Lindas Book Obsession Interviews Author Laura Spinella

Lindas Book Obsession Interviews Author Laura Spinella, “Ghost Gifts” and “Foretold”

Linda:

1. What were your motivations, or inspirations for writing “Ghost Gifts” and “Foretold”?

• Laura:
• 
How much time have you got? Motivation was in good supply for my ghost-inspired 
 The most prominent push came from the house I live in, which is 130-years old. 
After I’d written the draft for Ghost Gifts, we learned the history of the house very much 
by accident. The house originally belonged to a woman named Anna Rathbun, who was 
an artist and writer. The discovery included astonishing circa 1900 photos of the house. 
After Anna, the house went through a period of owners that didn’t come with the happiest
vibe. We’ve lived here for 15 years now—from just about the time I took up novel 
writing. Coincidence or muse in residence? I suppose you can make a case for either, but 
I know which side I come down on. And to make certain Anna gets her due, I gave her a 
cameo appearance in Echo Moon, the third book in the trilogy.
• Linda
• 
 Are any of the characters based on anyone that you know? How did you develop the 
plot and characters?

• Laura:
• 
For me, main characters are never based on anyone I know. Personality quirks, 
mannerisms, facial expressions—sure, those things are picked up from real life. But the 
characters themselves are pure imagination. I’m a panster, so character and plot 
development go hand-in-hand. (Just to note, this is not the best way to write a novel, but 
apparently it’s how my brain is wired) 
Foretold was a clean canvas. By that I mean I didn’t know I’d be writing a second book 
when I wrote the first. Fortunately, I left Aubrey and Levi, the main characters, at good 
jumping off point. From there I had to decide if I wanted to write another whodunit or 
delve deeper into the characters’ lives. I ended up doing both. In Foretold the reader gets 
two mysteries to solve, and third they might not see coming. Unlike Ghost Gifts, 
Foretold does end in a cliffhanger, and hopefully readers will want to find out what 
happens in book three. 
Have you ever experienced anything para-normal or unusual? Do you believe in spirits 
or ghosts?
Yes. Of course. As noted above the house and I have a good ethereal connection, but I’ve 
always believed in the possibility of those who have passed revisiting this life in some 
form. I don’t think it happens for every person. I also believe you have to be open to the 
idea. We have a light in our kitchen that is often frequented by spirits, to the point where 
the light has turned on or off when asked a direct “yes” or “no” question. Go figure.
• Linda:
• 
 What do you do for relaxation and enjoyment when you have extra time?
• Laura:
• To be honest, I have been writing books nonstop for three years—the Ghost Gifts trilogy 
and Unstrung. That’s not a complaint by any means. It just hasn’t left much time for 
anything else. Admittedly, it’s fine in that I’m not particularly good with free time. I 
guess that’s something I’m going to have to work on in the months to come!

Linda:

5. Is their anything that you would like the readers to “take away” from your stories?

• Laura:
• 
I don’t care for novels that take themselves too seriously. You can have a novel with a 
poignant and deep message, but sometimes there’s a fine line between just that and 
advancing a personal agenda. I’m not really good with other people’s agendas, which 
usually shows through the story. So while there are takeaways in a Laura Spinella novel
—second chances, self-acceptance, coming to terms—mostly I want the reader to be 
 If they read one of my books and forget their problems for a while, then I 
succeeded.
• Linda:
• 
 Is there something that you would like to share about yourself?
• Laura:
• Okay, I asked my BFF to answer this one, because who knows what’s even marginally 
worth sharing about one’s self. I write novels—you already know that! From Melisa 
Holmes, BFF for more than 35 years: “Laura is a Mama Bear when it comes to her kids. 
If you think those books come first… Well, they might, but she’ll drop one in a heartbeat 
if needed. She’s a talented author, exceptionally loyal friend, and if you have a bottle of 
wine, she’ll visit.”
• Linda:
• Can you give us a “hint” what will be in the next book?
• Laura:
• If you read Foretold you’ll get a good idea of what’s to come in Echo Moon. The book 
centers on a grown up Pete St John, Aubrey and Levi’s son. Pete has his own psychic 
headaches, along with a few mysteries and life hurdles he’ll need to resolve. Parts of the 
next book are historical fiction, which I’d never written before. I had a lot of fun doing 
the research and writing with authenticity about the World War I era. In the future, 
writing historical fiction wouldn’t be completely off the grid for me. In fact, it might 
make for a good paranormal—how ghosts and the spirit world were perceived a century
• Linda:

8. What is the preferred method for readers to follow you or get in touch with you?

• Laura:
• 
Readers can get in touch via my website, lauraspinella.net and I’m always hanging 
around Facebook. I love to hear from readers, so pop on by if you have a chance.
Thank you so much, Linda—not only for the opportunity to visit your blog but also for 
your generous book support. I know so many authors who appreciate and value your 
fantastic love of reading! 



Thank you so much, Laura for your intriguing and wonderful interview .Heartfelt thanks for your generosity, insight, and spirit.