Author of the Crawfield Football Club series

Who is Kate Lauren?

Kate Lauren is a “certified fangirl” whose passions include writing contemporary romance novels, using suggestive innuendos any chance she can, and subliminally tying Taylor Swift song titles into her books.

Based out of Toronto, Canada, when Kate’s not daydreaming about which fictional character she’ll create next, you’ll find her with her friends, family and husband—or nose-deep in her next novel.

What is The Longshot about?

Interview

What was your inspiration for ‘The Longshot’?

The concept of not only ‘The Longshot’, but the entire series, ‘Crawfield Football Club’, was inspired by my former experience playing competitive football AKA soccer myself, as well as the influence of being raised by two parents from the United Kingdom. I knew that one day, if and when I would write a sports romance series, it had to be about the sport that encompassed my youth and adolescent years, while tying in the heavy influence that English culture has had on my life. 

What drew you to writing?

I’ve always been an inherently creative person at heart. From as early as I can remember, I always adored creating little stories in my mind. I was the kid who’d give my barbies layers, with plot lines and specific tropes, though at the time, I hardly knew that that was what I was doing. As I got older, I grew entranced in the world of romance and soon enough, became a devoted reader. The process of me embarking on writing my own stories happened quite seamlessly. One day I had an idea about a dual-timeline love story and next thing I knew, a year later I was an indie published author. 

How did you choose which character to centre the story around?

Book one in the ‘Crawfield Football Club’ series starts with Coach Warren Park, as your MMC. Warren is a former English Premier League star, whose future was prematurely cut short, due to an injury. In response, Warren undertakes the position of Head Coach, for Crawfield Football Club, where he meets the rest of the MMCs to come, of which, is the star of book two: Gary ‘Wilks’ Wilkinson. Wilks is the Captain of Crawfield and dare I say, scene stealer in book one of the series. Because of that, and my readers’ adoration for his quick wit and charm, I knew that was he, who, the baton needed to be passed to next. 

What was your process for writing your books?

My process has changed slightly overtime, however, I am a huge stickler for creating a detailed storyboard. Once I have an idea and plot in mind, I immediately begin to translate my thoughts from my mind to paper… AKA my computer. What I like to do is plan out my story, chapter-by-chapter. Typically, I’ll create bullet point notes that will outline key details or goals of each chapter, and sometimes, even include some dialogue to follow alongside. All-in-all, my goal is to create a guide that I can utilize as I begin to write and refer back to, whenever necessary. 

What is your approach to world and character-building?

As an indie writer, I am constantly striving towards creating more visually descriptive novels with rich character traits. A tactic I find really helps me with being able to accomplish this is, first, ensuring that I’m showing my readers what they’re reading, not just telling them. With that, I try my best to include as many scene descriptors, action words, and character feelings as possible. Second, I find acquainting yourself with where and who you’re writing about to be a quintessential component to writing. If it’s a place I’m unfamiliar with, but I’m still writing about, I’ll always do my research OR access my Pinterest board, so that I can really envision the setting. When it comes to my characters, I write about them as if I’m them. I adopt the persona myself in a way to create more authentic conversation and personable responses. 

Do you have a favourite moment in the book to write?

When it comes to any of my novels, I absolutely adore writing scenes full of banter! The Longshot is no exception of this. One of my favourite scenes to write in this book was the meet cute between Wilks and Chelsie! By far, it was my favourite couple introduction that I’ve ever written. It’s full of funny banter, quick quit, and a whole lot of sweet surprises…

Which of the characters do you relate to the most and why?

I see a piece of myself and every single one of my characters, but I would have to say that Chelsie is a character deeply resonate with in this story. Her and I have undergone similar experiences in our life, and have been challenged with the same unforeseen barriers. However, I would like to think that very similarly to Chelsie, I possess her resilience. I admire her ability to always look ahead and continue working towards what she wants in life. Her past shaped her into who she became, which is something I think we can all see in ourselves.

Has writing/publishing a book changed the way you see yourself?

This is a great question, and until I really thought about it, I would’ve said no, but the truth is I do think being an author has changed so much about who I am. Writing a novel is something I’ve always wanted to do, and now I can say I’ve done it not only once, but four separate times. I carry that with pride. I’ve experienced so many different things in my life that now, I want to be able to translate that into future novels to come. This means that anytime I go out, I can take any encounter and turn it into a plot. Even the most simple things become a story to me. It’s a blessing and curse, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

Are there books or authors that inspired you to become an author?

I would certainly say yes, but it’s hard to pinpoint just one specific novel or one specific author. I would say over the culmination of my life, I’ve been impacted by so many works of art that have influenced me to become a writer myself. This goes beyond just novels. It’s about music, film, things I’ve seen out in the world. I find inspiration in so many capacities, from so many talented individuals across the globe. 

What advice would you give to an author working on their first book?

I always say that storyboarding, in my opinion, is essential, especially when you’re drafting together your first novel. Having a really strong understanding of your story progression is quintessential when it comes to drafting together a piece of work. One thing I hear a lot of first time authors struggle with is the fact that they get gridlocked when it comes to their work. They grow confused on where to progress the story, or how to move it along. I too have experienced this from time to time, that’s why I see the value in storyboarding, because as an author, you can use your plan as a guide to help you when you write. In addition to that, allowing yourself periods where you can remove yourself from your work, and then reread it with a fresh set of eyes! This is so crucial to me, especially when it comes to the editing process. 

What’s your favourite writing snack or drink?

I love anything sweet, or something that can give me a burst of energy! I find I’m most effective when I write in the morning, so something that I’ll wake me up and lift my spirits. 

Do you play music when you write? If so, what is your favourite music? 

The truth is, I don’t listen to music when I write. It sounds so boring, but I am someone who struggles to write and listen at the same time. When I write, I really need to focus on what I’m trying to say, instead of listening to music in the background. I find it very distracting! However, sometimes I put on instrumental music, especially if I’m writing a sad scene to get me in the mood.

Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?

I’ve been extraordinarily lucky to have such wonderful people in my life that encourage and support me on a day-to-day basis. One of which is my very close best friend, the other is my husband. On top of that, I have a wonderful community of readers and friends that I have built through Instagram, that motivate and inspire me to continue to share the stories that I oh so love. I couldn’t be any more grateful.

How important was professional editing to your books development?

Professional editing is the final cherry on top when it comes to your work. When I first published my debut novel, one thing I struggled with, was the capacity to afford editors. In this case, I self edited my novel, however as an individual who’s not an expert in that field, there were certainly things that I missed. In that case, there’s nothing more challenging than having people come back to you with feedback about your book, but it’s not necessarily about the story, but it’s more so about the grammatical issues that exist in the novel. That’s why I found working with an editor so instrumental, because the reader can then focus on the book itself, and not all of the grammatical components. I’ve been really lucky to have Cassidy Hudspeth, as my editor for the Crawfield FC series. She has been wonderful in supporting me, and helping me to create a beautifully polished final product of my work. 

What is the most valuable piece of advice you have been given about writing? 

A quote from Hemingway comes to mind when I think to answer this question, and that is “the first draft of anything is shit.” There’s something oddly soothing about this quote, because the truth is, it gives you a perspective where your writing can always grow, while alleviating the pressure that comes with making something perfect right off the bat. Perfection takes time! Therefore, I’d say as a first time author, give yourself grace, and know that in time, your work will be exactly the way it’s meant to be. 

If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Creative, determined and resilient.