Featured Interview With Laura C. Cantu
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I live on the cutting edge of reality, hopping between the realms and bringing back stories that usher readers into lands filled with possibilities and wonder. My life is full of magic. It doesn’t matter where I go or who I am with, I am witness to the extraordinary.
Living in Las Vegas brings a bit of excitement to life as well. Located close to Los Angeles, Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and a beautiful desert landscape, Las Vegas is among the best cities I’ve ever lived in—and that’s saying a lot.
Growing up, my family and I moved from city to city, year after year. It was difficult at times, but also refreshing. I had opportunities to meet new people, redefine myself, and explore differing landscapes quite often. Each time we moved, it was like starting over again. I created a brand new “ME.”
I’ve taken many of my experiences and infused them into my writing, which gives me a vast universe of cultures, experiences, and belief systems to work with. Now, in my forties, I can finally see how my puzzle pieces of life fit together and encourage me to weave fictional truths into tapestries of written words.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always had a passion for stories, but I didn’t realize that I wanted to be a writer until I was well into other careers. At the time, I was a professional Argentine Tango and Swing dancer. I was also driving six hours each week to attend Kansas College of Chinese Medicine where I was working toward my Master of Science degree in Oriental Medicine.
It was during those long drives that I began listening to audiobooks. I became so enthralled with books such as The Time Traveler’s Wife, Harry Potter, Eragon, and more, that I couldn’t help but to create my own stories in my imagination. It was then that the seeds were planted.
Eventually, those seeds grew into fully fledged desires and I had no choice but to allow them to grow. I didn’t become an author because I wanted to. I became an author because I needed to.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors include, but are not limited to, the following:
J. K. Rowling
Piers Anthony
Christopher Paolini
Charlaine Harris
Christine Contini
Neville Goddard
and more.
My favorite genre to read is fantasy. I like fantastical stories that swoop me away into rich and vibrant worlds full of magic.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
Betwixters – Once Upon A Time is a middle-grade novel about three twelve-year-old friends who find a lost fairy named Neevya in a forbidden forest. Of course, before they met Neevya, they didn’t believe in fairies, but what they didn’t know is that Neevya didn’t believe in humans either.
This is the first book in a series of seven, and it introduces the reader to a vast universe where magic fills the air and adventure waits around every corner. With a rich backstory yet to come, Betwixters Once Upon A Time opens the doors of imagination and makes you question what’s actually possible.
It took three years to write this first book in the series. Building the world was a huge undertaking, and plotting out what happens throughout the entire series has been fun, but also tedious and difficult. There are sister series that intermingle with this one, and by the end, Betwixters will be not just a single story, but an empire.
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