Laura Jane Williams on her new teen series, Taylor Blake is a Legend
"I also wanted to write about somebody really grabbing life with both hands, and sometimes I think teens are better than this than adults!"
This post is sponsored by Bloomsbury.
To celebrate the release of Taylor Blake is a Legend, book one in Laura Jane Williams’ sweet and hilarious new teen book series, we sat down with Laura to talk about everything from writing inspiration to teen Laura’s favourite reads.
Hi Laura, it’s so great to have you on the site today to chat about your new novel and teen debut, Taylor Blake is a Legend. For readers just hearing about the book, how would you best sell it to them in just five words?
Hi! Thanks for having me! Oh gosh, Taylor Blake in five words… okay…. How about: a tale of living loudly!
Can you tell us a little about your inspirations behind the story?
Taylor Blake is a year 9 girl unabashedly chasing her sacred first kiss. She doesn’t want it to be with just anybody – it has to be special. I’ve always written romances, but writing the romance of a 14-year old feels so much bigger and more exciting to me, so I wanted to capture the “first-ness” of it all, when life feels so new and every adventure feels life-changing. I also wanted to write about somebody really grabbing life with both hands, and sometimes I think teens are better than this than adults! So from there, it was all about imagining what I was like at that age, before the world told me who to be…
Taylor Blake is a Legend is your debut novel for teens, having previously written for adults. What inspired you to make the demographic change for your writing?
I think adults are quite cynical, and in their rom-coms they want pure escapism that can often veer into unrealistic. But teens are able to handle a bit more “real life”. That meant for TAYLOR BLAKE I could have her perusing her first kiss, yes, but also whack in loads of drama with school, friends, her mum, her grandparents… it has been such a joy creating her world.
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The book is filled with so many funny and heart-warming moments. Do you have a favourite scene or one you particularly enjoyed writing?
There’s a big scene in the book where Taylor’s mum sits her down and tells her to never worry about being “too much”, that her lust for life and big passions are what is special about her. It was like therapy, writing that scene, because I wish somebody has said those same things to me when I was in year nine and felt like I was “too much”. Taylor’s mum is the parent I hope to be!
Were you a reader when you were Taylor Blake’s age? If so, did you have a favourite book or author during that time?
I’ve always been a reader, because my parents always had a rule about buying me as many books as I wanted. In year 9 I read “The Horse Whisperer” for the first time, and I remember bawling my eyes out once I’d done, and feeling so embarrassed that a book had made me cry. I didn’t know books could make you do that! I should re-read it, actually, and see if it still makes me feel the same way.
Taylor Blake is a Legend is book one in a new series. Can you give us any hints as to what we can expect from book two?
Book two is called Taylor Blake Seizes the Day and I can tell you that Taylor gets even more involved with living a big, exciting life… with some questionable consequences!
Finally, are you currently working on anything new and if so, is there anything you can share with us?
I’m hoping their will be more Taylor Blake books! I’ve got more adult rom-coms to come, and I’m also working on a secret project that I haven’t sold yet, so please keep your fingers crossed for me, then I can come back and tell you all about it!
Get your copy of Taylor Blake is a Legend by Laura Jane Williams here.