Fiction author Nakia R. Laushaul is still beaming from the literary success of Running from Solace, her debut novel released April 2011 under her publishing and consulting company Serendipity Bound Books. Laushaul shows how much she has grown in her craft since she wrote and published her first collection of poetry and essays titled The Truth As I See It: In Poetry & Prose. Laushaul sat down with rolling out to share her latest projects and up coming novel Do You Know Daisy McCloud.
What is the premise of your recent literary work, Running from Solace?
[It] is the story of Naomi, who at 6 years old was emotionally and physically abused by her mother and her mother’s boyfriend. Fast-forward … and Naomi is all grown up, married to a great man, and has a love-hate relationship with her career as a CPS investigator. Old wounds begin to fester when she meets Xavier, a 14-year-old boy that is about to make a decision that will change the lives of everyone in his path. Xavier, in an effort to save himself and his siblings, tells Naomi that his mother, Mona is extremely abusive and that he can’t and won’t go home. Running from Solace is a work of fiction that leaves many readers wondering about how much fiction is intertwined with the truth. My only response is this: A report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds in the United States, it may not be true for you, but it is true for somebody. And something must be done.
How does the novel you’re working on now, Do You know Daisy McCloud, differ from your first?
Since I don’t write with an outline or strategic plan ahead of time, I can’t say where this novel is going to go just yet. I will say that Do You Know Daisy McCloud will remain true to my [style] of writing — highly emotional. The story is different in that I have a completely new set of characters. Daisy is a 17-year-old girl-next-door type who lands in the hospital due to a tragic event. There she meets up with another young girl that has been around the block a few times. The two unlikely friends embark on a journey of self-discovery, forgiveness and tolerance.
What upcoming projects are you working on that our readers should know about?
I am excited to be a part of a collaboration project with six other author friends of mine called Pound Seven Presents … And the Plot Thickens. The seven of us are writing one story together, but without discussing the plot between us. I know you remember the children’s game we used to play back in elementary school where one person would start the story and the next would pick up where that person left off. The novel, And the Plot Thickens, is a lot like that. We will post one chapter every week on the Pound 7 website for free as a treat for readers beginning Oct. 7.
For more information, please visit:
www.nakiarlaushaul.com https://nakialaushaul.blogspot.com www.twitter.com/nakiarl https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Nakia-R-Laushaul-presents-The-Truth-As-I-See-It-In-Poetry-Prose/ www.pound7.com
