Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Laura Ford, an Author, Speaker, and Entrepreneur.
Laura writes novels, short stories, and poems across a wide range of human and animal experiences. As Laura is an avid cat lover, a number of special felines tend to find their way into her stories as well.
Let’s hear her talk about her latest novel, Sounds Like Love.
Hi Laura, Great to have you with us today! Please tell us about yourself.
My new Young Adult (YA) novel, Sounds Like Love, has just come out.
Together with writing, I love to travel and seek out new experiences and adventures to enrich my life and inspire my stories.
Please share with our readers more about your journey.
My journey started with a scholarship to attend law school at 18. I had never studied law before, but I thought that I could achieve anything if I put my mind to it. I was interested in society, people’s stories, justice – and from my point of view as a student – how the law may be able to help protect vulnerable people and the environment.
I specialized in environmental law and found that this was easy for me to study and put hours into as I love the natural world. I would write long essays and spend hours studying.
I graduated at 21 and worked in LA afterward for a while. I then returned to London and studied at the London Film Academy and wrote a short film in a week called ‘Sounds Like Love.‘ My screenplay reached the top ten percent of the Blue Cat International Screenplay Competition, and the story would not leave my mind.
I later immigrated to the US, where I performed stand-up comedy at the Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles and appeared in comedy sketches for the Jimmy Kimmel show. I enjoyed writing my comedy routines so much that I decided to write Sounds Like Love as a novel.
Since then, I have had short stories published in publications in the US, UK, and Canada and recently had a piece translated into Japanese.
Writing is fulfilling for me on a soul level.
Please tell us more about your novel, Sounds Like Love.
My novel Sounds Like Love was written from the heart and inspired by the different cats I shared my life with. One cat in particular – a kitten that I rescued from the street while on holiday in Greece – was an inspiration for one of the characters in my book.
When I wrote Sounds Like Love, it was important for me to create a relatable protagonist. I wanted my protagonist to be a seemingly ordinary girl who is extraordinary on the inside. You don’t need to know Kung Fu or be a rocket scientist to be extraordinary!
People have immeasurable strength and resilience inside of them, which I wanted to focus upon in my story. The extraordinary hope, strength, and resilience that lies within people – but cannot be seen by passers-by.
Book Synopsis:
Wendy is a bright spark who wants to find love and travel the world, but she questions how her dreams can become a reality as her world changes around her.
When Wendy arrives at her beloved grandmother’s house to collect a box of keepsakes, she picks up more than she bargained for in a cat with amazing qualities.
With star-crossed love on the cards and the possibility of a true friendship, the bright new horizons Wendy dreams of are just a whisker away… if only she’ll give the cat a chance.
Book Reviews:
‘A wonderful story . . . Author Laura Ford does a fantastic job of creating a story that flows well and keeps the reader captivated from beginning to end.’
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
– San Francisco Book Review
‘A tender, engaging narrative intended to inspire positivity in the face of adversity.’
– Kirkus Reviews
‘Sounds Like Love offers readers an engaging story of a cat that holds unexpectedly special abilities, a grandchild learning to care for a pet while missing a significant person in her life, and an emotional roller coaster of love, empathy, and revised connections that stem from their relationship.’
– Midwest Book Review
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
I think that hope is a guiding emotion for me and the grit to keep going. My advice to anyone is to keep doing what you love and keep going. If you need to diversify or change your path because something isn’t working – don’t give up on yourself or happiness. A change made from the heart can often lead you to where you are meant to be. Be brave and have faith in yourself.
Any message for our readers.
I’m looking forward to you reading my book!
Fantastic! So tell us, how can people find out more about you?
You can visit my website and my books website.You can also follow me on Instagram @laurafordwriter.
Thank you so much, Laura, for giving us your precious time! We wish you all the best for your journey ahead!