“I write because I want to and I have no agenda for it or me other than that.”
— Laura Norton
A member of the Writers’ League since 2022, Laura lives in Austin, TX.
Scribe: Welcome, writer! Tell us — what do you write?
Laura Norton: I write fiction, and sometimes poetry.
Scribe: If you could choose one author to blurb your book, who would it be, and what would you want it to say?
LN: Richard Powers (assuming they have to be living, otherwise Virginia Woolf). Anything positive would be lovely. I can’t see putting words in their mouths; they do well enough on their own.
Scribe: You have one book you’re allowed to push onto all of your friends, and they’re forced to read it to remain your friend — which one would you choose?
LN: The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, perhaps, but forcing books on people is contrary to the whole spirit of things and I can’t say why I would pick this book precisely. It has been a long time since I read it and if I re-read it today I might not choose it – I might choose The Idiot instead, or To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. The premise is difficult for me to work with, so these are foundational works in my canon, I suppose.
Scribe: Tell us your WLT story.
LN: I was researching writing retreats, came across WLT, and joined as a resource to learn more about the craft.
Scribe: Where do you see your writing taking you (or you taking it) in the future?
LN: I write because I want to and I have no agenda for it or me other than that.
Scribe: Here at the WLT, we love sharing book recommendations. What’s one book that has come out within the past few years that you couldn’t put down? (Bonus points if the book is Texas related!)
LN: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (March 2021, so just over one year), and I didn’t actually care for it, but regardless of that Ishiguro is able to draw in the reader very successfully. The premise was interesting certainly and maybe that’s what compelled me about it even though I thought it superficial overall. A better choice that I just recalled and came out in Sep 2021 is Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang, a memoir of immigrating to America from China as a child. Highly compelling and complex narrative.
Scribe: Is there anything else about you that you would like to share with the world? An opportunity for blatant self-promotion!
LN: I’m an introvert, so not so much, but thank you for asking. I will say that I am coming back to a regular writing practice after a very long absence and am taking it slowly and ensuring that I am enjoying what I’m doing and learning about the craft. No big agendas, just enjoyment and expression.
