An Interview with LaBrie James: Author of Hunted

Having grown up in a small remote town, LaBrie James dove head first into reading and writing from an early age. Reading was a means of escape for the young LaBrie. Her literature choices have no specific genre, she would read most anything she could. As she creates her stories, she jumps into character and writes the stories from the perspective of the characters in her book.

LaBrie tends to write from both personal experience and research. Publication was a long journey for LaBrie, with barely enough money to feed her family, financing her book came with great sacrifices. Nonetheless, LaBrie believes what matters most is embracing your passions, chasing your dreams, and living your best life.

Why did you want to write a book?

Writing is who I am. It’s who I always have been. Sounds crazy but from the moment I learned to read and write – the world words can make has been my obsession and my passion.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

My mom was diagnosed was stage four cancer and simply put, I didn’t want her to pass away without ever seeing her baby girl’s dreams come true. Without ever holding a book of mine in her hands. I know that if I was the one who was dying, I would want the chance and seeing my daughters’ dreams come true. So I did it for myself but mostly for her.

What tips can you give other authors looking to self-publish?

I have been knocked down hundreds of times, I had teachers who didn’t believe in me, bad reviews, consistent reminders that I would never amount to much – that I needed to something more responsible with my life. I was told that I was and never would be a “real author.” So my advice to other authors is to hold your head up high and keep believing in yourself. Do your best to ignore the ugly and stay positive – YOU WILL GET THERE. Also, edit, edit, edit, and edit some more.

What was your steepest learning curve during the publishing process?

Simply said, editing. When you self-publish, EVERYTHING is out of your own pocket. I hired one editor because that was all I could afford, additionally I asked family and friends to check for errors as well. Nonetheless, I get knocked down about the editing all the time. Some readers never notice the mistake – while other readers do. So, when I publish again I plan to hire multiple editors and hopefully correct my faults. All you can do is learn and grow.

As a writer, what is your schedule? How do you get the job done?

I wrote this book in one month. When I get inspired I write nonstop until the thoughts dancing around my head leave. Then I go through and re-read it a million times until I feel satisfied with what I have accomplished. Working on the next book, I have a notebook full of notes and research. For me getting the idea on paper isn’t the hard part, that comes later. So once my thoughts are out I work out the details of my book between being a mother and wife.

Tell us about the genre you wrote in, and why you chose to write this sort of book.

Hunted is a psychological thriller. My dad, before he passed away, loved reading whenever he had the time. He had many Stephen King novels lining his bookshelves and I told him that one day one of those books would be mine. I promised myself that if given the chance I would honor him by writing in a genre he loved. Another aspect of my novel is love, lust, and angsty twists – which is my favorite thing to read. Creating a novel like Hunted felt right because I was honoring my dad and myself.

How do your friends and family get involved with your writing? What do they think of your book?

My husband helps me out so much, he reads my words aloud to me so I can see my vision better. My mom was one of my first readers and like any good mother she loved it – though she was a little disturbed about the thoughts running around in my head. There are people in my circle of friends and family who won’t read it because the content is so graphic and I respect that. With that said, my friends and family who have read it have all said that Hunted was impossible to put down and have taken the time to share it amongst their peers. In all honesty, I have had an amazing amount of support. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

Why did you write about this particular subject?

I wanted to write something that challenged me, that gave me an emotional response. Aside from that, I wanted my first published book to be a bold choice, something shocking, thought-provoking, conversational, and memorable.

What are your plans now your book is published?

I have been having fun writing, reading, creating YouTube videos, and spending time with my family, and living my best life. It’s important to me to not only chase your dreams but have fun doing it.

What’s next for you as an author?

I am currently working on the sequel to Hunted. Once that is released I have other books in different genres I plan on publishing.