🎤Interview with Laurel C. Fox Author Braveing the Way #AuthorInterview

Laurel C. Fox was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and raised in Aspen, Colorado from the age of nine, through high school. After graduating college with a BA in Liberal Arts, Laurel wound up living in Los Angeles for thirty five years, raising two daughters, and having several careers. Laurel worked for Neil Diamond in the music business for fifteen of those years and traveled the world. Laurel now lives back in Colorado with her husband, John. She works as a voice-over actor and can be heard in many popular television shows such as Lethal Weapon, Angie Tribeca, and Manifest, to name a few. Laurel enjoys being a substitute teacher for the public and private elementary schools in the Roaring Fork Valley. She also sings in a local band, and dabbles on the theater stage whenever she can.

You can visit the author’s web page at www.braveingtheway.com and Instagram at https://instagram.com/laurelcarini.

Why did you write your book?

In 2014 I got a phone call that no parent ever wants to receive. My daughter Taylor was in a horrible accident, and was being transported to the biggest trauma center in Los Angeles.  When I began writing

and digging into an on-line journal everyday, not only to escape the madness, but to also communicate with everyone-- I learned that it was my comfort. Then my comfort and my cathartic writing process slowly became bigger than that and eventually turned into a book.

What kind of message is your book trying to get out?

My message of resilience, tenacity and shear grit is what I hope to give to my readers. That old cliche of needing to breakdown before you can break through is what happens to me during this journey. It’s a story about moving through a trauma with my two daughters, taking you through my own self-reflection while doing that, and being ‘mama bear’ every step of the way. It is not only a beautiful story about maternal sacrifice, it is also about building tenacity, strength and courage through intense struggle. I hope to encourage and bring bravery to people who don’t think they have it.

Is it hard to publish a nonfiction book?

 I found it hard in the sense that it’s a very sensitive subject, trauma —and certain people will be open to my story, and some people won’t. Either way, you just have to move forward and believe in it. 

Have you suffered from writer’s block and what do you do to get back on track?

I suffered more from knowing what this looked like as a book, and sometimes I would put it away for months at a time, because of that unknown. All the while (when I had shelved it) I would still be thinking about it, and when I would sit down again and start writing I was miraculously ready to write more.

Which holiday is your favorite and why?

 Thanksgiving. Hands down. That time of gratitude, no pressure of gifts being given, good food, family, friends and being thankful for life.

If we were to meet for lunch to talk books, where would we go?

 A little quaint cafe for English tea.

What do you like the most about being an author?

 I love being able to share my story of survival after trauma, and I hope to help others because of my story.

What kind of advice would you give other nonfiction authors?

I would say to them, some people will not be open to your story and what you have to say—but the beautiful thing is, it’s yours to tell. So keep doing it and get it out there.