. What impact does a review have on you - the good, bad and the ugly... Thank you. I am seriously stoked! I haven't had a bad review...yet. I guess it's only matter of time until I get one though. I was going to say that they don't really have an impact on me, but I suppose if that were true I wouldn't be so excited about the good reviews I've been given. Bad reviews happen. I love bloggers and have some great friends that are reviewers. I Imagine it's going to sting when I learn that someone doesn't like my book, but I respect everybody's right to have an opinion. If we all liked the same stuff the world would be a petty boring place, right? 

What is your writing routine? Are you a crazed binge writer? Or a careful, studious grand a day artist? I'm a crazed binge writer: I like to try and get in an hour a day, but I suck so bad at planning and life is always getting in the way. 

Do you always have your hair in extravagant colours? Which is your favourite? Does your hair colour influence your mood, and therefore, your writing? 

Diversity in Hair!

This is my most favourite question ever! I've been doing it crazy colours for a while now. I was a brunette just a few short months ago, but I get very bored, very quickly. It's been green and pink and purple and red and orange, but this is my favourite to date. It's doesn't really influence my mood or writing...although I guess Leah, one of the characters from In Stone, is a hair dye freak and she absolutely gets that from me. 

In an unfortunate allegory of "Misery", you have been kidnapped by a bonkers hairdresser who locks you in her cellar until you agree to have your hair dyed elderberry. In a fit of remorse, she opens the door, and slides in an empty shampoo crate containing three books, two CDs and a DVD - what would you like them to be? 

I've changed my mind. THIS is my most favourite question ever!  

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson 

This is Not A Test by the fantastic Courtney Summers. 

CD's would be Follow the Leader by Korn because that's my youth, 

and 

a greatest hits...probably from Queen. 

DVD would be Lord of the Rings. 

The man many citizens of Rochdale call "Gandalf", seen here without
his magic staff, as it had just been confiscated by a Community Support Officer as he considered it
an offensive weapon.

The Paranormal boom: Has the bubble burst? 

Nah! Readers are still reading it, and with small presses willing to take risks left right and center for good writing, we're all good. 

Rare daguerrotype of a Paranormal Godfather:
Dublin's Bram Stoker - author of "Dracula"

What do your fans have to look forward to in the coming year? In Stone 2! 

Hahahahahahahahahha...okay, I gotya!

I am officially writing the sequel. As long as Entranced Publishing want it that's definitely going to happen. I'm also writing a Mean Girls meets The Exorcist YA which I'm hoping I'll be able to hock to some poor, unsuspecting publishing house later in the year. 

The original "Mean Girl", AKA my sister circa aged ten.

Louise, its been an absolute pleasure having you round the Cauldron. Wizardwatchers wish you, and your debut novel, all the very best.

Thank you so much for having me over. This has been above and beyond awesome. 

Louise is a graduate of Garstang Community Academy. She is currently studying for a BA (Hons) in English language and literature with special emphasis on creative writing. YA aficionado. Brit bird. Film nerd. Identical twin. Junk food enthusiast. Rumored pink Power Ranger. Zombie apocalypse 2012 survivor. She is also an avid collector of book boyfriends.

Buy In Stone

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/In-Stone-ebook/dp/B00DPWS2ZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372619224&sr=8-1&keywords=in+stone+louise+d+gornall

Barnes&Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-stone-louise-d-gornall/1115883166?ean=2940016657608

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/In-Stone/book-x70XQPDrdUmZlb-0thEl_g/page1.html?s=K7ERgO9lIU6XGznC2_hQOA&r=1

Add to Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17663217-in-stone

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-1_shhtTZI

 Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Louise-D-Gornall/111420465709804?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rock_andor_roll

Website: http://bookishblurb.com/

Oldham youngster expresses his disappointment at current
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