Heidi McLaughlin

First and foremost, please tell us a little bit about yourself.  Let’s see. I’m mom of two girls, both who play basketball. One is about to head to college. My husband coaches high school football. I have a dog who thinks she’s a cat, cow, bird and pig and who is a diva. I work a full-time job, write at night, spend far too much time on Facebook and actively fundraise for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. 

You tend to write various types of genres.  What's your favorite to write and why?  What are you most comfortable to write and why?  I prefer contemp/romance – it’s easier to incorporate life events 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?  A bit of both. I plot out where the story needs to go, but totally fly sometimes. 

What is your writing routine?  From 9-11 at night, I write, unless I get some done during the day. I like to write a chapter a day.

 Where do you find your inspiration?  Music, people or pictures. I like to look at an image and develop a story. I also people watch a lot. 

Was it difficult for you to write BEAUMONT SERIES through a male perspective?  What research did you have to do?  It wasn’t. I’ve spent a lot of time with a band so I used what I learned from being on tour with them to write the story.

 How did you research Africa for your MY EVERYTHING novella?  Google and my friend wrote about a missionary so I asked her for advice from her experience.

 Why a rock star in FOREVER MY GIRL?  What makes rock stars so compelling?  They’re intriguing, sexy and everyone wants one. 

 Where did you get the inspiration for LOST IN YOU?  Honestly, Taylor Swift and her revolving door of boyfriends.

 What type of relationship is your favorite to explore and develop?  Second chance. I think everyone deserves one.

What type of person is your ideal heroine when you're both reading and writing?  What type of person is your ideal hero when you're both reading and writing?  Are they the same?  Why or why not?  I like strong females – I have two girls and can’t imagine them being co-dependent on a man. I like men who are loyal and aren’t afraid to take no for an answer.

 What have you learned about the publishing process?  It’s hard, it’s long and if one person tells me that they loved my story – it’s rewarding.

 Would you recommend advertisements or did you market your books through a different venue?  I’m not sure how I feel about advertisements. There’s such a vast array of bloggers out there that want to help that they often spread the word faster. Word of mouth is huge.

 How involved are you in terms of editing/book cover/release date/marketing process?  I trust my cover designer. That’s one of the first things she ever said to me – trust me. And I do. I use Sarah at Okay Creations and she hasn’t let me down yet. I have an editor who isn’t afraid to tell me what sucks either. As far as the rest of the marketing goes – I select my release dates and work with a fantastic team of bloggers to spread the word.

 Are you working on anything now?  The Beaumont Series #3