Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: It Happened One Doomsday
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://laurencemacnaughton.com/
CITY:
STATE: CO
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurencemacnaughton * http://nelsonagency.com/clients/laurence-macnaughton/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1975; married.
EDUCATION:Eastern Connecticut State University, attended.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Fantasy fiction writer, bookseller, typesetter, copywriter, writing coach. Bennett & Curran Inc., book warehouse manager, 2006-09; ShopAtHome.com, head writer and content editor, 2010-13; ImageBusinessWriting.com, freelance copywriter, 2013—Present.
MEMBER:Copywriter’s Guild.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Laurence MacNaughton is an urban fantasy novelist known for “The Spider Thief” series and for his 2016 book, It Happened One Doomsday. He was born in 1975 and grew up in a colonial house in Connecticut built in 1754 that he believed was haunted. He attended Eastern Connecticut State University and studied criminal psychology, sold his first magazine article at age nineteen, and over the years has been a bookseller, typesetter, copywriter, writing coach, and vehicle test driver. A fan of H.P. Lovecraft, Robert B. Parker, and William Gibson, MacNaughton writes spooky, supernatural stories about monsters.
In 2012 MacNaughton published Conspiracy of Angels, a thriller that blends science fiction, horror, and paranormal genres. In the story, ex-convict Mitch Turner wants to turn his life around, but he is tormented by his daughter’s mysterious death. He teams up with her friend Geneva, and together they learn about the dangerous Archangel, an inhuman, invulnerable creature who guards the boundaries between our world and the afterlife. Archangel has its sight on Turner, so he and Geneva outrun Archangel and its forces as they uncover a conspiracy and learn what happened to Turner’s daughter.
MacNaughton’s 2014 four-part “The Spider Thief” series begins with Stolen Memory. In the series, the famed golden spider statue with emerald eyes is said to grant astounding powers. It can erase the past, change the future, and grant eternal life. But it can also steal people’s memories and life force. Robin Hood-style thief Ash steals from scam artists and repays the victims. He also wants to find the man who cursed and killed his parents. He is seeking the golden spider to right the wrongs of the past. He teams up with his high school girlfriend, Cleo, who is a highly skilled agent also looking for the spider statue. Always under the spider’s curse, Ash believes that Cleo is keeping a deadly secret.
In Thief, Part 2: Haunted Dreams, Ash has lost his memories as the result of a curse imposed by the golden spider. He and Cleo try to save Ash’s brother from the killer who killed their parents. In The Spider Thief, Part 3: Cold Million, Ash is a fugitive from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), wanted for a murder he did not commit. His brother is still on the run from their parents’ killer. The last installment, The Spider Thief, Part 4: Ghost City concludes the story plot.
In 2016 MacNaughton published It Happened One Doomsday, the first in an urban fantasy series that focuses on magic and classic cars. Dru Jasper is a second-rate magic user whose limit is using crystals to see enchantments. Her little shop in Colorado, The Crystal Connection, located next to a liquor store, barely makes ends meet selling incense, magic charms, and potions. One day she encounters Greyson, a street-smart mechanic with fiery eyes who is driving a possessed muscle car and needs her help. He is haunted by bad dreams in which he will transform at any moment into a demon that will cause the apocalypse. Just being in the presence of Greyson boosts Dru’s powers, so she and her friends Rane and Opal agree to help him.
“The story relies heavily on fast-paced car chases and adventure,” noted a writer in Publishers Weekly. “MacNaughton provided a very interesting twist on some myths about the world ending and the signs of the apocalypse,” declared a reviewer online at Qwillery. In an interview on the Literary Escapism Web site, MacNaughton explained his attraction for urban fantasy: “For me, the best stories begin in the weirdest parts of our own world. Before I start writing a book, I sit down and immerse myself in research, and I keep digging until I find something strange and interesting.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, May 9, 2016, review of It Happened One Doomsday, pp. 51+.
ONLINE
Archetype Writery, http://www.thearchetypewriter.com/ (October 30, 2016), review of It Happened One Doomsday.
Fantastic Fiction, https://www.fantasticfiction.com/ (February 26, 2017), author profile.
Laurence MacNaughton Home Page, https://laurencemacnaughton.com (February 26, 2017), author profile.
Literary Escapism, http://www.literaryescapism.com/ (July 11, 2016), Jack Le, review of It Happened One Doomsday.
My Life, My Books, My Escape, https://mylifemybooksmyescape.wordpress.com/ (July 15, 2016), author interview.
Qwillery, http://qwillery.blogspot.com/ (July 13, 2016), review of It Happened One Doomsday.
About Me
Laurence MacNaughton urban fantasy authorI grew up in a creaky old colonial house in Connecticut that I was pretty sure was haunted. As a kid, I was a choirboy in a church that was built in 1754. I also pounded out stories on a black manual typewriter until I sold my first magazine article at age 19. Over the years, I’ve been a bookseller, typesetter, printer, copywriter and (somewhat randomly) a prototype vehicle test driver. When I’m not writing, I bike and hike the Colorado Rockies, explore ghost towns and wrench on old cars. But the whole time, I’m usually thinking about the book I’m going to write next. I love connecting with readers,
LC control no.: n 2016023019
Descriptive conventions:
rda
LC classification: PS3613.A276
Personal name heading:
MacNaughton, Laurence, 1975-
Birth date: 19750826
Found in: It happened one doomsday, 2016: ECIP t.p. (Laurence
MacNaughton) data view ( ...fantasy writer and the
author of The Spider Thief and Conspiracy of Angels.
Visit him online at www.laurencemacnaughton.com)
Main content starts below.
Laurence MacNaughton
Laurence MacNaughton
Helping businesses and marketing leaders build brands and convert customers with creative copywriting that sells.
Greater Denver Area
Writing and Editing
Current
ImageBusinessWriting.com
Previous
ShopAtHome.com, Bennett & Curran Inc
Education
Eastern Connecticut State University
Websites
Company Website
Personal Website
157
connections
Summary
As a copywriter, I've helped boost sales for hundreds of companies. I work with business leaders from all walks of life, from tiny startups to big corporations.
No matter what kind of value you offer to your customers, no matter what kind of product or service you sell, I can help you sell more.
Significantly more.
Today, it's not enough to write splashy, attention-grabbing sales copy that draws in your customers. You need to go deeper.
You need to truly "get" your audience. Discover their wants, dreams, and fears.
You need to go into their hearts and immerse yourself in the things they crave. The problems they’re desperate to solve. The answers they're searching to find.
Those answers are buried deep in the value that your company sells.
And when I uncover what your audience truly wants, that's when I get them to connect with you. Through your website, email, direct mail, and all of your marketing communications.
I’ll help you attract, inform, and sell more.
But don’t just take my word for it. What do my clients say?
“Love it! Brilliant!”
– Charlyn O., Saks Fifth Avenue
“The word ‘brilliant’ doesn’t do your work justice. What you’ve created is absolutely outstanding! We’re delighted.”
– Roberta M., CEO, IMARK
“This turned out great! Thank you so much!”
– Lisa L., TurboTax
“Wow — you are the best! Thank you for making this work!”
– Marissa K., Shop At Home
“We can’t thank you enough. These letters are GREAT! “
– Jessica M., Project Angel Heart
Remember: an ordinary copywriter costs money. But a good copywriter actually MAKES you money -- and saves you time, too!
Connect with me today through LinkedIn, call me directly at (720) 937-6238, or visit me online at www.ImageBusinessWriting.com
Experience
Freelance Copywriter
ImageBusinessWriting.com
January 2013 – Present (4 years 2 months)
For me, being a freelance copywriter is just the beginning. I start by helping companies and entrepreneurs optimize their message, position their brands, and boost their advertising response rates.
Of course, I write webpages, sales emails, newsletters, blog posts, advertorials, sell sheets, brochures, direct mail, and all of your marketing communications.
But I also go far beyond that.
I interview C-suite executives to create compelling bios. I help happy customers find the right words for glowing testimonials and success stories. I write powerful and persuasive product descriptions, signage, taglines, you name it.
In other words, I make it as easy as possible for you to win crowds of new customers.
Download my free guide "Word of Mouth: 6 Web Content Sales Secrets that Really Work" at www.ImageBusinessWriting.com
ShopAtHome.com
Head Writer & Content Editor
ShopAtHome.com
November 2010 – April 2013 (2 years 6 months)
As a staff writer (and later the head writer and editor), I wrote more than 900 content marketing projects, which totaled more than a third of a million words. Think of it as a dry run of Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000-hours theory. In addition, I developed the company's content marketing strategy, edited ezine articles and blog posts, interviewed national clients and industry experts, and managed a team of freelance writers.
Business Book Warehouse Manager
Bennett & Curran Inc
November 2006 – May 2009 (2 years 7 months)
At one of the nation's premier business book distributors, I distributed best-selling books to over 1,500 domestic and international clients, including FedEx Office, Franklin-Covey and The Wall Street Journal. (Plus, I got to drive a forklift, which was not only fun, it also required an amazing amount of three-dimensional thinking.) Being surrounded daily by the works of Malcolm Gladwell, David Allen, Jim Collins, Stephen R. Covey, Zig Ziglar, and so many other timeless business authors inspired me to become an entrepreneur and start my own copywriting business.
Skills
Creative WritingSEO copywritingSales LettersGhostwritingBrochure WritingWebsite CopyWeb ContentBloggingContent WritingBrochure CopyVideo EditingFiction WritingMarketing CopyInternal CommunicationsCase StudiesSee 35+
How's this translation?
Great•Has errors
Education
Eastern Connecticut State University
Eastern Connecticut State University
Interests
Fictionclassic carsRocky Mountainshikingbikingmusicnaturefriends
Groups
THE WRITERS' NETWORK
THE WRITERS' NETWORK
Copywriter's Guild
Copywriter's Guild
View Laurence’s full profile to...
See who you know in common
Get introduced
Contact Laurence directly
View Laurence’s Full Profile
Not the Laurence you’re looking for? View more
LinkedIn member directory:
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzmoreBrowse members by country
LinkedIn Corporation
Jul 15 2016
5 Comments
Interview
Author Interview: Laurence MacNaughton
Untitled1Today I am interviewing Laurence MacNaughton, author of the new urban fantasy novel, It Happened One Doomsday.
◊ ◊ ◊
DJ: Hey Laurence! Thanks for stopping by to do this interview!
For readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself?
Laurence MacNaughton: I’m an urban fantasy author, and It Happened One Doomsday is the start of my brand-new series. I’ve also written a couple of supernatural thrillers (Conspiracy of Angels and The Spider Thief). I’ve been writing ever since I found an old black manual typewriter as a kid, and I haven’t stopped yet.
DJ: What is It Happened One Doomsday about?
LM: It’s about a nerdy crystal shop owner who must discover her magic to break the curse on a hunky muscle-car mechanic before he causes a fiery doomsday.
Publishers Weekly calls it “fascinating.” Library Journal calls it “engaging.” RT Book Reviews says it’s “a terrific new find.” To be honest, I wasn’t prepared for this much attention. I’m just glad people enjoy reading it!
DJ: Could you briefly tell us a little your main characters? Do they have any cool quirks or habits, or any reason why readers with sympathize with them?
Doomsday_cover
LM: Dru is the bookish owner of The Crystal Connection, a sorcery shop that sells potions, charms, and enchanted crystals. The “real” sorcerers don’t give Dru any respect, but she has hidden potential that they don’t know about.
Greyson is a street-smart mechanic afflicted with an apocalyptic curse. At any moment, he could transform into a horrifying creature that will trigger doomsday.
Rane (rhymes with “pain”) is Dru’s best friend. She’s also six feet tall and able to transform into rock or metal just by touching it. Her ‘smash first, ask later’ attitude can make her a potent ally — or a loose cannon.
Opal is Dru’s shop partner and confidante. Her magical know-how (and outrageous fashion sense) are crucial to protecting the world from demons, foul creatures and prowling undead.
DJ: What is the universe of It Happened One Doomsday like?
LM: Dru’s universe (or the “Druniverse” as I like to call it) is just like ours, but monsters are real, and our only defense against them is a handful of sorcerers — rare, gifted people with amazing magic powers.
Dru, the main character, wishes she could be one of them. But she’s not. She is super smart, and she has just a bit of talent with crystals and potions, but she’s not a true sorceress. So she opened a shop, and she spends her days assisting these rock-star sorcerers who don’t give her any respect.
Then, Dru discovers that doomsday is on the way, and she is the only one who can figure out how to stop it. So it’s a total underdog story, told from the perspective of sort of an in-the-know nerd who suddenly has to save the world.
DJ: The first line of the book’s back cover tells us “Can her magic save the world – before his curse destroys it?” This makes me feel very safe in assuming that magic is going to be prevalent in your story. If I am correct, can you explain what your magic system is? And where did you get the idea for it?
LM: It seems like every kind of magic system in Urban Fantasy has been done before. So when I wrote this book, I set out to create something unique.
I’ve always been fascinated by crystals. For example, galena is a dark silvery rock with rough mirror-like edges. Back in ancient Egypt, it was believed to protect against the “evil eye” and so it often decorated the eyes of the pharaohs.
Quartz supposedly cleanses your soul. For that reason, Dan Aykroyd from Ghostbusters uses Herkimer diamonds (an exceptionally clear kind of double-terminated quartz crystals) to purify his vodka.
Rose halite (a chalky pinkish crystal) supposedly dissolves negative patterns in your life. Halite is another name for rock salt, so it not only helps you spiritually, it can also de-ice your sidewalk. Which is kind of funny.
Anyway, I thought: what if I took these metaphysical beliefs in crystals and elevated them to a Harry Potter sort of level?
What if a sorcerer could magnify the reputed effects of these crystals so much that they could actually fight demons, rescue people, and save the world?
That’s the magic in It Happened One Doomsday.
DJ: It Happened One Doomsday also deals with “demons, foul creatures, and other forces of darkness.” Is there anything special about these demons? Where do they come from and what do they want?
LM: In this book, the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse all drive possessed muscle cars. Kind of a high-octane version of Stephen King’s Christine. Multiplied by four. And if they all get together on the same road, the world will come to a fiery end.
One of the surprise fan favorites from the book is Hellbringer, a possessed black 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona. Dru starts out fighting it, and it nearly kills her. But then she has to figure out what it wants, and how to reason with it – and try to sway it to help save the world instead of destroying it.
I can’t give too much away, but it’s an absolutely riveting relationship to watch as it develops. There’s a chapter titled “The Only Evil You Can Trust” — and that’s all I’m going to say about that.
DJ: What was your favorite part about writing the It Happened One Doomsday?
LM: I don’t have one favorite part, but writing the car chases was a blast. I’m a former prototype vehicle test driver, so it was thrilling to be able to cut loose with these high-speed chases and make them supernatural.
I also had an incredibly fun time working out all of the minute details about how Dru’s crystal magic works. She’s constantly researching in these old dusty books like the Folio of the Forlorn, The Wicked Scriptures, or The Inscrutable Codex. So I really enjoyed developing all the complex history of that.
But really, my favorite part is the characters. Writing them always feels like coming home.
DJ: What do you think readers will be talking about most once they finish it?
LM: The ending. There’s a twist that I guarantee you won’t see it coming, and yet it fits perfectly. Some people have gone absolutely bananas and written to me demanding to know how the second book starts, but I’m sworn to secrecy. One reader just told me, “I’m going to turn to stone waiting for Book Two.”
DJ: What was your goal when you began writing It Happened One Doomsday? Is there a particular message or meaning you are hoping to get across to readers when the story is finally told?
LM: One of the things that makes this book stand out is that it has a cast of strong women who aren’t necessarily super-sexy or crazy-tough. No leather pants, no magic swords, no vampire boyfriends.
They’re just people. Quirky, witty, sympathetic, complex women with larger-than-life problems and magical powers, granted.
But they are so likable, and their friendships with each other are just plain fun to watch. No matter how much they may fight, at the end of the day they are best friends and can depend on each other.
It feels kind of like the end of an old Star Trek episode. Kirk or McCoy makes a little joke about Spock, who quirks an eyebrow, and everyone laughs. And you feel like everything is all right in the universe.
That’s a tremendously good feeling, and a positive message. That’s the feeling I hope people get from It Happened One Doomsday.
DJ: When I read, I love to collect quotes – whether it be because they’re funny, foodie, or have a personal meaning to me. Do you have any favorite quotes from It Happened One Doomsday that you can share with us?
LM: Favorite quotes? Probably this: “It’s all fun and games until someone starts the Apocalypse.”
Or maybe this one: “Who knew this evil flying monkey death car of yours was so sensitive?”
Or possibly this one: “It’s a good thing I’m such a badass.”
But really, I think my favorite line in the entire book is the very first one: “Dru Jasper had no idea that the world was prophesied to come to a fiery end in six days.”
I’ve actually had people tell me that the first line got them hooked, and they couldn’t put it down after that. That’s so fantastic to hear.
DJ: Now that It Happened One Doomsday is released, what is next for you?
LM: At this very moment, I’m writing the sequel to It Happened One Doomsday. I’m so excited about where these characters are heading that I honestly feel like I can’t write it fast enough.
It builds on so many mysteries, and it answers the burning question that absolutely everyone is asking about the end of the first book. At the same time, the second book opens up Dru’s universe in crazy new ways. New magic, new creatures, new challenges, and new secrets that will quite literally rock her world.
DJ: Where can readers find out more about you?
Author website: www.LaurenceMacNaughton.com
Author newsletter; with free ebooks, bonus chapters, sneak previews and more free stuff: http://laurencemacnaughton.com/free/
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Laurence-MacNaughton/e/B008YIX5HA/
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/LaurenceMacNaughton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurence.macnaughton
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LMacNaughton
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+LaurenceMacNaughton
Booktrack author page: https://goo.gl/ONkLgw
DJ: Before we go, what is that one thing you’d like readers to know about It Happened One Doomsday that we haven’t talked about yet?
LM: Here’s something fun: I’ve also written a short story called MAGIC CARPET RIDE that’s exactly what it sounds like – Dru and her friends rocket across the city on a magic carpet, getting into hilarious trouble. I’m giving it away free to all of my newsletter subscribers at www.LaurenceMacNaughton.com.
DJ: Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to answer my questions!
LM: Thanks so much for having me here! It’s been a real pleasure.
◊ ◊ ◊
*** It Happened One Doomsday is published by Pyr and is available TODAY!!! ***
Buy the Book:
Amazon | Barnes & Nobel | Books-A-Million | Goodreads | Indiebound | iTunes |
◊ ◊ ◊
About the Book:
Magic is real. Only a handful of natural-born sorcerers can wield its arcane power against demons, foul creatures, and the forces of darkness. These protectors of the powerless are descendants of an elite order. The best magic-users in the world. Unfortunately, Dru isn’t one of them.
Sure, she’s got a smidge of magical potential. She can use crystals to see enchantments or brew up an occasional potion. And she can research practically anything in the library of dusty leather-bound tomes she keeps stacked in the back of her little store. There, sandwiched between a pawn shop and a 24-hour liquor mart, she sells enough crystals, incense, and magic charms to scrape by. But everything changes the day a handsome mechanic pulls up in a possessed black muscle car, his eyes glowing red.
Just being near Greyson raises Dru’s magical powers to dizzying heights. But he’s been cursed to transform into a demonic creature that could bring about the end of the world. There’s only one chance to break Greyson’s curse and save the world from a fiery Doomsday – and it’s about to fall into Dru’s magically inexperienced hands…
Laurence MacNaughton grew up in a creaky old colonial house in Connecticut that he's pretty sure was haunted. He's been a bookseller, printer, copywriter and (somewhat randomly) a prototype vehicle test driver. When he's not writing, he bikes and hikes the Rocky Mountains, explores ghost towns and wrenches on old cars. His books include It Happened One Doomsday, The Spider Thief, and Conspiracy of Angels.
New Books
November 2016
(kindle)
Magic Carpet Ride
(Dru Jasper) July 2017
(paperback)
A Kiss before Doomsday
(Dru Jasper, book 1)
Series
Spider Thief
1. Stolen Memory (2014)
2. Haunted Dreams (2014)
3. Cold Million (2014)
4. Ghost City (2014)
The Spider Thief (2014)
thumbthumbthumbthumb
thumb
Dru Jasper
1. A Kiss before Doomsday (2017)
Magic Carpet Ride (2016)
thumbthumb
Novels
Conspiracy of Angels (2012)
It Happened One Doomsday (2016)
Guest Author: The #1 Secret to Fantasy World Building by Laurence MacNaughton
11 July 2016 Jackie LE Guests 0
Laurence MacNaughtonI am excited to welcome author Laurence MacNaughton, who is celebrating the release of his new novel, It Happened One Doomsday.
Magic is real. A handful of sorcerers wield arcane power against demons and the forces of darkness. These protectors of the powerless are the best magic-users in the world. Unfortunately, Dru isn’t one of them. She’s got magical potential. She uses crystals to see enchantments, and she can research practically anything in the library in the back of her little store, sandwiched between a pawnshop and a 24-hour liquor mart. She sells enough crystals, incense, and magic charms to scrape by.
Everything changes the day a handsome mechanic pulls up in a possessed black muscle car, his eyes glowing red. Just being near Greyson raises Dru’s magical powers to dizzying heights. But he’s been cursed to transform into a demonic creature that could bring about a fiery doomsday. There’s only one chance to break Greyson’s curse—and it’s about to fall into Dru’s inexperienced hands. . . .
________________________________________________________
The #1 Secret to Fantasy World Building
LMacNaughton-It Happened One Dooms DayEvery fantasy author struggles with a tough challenge: how do you create a unique world that’s as believable as it is exciting?
It’s called world building, and every writer does it a little differently. My secret is to start with research. The world we live in is so weird, it’s impossible not to get inspired.
Before I sat down to write about the crystal magic in It Happened One Doomsday, I went to plenty of lapidaries (rock shops), which are all over the place here in Colorado.
I also attended quite a few gem and mineral shows. And I visited metaphysical shops to talk to people who really believe in crystal healing. It was an eye-opening experience.
As a kid, I loved to collect a certain type of crystal called a Herkimer diamond. Of course, these “diamonds” aren’t really diamonds at all, but an exceptionally pure kind of quartz crystal.
In fact, some people believe that Herkimer diamonds have magical purifying properties. Dan Aykroyd (yes, the guy from Ghostbusters) uses them to purify his own brand of vodka.
Weird? Yes.
Did it go into my book? You bet.
Keep digging until you hit the weirdness.
Speaking of crystals, there’s another real-life crystal called tourmaline that often looks like a stack of glittering black needles. In many metaphysical beliefs, tourmaline brings spiritual energies back in line with the Earth.
Tourmaline is also used to line the inside of really expensive hairdryers, and the negative ions it creates help dry your hair faster. Strange, but neat.
Or consider rose halite, a cotton-candy-colored crystal that supposedly dissolves negative energy and protects you from harm. It will also protect you from falling on an icy sidewalk, because “rose halite” is just a fancy name for common rock salt.
As a writer, you take all of these weird connections and facts, and then extrapolate them to a fantastical level.
That’s how you create fantasy from reality.
When I’m writing a fantasy story, I extrapolate and exaggerate those real-life details until they become something new and magical.
In It Happened One Doomsday, tourmaline helps the heroine break curses. Rose halite protects innocents against evil. Quartz can literally cleanse your soul.
The magic is inspired by real-life crystals, but the effect is magnified to a fantastical level.
Tap into the eternal power of metaphor.
One of the most powerful aspects of fantasy is that it brings abstract concepts to life. Good and evil. Angels and demons. Heroes and monsters. All right there on the page.
Give your heroes something solid to struggle against, and that makes your book more powerful. Done right, it can be the most dramatic kind of storytelling.
It can transport the reader away on an adventure that couldn’t exist in our normal, everyday world.
The secret magic of fantasy.
There’s one last key to making it all work.
It has to matter to the heroes. And to us, the readers.
The danger every author faces is letting the world-building get too far from our everyday reality. Fantasy elements – magic, monsters, you name it – have to feel emotionally real in order to work in the story.
And I use the word “feel” for a reason: whatever you write, it has to work on an emotional level. To do that, the weirdness of a made-up world needs to relate somehow to the world we live in today.
For me, the best stories begin in the weirdest parts of our own world. Before I start writing a book, I sit down and immerse myself in research, and I keep digging until I find something strange and interesting.
Truth really is stranger than fiction, and that makes it the most fascinating place to start a story.
___________
Meet Laurence MacNaughton!
I grew up in a creaky old colonial house in Connecticut that I was pretty sure was haunted. As a kid, I was a choirboy in a church that was built in 1754. I also pounded out stories on a black manual typewriter until I sold my first magazine article at age 19. Over the years, I’ve been a bookseller, typesetter, printer, copywriter and (somewhat randomly) a prototype vehicle test driver. When I’m not writing, I bike and hike the Colorado Rockies, explore ghost towns and wrench on old cars. But the whole time, I’m usually thinking about the book I’m going to write next.
Laurence MacNaughton
Science Fiction Crossover
How They Came to Us
Kristin met Laurence at the best place possible–her local writers conference, the Colorado Gold Writers Conference, held annually by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She was immediately drawn to Laurence’s novels that feature quirky characters and 1970s car chases.
Bio
Laurence MacNaughton grew up in a creaky old colonial house in Connecticut that he’s pretty sure was haunted. He’s been a bookseller, printer, copywriter and (somewhat randomly) a prototype vehicle test driver. When he’s not writing, he bikes and hikes the Rocky Mountains, explores ghost towns and wrenches on old cars. His books include It Happened One Doomsday, The Spider Thief, and Conspiracy of Angels.
It Happened One Doomsday
263.19 (May 9, 2016): p51.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
It Happened One Doomsday
Laurence MacNaughton. Pyr, $18 trade paper (280p) ISBN 978-1-63388-187-7
The first entry in MacNaughton's (Conspiracy of Angels) new urban fantasy series features sorcery, magic, nearly indestructible classic cars, and characters who run the gamut from faintly noir to slightly horrific. When a man named Greyson finds his way to Dru Jasper's crystal shop in present-day Colorado looking for some last-ditch help with his nightmares, investigating the cause of those bad dreams leads Dru and her friends Opal and Rane into a race to stop the book's villains from using a magical scroll to bring forth the apocalypse. Dru is trapped between needing Greyson's help to stop it and keeping him away for fear that he'll fulfill the prophecy of doom. The quest to save the world is tinged with romance and takes some predictable turns along with the odd unexpected twist. The story relies heavily on fast-paced car chases and adventure. MacNaughton has created a strong foundation for a fascinating series where anything is possible and everything has a cost. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"It Happened One Doomsday." Publishers Weekly, 9 May 2016, p. 51+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA452883328&it=r&asid=331e75c409fbe9eec53702b80563f7bb. Accessed 5 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A452883328
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Interview with Laurence MacNaughton and Review of It Happened One Doomsday
Please welcome Laurence MacNaughton to The Qwillery. It Happened One Doomsday is published on July 12 by Pyr. Please join The Qwillery in wishing Laurence a Happy Publication Day!
TQ: Welcome to The Qwillery. When and why did you start writing?
Laurence: As a kid, I had an old black typewriter, and maybe that was the catalyst. To a little kid, it seemed like a serious piece of machinery. Heavy as a bank safe. Silver-rimmed keys. A little bell that dinged at the end of each line. That sound encouraged me to just keep typing and typing.
I sold my first magazine article at age 19, and I've never stopped writing.
TQ: Are you a plotter, a pantser or a hybrid?
Laurence: I'm naturally a pantser, which doesn’t always work out. I have a bookshelf full of unfinished manuscripts. I finally got tired of not knowing how to finish a book, so I set out to deeply study how plot structure really works. Not in theory, but in practice.
I talked to dozens of bestselling authors. I studied writing books going back a century, written by the great pulp writers who churned out dozens or hundreds of stories a year.
Then I put together the lessons I learned into a talk that I often give to aspiring writers. It’s called Instant Plot: How to Plan Your Novel the Easy Way. The ebook is coming out this summer, and I'll be giving away some free copies on my website at www.LaurenceMacNaughton.com.
After that, the next novel I wrote sold in a multi-book deal. So it really works.
TQ: What is the most challenging thing for you about writing?
Laurence: Honestly, the hardest thing is time management. Right now, I have a folder packed with more than a hundred ideas for novels or short stories. But we only have 24 hours a day, 168 hours a week, and I can only write so fast. So the hardest part is deciding what I'm NOT going to write. At least not today.
TQ: What has influenced / influences your writing?
Laurence: I'll read anything in any genre, as long as it has capable female characters, exciting action, and preferably some supernatural elements.
I don't want to name any names, but I've read so many otherwise fantastic books that kind of marginalize the female characters. You’ll see the girlfriend character, the mom character, the daughter character – they’re all defined by how they relate to the male hero. Every time I see a story like that, I want to re-imagine it with more of a female cast.
The thing is, I don't want to go too far in the opposite direction, either. I shy away from the leather-clad, katana-wielding uber-woman with a vampire boyfriend.
The answer is somewhere in the middle. We just need more books with interesting, quirky, witty, sympathetic, complex female leads.
It's not like it's a political thing. That's just the sort of stories I like to read, and by extension that's what I like to write.
TQ: Describe It Happened One Doomsday in 140 characters or less.
Laurence: A nerdy crystal shop owner must discover her magic to break the curse on a hunky muscle-car mechanic before it causes a fiery doomsday.
TQ: Tell us something about It Happened One Doomsday that is not found in the book description.
Laurence: The book description doesn't really get into Dru's crystal magic. I wanted to create a school of magic that no one had ever seen in urban fantasy before, so I based it on real-life metaphysical beliefs in the properties of crystals.
Some people believe, for example, that quartz crystals can cleanse your soul. Or that amethyst protects you from psychic attack. Or that halite (rock salt) can dissolve patterns of negative energy.
So I thought, what if I take this up to a super-powered level? What if a crystal isn't just something that looks pretty, but something that you could actively use as a defense in battle or a weapon against demons, undead, and other forces of darkness?
The more I looked into it, the more exciting the possibilities became. These days, I've amassed a collection of crystals in my office, so I can look at them as I write about Dru wielding her crystal magic.
TQ: What inspired you to write It Happened One Doomsday? What appeals to you about writing Urban Fantasy?
Laurence: All of the main characters in It Happened One Doomsday started out as supporting characters in other short stories. But people kept telling me, “You know, I keep thinking about Dru,” or “Whatever happened to Rane?” They wanted to see more of these fun characters.
So I brought all of them all together in one place, and eventually the book grew up around them. In a way, the characters in this book form a “greatest hits” cast. At first, I thought it was a crazy idea, because all of these characters are so radically different and off-beat.
But when you put them all together in one story, somehow it works, and the result is really exciting.
TQ: What sort of research did you do for It Happened One Doomsday?
Laurence: I combed the shelves of plenty of lapidaries (rock shops), which are all over the place in Colorado. I also attended quite a few gem and mineral shows, and visited metaphysical shops to talk to people who really believe in crystal healing. It was an eye-opening experience.
I also drew on my own experience working in an antiquarian bookstore, where we had boxes full of ancient books that were strangely worthless, because no one wanted to buy them. Some of them were centuries old, some of them in Latin, some even handwritten with a quill pen.
Plus, somewhat randomly, I used to be a professional test driver. I tested dozens of prototype and experimental vehicles, sometimes in hairy conditions, so I had some real-life experience to draw on when writing the car chase scenes.
All of that came together nicely in this book to create something new and unique.
TQ: Who was the easiest character to write and why? The hardest and why?
Laurence: The easiest character was Dru. She's kind of awkward, yet super-smart, and she has a heart of gold. Her voice just sort of popped up in my brain from day one, and it felt completely authentic and relatable. I just had to trust my gut instinct and go with it.
Believe it or not, the hardest character for me to write was Greyson, the heroine’s love interest. You would think that he would be the easiest character to write, since (like me) he's a guy and he loves cars.
But I had a tricky time figuring out whether he has a secret dark side, or if he’s a good guy all the way to the core. And that uncertainty came through in the novel, which ultimately made it more complex and interesting.
TQ: Why did you set the novel in Denver, Colorado?
Laurence: Several reasons. First, you don't see a lot of urban fantasy set in Denver and the Rocky Mountains. And that's a shame, because the rich history of the area provides so many story opportunities. Deep forests. Gold mines. Treacherous mountain roads. Extreme weather. Ghost towns.
Also in Colorado, you can find a certain quality of Old West resourcefulness, toughness and independence. Those are qualities I tried to bring to life in the character of Greyson.
And at the same time, Denver can have a hip, progressive vibe with opportunities for would-be entrepreneurs and business owners, and that's one side of Dru. The other side of her is all of the rocks and crystals that surround her, and the Rocky Mountains make the perfect place to showcase that.
TQ: Which question about It Happened One Doomsday do you wish someone would ask? Ask it and answer it!
Laurence: Why do you write such funny books?
Because there isn't enough laughter in the world.
I mean that. I've written plenty of spooky, goosebump-raising stories, but my favorite thing to write is a story that will make you laugh out loud. Something that will leave you feeling positive and energized. Something fun.
TQ: Give us one or two of your favorite non-spoilery quotes from It Happened One Doomsday.
Laurence: Here's a quick excerpt from the book:
Rane stepped up behind the snarling Greyson and expertly pinned his arms behind his back. A wild look filled his glowing red eyes, and his teeth started to grow into fangs.
His skin turned dark red and swelled with muscle. Horns grew from his forehead. His lips curled back and let out an anguished growl.
Rane struggled with him. “Dru, whatever you’re thinking? Think faster!”
Dru realized she might be able to soak up the potion using his shirt, if she could get it off him. Despite her fear, she stepped close and put both hands on the collar of Greyson’s T-shirt.
She yanked. The collar stretched out amazingly far, but didn’t rip.
Rane peeked over Greyson’s thrashing shoulder. “The hell are you doing?”
“Jeez, it’s like spandex or something.” Dru tugged on his collar, first one way, then the other. “This made more sense in my head.” With a final yank, she reached the breaking point, and was rewarded with the welcome sound of tearing fabric. His shirt tore off, leaving him bare-chested and glistening.
Rane peeked over Greyson’s shoulder again, one eyebrow quirked up. “Seriously?”
TQ: What's next?
Laurence: I'm writing the second book right now, and I'm so excited about where these characters are heading that I honestly feel like I can't write it fast enough.
It builds on so many mysteries from It Happened One Doomsday. It answers the burning question that absolutely everyone will be asking at the end of the first book. But that's just the beginning.
At the same time, the second book opens up Dru’s universe (or the “Druniverse” as I like to call it) in crazy new ways. New magic, new creatures, new challenges, and new secrets that will quite literally rock the world.
It's going to be crazy fun.
TQ: Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.
Laurence: Thanks for having me here! One last thing: I'll be giving away some autographed copies of It Happened One Doomsday on my website, so I'm inviting everyone to sign up at www.LaurenceMacNaughton.com. Thank you!
It Happened One Doomsday
Pyr, July 12, 2016
Trade Paperback and eBook, 280 pages
Magic is real. Only a handful of natural-born sorcerers can wield its arcane power against demons, foul creatures, and the forces of darkness. These protectors of the powerless are descendants of an elite order. The best magic-users in the world.
Unfortunately, Dru isn’t one of them.
Sure, she’s got a smidge of magical potential. She can use crystals to see enchantments or brew up an occasional potion. And she can research practically anything in the library of dusty leather-bound tomes she keeps stacked in the back of her little store.
There, sandwiched between a pawn shop and a 24-hour liquor mart, she sells enough crystals, incense, and magic charms to scrape by. But everything changes the day a handsome mechanic pulls up in a possessed black muscle car, his eyes glowing red.
Just being near Greyson raises Dru’s magical powers to dizzying heights. But he’s been cursed to become a demonic creature that could bring about the end of the world.
There’s only one chance to break Greyson’s curse and save the world from a fiery Doomsday – and it’s about to fall into Dru’s magically inexperienced hands…
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
iBooks : Kobo
Qwill's Thoughts
Dru Jasper owns a crystal shop, The Crystal Connection, and uses her tiny bit of magic to help people. The orbit of her life includes Opal (her employee who often goes above and beyond in supporting Dru), Rane (a sorceress who comes to Dru for supplies and help and is Dru's self-styled best friend), and Nate (her dentist boyfriend). Everything changes for Dru when Greyson walks in the door of her shop. He's been cursed and Dru is determined to help him.
Dru initially has no idea what is happening to Greyson. Over the course of the novel everything becomes clear and with the magical boost she gets from Greyson, Dru may have a chance to save the world. Her extensive knowledge of crystals and her arcane library help, but Dru is also intelligent and does her research. She's torn between a life on the fringes of magic and having a more conventional life without magic. During the course of the novel she starts to confront this and figure out what she really wants in the magic world and her personal life. She's complex, intelligent, and conflicted.
Greyson is confused and very worried about what is happening to him. He's a really good guy facing something unspeakable. He's a magic non-believer who learns that he is wrong the hard way. Rane is tough with a take no prisoners attitude, which is fortunately tempered by Dru. Opal is a loyal friend and employee who does not hesitate to question Dru's plans or actions when necessary.
With the help of Rane and Opal, Dru delves into ending Greyson's curse. It's a crazy roller coaster ride of non-stop action, demons and their demonic cars, and portents tempered by humor. The story moves along at an almost frenetic pace. It's exciting and fun. The characters are well-developed and easy to care about. The world-building is terrific (you'll learn a lot about crystals) with a well thought out, engaging and entertaining plot. The novel is the first of a series and ends with some issues not fully resolved, but that just gives the reader more to look forward to.
It Happened One Doomsday is a delight! It's a fabulous blend of humor, Urban Fantasy and biblical prophecy with a touch of romance. The end of the world shouldn't be this much fun!
Review – It Happened One Doomsday by Laurence MacNaughton
July 13, 2016 By E_booklover Leave a Comment
Review – It Happened One Doomsday by Laurence MacNaughtonby Laurence MacNaughton
Published by Pyr It Happened One Doomsday on 12 July 2016
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Format: e-ARC
Source: NetGalley
Reviewed by: E
BP Note: Don’t forget to take a look at yesterday’s guest post by Laurence MacNaughton and to find a link for a giveaway he is hosting.
Can her magic save the world — before his curse destroys it?
Magic is real. Only a handful of natural-born sorcerers can wield its arcane power against demons, foul creatures, and the forces of darkness. These protectors of the powerless are descendants of an elite order. The best magic-users in the world.
Unfortunately, Dru isn’t one of them.
Sure, she’s got a smidge of magical potential. She can use crystals to see enchantments or brew up an occasional potion. And she can research practically anything in the library of dusty leather-bound tomes she keeps stacked in the back of her little store. There, sandwiched between a pawn shop and a 24-hour liquor mart, she sells enough crystals, incense, and magic charms to scrape by. But everything changes the day a handsome mechanic pulls up in a possessed black muscle car, his eyes glowing red.
Just being near Greyson raises Dru’s magical powers to dizzying heights. But he’s been cursed to transform into a demonic creature that could bring about the end of the world.
Then she discovers that the Harbingers, seven fallen sorcerers, want to wipe the planet clean of humans and install themselves as new lords of an unfettered magical realm. And when they unearth the Apocalypse Scroll, the possibility of a fiery cosmic do-over suddenly becomes very real.
There’s only one chance to break Greyson’s curse and save the world from a fiery Doomsday – and it’s about to fall into Dru’s magically inexperienced hands…
This blurb came from Goodreads
I picked this up for review because a few things in the blurb sounded like they would be my equivalent of catnip. Dru was most certainly not one of the powerful magical elite but she could effect changes through detailed research along with a knowledge of and affinity for crystals. Some of my fondest memories as a child include going to gem and mineral shows and I still find the shows very mentally refreshing. To be perfectly honest I skimmed the rest of the blurb out of my excitement over the heroine except for the piece about Dru needing to rescue the world from Doomsday.
I found Dru a pleasantly quirky heroine, not quite as savvy as I expected in a few areas like managing her business but also one who spent time and effort on the things she valued above others. She had a wide assortment of friends and a soft-spot for anyone in distress so while I was initially concerned I liked seeing the results of her care and patience. It was this same care for others which brought her into trying to help Greyson and then when she discovered the extent of the problem to try to save the world.
Greyson was a much harder character for me to develop a feel for. His personality changes as the strength and impact of the curse ebbed and flowed were very distinct and made it a challenge to learn who Greyson was before targeted. I liked what I saw initially and how he fought to retain his sense of self while protecting others but unlike Dru, it often seemed like I was observing Greyson from a distance so I never really knew what motivated him. So, I have a few questions about Greyson and with the developments of this story even more curiosity about why he was targeted.
MacNaughton provided a very interesting twist on some myths about the world ending and the signs of the apocalypse. I really thought how he modernized some of them quite clever and loved the additional personality aspects, which went along with his modern twist. I also found the supporting characters intriguing in their own ways and I am rather curious about their particular back-stories. I enjoyed watching everyone interact together although I wanted Dru to have a bit more confidence in herself as a person even if her magical skills weren’t as strong as her ability to research and create solutions.
Overall, I enjoyed reading It Happened One Doomsday. It took a little while for the action to really get started but once it did things happened rather quickly and I found myself eagerly flipping to the next page. MacNaughton’s website doesn’t say if he is planning on a sequel BUT given how the story ended and the questions I still have unanswered I shall be rather displeased if he doesn’t. I really want to find out what happens to Dru, Greyson, her friends, and the Harbingers evil plans.
I give It Happened One Doomsday a B
Review: It Happened One Doomsday - Laurence MacNaughton
October 30, 2016
I really wanted to love this book, and don't get me wrong, It Happened One Doomsday was a quick, zippy read, but for some reason I wanted more from it. My high expectations may have something to do with the fact that the title is a play on one of my favorite screwball comedies, It Happened One Night, starring Clarke Gable and Claudette Colbert. But that's neither here, nor there.
It Happened One Doomsday introduces us to Dru Jasper living a life on the fringes of magical society in a world where magic is largely the stuff of children's imaginations and dismissed as superstitious stories. And although Dru has limited crystal magic, she dreams of giving up her ties to the magical world and living a "normal" life, shutting down her magical one stop-shop. But every time Dru is ready to walk away from it all, the lore of magic and helping full-fledged sorcerers fight against demons and black magic pulls her back. And then, Greyson walks into her shop and changes everything.
I think my major issue with It Happened One Doomsday had a lot to do with Dru as a character. I really enjoyed that she isn't your typical Urban Fantasy heroine; however, when heroines in this genre are not physically tough or emotionally resilient, they tend to skew toward helplessness or dependence on others to save them/help them/bolster their abilities, which is a major issue that I have with the Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance. If a heroine suddenly discovers she has an incredibly powerful gift, yet she's constantly second-guessing herself and relying on others to tell her that she's truly capable, it defeats the purpose of having said magical abilities.
All in all, It Happened One Doomsday delivers a fast-paced read with a cliffhanger that had me yelling at the page (in a good way). So, if you're looking for a fun ride with an uncomplicated plot, then this is the book for you.