Lessons in Laughing Out Loud - Rowan Coleman

(To celebrate today’s launch of ‘Lessons in Laughing Out Loud‘, I’ve got a SIGNED copy to give away and all details can be found at the end of this post)

Have you ever wondered what might have been…?

Willow and Holly are identical twins. They are everything to each other. Holly calls Willow her rock, her soulmate, her other half. And Willow feels the same about Holly. They are alike in every respect but one - Willow is afraid on the inside. And all because of a secret - one that binds the sisters closely together and yet has meant their lives have taken two very different paths.

Willow often feels there are large parts of her missing, qualities she only knows she’s lacking because she sees them in her sister. For a very long time Willow has felt separated from Holly by one terrible moment in time - a moment that meant Willow’s life was never the same again.

And when the past catches up with her, Willow realises its finally time for her to face her fears, and - with Holly’s help - learn to laugh out loud once more.

I’d been very much looking forward to ‘Lessons in Laughing Out Loud‘ and that always concerns me. I worry about my ridiculous expectations and about feeling disappointed. But I shouldn’t have worried. This is (and I say this EVERY time and mean it EVERY time), Rowan’s best novel yet, a novel that is perfectly balanced with both heart and humour.

‘Lessons in Laughing Out Loud‘ looks at bravery, at facing up to hidden fears and at accepting who we really are. It is about unravelling a mask, about voicing the unspoken, about self-discovery, acceptance, about loving and learning to laugh out loud. There are so many thought-provoking themes that thread together into a story that balances both emotion and humour. Rowan Coleman knows her craft. Her writing is both engaging and effortless, she’s a bestselling author for a reason.

‘Lessons in Laughing Out Loud‘ made me cry. It is a poignant, an emotionally satisfying story and an ideal summer read. I thoroughly and absolutely recommend.

Asking Rowan:

Love, love, love the title. Where did you find your inspiration for Lessons in Laughing Out Loud? As often with my books I didn’t have the title until about two thirds of the way through, and then it struck me in an flash of inspiration. It seemed to sum up Willow, my main character, a woman who doesn’t realise she’s forgotten how to laugh out loud. Also everyone who knows me knows I can’t bear the term ‘lol!’, drives me mad. I think we should all be doing more actual laughing out loud, rather than typing about it.

I wanted to know Willow, in real life, to go shopping with her and possibly out for a cup of tea with cake. How did Willow’s character develop? Did you plan out a character outline before you started writing or did she simply spring into being? The inspiration for the book came from Willow’s character first. As usual with me, I tend to find a character will come and stand at the end of my bed and look at me until I uncover their story. The more I thought about Willow, I realised she was a woman who had a past the was difficult, if not impossible to escape from, she is a survivor, but barely, her life and potential have been curtailed by past events that she has yet to truly face. She’s a strong, funny, interesting woman, but deep down inside she knows that she is the only person stopping herself from reaching her full potential, the question is will she have the strength to face the secrets that haunt her and move on?

Do you ever worry that the ideas will stop? No, funnily enough. Ideas keep coming thick and fast. What I do worry about is that no-one will let me write them down any more. I worry about that a lot. I think all writers do. Except Katie Price, she probably doesn’t.

If they do (they won’t, they won’t!), what would be your next choice of career? Professional lounger, film critic, food critic, cake critic. Professional-lounging-cake-eating-whilst-watching-films critic. That sounds about right.

What makes you laugh out loud? Animal jokes. (What goes black, white, black white? A penguin rolling down a hill. HILARIOUS) And also genuine wit, spontaneity and a new pair of shoes.

You’re a mum of small children, you’re a prolific writer and I often burst into song with you over on Facebook. How do you juggle motherhood, social media and writing? Some might argue that my social media habit is somewhat out of hand… But honestly, I don’t have plan of how to fit it all in, I just sort of do in the end. I think that’s how most working mums do it, on a wing and prayer, with a bit of multitasking and microwaving thrown in.

What do you plan to write next? I’m working on my next novel for Arrow, about a woman running away from her failed marriage, to her father who she hasn’t seen for twenty years. Still don’t have a title for that, am thinking of throwing it open to Facebook to think of one! I also have the best BEST idea for the book after that, but I can’t tell you about it yet, you might steal it.

What is the single piece of advice you’d give to someone currently trying to find an agent/publisher? Research first. Don’t send your MS off indiscriminately. Find out who an agent already represents, and if a publisher already has someone similar to you on their list. With agents, it’s better to go with someone who is familiar with your sort of writing, with publishing you want someone who has a gap they need to fill, a list that is missing YOU.

And, just in case it has changed since I last asked (oh, come on, you’ve even married someone in the music industry!), do you in any way know Simon Cowell? Simon Cowell and I have ignored each other for several years now, I simply won’t give that man the time of day, unless he makes the first move. Then I may allow him to take me out for tea.

I’ve a SIGNED copy of ‘Lessons in Laughing Out Loud’ by Rowan Coleman to give away. Simply leave a ‘please pick me’ comment by 3pm (GMT) July 25, then I’ll pop all names in a mug and ask a small child to select a winner. This competition is open to all.

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About the author: Rowan Coleman grew up in Hertfordshire secretly longing to be a writer despite battling with dyslexia. After graduating from university she worked in bookselling and publishing for seven years before winning Company Magazine Young Writer of the Year in 2001. Her first novel ‘Growing Up Twice’ was published in 2002.

Rowan has gone on to write eleven novels for women including the bestseller ‘The Accidental Mother, The Baby Group’ and ‘The Accidental Wife‘ and eight novels for children and teens including the paranormal adventure novels ‘Nearly Departed‘ and ‘Immortal Remains’ under the name Rook Hasting. Her books are published around the world. She now lives in Hertfordshire with her family.