Indie Author Chat with Lanie Mores

Lanie Mores is one of those authors I would love to sit next to at a dinner party. Her varied interests, careers, and literature choices would make for interesting conversation, and I am pretty sure we would have our own private chat about what we’re watching on Netflix, fictional characters, and dogs while everyone else is discussing the weather or news. Get to know Lanie in this quick Q & A.

If you could meet any author, living or dead, who would it be?

LANIE: Stephen King would be my first choice because he is ultimately the one who hooked me on horror stories, and the inspiration behind my desire to be a writer. I’d love to pick his brain and get advice on writing and publishing. Plus, he’s such an interesting person, I think he’d be fun to hang around with.

You are planning a dinner party. Which fictional characters would you invite?

LANIE: I would invite a motley crew of characters that don’t really go together, but I think those are the most interesting parties, don’t you? On my guest list, I would have Geralt of Rivia and Yennifer of Vengerberg from The Witcher series, The Hound, Arya Stark, and Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire series, Queen Charlotte from Bridgerton, and the entire cast of The Summer I Turned Pretty. 

Do you think you were born in the wrong era? Or are you exactly where you should be?

LANIE: I feel like I am where I should be, but the ‘50s are so interesting to me. I think I could fit into that era gracefully. I love watching old movies from that period. Everyone seemed so classy, and life seemed simpler in many ways. I also loved the ‘80s, which I lived through during my childhood, but I wouldn’t mind revisiting it as an adult.

If you could physically travel into a fictional book world, where would you go and why?

LANIE: I would travel straight to Hogwarts and Diagon Alley to immerse myself in the exciting magical world, meet all my favourite characters, and drink all the cold Butterbeer my stomach could tolerate. I was fortunate to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, and it was the closest I could get to the real thing. It was such an amazing experience… until my son dropped the full Butterbeer we were sharing.

Would you ever want to live in any of the fictional places you have created?

LANIE: Most of the fictional places I created are on earth… and some even take place in my local town of Thunder Bay. But there are a few places I might want to visit one day… the Garden of Eden and the heavenly realm.

As a reader, do you prefer a series or stand-alone?

LANIE: I really enjoy both, but it’s a magical feeling when I discover an amazing series to sink my teeth into. If I love a book, then I want the experience to go on and on. I want to stay in that world with the characters as long as possible.

What do you love about self-publishing?

LANIE: I love the creative freedom that comes with self-publishing. From story content, to cover design, and title choice, I like to be the one in the driver’s seat. I’m a bit controlling, and I like to keep things speeding along and have my book available for printing as fast as possible. This isn’t always realistic with traditional publishing, where often there is a lot of waiting involved. I’m not great at waiting.

What do you dislike about self-publishing?

LANIE: There are two things I dislike about self-publishing. First, the cost can be high if you want to put your novel’s best foot forward. Possible expenses include cover design, editing fees, and if you use a publishing company to format your book, there are more expenses. Second, marketing… it’s an unpleasant, ongoing process that doesn’t always result in success. The onus is on the author. Unfortunately, there is still a bit of a stigma against self-published books, so there is a constant need to prove yourself as a valid writer if you want to attract consistent sales.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

LANIE: Starting a new project and letting my thoughts take shape on my laptop is my favourite part of the writing process. Up until that point, it feels like my story ideas are bottled up in my brain, fighting to get out, so it’s like a cathartic release when I can finally unleash those thoughts into the world and give them permanence. It’s an adrenaline rush.

What is your least favorite part of the writing process?

LANIE: Marketing. Always. I feel strange and uncomfortable asking people to buy my books, even though it’s a necessary part of the process. Sales have never been my forte.

Are you a pantser or a plotter? Or a bit of both?

LANIE: I’m a plotter, with a splash of pantser in me. I always start with an elaborate outline to follow when I begin a project. I stick to the outline quite closely, unless I discover a plot hole, or something that doesn’t work. Then, I’ll reassess, and cut or add chapters, scenes, or characters as necessary.

What’s your go-to beverage when writing?

LANIE: Coffee… I’d hook myself up to an IV bag of the stuff, if possible. Otherwise, I’m basically a zombie. I need to fire off those neurons somehow.

What’s your go-to snack when writing?

LANIE: I don’t snack while writing, but my go-to snack while reading is wine. Preferably red.

What do you do when your characters stop speaking to you? Or when they won’t stop speaking to you?

LANIE: If my characters stop speaking to me, I take that as a sign that I need a break. I’ll take a few days off and focus on other hobbies. Or I’ll tackle research for my novel, or book cover design. After a few days, I’ll come back to my manuscript and try again. Alternatively, if my characters won’t stop speaking to me, I’ll ride the wave and jot down everything I can while it’s happening, even if most of it is in point-form. I don’t want to forget anything, so it must get it all down on paper. Inspiration can be fleeting.

When or where do you come up with your best ideas?

LANIE: My best ideas always materialize at the worst times. Some of them come from my dreams, so if I don’t write them down immediately upon awakening, they disappear into the ether. The rest come while I’m exercising, driving, or in the shower… always when it’s impossible to write anything down.

Do you have a favorite character from your books?

LANIE:  I love them all, but my favourite protagonist is Dani Juris, who is nothing at all like me, but everything I would like to be. She’s outgoing, feisty, bold, and courageous. My favourite villain is Tomas Scholz. He’s rotten to the core and I had so much fun writing about him.

How do you come up with cover concept(s)? And do you design yourself or do you have a designer?

LANIE: I hired cover designers for all my books because I’m not talented in that department. I came up with all the concepts and selected the cover art, finding the best images to capture my story, but then the designers put it all together in the best way. With my Father of Contention series, I went with headshots of the main characters, picking ones that best represented what I imagined they look like, and for Code of Reanimation, I hired Murphy Rae because I love her work. I asked her for something creepy and beautiful, and boy did she deliver.

Do you use a pen name?

LANIE: Yes, I do use a pen name. I wanted my author life to be separate from my private life.

Do you have a new book coming out? When? Title? Genre? Blurb?

LANIE: I have a new book coming out next year. It is a dark fairytale called Goldenhair in the fantasy genre. I don’t have a blurb ready yet, but I’ll be releasing one soon!

Lanie’s Books

Book Cover	Genre	Blurb	Link
	Book 1: Father of Contention Series Science fiction and fantasy	There was only ever meant to be one Creator. In 1972, German scientist Renner Scholz travels to Barbora Bay, Washington to continue his research in recombinant DNA technology. Only believing in things proven by science, his deeply held beliefs are challenged when he meets Milena Nowak, a psychic. After a whirlwind romance, Renner becomes obsessed with understanding Milena’s unexplainable ability. Stumbling upon an exclusive occult ritual involving an evil spell that connects him to the spiritual realm where psychic abilities and power originate, he finds the answers he’s been searching for…but at a cost. Compelled by the ritual, Renner pursues a new vein of research. He develops the genetic blueprint to produce psychic abilities in humans—creating a superhuman—without realizing he is the main player in a plot to destroy mankind. Milena senses that Renner has changed and a new darkness resides within him. Helplessly she watches as the man she loves transforms, becoming deceptive, volatile and both physically and mentally more powerful. Can Milena save Renner from this evil presence? Or will she become an unwilling participant in his next experiment—one of the darkest kinds?	Amazon
	Parnormal/fantasy	When evil finds a way, man becomes beast. In the small town of Thunder Bay, 2002, Angelika Juris becomes unexpectedly linked to her guardian angel, Gavin, after a suspicious near death experience. While trying to figure out the complicated nature of their connection, they uncover a plot so disturbing, it threatens to shift the delicate balance between life and death, and eradicate the precious human gift of free will. When her sister goes missing, Angelika must search the unforgiving terrain of the Rocky Mountains, with her guardian angel as her guide. But they find more than just her sister—a familiar face, Renner Scholz—and a secret lab teeming with his ongoing, unhindered experiments, including the most powerful of his offspring—the triplets. Now, Angelika must find a way to free her sister from her evil captors, along with a newfound love interest—Anthony—Renner’s only normal son. Will they be able to thwart Renner’s malevolent schemes and escape with their lives, or will they suffer the same fate as so many of his previous victims?	Amazon
	Paranormal/Fantasy	CAN CHOICE EXIST WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF A PROPHECY? Angelika Juris unexpectedly becomes legal guardian to her sister’s rejected child, Dani… a child with the potential to develop supernatural abilities. After witnessing a horrific event, Dani develops mental health issues, but is able to overcome her inner turmoil through treatment and her parents’ love. Their lives fall into a comfortable routine filled with dance classes, sleepovers, and video game marathons. Until the accident. At the age of thirteen, Dani is involved in a tragic highway disaster, and as a result of her injuries, her powers manifest. Afraid to tell her parents about her newfound abilities, and even more afraid of harming, them, Dani is lured away to find her estranged mutant brothers, seeking answers about her origins and how to control her new power. Guided by an amulet and map—a gift sent from her brother, Tomas Scholz—Dani embarks on an adventure where she meets a young boy, Jonathan. He is lost, with no memories of his identity, his family, or his home. With nowhere else to turn, Jonathan joins Dani on her quest, and together they battle pirates, the undead, and finally, her evil family—a family that is a far cry from what she expected. Will Dani deny her destiny and resist the evil plans of her siblings, or will she succumb to her role in fulfilling the prophecy—being the path and the key—that ends in the fall of mankind?	Amazon
	Paranormal/ Fantasy	WHEN WAR IS WAGED, THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE VICTOR After tragedy strikes the United States Capitol, a new government seizes control backed by an elite army brutally enforcing its new set of laws. Terror rapidly spreads throughout the nation, and then globally, as people fight back to preserve what’s most important to them . . . their freedom and their beliefs. One puppet master holds the strings with two distinct objectives in mind: destroy the Christian population and obtain immortality for himself and his loyal followers. To locate what he covets most, a motley cast of felons is hand-selected and sent to a remote island facility. Pooling their talents and resources, the group of ex-cons must find one of the most elusive, ancient wonders of the world. Or die trying. But they are not alone on their quest. The map and the key to achieving immortality accompanies the group: teenager Dani Juris. She’s the one person who can help the puppet master reach his prize or prevent him and his army from destroying the world. The power is in her hands. The only glitch is that she’s already dead.	Amazon
	Father of Contention Spin-off Science fiction/ paranormal thriller/ horror	Freedom is a state of mind. Brigita Nowak has only ever wanted one thing—her freedom. Labelled psychotic and committed to a mental institution at seventeen, she missed the chance of a “normal” life. She never held a job, owned her own place, or experienced love. Until now. After awakening sprawled on the common room floor—the hospital in ruins, the staff and patients missing—she realizes it’s her chance to escape. Seeking sanctuary with her sister, she meets “the boyfriend” Renner Scholz, a vile yet brilliant geneticist. He has developed a bioweapon, the Code of Reanimation, destined to destroy the world. Or so Brigita believes. She’s been seeing zombie hallucinations as of late, a sure premonition of the highly contagious bioweapon getting out of hand. Why the connection? Because the bioweapon reanimates dead organisms into bloodthirsty killing machines. Brigita has typically experienced death-based hallucinations, blamed on her mental illness. She, however, always felt they were psychic premonitions. Convinced that Renner intends to release the bioweapon at a public fundraising event, she teams up with a handsome love interest to thwart the catastrophe. But, as Brigita’s visions kick into hyperdrive and timelines blur, she must determine which events are based on reality or delusional constructs of her subconscious mind… before it’s too late.	Amazon

Lanie’s Social Media Links

Website: https://www.laniemores.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laniemores/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LanieMores2/

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/LanieMores

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17950238.Lanie_Mores 

Newsletter Subscription link: https://www.laniemores.com/newsletter/

Author Bio

Lanie Mores is the award-winning author of the Father of Contention series, and Code of Reanimation. She has an Honours Bachelor of Science Degree, a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, and she is an active member of the Canadian Authors Association. In her free time, you’ll find her writing poetry, short stories, and magazine editorials featuring health and wellness. She lives in Ontario with her husband, son, and forever barking fur babies, Batman and Petri.

Thinks That Might Interest You

Check out my latest post and other Indie Author interviews:

Vacant Grave Creeps out of the Forest: https://sharitmitchell.com/2024/10/31/vacant-grave-creeps-out-of-the-forest/

Nannette Kreitzman: https://sharitmitchell.com/2024/10/04/indie-author-chat-with-nannette-kreitzman/

Rose J. Fairchild: https://sharitmitchell.com/2024/09/06/indie-author-chat-with-rose-j-fairchild/

Writer TL Brown: https://sharitmitchell.com/2024/05/29/indie-author-chat-with-tl-brown/ 

Jennifer Brasington-Crowely https://sharitmitchell.com/2024/07/05/indie-author-chat-with-jennifer-brasington-crowley/

Rylo Kinn https://sharitmitchell.com/2024/08/02/indie-author-chat-with-rylo-kinn/

Here’s my interview with my main character Marnie Reilly: https://sharitmitchell.com/2024/06/19/get-to-know-my-main-character-marnie-reilly/

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I’ll be back on November 15th with an interview featuring Lanie’s character, Brigita Nowak.

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Thanks so much for hanging out with us. Take care and see you next time!👋