LQ: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
LR: I’m from the small town of Derry in scenic Northern Ireland. Currently, I’m studying journalism with English, so facts are pivotal for me, and so I spent the better half of 5 years researching for my book. I’m very interested in Ww2 history and have started to collect money from the time. When I’m not writing, I’m reading or illustrating my work.
LQ: What does your writing process look like?
LR: I don’t really have a set routine that I follow, but before the lockdown, I went to the library to write. It was the only place I could be alone with my thoughts. Writing is like connecting the dots. I marry things that should never go together, but as I keep going, I realise that they were meant for each other.
LQ: What was your favourite book to write so far?
My debut is The Boy Who Saw In Colours, which is available for pre-order April 20th and is released on May 8th. (Update: the release date is now June 6th, but the book is now available for pre-order.)
It was a fascinating book to write, due to the subject matter: a young boy growing up in an elite school in Ww2, Germany. It’s a niche market. What makes The Boy Who Saw In Colours unique and sets it apart from other historical fiction novels, is the detail of the main character having synesthesia. It leads to creative and descriptive prose and makes for a beautiful read.
LQ: Who is your favourite character to write about?
LR: That has to be Josef, the main character of The Boy Who Saw In Colours. In a world that’s telling him who he has to be, Josef is trying to find the root of who he is. He is an artist, and unlike most books that simply have a character be great, we see Josef working hard just to become good. We understand the pain of his passion, and we are rooting for him on his journey to greatness.
LQ: Who are your favourite authors? Have any of them influenced your work?
LR: I have a few favourites: Louisa May Alcott, Stephen King, and Christine Leunens. Leunens novel Caging Skies comes closest in terms of inspiration, as it is about an Austrian boy living through Ww2 Germany, but our stories go in very different directions. Funnily enough, I have been inspired by many people, but very few of them are authors. I love people who paint outside of the lines and do things no one has seen before.
My biggest inspirations are Lin Manuel Miranda and Taika Waititi. They create art for themselves, not for the critics, publishers or even a particular audience. I have a lot of respect for people like that.
LQ: How are you doing during the current pandemic?
LR: I’m just trying my best to stay sane. I have run a lot more than I ever have since the gym is currently closed, so it has been nice to get out in nature. Releasing a debut novel during a pandemic is bold, but a risk I am willing to take. People need stories now more than ever. The Boy Who Saw In Colours may inspire people to take up a forgotten hobby or write their own stories.
LQ: What are you currently working on?
I’m just marketing for The Boy Who Saw In Colours at the moment. I do have plans to write another historical fiction novel set in my own home town. We have such a rich history.